MovieChat Forums > The Scarlet Letter (1995) Discussion > This movie was/is aTOTALLY underrated fi...

This movie was/is aTOTALLY underrated film!

posted 11 years ago by amber-king101
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How can you hate this movie!? At the beginning it clearly states "freely" adapted from the novel. Yes, they made a few deviations from the original story, but they did so very elegantly. I actually liked the ending in the movie better than the book. It was a lot happier, and also showed Hester in the way I think the author intended her to be.

Annnnd...most movies based from books are never 100% accurate to the story. Look at the Twilight movies. Yes, I'm referencing The Scarlet Letter to Twilight...not based on how good they are, just a simple modern reference.

I remember seeing this film when I was 14 and loved it! I still love it! I've seen crappier movies in my time with higher ratings...which is just beside me why!

Also, Gary Oldman is SO hot in this movie. That may be the reason I enjoy it so much;) And who wouldn't want a man who would love you like that!?

[–] TheLightFantastic 11 years ago

I haven't seen this film since it first came out in 1995, but I don't recall it being that bad. There certainly are worse films but I understand why a lot of people panned it.

For one, Demi Moore isn't a great actress. She's serviceable in some capacities but I don't think she's capable of portraying a character in a historical film. Her range isn't that large.

It's also a silly notion to think audiences will accept a "free and loose" adaptation of a well known classic novel or play. If you're going to be free and loose, you have to go all the way. For example, Emma and The Taming of the Shrew have been freely adapted into very successful and good films (ie Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You). They worked because the entire story was modernized.

We all know that films that are based on novels or plays are rarely wholly faithful adaptations but most audiences won't accept a version of a well known story being screwed with just for a happy ending. The Scarlet Letter is a dark story of injustice, hypocrisy and sin - the happy ending was a cop out.