Posted by Mike Dennis on May 11, 2007 at 15:51:59 from 81.79.93.48 user MTD.
In Reply to: Re: Swallows and Amazons - The Musical posted by andyb on May 11, 2007 at 12:41:54:
No, I don't like them (obvious really!) But I don't for various reasons, mainly they are nearly always based on an existing work that doesn't need 'improving' in that way or doesn't benefit from its adaptation. The ones listed by various people only go to prove my point. The other reason is it is so detached from reality (I know fiction is anyway, but bear with me), in our every day lives we don't burst into song when carrying out our work or other tasks, we don't burst into song when confronted by danger (though it seems to have worked against the Nazis in the Sound of Music!). Yes, we sing and whistle when happy etc. as AR shows in many of the books.
Most of us posting here (I hope) are great admirers of AR and particularly the S&A cannon, many are members of TARS which takes this admiration further; so why encourage something which however well meant will only demean the original.
If you want a comparison take the Disney effect on A A Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories, we now have generations of children who know them only from the insipid dumbed down cartoons and when they see the original Shepherd illustrations complain they are 'not the proper Pooh! Is this the kind of thing you want to happen to S&A? Where the books mean nothing and all anyone knows is some horrible sing-song about tents and sailing?