[QueenTiye]

I saw these books all the time at the bookstore, and never picked up one.

I am one of those parents who wasn't so sure I wanted my kid reading Harry Potter, but since he got ahold of it at the library, I wound up taking him to the movies etc. SO....

When Sunsport saw the trailer for LS: ASUE I was completely against seeing this movie. My ruling on it was - if you want to see it, you have to read the book. I had a hope that that would discourage him...but in fairness, I bought him book one.

Well, he read book one (that I bought him) and books 2 & 3 at the school library... all in time to go see the movie... and I still stalled. Talking to him about the books did nothing to ease my discomfort about this book series. Still - a promise is a promise... SO....

I went to see the movie, yesterday. And - it was REALLY good! LOL!

Yes, it was gross in lots of places. The Jim Carrey character (and his friends) were awful, and while I know they were SUPPOSED to be hideous scary people, notwithstanding - they were beyond what I normally would allow my son to watch. Just... ick. However - all the rest of the movie was really really wonderful, and as challenging in concept as some of the themes were - the story wrapped up neatly into a very good, moral story. In all - this was a parent's

HM07

This post has been edited by Handmaiden07: 31 December 2004 - 02:40 PM

[gadfly]

That's really good news HM. My friends and I have been wanting to see it just because it looked a bit offbeat. The books have a very satiric feel to them and it seems the films do to.

Thanks for posting about this film.

[Harper 2.0]

Thanks for the great review HM cause I was wondering what the movie was gonna be like

[offworlder]

wow, got the kid motivated to grab books from the school library (sacriledge when they become about thirteen?) and read read read and then still pull on those reins?


I always see these books in the store but since they're hardback, small and half the price albeit, I still buy paperbacks, so maybe I'll do like your kid and get them from my library, that is if in the reserve system I can get a word in edgewise against all those grabbing kids

so I saw this movie not knowing the story: and I liked it. The kids all did well but it would have been nice to see a bit more writing for them; Carrey went way overboard but maybe he was Told to be cartoonish! I liked Meryl's time onboard and the things that happened and the story elements when the kids were with her: and get that house! My fave of the adults was Billy Connoly, enjoyed and laughed along with him in many movies and he's sparkling in this one too

The boy tackling the main issue in the wedding scene (how does one say that without spoiling, hope I did well) seemed a bit none-suspenseful but maybe it just followed the book uber-close like Rowling.

The best part was the look: and just like in Aviator I nominate the production designer, the art director and set decorator for all those .... "where did you get all those wonderful toys" - just had to interject that - the car interiors, the house interiors, especially Connoly's house and Meryl's house, the mysterious lake, the cliff, the cave, the wedding yard at Carrey's place, just everything sank me right in to absorbe the story which would not have worked for me without all those wonderful visual aids!

I did see some adults bring in some tots like about four or five and instantly thought my own PG rate on this would have said something like, 'not recommended for viewers under eight' - even though this wasn't what an adult would call scary, young tots could have a nightmare or two with the dark haunting look and the menacing Carrey impersonations - just who was he impersonating anyway, it has to be Someone?

Green LIght
:wideeyed:

[Nialla]

I've read the entire series myself, and I can't keep them on the library shelves. Most of them have a waiting list for check outs.

I thought they did a wonderful job capturing the feel of the series style, which I've often thought of as sort of pseudo-Victorian in an undetermined era. For the film, and especially the end credits, there's also a dose of Edward Gorey-esqe style that adds to the effect.

I had really worried that some of the snarkiness in the text would be lost on film, but they did pretty well on that front, especially with Snicket's voice overs and Sunny's babyisms. In the books, Sunny's "words" are often translated in a little more detail, but it still worked for me. Her observation of Aunt Josephine as, "Someone's been to Crazy Town" that was later revised to "She's the mayor of Crazy Town" was quite good.

I thought all three kids did a good job, even though Klaus was not what I pictured at all. I had slightly younger and slightly "geekier" boy in my head, but the actor still did a wonderful job.

I'm not a fan of Jim Carrey, but he worked as Count Olaf. Olaf and his cohorts are supposed to be scary scheming evil adults, and Olaf in particular is very over the top.

I'm interested to hear that those who haven't read the books are still "getting it" in the film. Having read them, I was watching for little extra tidbits of forshadowing, but it was still a well put together film without relying on my memories of the books.

