TV Series Adapted From Books/Novels

Lately, I have noticed that there has been a slew of TV series adapted from famous novels/books. Books that might have never been read (or forgotten) by many are now suddenly known to millions. Perhaps the most famous is A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin. I don't want to offend the legion of fans for the books and TV series but Game of Thrones is not really my cup of tea but I did like True Blood which is another TV series adapted by HBO from the books by Charlaine Harris. I guess these series started the ball rolling for other books (sometimes older titles) to be adapted into TV series. TV is actually a medium tailor made for books especially ones that come in a series of novels with long story arcs. However, there are exceptions notably the Harry Potter movies. Cable networks have especially taken a keen interest in popular books which are sometimes older books that have an enduring appeal or loyal fan base. Spurred on to be bolder by the success of these earlier shows, these networks have taken a gamble on older books and invested a lot of money adapting these books for the small screen which have paid off dividends for them. Besides hiring top notch writers to adapt the books for the small screen, they have even invited the original authors of the books as consultants for the TV series. No cost was also sparred in the production and promotion of  these shows. Casting is usually done after an extensive search (no big names here but mostly unknowns)  and usually with the approval of the original authors. As a result, we have great TV shows like AMC's The Walking Dead adapted from Robert Kirkman's cult graphic novel series. Currently, Starz has successfully adapted the Outlander book series by Diana Gabaldon which is over 2 decades old. Thanks to the talents of Ronald D. Moore, great casting and Starz's high production standards, this highly anticipated series is now riding high with TV viewers. Not to be missed out, BBC (on the other side of the pond) has also decided to revive Winston Graham's historical Poldark novels which has been adapted for TV earlier in the 1970s. The series, just ended in Britain, is adapted by Debbie Horsfield and stars Irish actor, Aidan Turner (Being Human - UK Version), as the new Ross Poldark. The series which consist of only 8 episodes is causing quite a stir in Britain. Due to the high ratings and overwhelming response for the show (the 1970s series was also highly successful) BBC has commissioned a second series for the show. Now, I'm looking forward to BBC releasing another 7 part TV series based on a novel by Susanna Clarke entitled Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell which concerns 2 magicians who live in an alternate 19th century England where magic is a lost art. Another series worth mentioning is  the second season of The Strain based on the novels by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan which will be aired on FX soon. All I can do to describe this series is that it brings back the fun in horror and is very addictive. If this wave continues, we can all hope to see maybe some of our favorite books being brought to life on the small screen (at least). My silent plea to the networks, continue this trend and please no more reality or game shows. I know these shows are cheaper and easier to produce, but we don't really need to be bombarded by them. Since I grew up in 1980s and 1990s, mini-series based on famous books like Shogun, Thorn Birds and various books by Sidney Sheldon were a norm. I guess networks today are just re-discovering the fact that books are the greatest source of stories for TV. Just my 2 cents.

Interesting Trailers & New Blu-Ray/DVD Titles

Sorry, I have been very busy lately with no time to blog but still there a few interesting trailers that caught my attention mainly Crimson Peak from director Guillermo del Toro which will be shown somewhere around Halloween this year. I am really fond of gothic horror movies especially well made ones and those produced on a grand scale but lately there has been a drought for these type of movies. With Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain and Charlie Hunnam on board and Guillermo del Toro at the helm, I have high hopes for this movie (the trailer doesn't disappoint too).

            

(Trailer Courtesy of Legendary)

Another trailer that merits a mention in my blog is the new trailer from Disney Tomorrowland which is directed by Brad Bird and stars George Clooney. I'm not really a big fan of movies from Disney or Clooney in particular but I have to say the trailer is intriguing. Worth checking it out in May this year.

