(B)adaptations Script: To Kill a Mockingbird
Fade In
Setting: Small room with two small couches and a coffee table in the center.
Lauren and Nkosi are sitting in a room glancing at their phones and sitting in their respective seats.
Lauren: Yawning. Mmmmmm. I’m bored.
Nkosi: Okay. And what would you like me to do about that?
Lauren: Tell me something I don’t know.
Nkosi: Pondering while rubbing chin. Did you know that To Kill a Mockingbird once beat the bible as the most inspirational book of all time in 2009?
Lauren: Damn, no I didn’t even know that.
Nkosi: Yeah that’s crazy right? I know you’ve seen the movie.
Lauren: Yeah of course I’ve seen it!
Nkosi: Which one did you like better, the book or the movie?
Lauren: I definitely liked the book better. The movie left out too many details for me.
Nkosi: Like What?
Lauren: Well I mean in the movie they didn’t even have Aunt Alexandra’s character in it. She was one of my favorite characters in the book.
Nkosi: I didn’t even like Aunt Alexandra that much. I barely noticed she was even there. The movie was way better than the book in my opinion. I like looking at films not just seeing words and imagining things in my head.
Lauren: But even then, the book has so much more detail and helps clarify events that the movie merely glosses over. You can’t just watch a film and expect to get the full book experience. Even outside of Aunt Alexandra, in the movie, Atticus doesn’t go in depth on the issues presented during the famous court trial of Tom Robinson! In the movie, the viewer gets a cheap summary of Atticus explaining the case of his client. This issue was such a hot topic that only books could cover in detail at that time in film.
Nkosi: It doesn’t even matter what he says sarcastically “in depth.” I don’t need Atticus to give me a summary of anything, I just want to see some action!
Lauren: Naive. Did you even notice in the film they had Miss Rachel and Miss Alexandra played by the same person! How can they even do that and think we weren’t going to notice?
Nkosi: Who? I don’t even remember those characters. Even so it’s okay. I’m sure you’re one of the few people who caught that. Besides, give them a pass! The movie was made in 1962.
Lauren: That’s only two years after the book came out Nkosi, there's no excuse. Of course film adaptations are subject to some reshifting and revision but come on! Where is the effort here?
Nkosi: I don’t think it’s a big deal. The film was still critically acclaimed just like the book so you’re kind of missing the big picture here.
Lauren: All I’m saying is, it doesn’t hurt to pay a little closer attention to detail because they all add up. I don’t care if it garnered seven Oscar nominations.
Nkosi: In a correcting tone. Eight actually.
Lauren: Rolls eyes. Whatever. I still prefer the book over the movie.
Nkosi: Suit yourself. I’ll gladly watch a brilliant film composed in under two hours while you spend ten to read your critically acclaimed literature.
Lauren: Thank you. Exits room to read book for ten hours.
The end.
