Journey to the Center of Mediocrity
I don’t know what it is about Jules Verne that inspires mediocrity. There was never been a really good movie based on his work, at least not that I’ve been aware of. This is particularly painful for me, because I went through a stage in early adolescence where Around the World in 80 Days was the best. thing. ever. I would have given almost anything to have a decent film version of it, but the best one was The Three Stooges’ 
Around the World in a Daze. Seriously.
There was one with Pierce Brosnan, which was pretty abysmal, and that parody with Jackie Chan, but not a single straight adaptation - or one without a hot air balloon, which WAS NOT IN THE BOOK. Why a hot air balloon? Where did it come from?
Of course, Jules Verne’s other famous work is Journey to the Center of the Earth. It’s a fascinating story about a team of adventurers who discover all sorts of wonders when they dig deep into the earth’s crust. It’s a cool story. And, like 80 Days, has never been given its due.
Keep holding your breath.
The latest adaptation, Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D, is in….3-D. The surest sign of directorial desperation. It’s updated the story to the present day, with landscapes and creatures provided by CGI. Oh, and there’s the patented Adorable Kid Character. Not in the book, of course.
Oh, and Brendan Fraser is starring.
Trailers have been shown before the Nightmare Before Christmas re-release, Beowulf, and the Hannah Montana movie. I’m not sure what they forsee to be the film’s core audience, but I’m guessing it’s more the Hannah Montana crowd than the Nightmare Before Christmas crowd.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I just don’t see the point of doing a halfway adaptation of a great novel that changes large parts of the story and doesn’t even try to do it justice. Yes, the title (and Fraser’s mug on the poster) will bring in the crowds, but what’s the point? Just to make a few quick bucks and then sink into obscurity?
I think I just answered my own question.
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There are two sure ways to preserve your peace of mind in the face of a Hollywood adaptation of a novel: ignore it completely or accept that it will bear little relation to the source. The second approach allows me to enjoy the Brosnan Around the World very much. Of course, Verne isn’t one of my favorite authors. The more you love the work, the harder it is to either ignore or accept the butchery. Personally I’m dreading the upcoming Brideshead Revisited.