Gone are the days when people would sit reading classic
tales that had been handed down from generation to generation. Stories and
books that were once required reading are now passed over for the more popular
fare these days. That's sad in so many ways. Stories that once captured the
imaginations of children are now ignored. The only way these stories come to
life these days is when children see them in film or television format. That
would be great except that children rarely seek out the original source and
that film makers have a tendency to remake the original in their own mold. Such
is the case here.
TREASURE ISLAND is a fantastic book to read and author
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote so well that the descriptions and story come alive
when reading it. The book has been made into a film more than once, the most
famous starring Wallace Beery in 1934 and Robert Newton in 1950. Both stuck to
the story at hand and told of the adventures of young Jim Hawkins and the infamous
pirate Long John Silver. This new production does the same but alters the tale
a bit.
Rather than start with the arrival of Billy Bones at the Inn
Jim and his mother run, it starts with Capt. Flint and his treachery towards
his crew only then returning to the original tale. Bones holes up in the Inn
and tells Jim to let him know if he sees any sea faring man arrive. When one
does, Bones knows his days are numbered. After he dies, Jim takes control of
his possessions including a treasure map he finds. Seeking help from friend and
local doctor Livesy, the pair unite with Squire Trelawney and set out in search
of the hidden fortune.
This is where a couple of major changes kick in. First off
in the original story we had no idea who Silver was as he works his way into
the adventure that these three plan only to reveal himself at a later time.
Since he was in the opening sequences we know who he is and what he plans from
the start. Secondly, the character of Squire Trelawney in the original was a
benevolent person who wanted to help and share with Jim and the doctor. In this
version he is an evil man who intends nothing of the sort but instead hopes to
take control of the entire treasure once found leaving his companions nothing.
This is a major change and feels wrong in every sense of the word.
As the company prepares to sail Silver gets himself hired on
as cook. When there seems to be a shortage of sailors to make the tide, he
inserts members of his past crew in key positions to help him later take over
the ship. None of this is apparent to Jim as he first enjoys the adventure he
is on and later begins to think of forming a pact with Silver after Trelawney
has told him and the doctor his intentions.
Treachery is the name of the game here and eventually Silver
and his men take over the ship once they get to the island. His position of
captain of this pirate crew is called into question on more than one occasion,
something else differing from the original book. As those that remain hole up
in the abandoned fort left on the island, Silver and his men set out to take
back the map and pilfer the treasure for themselves. Just who will walk away
from the island with treasure in hand waits to be seen.
With the popularity of the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films it
would seem that this would be a movie just waiting to be remade and apparently
those in charge thought so as well. It's just too bad that like most
storytellers these days remaking films they decided that it wasn't good enough
on it's own merits and decided to change so much of it. Rather than rely on a
book that was written so long ago and enjoyed by countless millions, it is
turned into a story that barely resembles the original and fails due to the
changes that are made. Film makers should learn to leave well enough alone when
it comes to classics because they rarely make changes that work.
One also has to wonder why it is that a movie at one time
could tell an entire story in 90 minutes yet film makers today seem intent of
shooting something that's no less than 2 hours and often times, as is the case
her, up to 3 hours long. Perhaps it was so that this film could be a two
evening event on television but for me it did nothing more than drag on. If
TREASURE ISLAND is the movie you want to see then pass this one by. The only
good thing it has to offer is Eddie Izzard as Silver. He does a tremendous job
in the role. If only he had played the famous character instead of this one.
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