This month’s National Storytelling Week 2011 will see thousands of people across the country take part in the oral re-telling of popular stories.
And in recent years it has been book-to-film franchises like Twilight and Harry Potter that have been dominating the headlines.
So ahead of National Storytelling Week on the 29th January, our friends over at FILMCLUB decided to grill the stars on their own favourite film stories and find out how much their own films owe to a great story!
Jack Black – star of the recent classic book adaptation Gulliver’s Travels – cited the 1970s film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory as his favourite book-to-film adaptation, due to the madcap performance of Gene Wilder:
.
“[The film] has probably my favourite performance in a kids’ film with Gene Wilder. He had an insane intensity along with his comedy that was magnetic and that’s why it’s my favourite.”
On why he was so keen to work on Gulliver’s Travels, Black spoke of his keenness to adapt the novel:
“I was drawn to the project because… I liked the challenge of updating a classic. There’s a lot of pressure there, but there’s also a lot of fun opportunities to, you know, be part of the great history of a three hundred year old, enduring piece of literature.”
Harry Potter star Tom Felton also revealed his favourite books on screen:
“The Twilight books are a great example, and I think personally JK [Rowling] has really opened up such a great world for the youth to get really into books, really into franchises of books, and for them to be shown in a proper light with film. It’s fantastic they can do that…”
.
So what are your favourite book-to-film adaptations? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
And if you want to get involved in National Storytelling Week, and re-tell a favourite story at one of their many events, visit www.sfs.org.uk/nsw for further details.
.
FILMCLUB is a nationwide education charity and experts in film for young people. The initiative offers access to thousands of popular and classic films from around the world for young people and teachers to watch and discuss in their school film clubs. Visit www.filmclub.org for more information.