The Banner

Recent movie blockbusters pay tribute to the common knowledge that the best screenwriters are avid readers. "The Lovely Bones", "Sherlock Holmes" and "Dear John" are but a few of the hit movies that have been ripped from the pages of a book and have splashed their way across the big screen. Authors and screenwriters alike prosper from this trend, with both book and movie sales skyrocketing from newfound public interest. Die-hard lovers of the novel anxiously wait to see the film, while others who loved the movie long to see if the book can stack up.

Almost any person who has not been living under a rock has heard of the teen obsession with the "Twilight" and "Harry Potter" series. Not just limited to tween mania, businessmen, teachers and housewives have become enraptured with the stories of vampire love and wizard danger. Hollywood took no time to catch the scent of a legend-in-the-making and enlarged the fan base of an already famous story. Many hard- core fans complain that the films do not hold true to the books, but the majority of people relish in the visual comparison as they eagerly
await the next installment.

Comics have lately been a popular go-to for screenwriters, and many Marvel and DC comic book fans have delighted over their childhood heroes filling the theaters. "Spiderman", "Superman", "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk" have recently been Hollywood hits with even more hero action planned for the future. The Marvel Comic team, "The Avengers", is planned to hit theaters in 2012, with Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson landing lead roles.

Though this craze of film adaptations has escalated in the past few years, this is by no means a new innovation. The classics "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "1984", "Pride and Prejudice" and "The Godfather" are just a few examples that have been brought to theaters from originally top-selling books. It worked so well in the past, why would screenwriters try to fix what was never broken?

Seeing our favorite stories come alive is always a thrill, but we must ask ourselves, where has all of Hollywood's originality gone? With a good chunk of films today simply being re-done and re-sold, the audience is bound to get bored of the predictability of their cinematic experiences. These two completely individual mediums deserve differing treatment- if one buys a book, they should get a specific experience while watching a movie should bring a fresh view to life.