BOOK VS MOVIE: Black Klansman/BlacKkKlansman

In this current political climate, it's hard trying to immerse one's self in something besides the news. On the one hand, staying informed of what's happening in the world is important. But on the other hand, so much information can be taxing on anyone and a break is appreciated as well as recommended.

Sometimes reading or watching works pertaining to current events can help. One could draw parallels to how the events in work compare to real life, especially if said work is from or set at least half a century ago. You can see either how things have changed or seldom shifted at all. Either way, the result can be interesting to uncover.

Ron Stallworth's memoir Black Klansman in particular chronicles his days at the Colorado Springs Police Department as the first Black detective on its force. Several years into his tenure, he does something that raises more than a few eyebrows: he joins the Ku Klux Klan (to infiltrate it with a white officer as his cover). And Stallworth remains very matter-of-fact in his writing, seeing no need to embellish what happened. That said, he's rightly pissed off when faced with racism.

If Stallworth shied away from mentioning racism he might've faced on a day-to-day basis, then Spike Lee sure as hell tackles it head-on. Tweaking several details from the memoir, Lee's adaptation shows how Black people are still dealing with this bullshit decades later. He also shows that this current wave of social justice isn't a new occurrence; this has been happening for years.

So which is better: Stallworth's memoir or Lee's film? Both have their own strengths though they seem firm in their belief that law enforcement is who to rely on for change in society. If the past few weeks have proven anything, it's that the mass population has a much louder voice than those with authority. After all, to quote Rosa Parks, it is better to protest than to accept injustice.

What's worth checking out?: The movie.

BOOK VS MOVIE: Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool

The private lives of public figures is something we find deeply engrossing. What are they like far away from the flashes of cameras? Are the smiles they wear for their audiences simply for show? Only those close to them know the real answer.

Which is why there's such an interest in memoirs and biographies. Through those we get the details that the media tend to speculate before they're confirmed or denied. But sometimes such accounts become more captivating when they're from someone close to the famous personality.

Peter Turner's Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool chronicles the final days of his former lover Gloria Grahame as she takes refuge in his family's home. Switching between (then-)present day and various points of their relationship, Turner depicts Grahame as a woman who was very much like the roles she often played: a no-nonsense kind of girl with a soft side.

A few tweaked details aside, Paul McGuigan's adaptation stays mostly true to Turner's memories of Grahame. (It shines more of a light on the cancer that would ultimately claim the actress' life.) Jaime Bell and Annette Bening (as Turner and Grahame, respectively) have strong chemistry. and the film has moments that are reminiscent of the Hollywood era when Grahame's fame was at its peak. That said, the latter doesn't always work.

So which is better: Turner's memoir or McGuigan's film? Both depict Grahame as more than just an Oscar-winning movie star and how pugnacious of a person she could be. (The last bit isn't generally a bad thing, mind you.) And the two works make one thing very clear: a famous person is still a person, far from immune to the usual failings found in the human race. (We're just prone to putting them on a pedestal.)

What's worth checking out?: The book.

BOOK VS MOVIE: The Zookeeper's Wife

There's no way in denying the lengths a society will go to keep their world "pure". The most egregious example from history is the Holocaust. Millions of innocent lives either destroyed or cut short, all for the appalling sake of ethnic cleansing. But even amid those atrocities, there were those who weren't going to let defenseless people suffer.

The most famous of these saviors amid slaughter was Oskar Schindler but there are those who, outside their native countries, aren't as prominent. Take for instance Jan and Antonia Żabiński. After their native Poland was invaded by German forces -- the catalyst for World War II -- they used their home and bombed-out zoo to help those escape from Nazi persecution. As a result, they saved nearly 300 people from certain death.

Diane Ackerman's novel The Zookeeper's Wife chronicles the Żabińskis lived their lives as the German army occupied Warsaw. In their many ways to conceal those in hiding, they had to be discreet about the extra people within their home while at the same time fighting and aiding the enemy. (They had to stay on their toes for a long time.)

