The Brookeshelf

Tales From Earthsea

I have no idea if this is actually news, but the animated adaptation of Ursula LeGuin's fabulous Earthsea novels is doing rather swell over in Japan. Keep in mind that this film was made by Studio Ghibli -- the people who brought Howl's Moving Castle to the screen a few years back -- and just about anything made by Studio Ghibli is gonna be big in Japan, as far as I can tell. Anyway, I'm just itchin' to see what Les Ghiblis have in store for us when the film jumps to these merry shores.

Now, I know that some of you are raring to throw your surfiet of backyard spaghetti squash at your computer screen to hear that Les Ghiblis are making another adaptation of a beloved children's fantasy novel. Howl's Moving Castle had but a wee thread connecting the book and the film. And yet it didn't bother me all that much. (As opposed to the film adaptation of Ella Enchanted, which made me want to cry.)

Perhaps my love of Les Ghiblis overshadowed my love of Diana Wynne-Jones? Perhaps I was more willing to excuse a foriegn film?

Anyway, it looks like Tales From Earthsea bids to be another loosey-goosey adaptation. Do we dare complain about yet another poor tribute to the printed word? Or do we just realize that the film and the book are just two works of art that shouldn't be compared, and be done with it?

Click away . . .