Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

HOWEVER, why was Persephone with Hades at the summer solstice? The myth reads that she stays there during winter; it doesn't make sense for her to be there in June. That peeved me more than the other missteps because it was the most obvious.

Sigh. I guess that's another change they must have made. The book is very clear that it was the winter solstice.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

The book is very clear that it was the winter solstice.

Nope. In the book it's the summer solstice--June 21th.

In the book, she's up with Demeter when the trio go down to see Hades. The only reason I can see them including her in the movie is because of the way they changed Hades character (trying not to give too much away lol)

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by epchick

Nope. In the book it's the summer solstice--June 25th.

In the book, she's up with Demeter when the trio go down to see Hades. The only reason I can see them including her in the movie is because of the way they changed Hades character (trying not to give too much away lol)

But the Solstice is on the 21st.

Can you PM the change? Because I don't get it! LOL I'm trying really hard to understand over here.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by epchick

Nope. In the book it's the summer solstice--June 21th.

In the book, she's up with Demeter when the trio go down to see Hades. The only reason I can see them including her in the movie is because of the way they changed Hades character (trying not to give too much away lol)

Thanks, I stand corrected. I guess it's been too long since I read it -- maybe I was confusing it with another trip to the Underworld in one of the other books?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by epchick

Nope. In the book it's the summer solstice--June 21th.

It hit me while I was watching the movie yesterday that what I was remembering was that the bolt was stolen at the winter solstice, right?

If I could put the book out of my mind, the movie was good. But it was hard to put the book out of my mind, and it was just a constant stream of disappointments that the story had been watered down or outright changed. I thought that the result was a much less compelling story. (Not to mention, I thought that the books great humor took a hit.)

Really too bad.

[Phrozen1ne]

The movie was o.k. I didn't like the character, Grover. I will have to read to the book to see if it matches up with the way he was portrayed in the movie.

[ColdInCanada11]

I thought it was really good, but then again, I haven't read the books yet. The Persephone/timing thing bothered me, I was stuck on that for a solid 15 minutes after it happened. The other thing that bothered me, how did Athena have a child with a mortal? She was famously virgin. If her child was born the same way she was, wouldn't her child have been a god (no mortal blood involved to "taint" them?) But maybe that's explained in the books?

[pomplemousse12]

Originally Posted by ColdInCanada11

I thought it was really good, but then again, I haven't read the books yet. The Persephone/timing thing bothered me, I was stuck on that for a solid 15 minutes after it happened. The other thing that bothered me, how did Athena have a child with a mortal? She was famously virgin. If her child was born the same way she was, wouldn't her child have been a god (no mortal blood involved to "taint" them?) But maybe that's explained in the books?

It's explained in the books. I forget exactly how because they're not right next to me, but Athena was attracted to wisdom and the brightest people of their age, and her children are born from thoughts. It's pretty neat actually.

[ColdInCanada11]

Thanks! That makes way more sense now. I think I'm going to have to read these books

[nikki1920]

I haven't read the book yet. Waiting for the kid to finish it.

I think what happens, is that you have a wildly successful book, which would *probably* make a good movie, but TPTB don't want to risk $$ on an unproven film. So the first version is usually very watered down, and the subsequent films are better, as the director and other PTB are more comfortable financially. (TPTB= the powers that be) Look at the HP franchise. ETA: its hard to keep the readers engrossed in the story that they already know AND attract and keep new-comers to the series.

I thought the movie was ok, although the mother's flat performance irked me. I thought Hades was fun, lol! And Posiedon was delicious...but that's my GA addiction coming out.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by nikki1920

I think what happens, is that you have a wildly successful book, which would *probably* make a good movie, but TPTB don't want to risk $$ on an unproven film. So the first version is usually very watered down, and the subsequent films are better, as the director and other PTB are more comfortable financially. (TPTB= the powers that be) Look at the HP franchise.

Except that the first and second Harry Potter movies, which like Lightning Thief were directed by Chris Columbus, were the most faithful-to-the-book of all the HP movies. It's the later HP movies that have strayed more from the books. It seemed with the first HP movies, they understood they'd fail miserably with the fans if they messed with the story too much. (Ditto Lord of the Rings.)

Of course, the other difference was that JK Rowling was involved with the HP movies, at least to some degree. That was partially because she hadn't finished the series when the first movies came out, so her input was needed to make sure they didn't work against the story arc.

[nikki1920]

I thought the later movies were better, maybe because I had read the corresponding books by then, IDK. The first two aren't my favorite ones from the series.

But again, I haven't read the book, so I can't really comment yet. But the film was a solid B.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by nikki1920

I thought the later movies were better, maybe because I had read the corresponding books by then, IDK. The first two aren't my favorite ones from the series.

Interesting. I was so disappointed in the last HP movie. Not that I'm arguing with you; we can after all have different tastes.

Actually, I think it points up a fundamental problem. I'd agree that the later HP movies perhaps work better as movies. Movies present a very different style of story-telling from books. Movies that slavishly adhere to a book often don't work too well. When you're talking about books like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, it's no small challenge to make a movie that is reasonably faithful to the book and that still stands on its own and works well as a movie.

How are your kids liking the book?

[nikki1920]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

How are your kid liking the book?

ONE KID!!! lol..
She likes it, so far. She's tired of me asking if she's finished it yet, though; Mommy is a fast reader. Daughter is not. Yet.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by nikki1920

ONE KID!!! lol..

Oops.