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Originally Posted by idoneus1957
I adore the book, and the movie makes some strange choices, in my opinion.
Why did they drop Mr. Cooger, so that "Cooger and Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show" becomes "Dark's Pandemonium Carnival" or something? In box office terms, I can understand why they made the Dust Witch a gorgeous babe instead of an old woman.
Here's what to me is the strangest thing. In the book, Will's father is the janitor in the town library. In the movie, he runs the library. Other then that, I think that having Jason Robards play Will's father is great casting.
Well, often Hollywood movies have a way of promoting people, putting them up a few steps in the socioeconomic hierarchy. example: In the tv series The Fugitive, you have a small town doctor pursued by a small town cop. In the movie, the small town doctor has become a millionaire Chicago surgeon, and the small town cop has become a Federal marshal.
But it is clearly an impossible job to express Bradbury's prose in cinema terms. Take the chapter in the book where Will's father ponders the meaning of 3 a.m. How could you possibly film that?
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Great point about pondering the meaning of 3AM. If I was determined to do it in a film, I'd write a narration, and have Jason Robards read it.
Prose and film are just different things. Certainly some films have done the narration over cool visuals, or often better, black screen, but they're different mediums. I do wonder why some films of books actually change things. Or as you point out, giving them a socio-economic boost, but yes, I've noticed that.
But back to you OP (original post) question... as usual the book is better than the film, but that doesn't make Something Wicked a poor film adaptation.