           

(Trailer Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes Trailers)

Besides these movies, I'm also looking forward to the return of some of my favourite TV shows in April 2015 mainly Season 2 of Hallmark's When Calls The Heart and the second part of Season 1 of Starz's Outlander. Both series are based on famous books, Janette Oke's Canadian West and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander book series. In anticipation of the second season TV premiere of WCTH, Shout Factory has already announced the release of the dvds for the second season of WCTH in May 2015. Further details can be found through this link (courtesy of Shout Factory):

When Calls The Heart S2 DVD (Shout! Factory)

                                                  

           

(Video Courtesy of GeckoUnboxing)

Lastly, I caught a glimpse of Chris Columbus' latest film, Pixels, which stars Adam Sandler and Kevin James. This movie has got to have the craziest plot ever but if Chris Columbus manages to pull it off, the movie could end up being among this year's surprise (popcorn) summer movie hits. Not to be taken too seriously, the movie deals with aliens who misinterpret video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war against them. Later, they launch an attack on Earth using models from these games. The President then enlists the help of some old school arcaders to save the planet. Yeah, sounds crazy right? Well, check out the trailer below if you were intrigued like me. The next Ghostbusters?

        

(Trailer Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Addendum (4th May 2024) : For fans of Crimson Peak, who are collectors, Arrow Video will be releasing a Limited Edition 4K Blu-Ray with loads of extras this month (21st May 2024). I have appended a link below for those interested in pre-ordering it from Amazon. The full list of extras is also listed there but the set is a little pricey. 

Crimson Peak 4K Ultra HD Amazon US (paid link)

TV Series on Steelbooks

I have been watching a lot of blu-ray/dvd unboxing videos on YouTube lately which is kinda fun especially some from those Black Friday buys and noticed a lot of gorgeous steelbooks being unwrapped/unboxed. I don't own any steelbooks since I have always felt that the extras/bonus features on the disc and the film itself were more important than the outer package. However, I must admit that I'm partial to slipcovers and digibooks since they provide additional information on the film. Most of the people who posted these videos are themselves collectors and the (mostly) blu-ray steelbooks mainly come from Zavvi. Steelbooks usually feature gorgeous artwork and are limited editions that quickly run out of stock and appreciate in value. Often, they come from UK/Europe, are region free and can be pretty expensive. While watching these videos, I noticed that all the steelbooks featured were movies and none were TV shows. Studios are usually reluctant to release TV shows on blu-ray unless there is a demand for them. Most older and lesser known TV shows are released on dvd only. So it might be understandable that TV shows on steelbooks are a rarity. Sometimes, the studios/retailers might release exclusive/limited editons of season boxsets of certain TV shows for fans/collectors. These editions usually come with digipaks/slipcovers featuring different artwork, trading cards or bonus discs (e.g Grimm, Sleepy Hollow, True Blood) but as I mentioned earlier, TV shows on steelbooks are almost non-existent. Since I consider myself more of a TV addict than a movie fan, I decided to check out forums of TV fans asking for steelbook releases of their favourite TV shows. Most of them wanted Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead to be released in steelbooks. Although I'm not a fan of these shows ( I have not seen Breaking Bad before (?)  and I got bored quickly after the first seasons of GOT & TWD), I must admit that any artwork on steelbooks for these shows would be awesome. However, upon checking further online, I discovered that there are indeed a few TV shows being released in limited edition steelbooks including Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead. In fact, the steelbooks for all 5 seasons of Breaking Bad are available for pre-order from Zavvi and features illustrations from renowned cartoonist Ralph Steadman. Individual seasons of The Walking Dead has also been released on limited edition steelbooks which features pretty much the same artwork found on the series standard blu-ray release. Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek TNG and Dr Who has also been released on limited edition steelbooks which are unfortunately either low in stock/out of stock. But the most surprising discovery is the limited edition steelbook release of the TV series 'Firefly' by Joss Whedon (which is amongst my all time favourite TV series). I never knew that the series was released on steelbook but I don't think that I will be double dipping unless the set comes with some extras on the disc that are not found on the standard blu-ray edition. As I said earlier, packaging is just not that important to me so the standard blu-ray edition of this series (which I bought at an unbeatable price) is just fine by me. So unless steelbooks comes with bonus content or extra discs, I'll stick to standard blu-ray editions of my favourite TV shows.

