Ok, so.....book vs. movie? - The Power of One (1992) Discussion

[–] bernadettebroadbent 20 years ago

I actually didnt know that the movie was based on a book. I fell in love with the movie long before i read the book. I believe that they are both fantastic mediums on their own. Obviously there are things that have been laft out of the movie that are in the book and a few things have been changed in the movie to the book but they are both amazing

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[–] kingly_brightness22 20 years ago

ok fair enough, considering you havent read the book. But if u liked the movie READ THE BOOK!!! there's a reason everyone says the book is better than the movie: it is. by like a million times. seriously, if its the last thing you do on this earth, read the book!!!

I'm free.I can breathe.And you will choke on your average *beep* mediocre life!

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[–] princessdey1 20 years ago

I will, I'm just saying, the movie is a powerful one. And racist students in my class aren't the ones to go out and read a book. I think the movie serves it's purpose, and if you like the book, that's awesome. Books are always better than the movie, it's just a fact of life. But if my social studies teacher assigned the book, it wouldn't have had the same effect on the students it needs to affect. That's all I'm saying.

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[–] kingly_brightness22 20 years ago

fair enough, i get that. i'm not saying that people shouldn't watch the movie but for anyone who liked the movie and is considering reading the book...go for it. compared to the movie, the book is absolutely incredible. so if ur not sure do urself a favour and read the book.

I'm free.I can breathe.And you will choke on your average *beep* mediocre life!

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[–] scottbergen 20 years ago

Quite simply, the movie is just not the same story as the book. If you are reading this book for school and watch the movie to sneak around reading...you are SCREWED!

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[–] goodygoodywitch 20 years ago

not that you're advocating students do this, right ; )

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[–] valdezlopez 20 years ago

Silly question.

The book, definately the book.

There's so much being said about the movie sucking, the book being the better choice, etc.

I agree.

Nonetheless, the movie, standing alone is a good piece of movie work, alas, once you have read the book (and I will be good for you, if you alow yourself) you will begin to see it differently.

Do give yourself the chance to read the text written by Bryce Courtenay.

Maybe, then, you'll se it for yourself.

Valdez López,
Monterrey, Mexico

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[–] dathaler 20 years ago

I saw the film when it made the rounds on premium networks after its theatrical release. I liked it, all the tragedy notwithstanding. I particularly recall all of the music and singing, including some songs I would later hear in a film called "Proteus", released in 2004.

It's been shown on the Cinemax networks over the last few weeks so I've been watching it again. I don't really see what all the fuss is, but then again, I didn't read the book. I did see it in a local bookstore, and debated buying it, but then I read how different it was from the film, and I decided not to. However, I may yet change my mind again, particularly since people are saying that the two mediums shouldn't be compared, and because I'll be traveling to South Africa next month and would like to get a feel for the country's history, even if the players are fictional.

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[–] leanischoltz 19 years ago

Hans Zimmer is the man responsible for the music, I believe.

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[–] ss420 19 years ago

An interesting Tid-bit about the music in the film...The Sheet music to the score of the film (the entire score) is essentially lost, rather more aptly put locked away tighter than a dolphin's ass. Not even Hanz Zimmer has a copy, i know this for a fact because about 5 years ago my highschool choral director a semi known composer and arranger put in a call to Hanz Zimmer in an attempt to get his hands on a copy so as to arrange it for his own chorus, the previous information is what Zimmer told him.

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[–] LCM_Arriaddik 19 years ago

I agree with you there, the movie in itself gives the viewer, and this means anybody who is open towards this movie (and not sitting in the back row, making rude noises and such), a greater atmosphere and feel than a book could ever convey, though a book can pass along a much larger message and greater story.

But basically it comes down to the usua debate, book or movie. And it is always the same answer that crops up from anybody who looks at it with an open mind, if the movie was well done, then it is accesable to anybody, not just those who have an interest in this genre, and the movie gives a feel for the situation, a book can give you much more pleasure, a larger story and real controversy while a movie must becareful of what it is allowed to show.

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[–] shrekboy 19 years ago

I also watched the Power of One in school, and thought it was amazing, but recently i read the book and was blown away, it has so much more than the movie. Indeed i watched the movie again and was disapointed. The movie is not bad at all, its just that it obviously has to delete sections of the book to fit into a 2 hour or so film. So I suppose I would reccomend both, though maybe start with the movie, then the book will be even better.
Incidentally if you are interested in the further adventures of P.K, check out "Tandia" by the same author

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[–] badbooi 19 years ago

Without a doubt, the book. Growing up in South Africa, I was witness to so much that happens in the book. I remember watching the movie and finding it laughable -- it was so obviously politically skewed that it lost the awesome power of the book. The characters in the movie were very 2-dimensional. The book has so much more to offer the reader. The book is truly one that has changed my life -- something the movie is utterly incapable of doing.

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[–] Utahnkim 19 years ago

I loved the movie....and just recently read the book. I'm going to have to go with the book. The movie was very well made, and I adore the soundtrack....I am now in love with Bryce Courtenay's writings and have purchased all of the books. Just a gorgeous writer. Such detail, you feel like you are there.

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[–] cryocore 19 years ago

I too loved the movie, but then I read the book, and now I cant watch this film. It missed out ALL of the major moments in Peekays life, changed his character dramatically and eliminated extremely important characters.

