The Time I Judged A Book By Its Cover

Over the holiday weekend, I got to see three films: It’s Complicated, Up In The Air, and Avatar, and walked away from each of the three (totally different) films feeling pleased. After seeing plenty of lackluster films this past year, I was looking forward to December and seeing some quality films. Although, I was thinking that this year seemed weaker than years past in pre-Oscar race line ups.

Until the middle of January, the films on my list include Sherlock Holmes and Nine. But in January, I’m most looking forward to see Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones.

When I was in high school, I refused to read the book. In all honesty, and as a former English major, it pains me not only to use this (true) cliche but that it’s also the honest truth, I judged the book by its cover. I saw it’s girly turquoise cover that’s sitting on my bookshelf, and heard it was a “sweet” story about a teenage girl, and my mind raced to Nicholas Sparks. I wasn’t in the mood to read another one of those tales of unrequited love gone horribly awry.

My feelings of The Lovely Bones lingered to this year, when I heard that Peter Jackson directed the cinematic adaptation. “That fat hobbit guy?” I thought. “What the hell would he want to touch that with a ten foot pole for?” And then I saw the trailer. It was nothing that I had in mind – and the trailer is immaculate. As a virgin to the story, I’m immediately curious to see how the story plays out and how the mystery develops and ultimately is solved. I know I’ll be in a theater filled with people who have read and loved this story, and I will be reacting in a way that someone going in blind will, and I’m excited for that. But more importantly, I’m curious to see how the master of all things fantastical directs a story that did have a pretty shiny teal cover. There are no hobbits or elves here, but real life heartbreak, pain and loss; this story, despite it’s purgatory like element has real human feelings of heartbreak and pain.

I do want to read the book now, although, I’m in one of those situations: do I go into the film with a clean slate and read the book later, or do I pick up my copy now?

December 28, 2009. Uncategorized.