
Let me start by saying that I am an AVID fan of the Stephenie Meyer books. AVID. As in I have read them all a bazillion times, and obsess about them frequently. I am also an avid fiction reader in general, so I LOVE books. So, as a huge, die hard fan of the book Twilight”, I was very nervous about how the movie would be. I would have been crushed if it had been awful, especially if it was awful and not true to the book.
Lucky for me, this was not the case. Twilight, which opened at 12 am this morning, (I was there! Woo Hoo!) was visually beautiful and well written. I had my doubts about Kristen Stewart as "Bella", but she proved me wrong. I thought she very accurately portrayed the role. Robert Pattinson, who plays "Edward" was, well phenomenal.. as well as HOT! HOT! HOT! Not kidding, Kitty is seriously thinking of taking up stalking for a second job.
Although I think "Twilight" was the best movie ever, there are still things that I missed or didn’t like about the movie. I do realize that there are things that have to be changed or left out, because you cant possible put an entire book into a two hour movie well, but there were important scenes and some of my favorite moment that either didn’t get shot, got changed, or get left on the cutting room floor. Although they are, for the most part, small things, I think the movie was lacking (Just a little!) With out them.
(MOVIE SPOILER ALERT.. DONT READ IF YOU HAVENT SEEN IT YET!)
okay, you were warned. The meadow scene, which in the book is the turning point of the whole novel, is where Edward reveals his true nature to Bella. He takes here to the meadow, with the intention of testing himself and his self control. When he realizes that he can in fact be near her and not eat her, they confess their love, and share there first kiss. This scene, in the book, is a romantic scene. I love this scene. but in the movie, they made the tone more menacing. Edward seems angry with Bella, and shows off his speed and strength to scare her. This scene also happens very early in the movie, where as we wait like half the book while there relationship develops for this pivotal scene. So this change was the one that bothered me the most.
Other things that I didn’t like, or would perhaps do differently were only small things. I missed the scene where everyone starts asking Bella out to the girls choice dance. In the book, Eric asks Bella, then Mike asks Bella, then Edward deliberately blocks Bella’s truck from leaving the school parking lot so Tyler can have the opportunity to ask her. While this is by far not in anyway really important to the plot, and was covered in a different way in the movie, I still felt the original was was a fun scene that could have been done just as easily. I also would have liked them to have had the original conversation that Bella and Edward had in the Italian restaurant, where she tells Edward that he really shouldn’t dazzle people. He then asks if he dazzles her, and she replies, "Frequently". Again, not exactly essential to the plot, but it is still one of my favorite moments in the book.
I also found the choice to change the scenes where Bella cooks for her father, Charlie, in their kitchen, to Bella and Charlie eating at a diner an odd switch. Bella and Charlie and by definition loners, who shy away from public venues. This choice didn’t really bother me, per Se, I just found it interesting. I assume this choice was make due to the fact that it is far more visually interesting to watch people eat in a diner, where there are other people and some hustle and bustle, versus watching two people sit in a kitchen and eat. So that is really just a side note.
The only thing I really didn’t like, besides the changes to the meadow scene, was the way the made Edward look when he stood in sunlight. Edward is supposed to glitter and have rainbows bouncing off of him, but the sparkles where almost imperceptible. It also didn’t look very real. I am not sure there is anyway to believably make a person sparkle, but I have to believe they could have done a better job than that.
Other than that, and believe me, these things were seriously minor, I absolutely LOVED THIS MOVIE. I plan to see it many more times, and add it to my collection when it is released on DVD. I hope they start shooting "New Moon", the next book in the series, soon. I don’t think I can wait another whole year, (or more) to see more Bella and Edward. I also hope they keep the original actors and actresses, because I don’t think I could handle any switches. I am already bonded to these actors as their characters. I also hope they keep director Catherine Hardwicke and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg on. I think they have proven they can keep true to the feel of the book, while still being able to cut it down for screen time. I would hate to have fallen in love with the first movie, then have some other yahoo come in with a big budget and ruin the script.
Congratulation to Stephenie Meyer as well, who has a cameo in the film. You had a moment Stephenie, and it was brilliant. We all love you. Especially me. Call me, we will have coffee.
ot any good dirt? Want some snarky commentary on your favorite (or not so favorite) celeb? Email me at KittyCobbler@live.com