For steelbook enthusiasts, I have provided links below to Zavvi US and Zavvi UK (they have the greatest selection of steelbooks). Hope you find them helpful.

 

Zavvi US 

  

Zavvi UK

Tootsie (1982) Film

I'm not really a fan of art house/foreign/vintage films and because of this I have never owned a Criterion blu-ray before. However, I was surprised that Criterion had just released a more modern and commercial film 'Tootsie' on blu-ray which coincidentally was revisited by me recently. Sometimes, I like to revisit old films that I had watched in my youth during the 80s and 90s that I have forgotten or because I think that I might enjoy the film more as an adult rather than a kid/teen back then. I must admit that after watching 'Tootsie' again, I still found it to be entertaining, funny and relevant to modern times (the same cannot be said for Dorothy's hair, glasses or wardrobe). I'm not going to discuss the Criterion release here but for those interested in a review of Criterion's blu-ray release of this film, you can always check out the link below. The review is courtesy of DVD Talk. 

DVDTalk Review

What did I like most about the film, Dustin Hoffman of course. As you know, Dustin Hoffman is not the most attractive man but he is a very talented actor. While watching the film, I truly believed that it was the 'real' Mr Hoffman (as Michael Dorsey) who was coaching the novices in the actors studio. Which makes the role of  'Dorothy' a big risk for him (not unlike the risk Michael Dorsey took) since transforming him into a decent looking woman would be an insurmountable task. Besides, he had a reputation of being a 'serious' actor and this movie was part comedy. In 1982, we didn't yet have movies like Mrs Doubtfire or Priscilla Queen of the Desert so this movie was pretty much a leap into the unknown. But the role paid dividends because his portrayal of Dorothy is so spot-on that you can't imagine another actor playing her except Mr Hoffman. Dorothy's mannerism and speech (no false falsetto here) is all unique and yet natural to the character (imagine a rather spunky motherly figure). After watching the film, there was a short but illuminating interview with Dustin Hoffman which was included in the bonus features of  the dvd  (since I have not seen the Criterion edition  I can't say whether this particular interview is included in it). Here, he talks about the different ways men and women communicate. Apparently, women always ended their sentences with a question mark to appear less confrontational (hmm...). He also talks about improvising on some scenes in the movie (sometimes without director Sydney Pollack's knowledge). But the most touching part of the interview would be when he mentions how he would sometimes dress as Dorothy with the cast and crew when they were not filming scenes and (oblivious) people would sometimes ignore him in conversation due to the fact that he did not look 'attractive' as a woman. At this point, he almost breaks down crying and mentions his regret that as a 'bloke' he was also guilty of ignoring interesting women who were short on looks. In fact, he was so disturbed by this revelation that he ended up apologizing to his wife and having a heart felt conversation with her later. 

Other high points of the films is of course Bill Murray, as Michael Dorsey's laid back but hilarious room mate Jeff and Sydney Pollack, who directs and stars in the film. I truly believe that without Mr Pollack's unique vision (during an interview he mentions that he only makes serious films and never before comedy), this truly intelligent and sensitive film would not materialize. You have to admit that a comedy about a man who cross dresses could easily turn tacky if it was not handled by a talented director such as Mr Pollack. Lastly, those who loved the 80s would also immediately recognize Steven Bishop's iconic song at the end of the movie.

    

So anyone looking for some 80s nostalgia or an intelligent, funny and insightful film, why not give the Criterion release of this film a try. I'm sure Criterion's re-mastered version of the film and (usually) comprehensive release loaded with plenty of extras will certainly do justice to a film of this caliber.  

