Scott Pilgrim

[itsausernamewhatofit]

I read the Scott Pilgrim books a while ago and I love them. It is one of my favorite series. However I only just saw the movie and was kind of bothered by how much it cut or changed. Now let me say something right now--I understand the changes were necessary to allow it to work as a regular length movie and that, when judged by its own merits, is very good. Having to compare it to the books though it felt like they sort of missed some of the most important things and didn't really give the closure of the books. It's a good movie but because I had read the books I just couldn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked to. So Escapists what did you think of it? Have you read the books? If you haven't why aren't you reading them right now? Am I just being too much of one of those fanboys who can't appreciate something if it's not exactly to the established canon? Were you you also bothered by the lack of

Spoiler: this line?

Do you want me to shut up now and let you post your thoughts?

 

[darktheif28]

No, I can say that I wasn't bothered by that line not being in there. I own the books, movie, and even the game. I really liked the movie, it's the only thing I can actually watch Michael Cera in, but the thing bout the movie was that it was being made before the series actually ended.

 

[tippy2k2]

...now I want to go get the manga's (or comics, or graphic novel, or whatever it is kids call these things today).

I absolutely adored SPvW and have a terribly unhealthy obsession with the movie. I've meant to get those things eventually but the last one wasn't out when I saw the movie (or at least, I didn't think it was, maybe it was and I just read an old news thing about the ending being different...).

Anyway, for the movie, that wouldn't work. Michael Cera's version was way too timid to say something like that.

 

[Palademon]

The move was being made before the series was finished. That may be why it doesn't have as good closure.

Also, I read a bit of the books after watching the movie, and I was actually suprised how accurate the movie was.

 

[LobsterFeng]

Didn't really care for the movie. I wouldn't say it was bad, it's just I think that too many fanboys hold it to such a high degree, and I didn't see what they saw. Maybe that does mean that I have to read the comics, I don't know.

 

[band43seat]

the last book came out just before the movie did i believe, and as such, they didnt keep as good an ending. course i would have found it great if instead of redoing the final battle, scott just got up and continued, like in the book. i admit i was sceptical that the books should have been done as a movie, rather then a 2 season tv series. but overall it was good, and accurate

 

[WolfThomas]

The film was actually made at the same time as the final volume, so O'Malley only had a rough idea of how he was going to finish it, hence some of the discrepancies.

I read the first couple of volumes, then saw the movie, then read the rest of it.

Honestly I loved the movie more than the book, the book is great, but there's so many more elements in the film that convey the videogame-esque universe/atmosphere perfectly, the colour, special effects and use of music were all great. The videogame elements are more jarring with real actors too. The actors were great and even though Michael Cera played the same character he always does, it fit perfectly.

...now I want to go get the manga's (or comics, or graphic novel, or whatever it is kids call these things today).

It's a graphic novel (because it's a complete story not numbered issues) with manga influences, like Empowered.

 

[Melon Hunter]

I loved the books and the movie, but I think the pacing of the movie should have been better. They put nearly everything from the first volume into the movie, then cut out more and more, to the point that Lisa is missing altogether (and she led some pretty interesting character development in Scott). Also, this made the evil-ex battles way too close together. I mean, the Katayanagi Twins aren't even introduced in the movie, they just turned up, played a couple of songs, then had their asses handed to them by Sex Bob-Omb.

 

[BanicRhys]

It was a decent movie, I liked Wallace and Gideon, it would have been better if they hadn't hired Cera.

I didn't really like Envy's actress either, she's just not "pointy" enough.

 

[bennyboy05]

I liked the movie. I haven't read the books, I'm not reading them now because I don't have them and would like to use my money for other things right now. It would have been a mistake to use that line in the movie because, while hilarious, it doesn't match up with movie Scott like it does with comic Scott.

 

[itsausernamewhatofit]

No, I can say that I wasn't bothered by that line not being in there. I own the books, movie, and even the game. I really liked the movie, it's the only thing I can actually watch Michael Cera in, but the thing bout the movie was that it was being made before the series actually ended.

Oh that would explain it. I wasn't aware that the movie was made before it ended, that would explain why the end

Spoiler

was a sword fight instead of a mind battle thing with a bunch of Ramonas and lacked the frozen ex girlfriends.

Also, I read a bit of the books after watching the movie, and I was actually suprised how accurate the movie was.

I was actually pleasently surprised with how well it was cast and how much of it was accurate to the books (with the exception of Scott, I thought that Michael Cera was much too quiet and timid for the part). It's just a shame that a lot of the back story and dream sequences were lost towards the end. It's really too bad that the made the movie before the end of the series (which is phenomenal in the graphic novel).

...now I want to go get the manga's (or comics, or graphic novel, or whatever it is kids call these things today).

I absolutely adored SPvW and have a terribly unhealthy obsession with the movie. I've meant to get those things eventually but the last one wasn't out when I saw the movie (or at least, I didn't think it was, maybe it was and I just read an old news thing about the ending being different...).\

http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Pilgrim-Vol-Pilgrims-Precious/dp/1932664084/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319337916&sr=1-2
Do it, you won't be disappointed.

 

[McMullen]

I saw the movie first. I have three of the books, but they're just too damn expensive to get the rest for now. Seriously, $30 for less than two hour's worth of reading? I'd rather read Neal Stephenson's books. You put $8 down on one of those, it'll last ya.

But yeah, so far, impressed with how accurately most of it is recreated.

 

[runnernda]

I adore the graphic novels and the movie. Wallace is by far my favorite character, but I think everyone is cast well. And honestly, there are a lot of things in the movie that you won't pick up on if you haven't read the graphic novels (you see Scott getting his ass handed to him in a few panels, then with no explanation, he's victorious). Also, I think Lisa is mentioned in a throwaway line when Julie is telling Scott not to go after Ramona. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much of the comic they fit into the movie.

 

[ronhoward]

i hated this movie with every fiber of my being

 

[itsausernamewhatofit]

I loved the books and the movie, but I think the pacing of the movie should have been better. They put nearly everything from the first volume into the movie, then cut out more and more, to the point that Lisa is missing altogether (and she led some pretty interesting character development in Scott). Also, this made the evil-ex battles way too close together. I mean, the Katayanagi Twins aren't even introduced in the movie, they just turned up, played a couple of songs, then had their asses handed to them by Sex Bob-Omb.

I agree with most of what you said, I was having a great time at the beginning of the movie and then it started skipping more and more. The twins fight was just kind of pitiful. Also I really didn't like the way the portrayed Kim. I mean she's like that some times but she gets warmer and warmer towards the end and I never really saw any change in her in the movie.

 

[Dense_Electric]

It's one of my all-time favorite films, but as an adaption it fell short. It seems like if they'd taken an extra 30-45 minutes and added in some of the stuff toward the end that got cut (especially the stuff with Lisa Miller), the film would have felt a lot more like the graphic novels. That said, I don't think it would have stood up as a film if they'd interjected too much content, so I'm just going to wait for Adult Swim to decide to make a six-part animated series and call it a day.

 

[Jadak]

Didn't really care for the movie. I wouldn't say it was bad, it's just I think that too many fanboys hold it to such a high degree, and I didn't see what they saw. Maybe that does mean that I have to read the comics, I don't know.

Are you just trying to avoid the backlash of nerd rage, or did you really not think it was bad? Personally, thought it was one of the worst things I've ever seen. I'm not one to walk out of a movie theatre part way through, not matter what it is, but I have never been more tempted, think I settled for some brief naps.