What does the soundtrack add to the film and is the film more shocking than the novel?

What does the soundtrack add to the film?

One of the key differences between a novel and a film adaptation is the soundtrack. Without even knowing it our mood and feelings are changed by the type of music being played while we are watching. It helps add to the scene sometimes by giving an indication that something is going to happen. This tense music is shown in the ‘Human Larder’ scene where there is a long period time of tense music leading up to the horrific findings. Another example of how the soundtrack adds to the film is when the father has his gun pressed the boy’s head. While this is happening, the soundtrack steadily gets faster and louder, similar to a heartbeat, and at this point we too are engrossed by what is going to happen. Then when they escape, there is a sudden relief in the music and it turns extremely chaotic, in keeping with the pictures that we watch. Without a soundtrack the film would become dull and less gripping.

Is the film more shocking than the novel?

Personally, I believe that the film is much more shocking than the novel. Although it is mostly the same material (there are key differences), the film allows us to truly visualise the horrific scenes which are in the novel, for instance ‘The Human Larder’. As mentioned above, having a soundtrack in the film certainly makes it more exciting and gripping than the novel, which in turn also makes it more shocking as we feel as though we are more involved. However, the thing that makes the film more shocking than the novel is due to a scene which is not mentioned in the novel. The man is pointing a gun to his son’s head and seeing the fear in the boy’s face, and his simple question ‘will I ever see you again?’, shocks me more than all the cannibalism in the book. Perhaps this may be because this seems like a more real and shocking situation than cannibalism, a taboo which is unthinkable and almost unimaginable.

Ten Questions for Cormac McCarthy

Ten Questions for the chairman of the  'Cormac McCarthy' society

1. Why are all his novels so bleak?
2. Why does he not use punctuation in 'The Road'
3. Is 'the man' in the road at all based on Cormac McCarthy
4. Is McCarthy religious as there is a lot of religious imagery in 'The Road'
5. What does the Cormac McCarthy society do?
6. What is your role in the Cormac McCarthy society?
7. Why does Cormac McCarthy choose to remove the woman from 'The Road' and keep it male - orientated?
8. Is there a specific location where 'The Road' was meant to be set.
9. How did Cormac McCarthy become a writer, as he started late in his life.
10. How did McCarthy come across his unique style of writing.

The Lightning Man

'The Lightning Man Episode' - Pages 50 - 53

What feelings and reactions do you have to this episode?

After reading this passage I feel quite shocked. ‘The Lightning Man’ is symbolic of all the terrible things that have happened and the fact that it cannot be helped. The situation in this post-apocalypse is one where survival is the goal and where the world cannot be fixed to its former self, much like ‘The Lightning Man’. It also makes me feel quite sorry for the man as he always tries his best for his son and his son is now upset because he did not help the man, even though he could not.

What do you think might follow?

I think that ‘The Lightning Man’ could be an omen of things to come. In this post – apocalyptic world there seems to be danger round ever corner and this is the first episode where we are shown one of these dangers. There could also be a frayed relationship between the man and his son. After this event, the boy might not be as believing in them and this could affect their chances of survival.

What do we learn about the characters?

We learn quite a lot about the characters during this scene, we learn that the man is strong willed and is only concerned on the safety of himself and his son. We also learn that the boy is more compassionate, perhaps because he is young, and wishes to help those, even if he actually can’t.

How has the writer developed the characters?

This is the first episode in the book where the writer has actually developed the characters. Before this we knew very little about them and their personalities. All we know was that they were fighting for survival. However, now we know more about their personalities and what they are like, we also know more about the relationship between the man and his son.

What language techniques are employed to make this passage effective?

The techniques that the writer has used, such as short and undeveloped conversations so that not too much of their personalities is given away and by repetition of certain words used to make the characters seem as though they are not fully developed, are all very effective in achieving what the author intends.

Why do you think this is a key episode?

