For some odd reason video game adaptations of Hollywood movies and movie adaptations of video games never quite turn out right and is something that needs addressing.
Part 1: Hollywood and Rip-offs!
If one was to take a deeper look at Hollywood than all they would see is plagiarism. That may sound like a strong statement to many, yet in essence nearly every film to make its way out of Hollywood is either based on a novel or, in more recent times, on a video game or a comic book.
If the reader disagrees at this point them they should take it on themselves as a challenge to name ten movies that were released last year and were not based on novel, comic book or even a video game for that matter, and no movies based on popular television shows do not count either.
To start off with one could rule out the Dark Knight, which although had an original screenplay is based on a comic book character. What about the upcoming Avengers movie? Nope, that doesn’t count either as it is based on a comic book series as well.
300? Again, no, as it is based on a graphic novel as are the Watchmen and Sin City.
What about the A-Team, a great movie that everyone seemed to enjoy? Sadly for those still defending Hollywood, that too was based on popular television series that aired during my youth.
G.I.Joe? Once again, no, as not only did Hollywood make a movie based on a popular line of toys but there was a television series long before there was a movie.
It is best to not even get started on the books that movies use. Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings, the most recent entry, the Hunger Games and let us not forget the movie series that essentially killed vampires, Twilight.
Even Shutter Island was based on a book for crying out loud!
The list goes on and on and every so often a movie comes out that takes everyone by surprise because it was original, not based on anything apart from the script writer’s imagination and talent. These films are to be celebrated and demonstrate what the medium is all about when mind is put to task.
Many may not know about the Spanish film ‘Rec’ yet its Hollywood adaptation, Quarantine, was a breath of fresh air when it was released. It may not have been a phenomenal success at the box office, yet it was a testament to how films could inspire instead of just taking the easy way out.
It may sound old-fashioned but the best and most original use of film is the same as it was when the medium first appeared, documentaries.
Forks over knives and Waste Land are two prime examples of brilliant, informative, eye-opening and original documentaries that made the best use of film.
Let us be clear, this article is not about slating Hollywood, many of the adaptions of books, comics and novels are great but when it comes to what we really care about, video games, it seems that justice is rarely dealt.
To find out why that is the case and get to the point of this rant read http://www.senore.com/Hollywood-needs-to-take-Video-Games-more-seriously-Rant-Part-2-a150178.
Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the editorial policy of Bettor.com. He was greatly upset by the Max Payne movie among others and feels that it is about time that video games get their due respect.
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