The Hunger Games: A Book Designed for the Big Screen

March 23, 2012.

At midnight millions will crowd theaters for the opening of The Hunger Games.

Published just four years ago, Suzanne Collins wrote this thrilling book and it seemed inevitable that it was designed and destined for the big screen.

The reasoning for this?

                                                 

Before Suzanne Collins wrote The Hunger Games, she worked in screenplay for children's television since 1991. Some of her previous work involved some stories for Little Bear, Clifford’s Puppy Years and Oswald.    

She began to shift to teenage novels and wrote The Underland Chronicles but The Hunger Games is her first publicly-acclaimed work since screenplay.

It seems that Collins has a niche for holding an audience’s attention in this novel with the following:

·        The book contains a consistent amount of action and romance.

·        It has just enough details so it intrigues the reader but doesn't slow down.

·        The plot goes fast.

·        A subject concerns media and an out-of-this-world dystopian society.

Its proof of success:

·        It’s been a major hit in bookstores (that’s probably a no-brainer).

·        Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 91% rating with a 98% want-to-see rating.

·        New York Times raved that the movie as a "Must-See Fever."

·        Deadline.com states that over a million pre-sale tickets have been sold.

Suzanne Collins assisted in writing the screenplay for the film. Perhaps her contribution in screenplay will make a huge difference because the themes in the book will carry through the movie. Often those who read a book that becomes a movie claim they think the book is better because it has more details, more depth and a greater personal value than the movie.

Perhaps Suzanne Collins’ themes of human nature and political criticisms will carry through the movie because she understands how movies work, but then again maybe it will simply translate to a great action movie.

What we know for sure is that this movie is the big talk of the month and something that shouldn’t be missed.

What do you think? Do you think the book will still be better than the movie? Will the themes carry through? Did Suzanne Collins launch a career in writing compelling teenage literature or making good movies?

Get a copy of The Hunger Games at BYUBookstore.com or in the store.