Any film adaptation from page to screen is fraught with danger. The latest to elicit ire from the book-reading community is Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife, which became a best-seller when it was published in 2003 and has since sold millions of copies worldwide. Criticisms levelled at the film version are varied: among them that it concentrates solely on the romance between Claire (Rachel McAdams) and the time traveller, Henry (Eric Bana), that the ending has been changed and that the time travelling isn't explained clearly enough. "The movie moves at such an agonisingly stately pace that by the end, side effects be damned, Henry's time travelling gene starts to look mighty appealing," moaned The Wall Street Journal.
Still, on the bright side, The Time Traveler's Wife is merely the most recent addition to the list of books that have been butchered by filmmakers. Who can forget the endless carping about the lacklustre on screen version of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code? Some might uncharitably say that, despite having sold 80 million copies, the book is pretty rubbish. But, the film sinks to dismal, confused lows despite the presence of the usually charismatic Tom Hanks.
Angels & Demons fared little better. Perhaps all we can do is hope that Ron Howard doesn't persevere with the newest Brown instalment, The Lost Symbol. Oh, but there are so many other epic failures. Remember that bittersweet book Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernières? Remember the utter hash of it that Nicolas Cage made with Penélope Cruz? The mandolin outacted the pair of them. Love in the Time of Cholera, based on the book by Gabriel García Márquez, was another adaptation deservedly slammed. Tellingly, it was the first of Márquez's works to be made by a big Hollywood studio instead of a Latin American one, and fans of the book were quick to complain about the loss of the book's philosophy, subtlety and romance. Accents weren't convincing, either.
"The entire cast speaks broken English like Manuel in Fawlty Towers," said one reviewer. Of course, the trouble is often that great books, which studios rush to snap up, have developed a fiercely loyal following. The Harry Potter films, for example. They're controversial; some love them, some definitely do not. Those in the latter camp are diehard fans of the books, most often outraged that scenes have to be slashed for brevity's sake so the audience loses too much of JK Rowling's detail.
But can the film versions of popular classics ever bear the weight of expectation? Witness the trashing that the recent film version of Brideshead Revisited received last year. In the area of science-fiction, it is worth paying homage to the drab awfulness that was the adaptation of Battlefield Earth, starring John Travolta. It started out life as a book by the Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard, disliked by some critics, applauded by others - especially the US politician Mitt Romney, who has previously said it is his favourite book. The film plundered new levels of tedium, with Travolta being given the honour of a Golden Raspberry award for Worst Onscreen Couple. (Travolta and "anyone sharing the screen with him".)
The works of Stephen King, who has more than 60 books to his name, are also divisive when it comes to their on screen translations. On the one hand, we have The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, often lauded as "greats". There are disappointments too, though, with flicks such as Salem's Lot and Dreamcatcher. The Shining is a trickier one. King was said to have loathed Kubrick's 1980 version, starring Jack Nicholson, who he felt was fundamentally miscast in the role.
The relationship between filmmaker and author was reportedly not helped by Kubrick calling King up at all hours of the day and night with philosophical queries about the story. Those who like the film still thrash around internet forums discussing the topic with those who claim the book was superior. The fervour of the average horror film fan is matched by the fervour of the comic-book fan. Which explains why several big budget comic movies - Catwoman springs instantly to mind - have been so roundly abused. "When is a cat a dog?" asked Time magazine waggishly. "When it's a catwoman."
This autumn, several of the biggest film openings are adaptations - Fantastic Mr Fox, Cormac McCarthy's The Road, The Lovely Bones and the second in the Twilight series, New Moon. Here's hoping the film versions can keep bookworms happy.
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
SPECS
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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Company%20Profile
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
Company%20Profile
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Chinese Grand Prix schedule (in UAE time)
Friday: First practice - 6am; Second practice - 10am
Saturday: Final practice - 7am; Qualifying - 10am
Sunday: Chinese Grand Prix - 10.10am
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