For those looking to add this great movie to their Criterion Collection, I have provided the link below to the blu-ray in Amazon (US),  

Tootsie Criterion Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)

The Bridge (FX TV Series)

Finished watching the first season of the FX TV series 'The Bridge' which is based on the Danish-Swedish TVseries 'Bron'. I'm not going to comment on the Danish-Swedish version since I haven't seen it before and neither do I plan to do so in the near future but I found the American version to be quite good. The series is about an American police detective, Sonya Cross, who is forced to collaborate with her Mexican counterpart, Marco Ruiz, to solve a homicide on a bridge that serves as a border between El-Paso Texas and Juarez Chihuahua. Their attempts to solve the case is complicated by the shady dealings that happen around the border which include corruption, drug cartels, illegal immigrants/ human trafficking etc.  What I find most interesting about the series is that along the way, the duo is introduced to many characters on both sides of the law that may at first seem stereotypical but later revealed to have hidden agendas/secrets and idiosyncrasies. The twist and turns in the plot are many but the second interesting thing that attracts me to the series is the relationship between the two detectives which are excellently played by German actress, Diane Kruger and Mexican actor, Demian Bichir. Unlike other detective series, where the main protagonists of different sexes get romantically involved, both detectives in this series seem to exemplify a real working relationship which, as the series progresses, grows into something akin to comradeship (anyone remember Cagney & Lacey/Starsky & Hutch?). Besides this, Detective Sonya Cross (Diane Kruger) suffers from Asperger (which is not mentioned but only hinted at in the series) and this makes the interactions and dynamics of the relationship between the two detectives an even more interesting watch. Last TV series that had a character (suspected) with Asperger was the BBC series Sherlock and even then it was never mentioned that the great detective himself (potrayed by the excellent Benedict Cumberbatch) suffers from it. In contrast to the the straight and narrow Detective Cross, we have Detective Marco Ruiz (Demian Bichir) on the other side of the border. He is a deeply flawed character but someone who is able to adapt and eventually work with her despite her lack of social skills. Recently, the series was canceled by FX after the second season, which is a shame but you can always catch up on this series on dvd/blu-ray. An interesting watch due to the high production quality, great writing and cast. Will wait for the second season to be released on dvd/blu-ray.

Available on DVD 6th Jan 2015

The Bridge Official Series Trailer FX

(courtesy of FX Networks on YouTube)

Addendum (30th April 2024) : If you are interested in viewing this series for the first time or wish to revisit it, both seasons of this series are now available on Amazon Prime. Unfortunately, the DVD for the second season (there was a Blu-Ray release only for the first season) are not widely available anymore. 

 FX The Bridge Amazon Prime (paid link)

        FX The Bridge Season 1 Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)    

   FX The Bridge Season 2 DVD Amazon US (paid link)

TV Series on Blu-Ray/DVD for Christmas

Since there is only a few days before Christmas and the year is about to end, there are a few noteworthy TV series (to me at least) being released on blu-ray/dvd that might just make it to some lucky person's Christmas stocking. The first is 'The Strain' a series shown on the FX channel from Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan based on a series of novels written by them. I'm not going to delve too much into the story except to say that it deals with a diverse group of people who have banded together to fight an ancient evil and a plague that transforms those infected into zombie/vampire like creatures. Although the story may seem cliche but the series is very well written and addictive. As mentioned earlier, this series has been released on blu-ray earlier this month and would make a great gift for someone who's a horror drama fan. Actually, I can't wait for Del Toro's upcoming gothic horror movie 'Crimson Peak' which will be shown somewhere around Halloween next year.

However, I was a little disappointed to learn that the first season of another TV series 'Salem' from WGN America (which has been renewed for a second season) will only be released as a MOD (Manufactured on Demand) product using DVD-Rs. It is a shame that sometimes shows being produced by small/obscure channels are given a shabby treatment when it comes to being released on home video. Perhaps if response is encouraging, the series might be released later on proper dvds with some special features (at this point, don't keep your fingers crossed for a blu-ray release).

