Lecture on Adaptations

Interest in Adaptations

• Personal inclination towards preserving undervalued cultural parts.
• Previous work on parody, believed to be of significant cultural importance.
• Adaptations often viewed as secondary or derivative but are actually crucial.

Importance of Retelling Stories

• Humanity has always retold stories, not just told original ones.
• Example: Most of Shakespeare's plays are adaptations.
• Adaptations are not merely derivations; they hold their own significance.
• Stories exist vertically (simultaneously), not horizontally (sequentially).

Experience of Adaptations

• Watching adaptations is like experiencing a palimpsest—two layers of narrative.
• The experience is a mix of familiarity and new perceptions.
• Typically involves comparison but not necessarily evaluative.

Priority of Originals vs Adaptations

• Originals are often adaptations themselves (e.g., Shakespeare).
• There may not be truly original stories; continuous retelling is common.

Popularity of Movie Adaptations

• High prevalence of adaptations in award-winning films and mini-series.
• Remakes provide a familiar yet fresh experience.
• Cultural shifts make remakes different (e.g., Masterpiece Theater remaking Austen).
• Example: "True Grit" remake.

Audience and Time

• Audiences and cultural contexts change over time.
• Remakes adapt to new audiences and cultural contexts.