Books vs Movies #2: A Walk To Remember
When I initially said that 90% of the time, I prefer the books to the movies, I thought I meant it, but considering my first choice of topics was Twilight and, at least this go-round, I prefer the movies to the books, it got me to thinking about all the movies I prefer over the books, and I did come up with quite a list, so I guess it's easy to say which direction this post is going to fall pretty quickly.
I should probably also start by saying I despise Nicholas Sparks. I am a romantic that likes happy endings and that man likes to give you the best love story ever, and then kill one of them off. It's sadistic. I know he has a lot of fans, but I just don't get it. There are two movies of his I own...obviously I ADORE A Walk To Remember, but I also like the The Notebook (which I won't watch past a certain point towards the end...I'm sure those who have seen it know which part I mean, but I also don't watch it much anyway, it's just too hard). I just can't deal.
When it comes to AWTR, I've always been a Mandy Moore fan (both as an actor and as a musician), but I'm also a massive Shane West fan and I might be the only person in the world who thinks that his generation of ER is the best (in the same regard...he's a musician too, so I love that aspect of him as well, although he doesn't sing much). These two have more chemistry than almost any on screen couple I have ever seen. Part of me has always wished that they would get together in real life. I think they would make a great couple, but I digress.
When I first saw the movie, I didn't know it was a Nicholas Sparks movie, so the ending about killed me (and I don't think I'm ruining it for anyone...just by saying "it's a Nicholas Sparks" means someone dies and everyone knows that, right?). Once I knew it, I was mad at myself for falling in the trap, but I was already hooked and couldn't stop watching it. I also own the soundtrack, which is amazing and it contains Mandy's songs from the movie and a song from Shane's band.
It should also add that it's an older movie...in the early 2000's I think. I didn't see it at the theater, but right when it came out on pay services (HBO and the like), so I bought the DVD immediately (and have since had to replace it from wearing it out), which means I've been a fan of this movie for a long time, at least almost 20 years maybe.
It was several years after the movie that I finally broke down and got the book. The story is based on the true story of Nicholas's sister. The book and the movie are NOTHING alike, set in two different time periods, the characters aren't nearly as likable (I couldn't even picture Shane in the role, different time or not), and I just found it uncomfortable to read and don't get me started on the ending...I would have screamed if they did that in the movie. I did finish it, but I never picked it up again. The movie, however, gets picked up several times a year when I'm feeling nostalgic for Shane.
Over time, I've learned to notice if a movie is based on a Sparks book, whether or not it says so or, if in doubt, I will IMDB it first, because I refuse to fall into that trap again. I'm a Disney girl, happy endings come with the package, but I would say AWTR is the one exception. I don't feel the need to watch The Notebook anymore. I think I liked the idea of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in real life more than the actual movie.
As a bonus, here's a video of one of my favorite songs from the movie, which Shane was kind enough to star in. Normally, I wouldn't go for this sort of thing, because it's kind of fan fiction...it's set after the movie is done and his character trying to have a normal life without her, but she's still in his every thought. I liked the idea of that, that he never let her go (like the character OBVIOUSLY does in the book...ugh...bad memories stirring). You can also tell the age because they both look so young, but I still love it.
I should probably also start by saying I despise Nicholas Sparks. I am a romantic that likes happy endings and that man likes to give you the best love story ever, and then kill one of them off. It's sadistic. I know he has a lot of fans, but I just don't get it. There are two movies of his I own...obviously I ADORE A Walk To Remember, but I also like the The Notebook (which I won't watch past a certain point towards the end...I'm sure those who have seen it know which part I mean, but I also don't watch it much anyway, it's just too hard). I just can't deal.
When it comes to AWTR, I've always been a Mandy Moore fan (both as an actor and as a musician), but I'm also a massive Shane West fan and I might be the only person in the world who thinks that his generation of ER is the best (in the same regard...he's a musician too, so I love that aspect of him as well, although he doesn't sing much). These two have more chemistry than almost any on screen couple I have ever seen. Part of me has always wished that they would get together in real life. I think they would make a great couple, but I digress.
When I first saw the movie, I didn't know it was a Nicholas Sparks movie, so the ending about killed me (and I don't think I'm ruining it for anyone...just by saying "it's a Nicholas Sparks" means someone dies and everyone knows that, right?). Once I knew it, I was mad at myself for falling in the trap, but I was already hooked and couldn't stop watching it. I also own the soundtrack, which is amazing and it contains Mandy's songs from the movie and a song from Shane's band.
It should also add that it's an older movie...in the early 2000's I think. I didn't see it at the theater, but right when it came out on pay services (HBO and the like), so I bought the DVD immediately (and have since had to replace it from wearing it out), which means I've been a fan of this movie for a long time, at least almost 20 years maybe.
It was several years after the movie that I finally broke down and got the book. The story is based on the true story of Nicholas's sister. The book and the movie are NOTHING alike, set in two different time periods, the characters aren't nearly as likable (I couldn't even picture Shane in the role, different time or not), and I just found it uncomfortable to read and don't get me started on the ending...I would have screamed if they did that in the movie. I did finish it, but I never picked it up again. The movie, however, gets picked up several times a year when I'm feeling nostalgic for Shane.
Over time, I've learned to notice if a movie is based on a Sparks book, whether or not it says so or, if in doubt, I will IMDB it first, because I refuse to fall into that trap again. I'm a Disney girl, happy endings come with the package, but I would say AWTR is the one exception. I don't feel the need to watch The Notebook anymore. I think I liked the idea of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in real life more than the actual movie.
As a bonus, here's a video of one of my favorite songs from the movie, which Shane was kind enough to star in. Normally, I wouldn't go for this sort of thing, because it's kind of fan fiction...it's set after the movie is done and his character trying to have a normal life without her, but she's still in his every thought. I liked the idea of that, that he never let her go (like the character OBVIOUSLY does in the book...ugh...bad memories stirring). You can also tell the age because they both look so young, but I still love it.
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Linda