Masters Thesis
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Abstract The objective of this master’s thesis is to analyse the variations of Stephen King’s The Mist to uncover a method for evaluating an adaptation based on its reception and applying the conclusions of such an evaluation to reflect on other adaptations’ success. The study met this objective through an analysis of the constitutional changes to the narrative’s storytelling elements in the adaptation process. These changes were in turn compared to the other variations of The Mist to locate the abeyant elements, that affected the reception of the individual works. Consequently, the analysis found that The Mist novella and the film adaptation of The Mist were successful, while the television series was unsuccessful. In attempting to analyse The Mist, it was relevant to draw on adaptation studies. A discourse on fidelity has dominated the field of adaptation studies for a long time, in which the original work is superior to the adaptations. This study attempts to challenge the notion of fidelity, which is an approach that other influential theorists within the field of adaptation studies share. Linda Hutcheon has provided the theoretical framework of the analysis in her striking book, “A Theory of Adaptation”. The analysis found that changes to a narrative’s elements can have an impact on an adaptations’ reception, both in positive and negative ways. Furthermore, these changes were found to be generalisable to other adaptations, to locate which potential changes to storytelling elements have affected the reception of those adaptations. In the discussion, the findings of the analysis were used to discuss the reception of other examples of adaptations based on their inherent changes to the narrative, and how those changes coincided with the changes to the different variations of The Mist. Table of Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 Problem formulation .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Literature Review .......................................................................................................................................... 2 Theory ............................................................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction to Julie Sanders: Adaptation and Appropriation .......................................................................... 6 Adaptation functions ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Pleasure of engaging with adaptations ......................................................................................................... 8 Appropriation ................................................................................................................................................ 8 Introduction to Linda Hutcheon: A Theory of Adaptation ................................................................................. 9 Forms of adaptation .................................................................................................................................... 10 Adaptations as adaptations ......................................................................................................................... 12 Content and Form........................................................................................................................................ 13 Knowing and Unknowing audiences............................................................................................................ 14 Pleasure of adaptations ............................................................................................................................... 15 Reasons for adapting ................................................................................................................................... 15 Hutcheon’s Approach .................................................................................................................................. 16 The Ten Secrets of Adapting from Deborah Cartmell ..................................................................................... 17 Methodology.................................................................................................................................................... 19 Delimitation ................................................................................................................................................. 20 Analysis ............................................................................................................................................................ 22 The Mist ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 Reception ..................................................................................................................................................... 23 Medium ........................................................................................................................................................... 25 The Question of What.............................................................................................................................. 27 The Question of Who .............................................................................................................................. 30 The Question of Why .............................................................................................................................. 32 The Question of How .............................................................................................................................. 33 The Questions of Where and When ......................................................................................................... 34 Characters .................................................................................................................................................... 36 Point of View ............................................................................................................................................... 38 Themes ........................................................................................................................................................ 39 Story Units ................................................................................................................................................... 42 Closing ......................................................................................................................................................... 43 Events .......................................................................................................................................................... 45 To summarise .............................................................................................................................................. 47 Discussion........................................................................................................................................................ 48 Respect the fundamental idea: Wolverine (2009-2017) and Deadpool (2016-2018) ................................. 48 Convey the idea to embrace multiple audiences: Warcraft: The Beginning (2016) ................................... 50 Focus on the fundamental idea: The Giver (2014) and Ready Player One (2018). ..................................... 53 Value experience over profit: Sonic the Hedgehog (2019) ......................................................................... 55 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................... 58 Further Work: .............................................................................................................................................. 63 List of References ............................................................................................................................................ 65 Print ............................................................................................................................................................. 65 Websites ...................................................................................................................................................... 65 Digital media ................................................................................................................................................ 67 Introduction In recent years, audiences of cinema and television have experienced an abundance of brand-new adaptations, based on famous novels written in the 20th century. Stephen King, a notorious horror writer, is just one among the many authors, who have had their unique narratives adapted to other mediums. A considerable number of King’s most renowned novels have been adapted to the film medium, such as The Dark Tower (2017), Stand by Me (1986), Shawshank Redemption (1994), The Green Mile (1999), The Shining (1980), The Mist (2007, 2017) and It (1990, 2017). The list seemingly continues of the favourably received adaptations. Similar examples of adaptations,