This meme celebrates an awesome adaptation related to a weekly category. Any format of adaptation (television series, film, web series, etc.) is acceptable as long as it is based in some form on a book. This meme is hosted by Alisa Selene at PictureMeReading. Check out her site and join in on the fun!
An Awesomely Swashbuckling Adventure
Title: The Three Musketeers
This 1948 film adatpation has a heck of a cast. Gene Kelly, Lana Turner, Angela Lansbury Vincent Price, and some great character actors. The movie simplifies the story of the original novel, but the movie is still about d'Artagnan becoming a Musketeer.
The sword fights in this movie inspired the way films have done fight scenes ever since (according to Wikipedia) and what's even more impressive is that Gene Kelly did all of his own fight scenes. His dancing prowess lent itself to the dance of the fight and the acrobatics apparently (and even in "Singing in the Rain", there is a scene with fight choreography and staging taken from this movie) I'm a big Gene Kelly fan, so forgive the focus on Gene! The action in this film is very impressive, especially for the technology of the time. And while the focus of this awesome adaptation post in on the swashbuckling nature of the film, the romance and the chivalry of the story comes through very well.
This movie shows the action/adventure life of the Musketeers in such an fun way, with all the twists and turns and betrayals, and because this film is so entertaining I think despite the liberties taken with the script, this is definitely an awesome adaptation.
I've only ever seen the '90s version of it... which I've heard is a pretty loose interpretation, but I still like it as a movie.
ReplyDeleteActors back then seemed to have a lot more talents than just acting... although I feel like recently they've shifted back to doing as much of their own stunt work as possible (but that's probably because there are safer ways to do it now and still make it look good on the screen).
I haven't seen the 90s version, actually I don't think I've seen any other version of this book.
DeleteI agree, actors back then seemed to do so much more - maybe there weren't as many restrictive clauses in contracts? :)
I didn't think of The Three Musketeers for this week! I haven't seen this version before though, just the '93 version, which I thought was just okay, and the 2011 version, which I enjoyed pretty well. I can't compare them to the book though since I haven't read it.
ReplyDeleteActually I couldn't think of any other swashbuckling film, except Pirates of the Caribbean which I couldn't make work for a book adaptation. :D
DeleteI love this movie as well :)
ReplyDeleteYes! Gene Kelly never disappoints. :D
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