This movie is a travasty of adapted source material.

Change the title and the character names, and it bares basically no similarity to the book except to be about a south african white kid who wants to be a boxer.

Read the book.

We have such sights to show you.

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[–] heartlessromantic 19 years ago

I must be one of the few to have read the book first, and it is by far one of my favourite novels ever. I rented the movie a while back, and was disgusted. I'm sorry, this is probably the only movie i have ever turned off in my life. I'm sure it was good, but it tore the plot of the book right apart and left out so many details that i felt were crucial to the plot (especially concerning his life as a small child in a boarding school full of Boers). So i got through 15 minutes (approximately) by which i was raging, and threw myself at the power button, determined to KILL the director that butchered the book, along with my hopes of an epic movie that would hold up to my standards. ugh.

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[–] whm332 19 years ago

Bravo! I hope the most untouchable will take something away. This is a movie about the virtues of justice and fortitude.

HBO is reshowing this movie to promote 'Yesterday,' an African film about AIDS. In this light, I don't really even mind its use as a didactic tool. Global awareness and interest in the US waned after the end of apartheid as the cause celebre. (I think everbody should have to watch 'The Gods Must Be Crazy' to see that you can laugh on that continent, too!)

I love it as a boxing movie, too, with Morgan Freeman's reprise in 'Million Dollar Baby' a wonderful echo. Boxing is a primal, solitary sport each culture understands. No boxing, no unity for me in this film. PK as a rugby fly-half would not be the same. I hope books will always be better than movies. It is no mistake that a PhD wrote the screenplay. He has probably read a book or two and knows how to wield a metaphor like boxing.

My cautionary note comes from my experience, little though it is. Knowing English history and literature--not to mention 'Breaker Morant'-- I am not predisposed to dispute the depiction of the Afrikaaner here. They are all very evil white supremacists in this movie. I caught myself looking at apple-cheeked white folks in S.A. and the former Rhodesias with an unreasonable suspicion, like Yankees for Southerners.

I wonder what films the NEXT generation will give us about post-colonial failures like Mugabe.

GW Hunter

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[–] hyujin_s 19 years ago

Without a doubt I feel the book would appeal to a greater audience then that of the film. After watching the movie I felt a great chunk of Peekay’s life was completely ignored. The movie just didn’t appeal to me the way the book did though I must admit parts of the movie were well made seeing as you can only add so much into two hour film.

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[–] dabomb_ii 19 years ago

This must be one of my favourite books ever, ive lost count of the number of times ive read it (I just finished reading it again.. and am starting on Tandia). I think for those who have read the book first the movie is extremely dissapointing. I personally hated the movie. If you liked the movie you definelty have to read the book but i think if uve read the book avoid seeing the movie.

the book is definitely 100% better than the movie. 11 out of 10. Absoloodle.

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[–] fruitycookie77 19 years ago

havent seen the movie yet and after really some of the comments here i dont think i want to. The Power Of One is the best book i ever read, i cried when it finished, i dont know why, lol.

~First With The Head, Then With The Heart~

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[–] CarmenSandiegoIII 12 years ago

100% the book. The movie was great as well, but they switched some events around that kind of annoyed me.

Thoughts on book vs movie (includes some spoilers):
- Jappie Botha a.k.a. the Judge is James Bond, or Daniel Craig, lol. Although the final showdown between PK and Botha happen in different locations from the book and the movie, it was still one of my favorite parts of the story (especially the book's version)

- To bring in a romance to the movie was kind of ridiculous, there was no romance in the book and it was a distraction. Bryce Courtenay was against a romance in the movie, but since the producers insisted, Courtenay insisted the girl be black. Producers went on a rant and won out in the end. One good thing about the Maria character was that she kind of grew on me toward the end, she wasn't as annoying as when she first entered the movie (also wasn't a fan of her hair, but maybe that was supposed to represent a style back in the day in South Africa).

- Doc wanting to go back to Germany after the war...he lived in and loved South Africa for years, I assumed even before the war started, yet he was so gun-ho to leave after the war was over in the movie. I prefer the book version better, the relationship between PK and Doc was so deep that it was unbelievable that he just picked up and left.

- The acting was incredible in the movie, the music was beautiful and the scenery/cinematography was STUNNING. The characters for the most part looked similar to how I imagined them. It's one thing to read the book but another to watch it happen on screen, some parts were disturbing (violence against Africans, Geel Piet eating crap, etc...) I had to turn my head. But I jumped up and cheered when that officer got a spear through him in the end and when Jaapie Botha (the Judge) got shot.

- I was pissed when Gindeon Mandoma lost his eye and got shot in the leg, I was like NOOOOO!!! Doesn't happen in the book, he has to go on to book two in Tandia and continue boxing and fight the oppressive powers and - oh, never mind. I was mad.

- Why didn't they just call PK's best friend from school Hymie? His name was Hymie in the book, it was obvious he was the same character in the movie but they gave him a different name (Morty something)

- A whole bunch of other minor details which I noticed through the movie but cant remember all of now (i.e. the mom dying in the movie, where are Dee and Dum?, although i'm sure their presence wouldn't make since considering his mom is gone)

Overall great movie, but I prefer the book.

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