The Fault In Our Stars

As a film student, it’s not really a surprise, I love films. I love watching them, talking about them and writing about them. Sometimes, I like making them. But I also enjoy getting excited about them. It’s a bit embarrassing but I’m not very good at keeping up to date about many movies, so when the trailer comes out, that’s round about the first I’ve heard about it, and that’s when I get excited. But something changed with The Fault In Our Stars.

I first read the book last year when my sister bought me it as a birthday present. It’s one of the only books I’ve ever read in one sitting. Needless to say, it’s my favorite book ever. I have one of those sickening creepy emotional attachments to it. You know the people, kind of gremlinish about their books? Don’t lend you their copies, you have to get their own etc? Yeah that’s me a bit (expect I did lend out my copy to a few friends). One of my favorite quotes from the book hangs on my wall, and my phone is protected by a ‘Fault in Our Stars’ phone case, complete with other beautifulness from the book.

So, this for the first time ever, is the first time I’ve actually been on it, and been able to get very excited about the book being turned into the movie. I know with this kind of knowledge though also comes expectation that I’ve never really had time to think about. When I read the Hunger Games, I put the book down and literally put the film on. I didn’t have time to think about what they had taken out or changed. Although it was part of my degree study so it might had been different had I had time to think about it.

Currently studying a module at Uni about Film adaptation has opened my eyes to the changes and differences in adaptations as well as the problems. So with this in mind, I’ve tried not to put too much pressure on the adaptation, although that is sometimes easier said than done, when you love a book so much. Sometimes, I think people get a bit too attached to what is going to be missing from their beloved book. People focused a lot on the missing aspects of Harry Potter, as opposed to the way that the bits that had been included had been portrayed. People are very quick to say what they don’t like, and forget about what they did like.

So, with this adaptation, I’m trying to maintain an open mind. I’m looking forward to seeing the characters come to life of course, and the beautiful story. But I’m also looking forward to the soundtrack, the cinematography, and the fact that one of John Green’s books has finally been turned into a film. As long as the essence of the book is still maintained, and as long as it makes me cry my eyes out, I’ll be happy.