[Norville]

I've read the first book in the series, and didn't get the impression that I absolutely needed to read further. But then, I reacted that way to Harry Potter, too; maybe I'm wrong.

HM, I don't quite understand the reaction parents have to this series. It's supposed to be darkly amusing and snarky... poor unfortunate kids lose their parents and proceed to endure an unending series of unfortunate events... it's kind of like Dickens, but a lot sillier (perhaps "over the top" suits it) and easier to read. Do you have an aversion to your kid ever reading Dickens? I don't intend to be rude by asking that; I'm honestly curious.

offworlder said:

even though this wasn't what an adult would call scary, young tots could have a nightmare or two

Oh, probably. Although I think that kids understand some things earlier than their parents believe, really young kids shouldn't see it. I'm not sure at what age I'd let them read it. Probably when they've got past the fear that reading something about losing parents is going to make it happen to them.

[Nialla]

Norville, on Jan 2 2005, 07:21 PM, said:

I've read the first book in the series, and didn't get the impression that I absolutely needed to read further. But then, I reacted that way to Harry Potter, too; maybe I'm wrong.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's not until after the third book that the mystery really kicks in, which is what I find interesting. The only tangible hint of the mystery you'll see in the movie is when Klaus finds the spyglass in the ruins of his father's desk, there's something else next to it, with the letters "VFD" on it. There's a few other minor things, but if you haven't read the books, it wouldn't even register.

You can pretty easily spot the breaks in the movie for each book. The stay with Count Olaf was book one, Uncle Monty was book two, and Aunt Josephine was book three. I'm thinking some things were out of order though, such as the wedding scene, which I think was actually in book one. It's been a while since I read them, so the memory is fuzzy on the details. The third book is when things also get much, much darker.

Here's a review I did for The Bad Beginning a few years back, if anyone's interested.

[Angelan]

I thought that for a not really all that scary film, they didn't half go on and on and on and on about how utterly terrifying it was. It was alright, but the whole 'it's not a pleasant film' thing started to grate after about the fifth time.

I loved the end credits, and the whole look of the film was really nice, too. I'd go and see a sequel, if they made one. Probably isn't going to tempt me to read the books, though.

[Psyche]

As for the wedding scene:

It is in Book One, when they're staying at Count Olaf's and he makes them be in the play so he can marry Violet and get the fortune.

[QueenTiye]

Norville, on Jan 2 2005, 08:21 PM, said:

HM, I don't quite understand the reaction parents have to this series. It's supposed to be darkly amusing and snarky... poor unfortunate kids lose their parents and proceed to endure an unending series of unfortunate events... it's kind of like Dickens, but a lot sillier (perhaps "over the top" suits it) and easier to read. Do you have an aversion to your kid ever reading Dickens? I don't intend to be rude by asking that; I'm honestly curious.

It may be a case of judging a book by its cover. I don't read scary books myself, unless I can find some element of redeemability in it practically in the title. If it's got something about imps and devils in it, chances are good I'm not going to read it unless someone can convince me that its not really about imps and devils. I'm a bit superstitious on that subject, but the rational part of me on this subject just doesn't agree with dwelling on themes of evil. The books seem rather to glorify or if not glorify, then never actually overcome - evil... or at least that's the impression you can get from just browsing them without reading them. So... my reaction was sufficiently negative that I simply ruled them out for my eight year old. I figured he would be old enough to make up his own mind when he was 10 or 12, but at eight... I really wasn't too thrilled about this.

When my son looked positively thrilled about the idea of seeing this movie that I thought would be scary - I had to remember three things: 1. he's a boy, 2. he's ahead of his age by a couple of years, 3. I hadn't actually read the books. So, I decided that if he read it and I didn't find him to be upset by what he was reading, I'd take him to the movie.

As to why I'd pull the reins on a child who's eagerly reading - nothing that I heard from him demonstrated any redeeming qualities of the book - he seemed to be talking way too much about murder and mayhem for me to be thinking this was something my eight-year old should be having as a steady reading diet.

Seeing the movie helped me a bit to refocus the conversations about the book.

