MovieChat Forums > That Was Then... This Is Now (1985) Discussion > Worst Hinton Book Adaptation

Worst Hinton Book Adaptation

posted 19 years ago by Viggorus_183
31 replies | jump to latest

So far without even seeing this movie I have determined that it was utter crap. Dont get me wrong I'm black but I seemed to imagine Charlie as a muscled up white kid with blonde hair (actually I imagined a taller Emilio as him) and a white muscle shirt not an OLD, GRAY black man! That makes Morgan Freeman COMPLETELY wrong for Charlie as is Emilio for Mark. Then they left out Ponyboy and didn't they leave out the boy in the hospital Mike too? If they did that makes this movie total and complete crap. If he's in it did he at least get to mention the black girl and his story? I've tallied up the score and it would be embarassing for Emilio if he knew a 14 YO girl thought this.

Le capitaine Jack Sparrow, la Perle Noire est la vôtre.
Maintenant, apportez-moi cet horizon.

[–] starry8 19 years ago

I don't see why they had emilio be mark. I mean emilio is cool and all but he already played Two Bit in the Outsiders. And you're right, i can't believe they left out ponyboy!!

[–] Anime_lover68 19 years ago

THEY WHAT??? LEFT OU TPONYBOY?!?!?! Well that sux....really...it does...he was one of my favorite characters in 'The Outsiders' That *beep* sux....*groun* Now I have to see so I can see the crap job they did on leaving out Ponyboy...

k8

[–] rxb_03 19 years ago

Honestly How could you leave out Ponyboy (Curtis). I mean, he's in a main point, he goes to find Bryon, to tell him Mark was busted with a bottle, and is going to the hospital, and they come back to see Mark, hurt. How do you leave a part like that out.

[–] SAMAZiiNGGx7 17 years ago

well we're watching this in honors english and we had to watch the edited one so i don't know alot but they did mess up m&m is supposed to be nice to them not throwing the m&ms on thwe floor he also is supposed to have dark hair ike cathy his hair is short in this too...not long this totally is screwed up!!!!!! but ya gotta deal the book is almost always better than the movie like eragon coming out the book will be alot better

[–] swt_jne 17 years ago

ERmm, 'honors english'... ??? I suppose all I can say, with a rueful sigh, is, "that was then, this is now".

[–] YoullNeverSeeMeAgain 19 years ago

*agrees* They also put a dumb *happy* ending on it. "I forgive you Bryon" " "Okay Now I'm gonna act like nothing happened" oh yay isn't this a great story.... blah blah blah!!!! The book was great, Charlie was young in the book, Mike was one of my favorite parts!!! WTF is wrong with the directer of this movie, this wasn't even half based on the book!!! Mark was supposed to be a mean unforgiving kid and was supposed to hate Bryon in the end! Not forgive him and Bryon was supposed to be angry with Cathy for cutting in with He and his best friend even though she didn't do anything!!!

I hate this Movie! But The Book is My favorite Story This world is yet to throw at me, And that wont change for a long time.

Crawl Before you walk, Walk before you run.

[–] roselovemovie 19 years ago

lol...its already on my 'Movies I have to remake' list on my movies section, and I haven't even see it!

The Motorcycle Boy Reigns

[–] Direman 17 years ago

I hate this movie, and I agree to the dumb "happy ending". And that gay ending line, "lighten up, dude." Worththis.

And Emillo is shure full of himself, writing the script so mark is in more instead of Bryon, just becuase he plays Mark. The book is real better, and this movie sucks.

[–] evillilangl 18 years ago

the movie totally sucked compared to the book. the casting was also really bad. when i found out morgan freeman was in it, i was like, wtf?? he's cool and all, but i also imagined a white guy as charlie. and wasnt he supposed to be like, 25 and not 40(i think that's how old it said he was on his gravestone)? man, and dont even get me started on the end... it was so good and they had to go mess it up wit the forgiving and the movie made bryon seem like a better person than in the book. didnt bryon call the cops on mark when he found the drugs?? and i dont think mark gave m&m the drugs, either! (i might be wrong though, i havent read the book in awhile)

i just have a question about ponyboy though: wasnt he only mentioned once in the book? and not an important character at all?

