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I haven’t read the books (I know, what kind of librarian am I?!?).
I did not see the first How to train your dragon movie on its theatrical release. In fact, we only watched the DVD this year.
The reason we bought the DVD is because we had been watching Dragons: Riders of Berk on ABC TV (ABC 3). We originally started watching because it looked interesting… and further episodes confirmed that it was! Wikipedia and the IMDB tell me that it is an award-winning animated series.
So, that brings us to today… **text is spoiler free!**
I really enjoyed this movie. I laughed, I cried. I was fully engaged and engrossed - and that’s not always something you can say about an animated film. I should note here that I was an animated film fan before I was a parent, but perhaps my film choices were more selective then than they are now!
I think the tale was pitched a touch too ‘old’ for our Miss 7, though she still loved it. The main characters are now in their early 20s and they face serious issues.
I love the film review by Peter Debruge in Variety where he writes:
“… this time around, [Director] DeBlois commits to the idea that dangerous acts have serious consequences: Major characters will be asked to make huge sacrifices to protect the ones they love. In that sense, “Dragon” aspires to join the ranks of epic poetry, resulting in scenes that make “Bambi” and “The Lion King” look like mere cartoons..”
The scene Debruge refers to here is the most challenge of the film. Bring your tissues. I recommend Debruge’s review - there is plot exposition (of course), but no spoilers for the plot twists.
I wonder, though, if you need to live in a cave to not know the plot twists in this (and any other) movie. Between trailers and the media are there surprises to be found in film anymore?
Do you read reviews before you see a film? Do you rely on movie trailers? Our Miss has picked up that trailers do not always accurately reveal what a movie is about.
This trailer is pretty good, but it gives away a major character development… that’s obviously a conscious choice by the film makers. How much is a ‘spoiler’ and how much is “I’ve gotta see this movie because X happens in it - did you see the trailer?”. I wonder…
Sequels
The challenge of the sequel for me is: does it honour the original, but build on it? Does it stand alone? I don’t believe you should have to see all the films in a franchise for a franchise movie to work. This is one of the slight irritations of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The films don’t really stand alone. But this movie does.
In addition, as I mentioned, I came to this movie via the TV show. Do you need to see the TV show to enjoy this movie? Does the movie ignore the TV show? No on both counts. I was very happy about this.
Books
And what of the books?
The book series is written by Cressida Cowell.
Wikipedia notes that: “The plot of the film is almost completely different from the first book in the series.” (!!!)
The Dreamworks iterations borrow the characters and settings from Cowell’s novels.
Cowell wrote of the first movie:
“This is a BIG movie, an epic re-telling of the Hiccup story, and it is different in some ways from the books. Personally, I’m very relaxed about this, because I feel that books and film are different media and sometimes stories change and adapt when they are translated into a new medium. What I really wanted was for Dreamworks to make a wonderful movie. So I was open to the idea of them making changes, particularly because the film keeps true to the spirit and message of the book, the relationship between Stoick and Hiccup, and the characters and the world I created.
Furthermore, I have written eight books in the series now, and I am extremely proud of them. If a movie puts forward a slightly different interpretation of things, it doesn't change the books themselves. There they still are, just the same as they always were. The books are my own complete personal vision of the world and that remains unaltered.”
I really loved this! While I completely understand authors who are unhappy or upset about movie makers who take their characters and change them, it’s refreshing to hear an author say that the books are still there and nothing will change that.
Of course, we will have to read the books next!
I recommend the movies, when I read the books, I'll let you know!
Related links:
Official website (Dreamworks)
http://www.howtotrainyourdragon.com.au
Cressida Cowell
http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/index.asp
Hodder Children’s books
http://www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com
Cressida Cowell blog
Hiccup goes to Hollywood
Posted on: Monday, December 14, 2009
http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/pages/blog_01/blog_item.asp?Blog_01ID=169
Cressida Cowell blog
How to Train Your Dragon 2, and Book of Dragons
Posted on: Friday, May 02, 2014
http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/pages/blog_01/blog_item.asp?Blog_01ID=200
Review:
Debruge, Peter. (16 May 2014) Cannes Film Review: ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’. Variety. http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/cannes-film-review-how-to-train-your-dragon-2-1201181707/
Wikipedia links
How to train your dragon - book series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Train_Your_Dragon
How to train your dragon - TV series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragons:_Riders_of_Berk
How to train your dragon - Film
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Train_Your_Dragon_(film)
YouTube
How to train your dragon 2 - Official Trailer
http://youtu.be/1Y0erVF9cLI
How to train your dragon 2 - First five minutes
http://youtu.be/bqk6rbhuKd0
IMDB links
How to train your dragon (2010)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0892769/
How to train your dragon 2 (2014)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1646971/
How to train your dragon 3 (2016) [*Risk of spoilers for #2]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2386490/
Dreamworks Dragons (aka Dragon Riders of Berk)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2325846/
#blogjune
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