HM07

[Christopher]

Handmaiden07, on Jan 3 2005, 02:16 PM, said:

As to why I'd pull the reins on a child who's eagerly reading - nothing that I heard from him demonstrated any redeeming qualities of the book - he seemed to be talking way too much about murder and mayhem for me to be thinking this was something my eight-year old should be having as a steady reading diet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, based on the small taste of Handler's ("Snicket's") writing that I've had, it seems to me that its redeeming qualities include a devilishly witty and imaginative prose style. I intend to track the books down at the library sometime.

But to some extent, it's arguably healthy for children to explore the darker side of life in the safe context of fiction. It's a way of learning to cope with fear, with the fact of cruelty, with issues of mortality. Children are going to want to explore such things eventually, to seek answers, and I think trying to restrict that search will just lead them to do it secretly, without parental supervision, and that's not good. I think a better way would be to let the child read what he's curious about and to make sure you talk with him about it, answer his questions, and provide a moral and ethical context for it. A child who's raised with a strong sense of right and wrong in a healthy and loving family environment will not be corrupted by works of dark or violent entertainment.

[QueenTiye]

***AHEM***

Sunsport DID read the books, DID see the movie... and will probably now read others.

But at his age - the decision remains up to me.

HM07

[Nialla]

Angelan, on Jan 3 2005, 12:41 PM, said:

I thought that for a not really all that scary film, they didn't half go on and on and on and on about how utterly terrifying it was.  It was alright, but the whole 'it's not a pleasant film' thing started to grate after about the fifth time.

It's not scary on an adult level, but for younger kids it could be scary, what with the parental death and Olaf trying to kill the orphans too.

Quote

I loved the end credits, and the whole look of the film was really nice, too.  I'd go and see a sequel, if they made one.  Probably isn't going to tempt me to read the books, though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't judge a book by its movie.

[Norville]

[quote name='HM07]I don't read scary books myself' date=' unless I can find some element of redeemability in it practically in the title.[/QUOTE']

I like dark, intense writing at times, and probably couldn't even explain why -- just that I do.

[QUOTE=HM07]the rational part of me on this subject just doesn't agree with dwelling on themes of evil.

That's probably why I don't read true crime if I can help it, though I do read some mysteries -- maybe because cases seem to get solved more often in mysteries than in real life.

[quote name='HM07]The books seem rather to glorify or if not glorify' date=' then never actually overcome - evil... or at least that's the impression you can get from just browsing them without reading them.[/QUOTE']

Then read them. Well, I don't know about them "glorifying" evil; I'd have to read more of them, and I have a lot of other books I'd rather be reading. :wideeyed:

[quote name='HM07]So... my reaction was sufficiently negative that I simply ruled them out for my eight year old. I figured he would be old enough to make up his own mind when he was 10 or 12' date=' but at eight... I really wasn't too thrilled about this.[/QUOTE']

Yes, I can understand that. It's sensible. What I can't understand is a gal who got all haughty and outraged over the idea that her teenager was being taught about WWII in school; her attitude was "How dare they!" I'd rather not even get into why I think history needs to be taught, at least not in this thread.

[quote name='HM07]When my son looked positively thrilled about the idea of seeing this movie that I thought would be scary - I had to remember three things: 1. he's a boy' date=' [...']

As to why I'd pull the reins on a child who's eagerly reading - nothing that I heard from him demonstrated any redeeming qualities of the book - he seemed to be talking way too much about murder and mayhem for me to be thinking this was something my eight-year old should be having as a steady reading diet.[/QUOTE]

I'm reminded of a lesson my sister got while raising her son -- she tried to raise him peacefully, then was surprised to discover that he and one of his rowdy friends liked to punch each other in the shoulder, sort of testing each other in a "fun" way, and she realized that maybe testosterone was going to do what it wanted, however determined she still is to raise him as a good kid.

As for reining in children's reading, I'm going to go along with Christopher. I believe that kids need to challenge themselves with reading. If you really fear that he's glorifying evil, then fine, don't let him read too many of them. Whatever works for you, since you're the one raising him.

I remember an intense, dark book I read when I was maybe 10, Doctor Rat by William Kotzwinkle. I may have been too young for it, but have never regretted reading it. It had a quite twisted sense of humor, and was told mostly from the viewpoint of a senior lab rat who had gone mad from experimentation, but who supported the scientific method, and resisted an animal uprising that took place in his lab and spread across the world (and led to animals turning on humans, so that humans killed most of them). That made me confront some touchy issues at an early age. Was that bad? I don't think so... but that's me.