Re: ReallyJumanji?

[Gail Smith <gsmith@isbe.state.il.us>]

Fred Muller Newton wrote:
>
> I just rented the movie and thought it was a great extrapolation of a
> picture book.  It wasn't ment to be a duplicate - very enjoyable.  I
> can't wait to go into school and look at the book again.  I would rather
> see such an extrapolation than a watering down of a full novel.


I'm afraid I can't completely agree with Fred on this one.  It was a
great story and lots of fun, but it wasn't Jumanji.  To me it was a
rip off of a favorite book, using the title to lure children into the
theater when they weren't delivering on the promise. The same movie
could have been given a different name which would have been more
honest.

I had several arguments with children about what was the "REAL" story
of Jumanji.  Especially the young ones were confused that two stories
that they saw as so different had the same name. Those who saw the
movie first, and then read the book didn't get it that the book had
been introduced first so if either one qualified as the "real" story,
it must be the book.

Lets keep encouraging such creative, wonderfully fun movies, but lets
extend the creativity to giving what is essentially a new work, a new
title.

Gail Smith
Edison Regional Gifted Center, Chicago