Thanks to Think Jam and Fox Entertainment, I was given the opportunity to review a screener copy of the movie Water for Elephants.
Here is a little about the movie.
LIFE IS THE MOST SPECTACULAR SHOW ON EARTH
Witness The Epic Tale of Forbidden Love Starring
Academy Award®
Winner Reese Witherspoon and
Robert Pattinson On Blu-ray and DVD November 1
Take a journey back in time with the romantic tale based on Sara Gruen’s
New York Times #1 Best-Seller novel of the same name, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, coming to Blu-ray and DVD on November 1st from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Starring Academy Award®-winner Reese Witherspoon
(Walk The Line), Robert Pattinson (Twilight series) and Oscar®-winner Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds), the film presents an epic tale of forbidden love in a magical place filled with adventure, wonder and great danger.
Showcasing the decadence of a bohemian circus and the majesty of its animals against the backdrop and beauty of a bygone era,
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS makes the ideal holiday gift idea for your favorite film buff, fashionista or book-lover!
Devastated
by the sudden death of his parents at the height of The Depression, a
young dreamer from the wrong side of the tracks, Jacob Jankowski
(Pattinson), abandons his veterinary
studies at Cornell University. With no other family, no house, and no money, Jacob
stows away on a train carrying the circus performers of The Benzini
Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Hired as a veterinarian to
care for the troupe’s animals, Jacob is temporarily
filled with the promise of an exciting life that comes with a traveling
circus troupe. However, as he builds a rapport and falls in love with
the star of the show, Marlena (Witherspoon), they become prey to the
circus’s owner, Marlena’s violent and abusive
husband August (Waltz). As the circus begins to crumble from within and
against all odds, Jacob and Marlena come together and fall in love
through their compassion for a special elephant. With their love on the
line, Jacob and Marlena come to a crossroads
that will forever change their destiny.
Directed by critically-acclaimed filmmaker Francis Lawrence (Constantine),
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS features fantastic supporting performances from Paul Schneider (Lars and the Real Girl), Jim Norton (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Mark Povinelli (The Polar Express), Richard Brake (Batman
Begins), and Academy Award®-nominee Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild).
Water for Elephants was a movie I desperately wanted to watch but, since I had this opportunity, I really wanted to read the book first. The book ventures far from my normal read so I was pretty shocked by how much I enjoyed the story. It brought me in to the time period and I enjoyed seeing it all from Jacob's point of view. Jacob, as a man in his 90s, is someone you just can't help but love. His younger self (as he remembers his past in the 1930s) is someone just as enjoyable.
As a guide, I was given a page of questions to consider while reading the book and watching the movie. I will answer a few of these now.
What elements of the 1930s did you enjoy in the book and film? The style and fashion?
Even before I watched the movie, Sara Gruen had me hooked with the "feel" of the story. Much of that had to do with the fashion. I could picture Jacob in his work clothes and suits. I could see Marlena's beautiful circus attire with sparkles and jewels. But even more than that, I could picture the other, less fortunate individuals of the circus. It was a horrible time, during the depression, where no one had adequate clothing or care. It was heartbreaking to read about these characters and know that so many people suffered during that time in our history.
Discuss Sara Gruen's choice to tell the story from Jacob's point of view versus Marlena's. How did she do portraying Jacob and what did Robert Pattinson add to the character?
I adored the fact that the book, and movie, was from Jacob's point of view. It's rare to find a male POV and it fit into this story perfectly. In the book we really get a good idea of Jacob as an older gentleman. He's hardheaded, quick tempered, and tough after all his years. As for what Robert Pattinson added to the character, I think he added a level of boyish charm to the role. His subtle glances at Marlena, his passion for the animals, his love for his friends, it all seemed to shine a little more in the movie because we are finally able to see Jacob in action.
Did you find Marlena and Jacob's romance to be as passionate in the film as it was in the book?
Yes and no. I enjoyed seeing the initial interactions between Marlena and Jacob but the movie didn't go into as much detail as the book did about their romance. This made the book's portrayal stand out a little more for me. It's difficult to accurately portray any relationship in a movie a few hours long. It always seems a bit rushed, unrealistic, and less detailed simply because of the time factor. That's fine but I guess for me it created a bit of a problem because it seemed Marlena was more of the instigator instead of just someone who fell in love over time. She was a little more flirty than I had envisioned, which made it a bit more difficult to connect with her because she was married to August at the time. Although I knew what a terrible man he was, it was still hard for me to believe she went with things so easily.
What scene from the book do you feel translated best on screen?
One of the funniest parts of the book and movie for me was when Jacob was sort of "tricked" while he was drunk once. The book made this act a little more serious and sexual, but the movie turned it into something I cracked up over. To me, I enjoyed the movie version even more because it took the teasing to the next level and made it a really great tension-breaking scene.
Extra information.
One of the hardest parts of the book and movie involved Rosie, the elephant. It was a time during the movie where I had to close my eyes and turn away. I love Rosie, maybe even more than Robert Pattinson :) She made this movie!
There are some drastic differences between the re-telling in the book and movie. In the book, Jacob tell much of his story from within the nursing home. In the movie, we start by seeing what was the last section of the book played out. I'm not sure I liked this change. Some of my favorite parts of the book involved Jacob's attitude with his nursing home neighbors and nurses. I really missed seeing that brought to action.
I highly recommend you read Water for Elephants before or after watching the movie. It really helps create a better picture of the time, the plot, the circus, and the characters.
Stop by tomorrow to sign up to win your very own book/DVD bundle of Water for Elephants.
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