[book_vs_movie] IT’S MOVING, IT’S MOVING (wait) IT STOPPED

Yes yes, you are not imagining, its movie/book article once again.
Jasna suggested we should do a series of posts comparing a movie with the book its made by. Taking that as a brilliant idea (and not having that much time to read/review lately because they expect me to work at work - idiots!) I decided that the most appropriate place to start with is non other that my all time favorite movie/book adaptation!

*I know this one is not that popular, but i said my favorite not yours, so shut up (and please continue reading)! thank you!



 - the BOOK - 

Book: Howl's Moving Castle
Series: (Howl's Moving Castle #1)
Author: Diana Wynne Jones

Synopsis:
In the land of Ingary, where seven league boots and cloaks of invisibility do exist, Sophie Hatter catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste, who puts a curse on her. Determined to make the best of things, Sophie travels to the one place where she might get help - the moving castle which hovers on the nearby hills.
But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the hearts of young girls...

• I have to admit, i read this after i watched the movie! But My god. After one sentence DWJ become one of my favorite authors. She has a storytellers way of narrating (well) the story.

 - the MOVIE - 

Movie: Howl's Moving Castle
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Writers: Hayao Miyazaki
Cast (the english version): Jean Simmons, Emily Mortimer & Christian Bale

• I love anime, especially Miyazaki's, he has a unique way of mixing the ordinary with the extraordinary.

This one is very difficult to compare, especially because the movie tells a different story than the book. And i don't mean subtle changes. There are events in the movie that don't come even close to happening in the book and vice-versa.

But it works!

• the characters:

In the book Sophie has more backbone and Howl is less shallow narcissist. In the movie Sophie is more delicate and less grumpy. Howl is much more mysterious and noble.

• the story:

It varies a lot between the book and the movie. Only the core of the story is the same. The events happen differently in bout with logic that works in each universe. If i had to chose (don't shoot me please) i think i liked the movie a little more because of the subtle steam-punky feel of it.

But like i said - the changes work and the atmosphere the movie depict is unforgettable and the story works great with the usual anime scenarios.

This one is no brainier.
I think the interpretation from book to movie is exquisite. Its the only movie (i can think of) that dears to differ tremendously from the book it follows and i think that is exactly what makes it so good. It teaks the core of the story through a different path. (or its maybe just because i watched the movie before i read the book, we'll never know...)

What about you? 

Have you watched Howl's Moving castle? Have you read the book?

Do you want to?

Which one do you like best?