I know it is not really fair to compare fiction writing to fiction movies, but as I just read the beautiful and deep story, I wondered how the film makers will capture the spirit and atmosphere of the story.
They really didn't and made it quirky romance with a science fiction twist, whereas the original writing, even at only 11 pages, is so much more.
It tells about that deep feeling for the movies. It's not only "love" or "pleasure". It's almost "religous". It's about passion and curiosity - the willingness to dig deep and deeper in film history to broaden one's own horizon.
The written piece used the uchronia aspect to enhance that feeling people can have about motion picture.
The film reduced that aspect, even dumbed down the film historical context of the exposed films in the shop. (I have to admit - that Nic. Cage idea - which is not in the original written story - was indeed funny).
Instead the film focused on the romantic aspects of the boy meets girl story, which indeed is also part of the original story - but completely different.
It is the shared passion, which brings them together, something that grows over a period of a few more visits to the store. There is no immediate attraction - au contraire. That aspect was also disregarded in the film. Ayala Zilberman was much too attractive not to be conceived as "love interest" when she's first seen in the movie. Can't blame her for that, but you can blame casting.
Read the Tim Pratt story instead / or additionally - it is so so much better.
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