I think that this is a key episode because it is the first time that the characters are explored and developed. It is also a crucial scene because it could jeopardize the whole relationship between the man and his son.

Differences between 'The Road' and its film adaption

Differences between ‘The Road’ and its film adaptation

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      Within the first 3 minutes of the film version, you can already tell that it will be slightly different to its book predecessor. The opening scene depicts the events that took place during the beginning of the apocalypse where the ‘man’ is in a house with his pregnant wife trying to put out the fires which were obviously a part of the catastrophe which changed the world. This is very different to the opening of the book where we are already in this desolate wasteland which is the post – apocalyptic world.

·        The novel is told in the 3^rd person, whereas the movie is told in the 1^st person which makes the account more person.     

       The film and book both allow different techniques to be used.  For instance the book allows ‘Chiaroscuro’, the interplay between light and dark, to be used and it creates a very interesting affect. This is one of many examples of juxtaposition in the film, another example is the contrast between an innocent teddy bear and a pistol which creates an almost surreal affect. The book on the other hand uses interesting language and writing techniques so as to intrigue the reader.

Some background information on the film adaptation of 'The Road'

The Road, directed by John Hillcoat

When was it made into a film?

‘The Road’ was made into a film in 2009, 3 years after it had been published.

How was the film received? Find reviews online and an overview.

The film was received really well and, like the book, received many positive reviews from important newspapers such as ‘The Guardian’. Here is a quote from The Guardian’s review on ‘The Road’ – “The father can't confide in his son; the boy cannot explain his terrors to his father, and the pair of them are utterly alone in this abysmal cosmic wasteland. It is an inexpressibly painful subject and Hillcoat has brought it to the screen with great intelligence”. Credit should go to John Hillcoat, who managed to create a very powerful and meaningful film which lived up to the novel.

Tell me 10 important facts about the film.

1.      It was directed by John Hillcoat who mostly directs music videos.

2.      The film is very similar to the book, although there are key differences. For instance, the film is narrated in 1^st Person, whereas the book is narrated in the 3^rd Person.

3.      The main actors bonded and got into character by eating crickets together.

4.      In keeping with the novel, the cause of the apocalypse is never explained.

5.      The shooting schedule involved 9 hours filming a day, however the boy in the film was unavailable for 3 of these hours do to schooling.

6.      To get into the role, the main actor slept in his clothes and deliberately starved himself.

7.      Whenever it was a sunny day and they were filming, they had to use CGI to make the sky look cloudier.

8.      The movie cost and estimated $20,000,000 to produce

9.      It made over $1,500,000 on the opening weekend.

10.  Joe Penhall wrote the screenplay for the movie (based on the novel).

Background information of 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

When was the novel written?

‘The Road’ was written in 2006 by Cormac McCarthy.

How was it received?

‘The Road’ was received very well when it first came out. It was given hundreds of five star reviews from names like ‘The New York Times’ and ‘The Guardian’ who were quoted of saying “Cormac McCarthy’s other nine novels could be cast as rungs, with ‘The Road’ as a pinnacle.” It was widely acclaimed as a dark, brutal, although also very meaningful and interesting book.

10 important facts about Cormac McCarthy.

1.      Born in 1933, he is now 78 years old.

2.      He was born in Providence, Rhode Island in America.

3.      He wrote all his ten novels on a typewriter which he bought in 1963 for $50. He recently sold it for over $250,000.

4.      Many of his books are quite dark and include a lot of violence.

5.      When he wrote the road, he himself had an 8 year old son.

6.      Out of his ten novels, three were adapted into movies: ‘The Road’, ‘No Country for Old Men’ and ‘All the Pretty Horses’.

7.      He has won many prestigious awards such as ‘The Pulitzer Prize’ and ‘The US National Book Award’.

8.      He has been increasingly mentioned as a Nobel Prize candidate in literature.

9.      He is media – shy and rarely gives interviews or public appearances.

10.  All his novels have featured predominantly male characters, although he is said to be writing a new novel, where a female character is prominent.