First of four classes: 4 Mondays, 1/5/2026 – 2/2/2026, no class 1/19/2026

From the beginning of film, producers and directors have sought the works of the past to inspire their own. At first glance, that might seem obvious–a story is a story, and we’ve always had our favorites. But in this class, we’ll look at the different ways books have made their way to the screen, both the reasons (popularity, financial incentives, established credibility, creative and interpretive opportunities) and the concerns (medium, time constraints, fidelity, audience interpretation, visual complexity). What makes a “good” adaptation? Why are certain works, like A Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, or Les Misérables, adapted over and over? How do you translate words “faithfully” into images, sounds, and movements? And what are some of the most successful–and infamous–film adaptations of the written word?