I gave a big thumbs-up to David Peace's novel "The Damned United" when I read it last year. I just got around to seeing the film, which is an absolute masterclass in how NOT to adapt a book for the screen. Here's a review I just posted on Lovefilm:
You don't know what you're doing!
David Peace's extraordinary novel 'The Damned United' waded into the story of Brian Clough's ill-fated 44-day spell as manager of Leeds United with fists flying. Clough was portrayed as a teary, sweary, bleary boozer who hated the Leeds players as much as they hated him. It was so hard hitting that, just before the film based on the book was due for release, the Clough family sponsored a documentary of their own to tell their side of the story.
Did I just say this film was 'based on the book'? If it was, the screenplay must have been adapted by Enid Blyton. Who knows, it may well be a more accurate depiction of 'what really happened' than the book ever was, but it's not nearly as interesting or enjoyable. It's about as much fun as a floodlight failure during an Accrington Stanley Reserves game on a wet January night. Avoid the film. Read the book.
It's good to have got that off my chest. Now I'm hoping that my wife, who sat through this tedious nonsense with me, will be talking to me again by the end of the week.
No comments:
Post a Comment