Friday, May 1, 2009

Screen adoptions of novels

Screen adaptations of novels often have mixed fortunes...with many turning out to be a huge success, or a dismal failure. One successful example is the latest Oscar winning film, "Slumdog Millionare". In today's "Spotlight", we take a look at some screen adaptations, both at home and abroad.


In China, the novel "Summer of Foam" is being made into a TV series and shooting has just begun. The lead roles are played by stars Huang Xiaoming, He Rundong, Barbie Hsu, and Ying Tsai-ling. Lead actor He Rundong, who is also the series' producer, says they are being very careful about adapting the novel into a TV series. They have chosen quality stars who appeal to a young audience.






TVseriesLoveinaFallenCity,adaptedfromlatewriterEileenChang'sfamousnovel,featuresactressChenShuasthe***.

TVseries"LoveinaFallenCity",adaptedfromlatewriterEileen
Chang'sfamousnovel,featuresactressChenShuasthe***.


Producer He Rundong said, "I persuaded Ming Xiaoxi, the writer of the original novel for two months, letting her to sell the adaptation rights to me. Now, you see our cast is very powerful, so I believe the series will be a success."


Another two screen adaptations in China are using stars to boost their image. The film "Night Rose" was adapted from Taiwan writer Cai Zhiheng's novel of the same name. It stars Ruby Lin and Wallace Chung. Another TV series "Love in a Fallen City", adapted from late writer Eileen Chang's famous novel, features actress Chen Shu as the ***. Chen rose to fame by playing a mathematician in the hit TV series "Calculation". The novel is a classic in the eyes of many readers. Chen has done a lot of preparation for her role, hoping she can satisfy fans' expectations.


The most successful adaptation of the year arguably goes to "Slumdog Millionare". It met Chinese audiences within the shortest time of all imported films, after its foreign premiere. It garnered eight Academy awards at this year's Oscars.


Click for more news in Culture Express

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