Truer to the Text: Difference between revisions

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If a book or comic becomes sufficiently popular, it will almost definitely get a TV show or a movie. While some fans rejoice upon hearing that their favorite series is getting an adaptation, all too often the hardcore fans will find themselves [[They Changed It, Now It Sucks|bitterly disappointed]], and problems are especially likely to surface when the story is ongoing and the staff has to work with incomplete source material. The result of such circumstances tends to be a [[Base Breaker]].

Sometimes, these complaints are heard, and the result is a [[Truer to the Text]] adaptation. When this happens, the story gets ''another'' adaptation, or at least go out of their way to cover what they missed out on last time. This time there will be no annoying additions, no alternate ending, no important details ignored, just the original story, pure and proper. If done well, the [[Fandom]] will [[And the Fandom Rejoiced|probably be quite pleased]].

Sometimes, these complaints are heard, and the result is a '''Truer to the Text''' adaptation. When this happens, the story gets ''another'' adaptation, or at least go out of their way to cover what they missed out on last time. This time there will be no annoying additions, no alternate ending, no important details ignored, just the original story, pure and proper. If done well, the [[Fandom]] will [[And the Fandom Rejoiced|probably be quite pleased]].

However, it's important to keep in mind that this is [[Tropes Are Not Good|not necessarily a good thing]]. There are four closely related problems with this sort of adaptation.

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=== ~~'''~~This is a list of examples that have already been done or are in the works. Do NOT list a series unless it has been ''officially announced''. Mere rumors are not enough.~~'''~~ ===

=== This is a list of examples that have already been done or are in the works. Do NOT list a series unless it has been ''officially announced''. Mere rumors are not enough. ===

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* ''[[Bram Stoker's Dracula|Bram Stokers Dracula]]'' and ''[[Mary Shelley's Frankenstein]]'' were intended as faithful adaptations of two books that had been quite heavily changed in previous film adaptations. They had their own changes and quirks, though.

* The 2000 ''[[Dune]]'' miniseries took some liberties with Frank Herbert's book, but compared to the 1984 David Lynch movie, its fidelity is nigh-slavish.

* The 1997 miniseries of ''[[The Shining]]'' was far closer to Stephen King's book {{spoiler|with the huge exception of the [[Bowdlerise~~|Bowdlerised~~]] ending}}. This is a strong example of "more faithful" not equaling "better": the miniseries was underrated (and scarily effective in its own right), and the 1980 film has significant weaknesses, but Kubrick's ~~vision--however~~ un-~~Kinglike--still~~ resulted in a better movie.

* The 1997 miniseries of ''[[The Shining]]'' was far closer to Stephen King's book {{spoiler|with the huge exception of the [[Bowdlerise]]d ending}}. This is a strong example of "more faithful" not equaling "better": the miniseries was underrated (and scarily effective in its own right), and the 1980 film has significant weaknesses, but Kubrick's vision—however un-Kinglike—still resulted in a better movie.

* [[The Coen Brothers]] said this was their intention when they made their film adaptation of ''[[True Grit]]''.

* Carson McCullers adapted her novel ''The Member of the Wedding'' for the stage herself, despite never having written a play before, to preempt the production of a more conventionally theatrical adaptation by another writer.