As well as using Antonia's diaries for further details, Niki Caro's adaptation follows Ackerman's novel to the letter. That said, there are a few details clearly fabricated for the film. (The most glaring one are the scenes of supposed intimacy between Daniel Brühl -- who should probably invest in a different agent -- and Jessica Chastain.) Still, Caro tightens the reins on those as well.

Does Ackerman's account of the Żabińskis' heroics reign supreme or does Caro's claim the title? Both shines a light on names forgotten by history as well as the hypocrisy of the Nazi Party's actions. However, one of them doesn't get overly softhearted for the sake of reaching a wider audience.

What's worth checking out?: The book.

BOOK VS MOVIE: Testament of Youth

There have been many acts of brutality throughout history. And throughout all of them, they have been chronicled for the sake of fiction. Many of said chroniclers weren't even alive when these events occurred but if done properly, they can be just as haunting as the actual events.

That said however, many writers will channel their own experiences into their fiction. (See Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five and almost everything Ernest Hemingway wrote pertaining to World War I as examples.) But even then writers won't sit down and document everything they experienced from their perspective instead of from a fictitious narrator. Thankfully there are those exceptions.

Vera Brittain's memoir Testament of Youth chronicles her life before, during and after the events of World War I. Much like Sebastian Faulks' Birdsong decades later, Brittain writes about how this brutal battle changed the world she knew and claimed the lives of those she cares for deeply. Through her perspective as a V.A.D. nurse (and with the occasional aid of poetic prose), she witnesses her generation lose its innocence.

A few omitted details aside, James Kent's adaptation stays true to what Brittain witnessed. Through Rob Hardy's cinematography, the film shows the life of Brittain (and countless others) drastically change from bright-eyed and innocent to broken and jaded. (If only Brittain had know this current generation is the same as hers...)

So which of the two comes out on top? Both are stunning though not without their flaws (the memoir gets too poetic in spots, and the film has a penchant for dramatic flair) but still, both provide a personal insight to a futile battle that scarred an era.

What's worth checking out?: Both.

BOOK VS MOVIE: Girl, Interrupted

Susanna Kaysen's memoir and James Mangold's film Girl, Interrupted both discuss temporary life in a mental institution. The differences between the two are quite distinct if you pay attention.

Kaysen's writing style is a mix between observation and stream of consciousness. She watches the many events going on in her ward while at the same time voices the many thoughts running around in her head. It's in a similar style to Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar.

Mangold's direction is a trifle different to Kaysen's writing. It appears rather focused on the main character rather than the ensemble of people Kaysen introduces in the book. True, the supporting characters have their time in the spotlight, but only for a short time.

Anyway, onto the differences. As with most adaptations, certain scenes are altered, removed or added. Though some scenes improved in the film, if only a minor tweak or two. In total, only a small number of scenes between the two match.

All in all, both memoir and film have their flaws, yet the memoir comes out on top. Mainly because it's straight from the horse's mouth, not glamorized to make it more appealing to everyone. Then again, the film isn't as sporadic as the memoir.

What's worth checking out?: I'd go with the novel.

Include Me Out

When most memoirs are published, they're usually those written by some of the biggest and/or more recognizable names in the business. Of course, the lesser known (but equally talented) names get published too.

One such name is Farley Granger. He is best known for the two movies he did with Alfred Hitchcock, Strangers on a Train and Rope. Granger isn't as known by many today because his true calling was on the stage rather than the screen, silver or small. He passed away last year but like his career, it got overlooked by many. (He died just days after Elizabeth Taylor.)

Granger wasn't particularly fond of the spotlight when he was still in Hollywood, but that didn't stop him from writing Include Me Out, his 2007 memoir. Not much was known about his personal life prior to the publication.

Like many actors of the time, Granger speaks of his discontent of Samuel Goldwyn's treatment of him. (However, Granger isn't too bitter; the title is one of Goldwyn's sayings.) He also speaks of his many productions, both screen and stage, and his meetings of some of entertainment's most talented names. (He also recollects the highly tumultuous friendship he had with Shelley Winters.)

