Well, I wouldn't call that the story, just the structure.

Sigh. Hollywood.

I'd say it's more a case of necessary compression and reimagining. A classic example for me is LA CONFIDENTIAL which is wildly different from the book in terms of plot, and even in terms of some of the who-did-what-to-whom, but retains the core characters and themes, and substitutes a pretty good plot of it's own.

SA, in the book did Angier blame Borden for his wife's death in a tank trick gone wrong ?

In the book, Angier's wife didn't die, until she was quite old. Angier retired from the magic world after the prestige accident, using one of his previous prestiges as a way to fake his own death. Then he became the rightful Earl of Whatever, and he and his wife lived there pleasantly until he developed a cancer; the prestige-copy came back upon his death and resided with his wife for some time, until she died, and then he never actually died. He ended it because of Borden and the prestige accident, but even then he didn't really blame Borden for that. Since he had the Earlship (or whatever) waiting for him, and his attentions had actually begun to turn towards the running of the estate (it was his wife, on condition of their reunion--as they separated for about four or five years, during which time Angier researched the tesla machine--who encouraged him to continue as a magician; she had no knowledge of his aristocratic status until he final broke it to her) he was more inclined to give it up once the opportunity presented itself, though it was sooner than he had intended. He'd always intended to fake his death with a prestige and retire to the country estate.

SA, that almost sounds like a happy ending for Angier, which the movie definitely doesn't have. One of the Bordens sort of has one by being reuinited with his daughter. However, even there, it's tinged by the dual tragedies of this Alfred being the one who loved the wife, and having lost an essential part of is being. Borden, while having moments of utter bastardom (bastardity?), comes off as much less monstrous than Angier. Among other things, there are several times when Angier attempts to end Borden's life, wheras Borden only went so far as to injure Angier (albeit, giving him a permanent limp), at least in terms of them being professionally competitive.

Rachel MacAdams has been cast in the movie adaptation of The Time-Traveller's Wife.

I watched Beowulf and Grendel last night. I'd been looking forward to it, 'cause...Gerard. Butler. 'nuf said. It was odd, and one of those films where you want to like it because you know the cast and crew really suffered to bring it to you. A venture down wikipedia lane just now, however, made me not like it much at all. Very broad interpretation and a serious redux of the poem. Somehow adding Sarah Polley as a character not even mentioned in the poem..so that she can be the greek chorus of explainy things just didn't make it any better.

Rachel MacAdams has been cast in the movie adaptation of The Time-Traveller's Wife.

Interesting.

Niffenegger's novel is about a Chicago librarian who involuntarily travels through time and falls in love with a young heiress along the way.

That's...the first time I've ever heard it described that way. The fact that it's adapted by the same person who did The Notebook worries me because, like, I know the core of the book is this romance between Henry and Clare, but to me, it was about so much more than that.

Also, Dracula 3000...because Hallowe'en is fraught with tradition around my house. A very bad horror movie must be consumed. This one? So bad, it wasn't even fun. Looked like a student film...no lie...that would not have garnered a D in any school of repute. Casper Van Diem, with a seriously spray-painted Fred Flintstone 8 o'clock shadow, seems to be chuckling his way through the proceedings. Udo Kier does a video-log within the movie...he must not have read the rest of the script when he signed on. Ick patoo!

OK, if you are ready for another movie quiz, this one is really well done and pretty. [link]

I'm not sure I'm on board with all their "halloweenish" movie choices, though.

Oooh. I hope the movie version of TTTW is good. I really enjoyed the book.

Franken: Yeah, it kind of was a happy ending. Except for the really freaky, freaky ending set in the modern 20th century.

Okay, and the reason I am kind of thrown off is our introduction to the world of the prestige and of Angier and Borden is through Borden's great grandson, who has always felt like he's had a twin brother but never actually did. He was adopted by another family. And he ends up meeting Angier's great-granddaughter, and without it being trite it becomes apparent that Borden and Angier's rivalry followed, inexplicably but without fail, down his line.

When their parents were fighting over the same thing, the reveal of the secret of Borden/Angier's tricks, the Angier father dares the Borden father to try the prestige machine. They get it all fired up, and Borden looks at it and says "no way." So Angier, in a fit of crazy, throws Borden's toddler son into the machine. But just as with Angier in the past, they pull the plug midway through, so that a copy of the infant--who is our first perspective in the story--is caught, frozen in time and as a child. The original was traumatized and blocked it out, until he saw his tiny younger self, which explained his feelings of "having a twin."

So you think it was disturbing *before*. But man, that was a whole other level.