The Hunger Games (books & movies) (Read 907 times)


A Saucy Wench

    I am completely turned off by them making it a 4 movie series.  I didnt like the 2nd and 3rd books AS much but I still liked them enough and thought they would have made good enough movies.  But there is no way to stretch the last book out into 2 movies without having both be painfully long teen angst  followed by a painfully long "oh havent we already seen this battle before?" movies.  Followed by more teen angst.  and another battle.   And the seasons change. 

     

    Finding out they want to make 4 movies out of it took me from wanting to see the first movie this weekend to "meh...maybe when it comes to Redbox".  Except we have babysitters for "free" and there really isnt anything else I feel like watching either.

    I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

     

    "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7


    ultramarathon/triathlete

      I don't know if Lionsgate will make it 3 or 4 movies, but I'd put my money on 4 movies just like Warner Brothers did with the splitting of the last Harry Potter movie.  That seems to be the theme. 

       

      I think kids prefer more movies than fewer.  Not sure how it will work for Mockingjay, but there was so much in Deathly Hallows (and all the other books, actually) that was or would have been left out, it just made sense. 

      HTFU?  Why not!

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      Empire Tri Club Coach
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      A Saucy Wench

        Yeah, but deathly hallows was a million pages long.  And lets face it part 1 was an awful lot of wandering around the moors looking at the scenery.  Most of the movie went in Part2.   Mockingjay is a short book.  LOOOOOOOTTTTTTTT of stretching gonna be needed. 

        I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

         

        "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

          I think kids prefer more movies than fewer.

           

           And obviously studios prefer more revenue to less revenue.  As a salesguy I can relate, and I could back my way into any argument that ended in $1.3b in gate receipts (which is what the last HP movie did.)  Difference being the last Harry Potter book was actually good, and really long.

           

          I won't blame lionsgate if they try to stretch it to 4 movies...that's their decision based on a market opportunity.  I can't see it being good though...

          Runners run


          ultramarathon/triathlete

            Yeah, but deathly hallows was a million pages long.  And lets face it part 1 was an awful lot of wandering around the moors looking at the scenery.  Most of the movie went in Part2.   Mockingjay is a short book.  LOOOOOOOTTTTTTTT of stretching gonna be needed. 

             

            I agree 100% (which is why I usually watch the last HP movie, and skip part 1 since it's kinda dull).  And I'd agree there would be a lot of stretching needed for MJ to be 2 movies.  I'm not sure what the plan is (have they said? maybe they have??) but I'm just speculating that they'd try to stretch it out.  THAT'S definitely about making money. 

             

            ETA:

            On a related note, I bring a stack of HP movies with me to all away races (marathons or IMs, really) as my go-to movie for going to bed early.  Nothing relaxes me more when I'm trying to get to sleep at 8pm!!

             

            Also, for the last 6 marathons I ran, 5 of the 6 hotels had one HP movie on cable the night before my marathon. Which I kinda find odd and random. 

            HTFU?  Why not!

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            Empire Tri Club Coach
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            12-week layoff

              Yes. My company publishes the Hunger Games.  And Harry Potter (and most children's books, actually).  

               

              So far, the fact is that sales of the Hunger Games have lead to a huge increase in YA reading overall.  They're not being turned off.  This I can substantiate with numbers. 

               

              And while we like selling multiple "volumes" as you put it, that's not our goal as a publisher.  In fact, lots of books come though here that would be "volumes" or series, and they get turned down, often for books that are 1-offs, but just better material.  We want kids to love reading, and that's the absolute bottom line. 

               

              And while I hear you that some people didn't like books 2 and 3 (or even book 1), more did.  Sales numbers show this, and they made a movie that's already huge.  The books are being read like nothing else right now.  That comes from word of mouth.  If people said "I read book X and the second and 3rd were not so great" do you think they'd all be best sellers?  Probably not. 

               I taught the first book in August.  The kids begged to read the second book, we read it as well.  I asked the kids what they wanted to do for the last quarter and they ALL asked to read the third book.  Kids like the second book.  They like the third book as well.  I think some of the response to the third book is are in reference to the fact that it doesn't have a traditionally happy ending.  In Twilight, the love triangle is resolved with hugs and kisses for everyone, and they all live happily ever after.  THG, not so much.  Maybe it's too much like real life to be an escape.


              "run" "2" "eat"

                the not-happy-ending part wasn't troublesome to me -- in fact, it was refreshing. the problem was that some of the death seemed gratuitous, and some plot lines weren't tied up well. as mikey said, the book seemed rushed. have you heard the saying "show, don't tell"? the entire series suffered from too much telling, not enough showing. in the third volume in particular, the story was jagged, disconnected, and incomplete. an editor needed to identify the holes and ask for some rewriting.

                i find the sunshine beckons me to open up the gate and dream and dream ~~robbie williams

                RunsForCake


                  So I plunked down my $15 yesterday to see The Hunger Games in IMAX.  While the movie was good(even the husband who had never read the books thought it was ok)  it could have been so much better.

