Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved is a unique story that sets itself apart from the rest through its vivid narration and characters. Although the movie had a more interesting medium to work through, visuals, I felt that it wasn’t up to par with the novel. The movie lacked something, maybe depth, which was clearly in the novel. The novel had a phantasmal and mystic atmosphere about it with characters who were well thought out.. The movie was more horrific with lack luster acting from its male and female leads. The film, in my opinion, doesn’t measure up to the book. Maybe it was due to the book having many qualities that cannot translate into a film. Maybe there was a miscast. Though for all it’s faults the film is a must see.
The two versions of Beloved begin in very much the same way. After the first scene involving Sethe’ dead baby attacking their family, Paul D. arrives. After exchanging pleasantries and nostalgia Paul D. and Sethe enter her house. In the novel an unseen force overwhelms Paul and he becomes frightened. In the film however, Paul becomes awash in red light that covers the home. Although they both convey the haunted nature of the home I feel that the novel relays it with subtlety and the film is blatant and in a manner of speaking: tacky. The novel relies on dark undertones while the film is brazen with the ghostly nature of the story.
Another scene that the novel and film share is the arrival of Beloved herself. Instead of lying on a rock as her novel counter part did, she looks crucified on a wooden tree in the film. Beloved, a central character is not portrayed as the enchanting and mystical being she is in the novel. In the film she has more of a demonic quality, as if she were from a low budget horror movie. The scene where she spells her name really focuses on the horror aspect. When Thandie Newton recites the name with a gravely quality that seemed inhuman.
The final scene that really stood out to me was Baby Suggs’ gathering. The film actually conveyed the joyous attitudes of the people more fluently than the novel. What we have at a few paragraphs there is a whole scene. The movement of the people and the music gave he movie an authentic quality when it came to black culture. I feel that without it the film wouldn’t have the air of reality and be another movie about black Americans without knowing how they lived or what they valued. I commend the film for portraying black people as people, flawed, human, and with their own minds.
The film could have been more novelistic. It could have stuck more to the novel and played up the dark, mystic atmosphere than make it outright horrific. I feel that if the film were made now, and a script given to more talented actors, it would be a success. As of now, however, the film cannot stand alone when compared to the novel.
( Through the whole thing I kept expecting Oprah to leap up and yell" YOU GET A CAR!!" )
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