Hobby Buku's Classic: Books Into Movies [ 3 ] : "TREASURE ISLAND"

Friday, June 21, 2013

Books Into Movies [ 3 ] : "TREASURE ISLAND"

BOOKS INTO MOVIES : TREASURE ISLAND

My first experience with Robert Louis Stevenson’s works are ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyl and Mr.Hyde’ that really good and filled with dark-mystery, something I really like too. After that, I attempt to read ‘Treasure Island’ (the translation edition) who not quite satisfied and fulfilled my expectation. Someone I knew who already read both edition (the original version and the translation) gave me several explanation that there are differences and both edition, and that might explain why I felt something ‘missing’ on the stories.

The hard part on the attempt at work-tranlation in classical books are often mislead by the original term or mostly because the translation cannot ‘catch’ the ‘nuances’ of its story, not just the back-ground and time setting but to understood the ‘language its self’ who a lot different (both context and term) in those certain era when the story are written. And for Treasure Island who used a lot of unusual language like ‘slank’ in pirate’s language, it is rather hard and confusing to understand the meaning of its (believe me, because I watch the movie adaptation who almost half of their conversation I have to guess the real meaning)

Now, when the book are not quite fulfilled my satisfaction, the movie adaptation got mixed reviews too. I watch the TV Miniseries (2012) that I borrow from Fanda, and despite there is Donald Sutherland, Eddie Izzard and Elijah Wood as the main-cast, the whole story didn’t work too well for me. First, because there is several changes in the plot, and second I think some of the cast are not suitable for the role. Like the character Jim Hawkins, even I knew this is about a boy who dreampt a journey of adventure and becoming such a hero, but at the end he just frightening boy who push into danger situation, I cannot agree that he must describe as a very imature and weak person, just like at the movie. In the movie, the character that really show-up is Long John Silver (play by Eddie Izzard) and there was Elijah Wood too who plays as well as ‘disturbing’ young man Ben Gunn (somehow, I rather think he should plays Jim Hawkins instead).

The main story-line are still keep as the original version (that’s what I like about British production, they keep the original version as the adaptation too, not like USA or Hollywood version), the setting and most of the characters are similar. But the changes on John Trelawney’s character quite extrem, by making him as antagonis, greedy and selfish person, even Long John Silver who is the bad-guy in the end discribe as someone who really have a good heart, and a better man that Trelawney (noted : the cast of Trelawney is Rupert Penry-Jones also plays the role as Frederick Wentworth in the Jane Austen’s movie adaptation ‘Persuasion’ (2007), who also so annoying character, it might gave me such ‘dislike’ him as well in this movie). The intensity and mysterious aspect who gave the story really good, cannot be seen nor feels from the begining until the end. For pirate’s movies, it is more like a drama rather adventurous scene (I imagine what’s if like The Pirate of Carribean instead)

And I also watch Disney adaptation, with different interpretation but somehow it ended really good and gave positive mesaage to younger audience (just like how Disney’ slogan). Now, even Disney’s changing a lot from the original version, I must say that the whole idea and story-line are more acceptable, suitable and enjoyable for audience and me of course). The story are sets in the future, when tehnologies are improve and using the environment energy, which is the solar systems as the center of universe. Jim Hawkins are a little boy who had big dream to relive the adventure of the best Pirate of the century : Captain Flint. Then he grew-up becoming trouble-child, always have free spirits and break-the-rules, sometimes breaking the law too. His expectation are changing after his father left his family when Jim just a teenager. Jim’s mother trying hard to become the head of the family, but Jim more and more difficult to handle. Until one day Jim stumble into space accident, where the victim finally dies at their home (Admiral Benbo’s housequest) and left a ball who contain maps that contain the keys to the hidden places in universe.

The story rolled into the next step when Jim are going on adventures with the companion of family’s friends Dr. Delbert Doppler to seek the lost treasures who according to the legend, are hidden in the secret place by Captain Flint. Without anyone notice, most of the crews are lead by the cook named John Silver, who had one legs and one arms because of the accident, and replacing by cyborg. John Silver using young Jim Hawkins who lonely and seek for the father figure, to get the maps. No one know about it, until someday Jim accidently hear the mutiny plan that breaks his heart. And the story got into pace so intense when mutiny break-down, Jim Hawkins with Captain Amelia and Dr. Delbert must run for their life, then stranded in the unknown planet, until they meet B.E.N – a robot that looks confusing because he lost several of its memories.

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I always love Disney’s adaptation, and with beautiful scenery, this classic stories are moving into sci-fi adaptation but still graps my heart when the interaction between John Silver and Jim Hawkins are more true when tehy had face-to-face with the end of their life. This story are more suitable for children and younger reader / audience and because of the positive with good moral issue. Even though Treasure Island are consider as the children literature, I found the story quite harsh and brutal for young reader. There are no good message inside them, neverless the issue surrounding moral and belive (the conversation about paranormalcy, ghost and evil spirits among the pirate’s are not helping or usefull to understood by children).

[ more about this topics, you can also check on my review in here : Treasure Island (Books Review) | Treasure Island (Movies Adaptation) ]