Another series which is being released on blu-ray on the 23rd of this month (which is pretty late for a Christmas release) is the new Syfy series 'Dominion'. Lately, Syfy has been releasing a slew of new series e.g. Defiance, Z Nation, Continuum etc in an attempt to revamp the channel (the latest being the 3 part series Ascension). Although I have always avoided Syfy for some unfathomable reason, I decided to give their new series 'Helix' a try due to the positive reviews it was getting. The series, which is about a team of CDC scientists sent to the Artic to investigate a possible disease outbreak in a high tech lab, was above Syfy's usual standards. The series had a dark but well written story, a great cast and high production values. Encouraged by this series, I was curious about another new series from Syfy 'Dominion' because I heard it was a (TV series) sequel to the 2010 movie 'Legion' which starred Paul Bettany. Although the movie had received mixed reviews, I have always liked the movie but then I have always been fond of films about fallen/warring angels ever since 'The Prophecy' films with Christopher Walken and Eric Stoltz in the 1990s. Besides, I heard that Australian actor Christopher Egan (last seen in the TV series Kings and the indie movie Crush) and British actor Tom Wisdom (from the original movie 300) was involved in it so it had to be good right? After watching a few episodes, I found Vaun Wilmott's (Sons of Anarchy) writing to be surprisingly good and the series highly watchable thanks to a great cast and some decent special effects which makes its blu-ray release an anticipated item on my watchlist. The series (first season comprises of only 8 episodes) has already been renewed by Syfy for a second season of 13 episodes.

Lastly, I would like to mention that the first season of the Hallmark TV series, When Calls The Heart, has also been released on dvd (no blu-ray release). This excellent series from Michael Landon Jr, was previously released on individual dvds of 2 episodes each but late last month Millennium Entertainment decided to release the first season of this series in one complete dvd boxset which also includes the (pilot) tv movie. I have no gripes regarding the boxset since it includes English subtitles, extended scenes and even some special features except that all the 12 episodes are crammed on 3 double sided discs (the fourth disc contains the 2013 tv movie). But for less than $20 ( I bought it from Amazon at 50% off), I guess 'dual discs' are to be expected although I still find handling them to be confusing and tricky. Most of the time, I avoid buying 'dual discs' unless the price is really cheap or I'm unable to find the material on another format. In this case, the boxset is much cheaper than the individual dvds. However, the boxset which comes in a digipak and attractive slipcover, will still make a perfect Christmas gift for someone who loves romance and period dramas (e.g. Little House on The Prairie).

Above are only some of my favourite blu-rays/dvds being released in November/December for Christmas (?). As said earlier, I hope some of them might end up in some lucky person's Christmas stocking :). If you plan to buy any stocking stuffers for pre-teen/teen girls, you can also check out my other post Christmas Gift Ideas for Pre-Teen/ Teen Girls  dated 5th December 2014.

Addendum (4th May 2024) : If you are thinking of treating yourself to some quality horror drama in 2024, you can do no wrong with Guillermo Del Toro, Carlton Cuse and Chuck Hogan's TV series 'The Strain' which lasted four seasons. Even after a decade, I still think it is one of the best horror series to grace the small screen and if you're interested in revisiting this series or wish to watch it for the first time, I have provided the links below to Amazon and Amazon Prime. Unfortunately, the series did not get a proper blu-ray release in the US with 20th Century Fox releasing the blu-ray for the first and second seasons only. However, the complete series is available on DVD. 

The Strain Amazon Prime (paid link)

The Strain Season 1 Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)

The Strain Complete Series DVD Amazon US (paid link)

For fans of movies like Legion (2010) and The Prophecy Series (1995-2005) which deals with angel mythologies, you can try Syfy's Dominion (2014-2015) which lasted two seasons. The links are below.

