“This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” is a written story version of “Smoke Signals”. Both screenplay and book was by the author Sherman Alexie. In the book, the author was still able to portray the characters of both Thomas and Victor in the same image as it was in the movie; two young men very different personalities, perspectives, and lives. Through their long journey and tension they learned from one another.
The book provided some details we didn’t see in the movie. In the written story version, there were several details and scene slightly different from the movie, for instance, the fate of Thomas’s parents was not like the movie. Before Victor went to the trading post he met up with the tribal council, which was not shown in the movie. The cash out amount was one hundred dollars instead of forty, Thomas was at the door step before Victor accepted his deal, they rode on an airplane instead of a bus, victor didn’t insult the gymnast, and there was no Suzy Song; which probably made the story much shorter as these scenes with Suzy from the movie was cut out from the written version.
As mentioned, though the narration was slightly different, I am glad to have seen the movie first because I was able to picture the scenes, the faces of the characters, and the drama and humor in the stories. Also, the transitioning of the past and future would have been difficult to guess if the book was read first. It is important as both a viewer and reader to envision those types of details equally in the movie and book. It’s amazing how a whole movie can be written in nine pages. I felt like I was watching it over again only in minutes of reading.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that there are several subtle differences in the details between the movie and the reading. But I really think that the most important difference is the conversation that Victor had with Suzy, finding out how remorseful his father had been and how much his father loved him. I believe this is what really helped him to forgive his father and let go of all the negative feeling I had toward his father for so many years.
Thanks for sharing :)
Mandy Ericson
I agree too that there were differences between the story and film which is expected. The story and the film are never really exact copies. The biggest difference was adding Suzy Song into the film like you said. See really was a big part of the movie in the way see helps Victor with his father Arnold. Just adding her to the film added much more depth to Arnold's character in the way he left and what happen with the fire.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I would disagree with is the story being like the film. I did not have that same feeling that the story told the film in a few minutes of reading. I just did not get the feeling I got from the film in the story.