Adapting books for the silver screen is nothing new. Indeed, many cinematic landmarks began their lives on the printed page—from The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind right up through the Harry Potter and Jason Bourne franchises. Some, to be fair, retain a more literary air than others, though often the distinction seems to be little more than the presence of a well-turned British accent. Others suffer in the translation, with even Shakespeare taking a drubbing now and again.
But if any author was made for adaptation, it was Alexandre Dumas, the 19th-century scribe from whose pen flowed such mid-level classics as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Man in The Iron Mask. Dumas’ novels—many originally serialized in French newspapers, where they were awaited and devoured by a hungry public—were perfect Hollywood before we had Hollywood, brimming with romance and double-cross, secret treasures and hidden identities, revenge, prison breaks and action of all sorts. Even today, the brew is intoxicating enough to inspire modern authors like Arturo Perez-Reverte, whose mystery novel The Club Dumas—itself adapted to become Roman Polanski’s film The Ninth Gate—revolves around a group of obsessive Dumas enthusiasts.
This weekend, Pothole Pictures continues its Summer Series in Shelburne Falls with a pair of screenings of Richard Lester’s 1974 take on Dumas’ swashbuckling classic The Three Musketeers. Lester, best known as the director of the Beatles films Help! and A Hard Day’s Night, gives the tale a modern, ironic tinge, mixing slapstick and gags with the usual court machinations and swordplay. Along for the ride are a well-stocked cast featuring Michael York, Raquel Welch, Faye Dunaway and Richard Chamberlain; shows start at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 25 and Saturday, June 26, with live music at 7 both nights. For more information, call (413) 625-2896.
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A somewhat more recent popular novel hits the big screen this week as well when The Twilight Saga: Eclipse opens. The third in the ongoing series based on Stephenie Meyer’s small-town Gothic novels, it promises to be every bit the blockbuster its predecessors were.
To ring in the premiere, Greenfield’s Garden Cinemas is hosting An Evening of Eternal Twilight on June 29, giving breathless filmgoers the chance to see all three films in one night. Things get underway at 6:30 p.m. with a double bill featuring the original Twilight and Twilight: New Moon; a special $7.50 admission is good for both films. A separate ticket gets you into an 11:55 p.m. showing of Eclipse.
Or, if vampires don’t do it for you, you could always try staying home with a good book.
Jack Brown can be reached at cinemadope@gmail.com.