Dominion Amazon Prime (paid link)

Dominion S1 Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)

  

Dominion S2 Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)

Kingsman : The Secret Service

            

(Trailer Courtesy of 20th Century Studios)

Since it is nearing Christmas and I have some spare time before the holidays, I wish to highlight  a particular (British) movie that will air in the UK somewhere around January 2015, Kingsman : The Secret Service. The movie which will be directed by Matthew Vaughn (who dropped out from directing X-Men: Days of Future Past) stars Colin Firth, Samuel L Jackson, Michael Caine and a bunch of other diverse actors (Elton John, Lady Gaga & Luke Skywalker?). Adapted from an actual comic book by Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar and produced by Marv Films (not Marvel), it depicts a veteran agent who initiates a young recruit into a new world of espionage and introduces him to a top secret and exclusive agency. Not unlike 'Men in Black' or 'The Avengers' I really liked the fun premise of the movie which promises to be entertaining and the fact that Samuel L Jackson is always an interesting (if somewhat deranged) villain. Besides, I have always been a fan of Colin Firth since Pride & Prejudice/Bridget Jones Diary and here he is playing a deadpan and serious veteran secret agent so what's not to like right?

Addendum (30th May 2024) : For further information and trailers on the Kingsman Franchise, you can check out the links below. 

Kingsman Franchise Timeline (ScreenRant)

Guide to Kingsman Movies (Odeon.co.uk)

All three movies Kingsman : The Secret Service (2014), Kingsman : The Golden Circle (2017) and The King's Man (2021) are available on blu-ray and Amazon Prime. Links are provided below.

Kingsman 2 Movie Collection Blu-Ray (Amazon US) (paid link)

The King's Man Blu-Ray (Amazon US) (paid link)

Kingsman Secret Service (Amazon Prime) (paid link)

Kingsman Golden Circle (Amazon Prime) (paid link)

The King's Man (Amazon Prime) (paid link)

Christmas Gift Ideas (for Pre-teen/Teen Girls)

Well it's that time of the year again and I'm sure after the recent Black Friday Deals and ongoing Year End Sales, many of us have gotten Christmas gifts for our loved ones but for those who haven't, there is still time :). Lately, I was hard pressed to find some gifts suitable for pre-teen/teen girls. My Christmas list usually consists of dvds, blu-rays or books because they're budget friendly compared to tech gifts like smartphones, playstations etc and because I truly believe they make great gifts since movies & books are truly food for the mind and soul (not video games). Anyway, back to my original problem which is finding suitable gifts for pre-teen/teen girls. After browsing online for some good Black Friday Deals (yes, I'm actually getting a little too old and tired for frenzied shopping trips to the mall), I managed to spot some good books suitable for pre-teen/teen girls which are not too racy but still interesting enough. A favorite among teen girls at the moment is The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices) which is a collection of short stories based on a fan favorite character from The Mortal Instruments, flamboyant warlock Magnus Bane. And for those who already have all her books from The Mortal Instruments/Infernal Devices series, why not try the manga/graphic novel version of  The Infernal Devices (Volumes 1-3) from Yen Press. In my humble opinion, you can never go wrong with graphic novels, mangas and comics which are undeniably a hit not only with kids and teens but many adults as well.

  

Another author to look out for is Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods/Witches of East End). The first season of Witches of East End, which was adapted into a popular TV series by the Lifetime Channel, is already out on dvd. You might consider buying the dvds as a gift if she already owns the book series or the always popular Blue Bloods vampire series which consist of 7 novels. Another alternative would be the Blue Bloods graphic novel adapted by Robert Venditti and artist Alina Urusov. The artwork for this graphic novel is truly exceptional but the downside is the publisher, Disney Hyperion , doesn't seem interested in releasing the graphic novels for the other remaining 6 novels in the Blue Blood series which is the continuation of the story unlike Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series which is being published by Razorbill.

 

If you think that Gail Carriger's Soulless series (please refer to my older post) is a little racy and meant for older teens, you might want to get her new Finishing School series for younger readers. The latest and third book in this series, Waistcoats & Weaponry, was just released early last month. The story concerns a young Victorian lady sent to a girl's finishing school who discovers that the school (in a floating airship) is actually a front for a school that teaches espionage skills instead. As usual, you can expect steampunk adventure/mystery (involving werewolves & vampires) and Carriger's trademark humor.

