antidonkey said:
It seems that books made from video game franchises turn out quite well. I've read a few and enjoyed them even if the writing styles are sometimes less that stellar. Why can't it be that way with movies?
Because video game books are loyal to the themes and story of the games. No big secret as to why. The books are written with the intent of being marketed to the gamers who play the games. Only they will seek the book out, and, so, they play only to the one audience. Makes for a solid book/story.
Movies are, understandably but annoyingly, aimed as the mass market. Most people don't know the subtle nuances of a specific game/series and can't really be bothered to learn for a two hour experience. So, they seem to end up trying to make a story as accessible as possible...
(Silent Hill, they admitted that the reason the main character was made female was because the character they were writing 'sounded' like a woman. I can only assume that it was easier just to flop gender and rely on preconceptions rather than go into Mason's character.)
Usually resulting in a story that's only slightly related to the source material. Of course, they will add in some landmark pieces or characters, whether they fit or not in an attempt to 'be faithful' to the story...
(doom: the first person scene. Silent Hill: Pyramidhead (Let's face it, cool or not, that's James' personal demon, not a subcontractor). Wing Commander: The Skip Missile, which was about 10 years too early in continuity. etc)
with the end result often being a more or less alienated mainstream and an annoyed fanbase.
In other words: The hound that chases two rabbits, loses both.