                   

                  This series is no Harry Potter.

                   

                  But since I'm a sucker I will probably go and see any sequel they can dream up based on the books.  Blush

                  Lane


                    I liked the books and movies, but I wonder what is behind the trend of books about a female main character who can't decide between two male characters who are both madly in love with her?  I swore to myself before seeing the movies that if I saw a "Team Peeta" or "Team Gale" shirt I would punch myself in the face.

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                    rectumdamnnearkilledem

                      I liked the books and movies, but I wonder what is behind the trend of books about a female main character who can't decide between two male characters who are both madly in love with her?  I swore to myself before seeing the movies that if I saw a "Team Peeta" or "Team Gale" shirt I would punch myself in the face.

                       
                      Ha, did you see one?

                       

                      We caught a late afternoon matinee, yesterday.  I really loved it.  DH and I both thought it really was true to the book, with the exception of a few relatively minor details.  I think the casting was really well done, though I still picture Haymitch as an older, paunchier guy (I could see John Goodman in that role just as easily as Woody).  I thought Lenny Kravitz was a great Cinna--is this his first acting role?  I'm having a difficult time picturing anyone else as Katniss.  I loved seeing Josh Hutcherson all grown up.  The last thing I saw him in was Bridge to Terabithia and I thought he was great in that film.

                       

                      I predict this film will be up for some Oscar noms...best actress, best picture, perhaps some costume/visual awards, too.

                      Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                      remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                           ~ Sarah Kay


                      A Saucy Wench

                        the not-happy-ending part wasn't troublesome to me -- in fact, it was refreshing. the problem was that some of the death seemed gratuitous, and some plot lines weren't tied up well. as mikey said, the book seemed rushed. have you heard the saying "show, don't tell"? the entire series suffered from too much telling, not enough showing. in the third volume in particular, the story was jagged, disconnected, and incomplete. an editor needed to identify the holes and ask for some rewriting.

                         

                        I also found the not so happy ending refreshing.  Another reason I think it will be hard to split into a movie though is the climax comes way before the end of the book and then it is like 3 epilogues after. 

                        I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                         

                        "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

                        zoom-zoom


                        rectumdamnnearkilledem

                          I also found the not so happy ending refreshing.  Another reason I think it will be hard to split into a movie though is the climax comes way before the end of the book and then it is like 3 epilogues after. 

                           

                          Derek is sorta wondering if the 2nd and 3rd books would be divided into 3 movies, in some way (ie not making book 3 into 2 movies).  I haven't read them, yet, so I'm not sure how/if that could be done.

                          Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                          remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                               ~ Sarah Kay


                          Doc, my tooth hurts

                            I saw this last night and ended up leaving pretty disappointed. All of the positive buzz for this movie had me very excited and very much looking forward to the movie.  I left thinking that "Katniss is not nearly as likable in the movie as she was in the book." I think it had more to do with the fact that there was no internal dialogue. I always thought all of the other characters in the book were just ok, and that the world created by Collins was very good but not great. 

                             

                            Things I liked:

                            Jennifer Lawrence's performance-She actually nailed it as much as she could without the internal dialogue.  

                            The scenes in the capitol looked great, especially when they were introducing the tributes. 

                            The costumes of the people in the capitol were fantastic. 

                            Donald Sutherland as President Snow. 

                             

                            Things I didn't like

                            Too much shaky cam

                            A little bit too rushed especially at the beginning

                            She meets Rue, Rue helps her, and then dies all in about a span of 15 minutes in the film and it's the most Katniss is affected by anything. In the book it made a lot of more sense, but in the movie it came off as "what the hell?"

                             

                             

                            I just felt like it did a lot of things good, but nothing great. There was so much potential there to have amazing action sequences, but unfortunately had to make it a rating where younger people could see it (not an R rating).  I think many of the flaws with the whole world and the story were more obvious in the movie.


                            Tiefsa

                              Read the Trilogy already.  Going to the movie tonight.   I feel like a teenager, but I am actually excited to see the movie.  I hope it doesn't suck.

                               

                              The Hunger Games Movie Better Not Suck Poem

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                              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                                I read all of book 2 and got 84 pages into the 3rd book before I MADE MYSELF PUT IT DOWN!  I'm like a friggin' junkie.  I'm not going to get shit done tomorrow. Tongue

                                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                                     ~ Sarah Kay