Another perennial favorite among teens (boys and girls) is author Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson). Among his latest novels to be adapted into graphic novels are The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles) and Heroes of Olympus : The Lost Hero. The other graphic novel which I picked up accidentally in a bookstore but still an excellent (but often overlooked) choice is Chris Wooding's Pandemonium by Scholastic's Graphix. This 'Prisoner of Zenda 'like tale set in the Darkling Realm is both a humorous and interesting read.

If you're thinking of getting blu-rays/dvds instead, you might consider the post-apocalyptic teen drama, The 100, which is a new TV series from The CW. The first season, which is adapted from a book by Kass Morgan, is already available on blu-ray/ dvd. Believe me, most teen girls would prefer Vampire Diaries but why not try something different. I was also surprised to see that Shout Factory has released a dvd for the animated motion comic 'Eternals' under the Marvel Knights series from author Neil Gaiman and artist John Romita Jr. I have been a long time fan of Jack Kirby's original comics so seeing this on dvd is such great news although I heard that the characters/story has been changed somewhat for modern times.

                                            

             

        

            

(Trailer Courtesy of Shout! Studios)

Lastly, I thought it was worth mentioning (as a long time fan of the author) that Yen Press has released the graphic novel for Anne Rice's The Wolf Gift last month. However, I believe that this graphic novel as with Anne Rice's other novels are more suitable for older teens and adults. 

Above is just a few ideas that I spotted online but it is not an exhaustive list. A lot depends on her interest/hobbies and she might prefer other genres of books/movies. As you probably noticed, I have a fondness for graphic novels, comics and mangas. Too often I have seen parents/adults discouraging kids/teens from buying them in bookstores but what they failed to realize is that some of them are of very high quality, well written and beautifully illustrated. They are stepping stones for the child (especially reluctant/slow readers) to progress to books and novels. Some very creative writers and talented artist are themselves fans of comics. Lots of films and TV series have been adapted from comics and Japanese mangas. I remember a time, as a kid, when I read Marvel/DC comics which adults coined as 'rubbish' literature. Now, these comics have become valuable collector's items and adults themselves are  flocking to cinemas to see the latest Marvel movies. I believe as an adult we should always allow kids freedom to choose their literature (as long as they are age appropriate and do not contain any harmful content). When we try to control their reading and limit it to our tastes, we are actually killing their budding interest in reading. Just my 2 cents. I have another post on 22nd December 2014 for those who interested in purchasing high quality TV Series on Blu-Rays or DVDs as Christmas gifts for adults who are TV addicts like me :) . The link to the post is here TV Series on Blu-Ray/DVD for Christmas.

Addendum (6th May 2024) :

I wrote this post on 6th December 2014 (nearly a decade ago) when my niece was just fourteen years old. It was near Christmas and I ended up purchasing most (if not all) of the items above for her as gifts. She has since outgrew them but if you have any teen girls in your family that might be interested in the above items, I have provided the links below.

Bane Chronicles Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

Infernal Devices Trilogy Manga Yen Press

Witches of East End Book 1 Amazon US (paid link)

Witches of East End Amazon Prime (paid link)

Witches of East End Season 1 DVD Amazon US (paid link)

Witches of East End Season 2 DVD Amazon US (paid link)

Blue Bloods 3 Books Boxset Amazon US (paid link)

Blue Bloods Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

Vampire Academy 6 Books Boxset Amazon US (paid link)

Vampire Academy Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

Frostbite (Vampire Academy) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

Etiquette & Espionage Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

Curtsies & Conspiracies Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

Waistcoats & Weaponry Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

Manners & Mutiny Paperback Amazon US (paid link)

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus) Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

Pandemonium Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

The 100 Amazon Prime (paid link)

The 100 Complete Series DVD Amazon US (paid link)

Eternals 2021 Movie Amazon Prime (paid link)

Eternals 2021 Movie Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)

Marvel Knights Eternals DVD Amazon US (paid link)

The Wolf Gift Graphic Novel Amazon US (paid link)

James Spader (His Many Quirky Roles)