Include Me Out contains some of the best descriptions I've read. Granger speaks of his ability to remember all of his lines if not the whole script. The same ability was used when he speaks of his experience making Senso (which, in my opinion, contains his best work as an actor). He repeats sometimes in his writing, though Granger shows that he had one hell of a life.

My Rating: ****1/2

American Prince

When celebrities have their memoirs published, it allows their fans to learn more about them. (Well, at least the stuff they keep out of interviews.) Then there are the names whose personal lives were exploited for most of their careers.

One such name is Tony Curtis. Being more than aware of his reputation as a womanizer who spoke his mind often, I was more than a little reluctant to read his memoir American Prince, which was published a few years before his passing in 2010. I had a preconceived feeling that it would be nothing but sex and smut on every other page. But once I started reading, I realized that he had a complex sort of personality.

Curtis, like most other stars of the Golden Age, didn't exactly have the best of upbringings. He went from the slums of the Bronx to the bright lights of Hollywood thanks in part to his good looks. In a span of nearly sixty years, he appeared in over 100 movies.

He tells of his many antics on the set (he was the target of many pranks early in his career) and off (the occasional get together among Hollywood's elite). There are several moments in the book that could raise some eyebrows (apparently Marilyn Monroe did too good of a job during their intimate scene in Some Like It Hot), but it's all good.

American Prince is one of the most sincere memoirs out there, however I didn't like how Curtis blamed his ex-wives for their failed marriages. (Because of that, I'm now tempted to read Janet Leigh's memoirs to see what she had to say about their marriage.) The words glide across the pages as he remembers pivotal scenes of his life and career. (His description of his brother Julius' death just shattered my heart.) Definitely a must-read.

My Rating: ****1/2

BOOK VS MOVIE: Into the Wild

I really like book where the events mentioned in them actually took place. They're either inspiring or tragic. Or once in a while both. A good example of that is Into the Wild.

Christopher McCandless has recently graduated from college. But instead of achieving the goals his parents want him to do, he donates his life savings to charity, adopts the psuedonym "Alexander Supertramp", and takes off for Alaska. He spends three months on the road before arriving at Alaska.

Jon Krakauer's novel is very detailed and gripping, while Sean Penn's movie is enthralling. I can honestly say I don't know which one I love more. But I just want to add something else about the movie: Emile Hirsch was AMAZING as McCandless and should've been recognized more for his work.


What's worth checking out?: I'd go with both.

Born on the Fourth of July

Another common setting for books and movies is the Vietnam War. Much like my opinion on the media's depiction on World War II, I honestly don't know why the Vietnam War is re-enacted so much. But again, I find that it makes for good entertainment.

Upon his return from the Vietnam War, Ron Kovic has become a changed man. Paralyzed from the waist down, he suffers challenges from his injury. Along with problems of his paralysis, Kovic's views on the war drastically change.

More people may be more familiar with Oliver Stone's adaptation of the novel with Tom Cruise as Kovic. But don't overlook Kovic's memoir, for it's a very true piece of literature. You feel his pain through his words. Kovic is very descriptive on what he saw while serving in Vietnam, how he became paralyzed, the hospital he recovered in, and his life afterwards. It's a very moving memoir.

My Rating: ****

The Film Club

As you could tell from the title of this blog, I love both movies and books. Now when both meld into one (books about movies, movies about books), I'm sold.

When David Gilmour's son Jesse started flunking school, David gives him an offer: Jesse can drop out of school in exchange that he watches three movies a week with him of his choosing.

This is an interesting read for you cinephiles out there. It's a moving memoir, but it lacks something. I just don't know what.

My Rating: ****

Born Standing Up

Need to take a break from movies for a while. I mean, if you read the title of this blog, you would expect a book review here and there.

Born Standing Up chronicles the stand up career of Steve Martin. Not only that but also his childhood, his first jobs in the entertainment business and his break in the movies.

I read this not too long after it was published. It's an interesting read on the actor.

My Rating: ****