John Green has had huge success with his YouTube videos and his writing career by reaching out to millions to discuss important topics through the internet and through the page. Within the past few years, Green's presence has jumped from the computer screen to the silver screen with film adaptations of his novels. The first of the adaptations and one of his most popular works, "The Fault in Our Stars," left a stamp of approval on Green's head. He attracted audiences that ranged from loyal nerd-fighters to avid readers, and even caught the eye of the average person with the cynical narration of Hazel Grace and the quirky personality of Augustus Waters. It was so good that it landed him deals with almost every one of his other books.
"Paper Towns," a little more than one year later, hit theaters with a vastly different story, and received a vastly different reaction. Following the mystery that is Margo Roth Spiegelman, Q and his cohorts attempt to unravel her latest series of clues after one night of unexpected mischief. The book explores intricate topics like individuality, perspective, obsession, and love. As a reader, it takes you on a journey with Q filled with metaphors and nuance. The film adaptation, however, doesn't quite dive into the darker themes as "The Fault in Our Stars" does with its adaptation. In fact, the movie "Paper Towns" diverges entirely from the original ending. While the film itself is still good, a large portion of what makes the book good is left out or glazed over.
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Of course, every person who has read a book before seeing its movie counterpart will find something wrong with it. "They left out the most important part for character development!" or, "That is definitely not how I imagined (insert character's name here)." But it's important to remember that the screen and the page are two very different mediums. Sometimes cuts must be made, or your interpretation doesn't follow the director's. That's okay. But there shouldn't be a complete change in message from novel to film. While it isn't necessarily true, it felt that way with "Paper Towns".
And now they've announced the film adaptation of "Looking for Alaska."
"Looking for Alaska" follows Miles, a scrawny kid with a fascination with last words, who convinces his parents to go to boarding school. "I go to seek a great perhaps," he says, quoting the last words of the philosopher Francois Rabelais. It works. Once he arrives, he's met with dangerous pranks, kids with smoking problems, and the beautiful and puzzling Alaska. The book was John Green's first Young Adult novel, and captured the hearts of many with its exciting and tragic story of finding yourself in this world.
While "Paper Towns" explored some darker themes, "Looking for Alaska" delves right into depression, sex, peer pressure, and even death, as Miles goes from feeling lost, to feeling found, to losing once more. The biggest fear with this newly announced adaptation is that the silver screen will cloud some of those themes that make "Looking for Alaska" what it is.
Sometimes there are darker moments. Sometimes there are illegal moments. Sometimes there are unrealistic moments. But they're characters. They're telling a bigger story than that of underage drinking and pulling pranks.
Hopefully, the film adaptation of "Looking for Alaska" will explore that story.