[–] rememberthetitanschica 18 years ago

Yeah, Bryon called the cops on Mark. And Mark didn't give M&M the drugs... And Ponyboy was actually a pretty major character...

"Attitude Reflect Leadership, Captain." Julius Campbell, RTT

[–] britty_sweet_101 18 years ago

I pictured Charlie as some fat white guy, but i didnt care.i was disapointed that they left out ponyboy and the boy in the hospital.i really wanted to see how they would show the boy in the hospital.dispite that i thought it was a good movie.but i agree it wasnt that great of an adaption.

[–] Zorchalate2 18 years ago

Who was the "snob"? Was there such a character in the book? Where did he show up in the film?

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] PanicPop 18 years ago

I recently purchased the DVD. and have no idea why

I realize that it was only 'based' on the book, but it seems like Emilio Estevez totally ignored the book- his dialoge completely changes the characters!

A book that was just waiting to be made into a movie should not have been made into this. :(

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] jOhNnYcAkEs111 18 years ago

your right

DID IT FOR JOHNNY :)
DALLAS'S 1 &&& ONLY!!!!!BACK OFFF

[–] Bluebell1711 18 years ago

Well I would like to say that I loved the movie and thought it was 100% better than the book. I liked the book a lot but the changes they made were good. Anyway, You all dont have a clue about what you are talking about. Emilio Estevez did an AWESOME job as Mark and even though I thought Kathy and M&M could have looked more alike that is the only complaint I have...so you all are idiots!!!

[–] stormrider57 18 years ago

The book is crap, so there wasn't much to start with. Hinton's The Outsiders was popular among young adults (grade 7-9) when it was first published, and I remember it being required reading in 7th grade English. She wrote That Was Then... as a sequel, but it didn't catch on very well, and then after The Outsiders was made into a movie during the early 80s, of course Hollywood had to try and snare a few more dollars with a badly made sequel to an even worse novel.

[–] IveGotRedOnMe 18 years ago

I had to read "The Outsiders" in 7th grade english as well. To tell my age a bit, the movie came out shortly there after. I loved them both and it got me hooked on all of S. E. Hinton's novels. I decided after watching "The Outsiders" and "Rumblefish" that I wasn't going to venture into the movie versions any longer. After reading these posts, it just confirms that I want to keep my happy memories of these books. Thanks guys! :)

[–] timetravelingdwarf 18 years ago

You are so wrong, this is the best movie even, you should go see it some time.
Even if you don't like the book, it's still a good movie to watch.

Jack Sparrow-"I've got a jar of dirt! I've got a jar of dirt! And guess what's inside it?

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Werewolf_Girl 17 years ago

Well this IS S.E.Hinton's only book 2 movie that didn't invlove coppola, her, or Matt Dillon. IT'S A TRIO!! I say that TAMING THE STAR RUNNER should be made into a movie.

I'm the coolest of the cool. Next to Matt Dillon.

[–] zacsgroupielife 17 years ago

omg i kno Taming The Star Runner was amazing!!! I actually liked it better than Tex and Rumble Fish!! but this movie was good I did have a few complaints but I dont think it was bad i would actually like to see it remade with a newer cast tho...I rele liked some of the things they added and the ending was good at the end of the book I wanted to shoot Bryon but at the end of the movie I was happy!!! lol

<3 **Kaitlin**
GO RAVENS!!

[–] The-Plague 13 years ago

Coppola had nothing to do with Tex...

[–] res128 17 years ago

I think all the adaptations suck! I dont understand how someone could make such amazing books into this crap! the ending was awful!! If your best freind sent you to jail would you be so quick to forgive? then bryon stole a car?? wtf?!! the casting was totaly screwed aswell. didnt s.e. hinton say some thing about the ending being changed because it wasnt 'hollywood' enough?