Hello Bookworms!
I'm back! Today, on the one-year anniversary of starting this blog, I am officially back to blogging! Let's hope life will calm down a little so I can keep up. Oh, and small warning, this is a long blog post, so please read it all! It has a lot of information, and I hope you find it helpful. And, as a new thing, I'm posting in the post title whether the post is geared towards left brained people (Analytical types), right brained people (Creative types), or both. (Story ideas?)
Today I am talking about the advance of a book I'm sure you are familiar with: Treasure Island. The original book, and then how the plot and characters changed through its main movie adaptions: Treasure Island 1950, Muppet Treasure Island, and Treasure Planet (Animated).
Now, in the book, there were a few things I hadn't realized when I started reading it. First of all, it was written in first person, which automatically led the readers to sympathize with Jim, instead of other characters. Secondly, Jim's age was never mentioned. It was implied that he was a young lad, however his age was never mentioned. And finally, while several movie adaptions portrayed the end as a great battle, or one big defining moment when the conflict all dissolved after a whole story of heightening tension, the book never had a clear ending. The conflict rose, and then simply dissipated. These facts greatly helped me understand the changes seen in the movies. To begin with, the plot line.
In the original book, Bones had been staying at the inn for a while. The same is true in the 1950 version, and the Muppet version, however not in the animated version. This is possibly because Jim's character in the animated version is more the susceptible to impression from any sort of fatherly figure, and while Silver was a pirate he was trying to seem an honest gentleman. If Jim had started taking after bones, he probably wouldn't have objected to the idea of piracy at all. Instead, he needed to take after Silver, and become the man Silver was pretending to be. The several versions also changed the way everyone left the ship. In the book, after Jim found out about the mutiny, he joined the long boat crew and then fled before Silver knew who's side Jim was on. The faithful crew escaped through a window after barricading themselves in the captain's chambers. In the 1950 version, Jim also volunteered to get in the longboat, but when the early mutiny failed, (Pirates should know better) Silver used Jim as a hostage to ensure safe passage for the whole crew. This worked only because they found such a young actor that Jim wouldn't know better than to climb in a long boat full of pirates. Jim later escaped, and the faithful crew took the chance to flee in a long boat. The other versions took more liberties with the plot. In the Muppet version, Jim warns the captain of the mutiny, and the captain immediately finds a plan to rid the ship of pirates, but before it can be thrown into action Silver abducts Jim off of the ship. Presumably no one noticed because all the honest men were meeting in the captain's office. (I still say this was unlikely, but at least Jim didn't volunteer to go with murderous pirates for no known reason). Some of the faithful crew go onshore to save Jim, and the others get captured by the pirates hidden on the ship. The animated version used a more dramatic, realistic means of escape. (For a science fiction animated movie in outer space.) Jim learns of the mutiny, and is discovered when Silver comes back down the stairs. Jim escapes when Silver is struggling with his fatherly relationship with Jim, and the faithful crew of 3 people evacuate immediately, while sustaining injury. Finally, The endings varied almost completely. (Spoilers!). The ending of the 1950 version remained close to the book, yet changed Silver's means of escape. While the book had Silver escape at a port half way back to Bristol, The 1950 version had him escape by taking Jim captive, (Again) rowing till he got out of range, dropping Jim off, and then leaving to sail the seas again. I understand the need to show Silver as having truly changed, however I feel there were other ways to have done so. For example, the Muppet version. The story ended with a giant battle between the two forces, sword fighting, use of random quips earlier on, and then Silver escaping the ship in a long boat, and himself getting marooned on Treasure Island. What I liked best about the way the Muppets handled it is that Jim had the chance to rouse the crew as much as Silver had the chance to get away by killing Jim. In the end, while neither of them were close pals, they both parted as friends who couldn't deny that they respected the other. The animated version used a similar ending, however instead of fighting each other, the final battle had Silver more battling himself, and then Jim battling the planet. And while no weapons were drawn at the end of the animated version, they still parted ways as unlikely friends.
While I could go on forever on the difference in characters, I would like to focus mainly on the three I find most important to the plot; Jim, Silver, and Doctor Livesey. Jim's character portrayal changes drastically in the several versions. In the book, he is a young child, relatively reckless and naive, however honest and caring. The 1950 version succeeded in portraying that side, however it stopped there. The Muppet version portrays Jim as honest and caring, but also less naive and more strait forward. His age is never stated, however we can safely assume he is a young teenager. And while he isn't as reckless, he's more adventurous. Now, the animated version took the most liberties with Jim. Jim suddenly became a rebellious thrill seeking teenager with a serious identity crisis. And while he becomes honest, trustworthy, and brave, this is due greatly to the influence of Silver. Speaking of which, Silver's portrayal varies depending upon the personality type needed for the story. In the book, Silver was capable of murder, however rarely does he actually kill someone. He always 'keeps a foot in each camp' and ends up as a devious scoundrel who could be changed, however it was unlikely. The same can be said of the 1950 version, although he comes across as more murderous. However, the Muppet version portrays him as slightly misunderstood, capable of killing a man, but then who isn't? At the end, Silver ends up paying for his crimes by getting stuck on that island. The animated version took a different light to the matter. Silver starts out as a villain playing the victim, and in the end you feel he's a victim playing a villain. And while Silver is definitely murderous, you can't help but feel sorry for him. These views on Silver are drastic, however nothing like the many views on Livesey. In the book, Doctor Livesey plays a crucial part as a doctor, and negotiator, as well as a man that Jim can place his trust in. However, he is easily tricked. The 1950 version pulled out his confidential nature, and mainly ignored his ignorance. (I can see why, who would leave their kid in the charge of someone who is easily fooled?). Without him, I see no reason why Jim wouldn't have joined the pirates, so he actually is important for the plot. The Muppet version took a different approach to the matter. While the doctor had a small role to play, the emotional role of older brother figure was instead taken by Gonzo and Rizo. They ended up supporting him as friends and siblings, portraying both Livesey's crazy clueless side and his sensible forward side which kept Jim out of trouble. However, I think the best portrayal of the doctor was in the animated version, where they brought out his clueless side, and also his intellectual hero side. (Plus it was nice to see him do something other than give poor advice). Mainly, it was about time for the doctor to have some romantic interest.
Anyway, thank you so much! Is there something else you would like me to research, a book you want me to read, a song you want me to listen to? Please let me know! I know, there are a lot more versions of Treasure Island all over the place, however I can't seem to get to them. Oh, and to those of you diligent enough to read the whole thing, congratulations! To thank you, I am letting you know that my next blog post will be about a new book I've been working on writing. (And this one is actually coming along really well!).
Since it has been one year, I am sharing the meaning of my old phrase, and in my next post I will reveal my new phrase! (Which is just a cover for I don't have one yet!) Habent sua fata libelli! Stories have their own destiny according to the will of the reader.