While watching The Blacklist (NBC TV series) recently, I couldn't help but revisit some of James Spader's earlier movies and TV series. For the last 2 decades, I have seen many of his movies and TV series and could not help but like the many eccentric (and sometimes unlikeable) characters he played but the most memorable ones to me were Max Baron (White Palace), Dr Daniel Jackson (Stargate), Mr E.Edward Grey (Secretary) and Alan Shore (The Practice/Boston Legal). Looking back at these roles, it is obvious that Mr Spader displays a knack for playing damaged characters with hidden idiosyncrasies. Whether playing a wealthy young widower involved with an older waitress (Susan Sarandon), a nerdy archaeologist who speaks alien languages, a lawyer involved in a S/M relationship with his secretary (Maggie Gyllenhaal) or an eccentric but brilliant attorney who is amoral, he always does it with flair. Anyone planning to see the (much hyped) upcoming Fifty Shades of Grey movie next year which is based on the notorious E.L. James novels, should first check out Steven Shainberg's 2002 indie movie, Secretary, based on a short story by Mary Gaitskill. The movie which is highly rated and tastefully done concerns an eccentric attorney who embarks on a S/M relationship with his submissive secretary. The movie (which won numerous awards especially for Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance), is really an exceptional  movie which deals with the subject of S/M relationships with great sensitivity, intelligence and dark humour. As for James Spader's E. Edward Grey, he will always remain the original Mr Grey to me. Move over zillionaire Christian Grey :) . But I guess James Spader's most memorable role will always be Alan Shore who first appeared in the tv series 'The Practice' and later in his own spin-off  'Boston Legal'. Well, one could attribute the success of 'Boston Legal' to David E. Kelley and his team of writers who also brought us Ally McBeal but who can deny the fact that Alan Shore just wouldn't be Alan Shore without James Spader. The brilliant but highly eccentric and amoral attorney was a role tailor made for the actor and I always liked watching his impassioned closing arguments during trials which he delivered so eloquently (not to mention his hysterically funny antics in court). Glad I still get to see this actor on TV these days and I heard he (or is it his voice) will also be appearing in the next Avengers movie.    

Dracula Untold 2014

Caught a recent trailer (courtesy of MovieWeb) for the movie 'Dracula Untold' which will premiere on 17th October 2014, just in time for Halloween. The trailer was interesting enough but then trailers can be deceiving so I guess I have to watch the whole movie to find out whether it is really that good. I have watched many vampire/Dracula movies in the past but my personal favourite still remains The Count from Sesame Street. Sorry, just can't resist joking about that :) . Seriously, what caught my attention about this trailer was Dracula's backstory and Luke Evans (The Hobbit). I have always found the story of Dracula's origin interesting although most movies skip that part and tend to focus more on the later part of his life (for obvious reasons). This also explains why I found 1994 movie Interview With The Vampire (based on the Anne Rice novel) so interesting because the movie provided backstories for each of the main characters/vampires. 'Dracula Untold' combines the myth created by Bram Stoker with the true story of Vlad The Impaler and somehow portrays Dracula as a 'hero' who had to turn to the dark forces to fight evil.  The movie, directed by Gary Shore, stars Luke Evans, a rising Welsh actor, who can be seen currently in The Hobbit and who will also star as the lead in the upcoming reboot of 'The Crow'. I find him an interesting choice for the Count because like Stuart Townsend (vampire Lestat in Queen of the Damned), he has the same bad boy/rock star quality to him. No, I don't think Robert Pattinson has that same quality ;). Anyway, now I know what I will be watching this Halloween.    

                          P.S. Is that Tears for Fears Everybody Wants to Rule the World?

(Trailer Courtesy of Universal Pictures)

Addendum (4th May 2024) : Dracula Untold is available on Amazon Prime and on Blu-Ray/4K. Links provided below. 

Dracula Untold (Amazon Prime) (paid link) 

 Dracula Untold Blu-Ray/4K (Amazon US) (paid link)