How to Make the Proper Book to Screen Adaptation: A Lesson by Mike Flanagan
Blog Writer // Paige Bayliss
As a long time reader and book-lover, I think there is nothing more exciting than finding out that your favorite novel or series is going to have its very own screen adaptation. From blockbuster films to television series, you’ll finally be able to view the characters and the story that you have adored for so long on the big screen. You’ll be able to share it with people who may not enjoy reading, but can enjoy a film.
Months or even years of waiting go by after the initial announcement and then the day arrives. You’re sitting in a big theater, or at home on your couch about to watch the adaptation that you’ve been anticipating for years and years and then…
It’s awful. Like, genuinely awful. You’ve never been so disappointed. They’ve ruined entire character’s backgrounds and story lines, warping them into something unrecognizable. The plot has holes upon holes, and the pacing is just weird. As a fan of the books, you’re appalled. Then, the people around you who aren’t fans of the books are wondering why you were ever a fan in the first place. You’re left defending yourself and your own taste.
“I swear, the book is so much better. It’s way different.”
“The characters are so much more interesting than this.”
“The plot makes sense in the book, I promise. You should really give it a shot.”
No one ever believes you. Except for the people who were already fans alongside you. But they’re just as equally disappointed. How did they let this happen? Who was responsible for making these adaptations?
This exact scenario happens time and time again. When it comes to screen adaptations of novels, not a single reader is ever left fully satisfied. So, what should filmmakers do? Perhaps, they should take a page out of Mike Flanagan’s book.
Mike Flanagan is an American filmmaker known for his work in the horror genre. He’s made films such as Hush, Gerald’s Game, Doctor Sleep, and more. What he is more popularly known for are the various limited series that he has released with Netflix. Two of these shows, The Fall of the House of Usher and The Haunting of Hill House, were adaptations from popular works of fiction. Fans of those works will tell you that they are nothing like the original source material. Flanagan takes creative liberties beyond what most would expect from a book to screen adaptation. So much so, that some may assume that fans of the original source material would hate it. But, that’s not actually the case.
The Haunting of Hill House was released in 2018 and was adapted by the Shirley Jackson novel of the same name. The gothic horror novel was released in 1959, and follows the story of a group of individuals brought to live in Hill House while an anthropologist observes their behavior and how it’s affected in this supposedly haunted house. The television show maintains the heart of the idea, instead following the Crain family and the ways in which Hill House has maintained a grip on their lives, both in their youth and adulthood.
Fans of the show and the book will note that the two hold very few similarities. The plots of the television series and the book are almost completely different. The characters are split up and rearranged to create new characters with new storylines. Yet, Flanagan was still able to create a television series that didn’t severely offend fans of the original novel. His work was inventive and intriguing, and in many ways, held more emotional impact than the original novel. Despite how different it was, Flanagan was still able to capture the style of Jackson’s writing on screen. It came down to a feeling rather than specificity of detail.
As for The Fall of the House of Usher, the TV series follows the Ushers, a rich and powerful family that are mysteriously dying one after the other. The series was loosely adapted from the short story by Edgar Allen Poe. However, each episode also takes inspiration from other short stories or poems from Poe’s collection of work. Flanagan does a brilliant job of maintaining the feeling of Poe’s storytelling. The gothic aspects of the television show capture the essence of the gothic horror that Poe is revered for, but it doesn’t retell those stories line by line.
But, aren’t line-by-line adaptations of series what readers want? That may be the case for some readers, but it’s not possible. With such a desire, readers will always be left unsatisfied and disappointed, no matter how true to the original source the adaptation is. Mike Flanagan throws that concept completely out of the window. Rather than focus on the perfect recreation, he captures the essence of the original story, but creates his own. The screen adaptation and the original work are separate entities. In that situation, a person could be a fan of both the novel and the screen adaptation without one muddying the opinion of the other.
The key to this succeeding is honesty from the filmmakers. Mike Flanagan has always been honest about the fact that his book to screen adaptations are more inspired than exact adaptations. Knowing this, it makes it much harder for a reader to be disappointed in the adaptation. No expectations, and you can enjoy these series for the brilliant filmmaking they are.
However, it is important to note that the authors of both of the original fiction that Flanagan’s television series were based on have long since passed away. Their work was published more than sixty years ago. While they do maintain strong fan bases and are widely accepted great literary works, they don’t suffer from the pitfalls of modern day fandoms. Flanagan’s choices in adaptations didn’t necessarily call for masses of fans to critique his choices.
Either way, Flanagan has redefined what it means to make a book to screen adaptation. He maintains his own creative integrity by creating something new and exciting from already existing material. But, he respects the original source and credits his inspirations. He respects the fans of the fiction he adapts, making sure to be honest with fans about what his work truly is and will be. Readers have learned that the best way to avoid disappointment when seeing a book to screen adaptation is to expect nothing at all from the filmmakers. In Flanagan’s case however, your expectations will always be exceeded.