By Rachel Simon, Editor in Chief, Emerson College
Last week, the creator of Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas, along with the show’s star, Kristen Bell, raised over three million dollars on Kickstarter to fund the movie version of the cancelled cult TV show. Through fan contributions and the power of the Internet, they exceeded their goal in a matter of hours, and it looks like Veronica Mars: The Movie will be coming to the big screen sometime next year. Judging from the explosion of the blog world, fans are rejoicing, the cast is psyched to reunite, and Hollywood insiders are beginning to take note of Kickstarter’s powerful new role in the film industry. There’s no question that what Thomas and Bell have accomplished is impressive. However, I believe that it’s a huge mistake.
I’ve never seen Veronica Mars. I have no doubt that it’s a good show, and that many people were disappointed when it was cancelled after just three seasons. Yet if they think that a movie version based off the show is a good idea, they’re wrong. More often than not, films based off television shows fail to capture the charm and vivacity of their original forms. The movie versions are flat and uninspired, leaving the viewers with unanswered questions and unresolved feelings. Need an example? Here are three: Sex and the City. Bewitched. Avatar: The Last Airbender. There are exceptions, of course, such as last year’s great 21 Jump Street, but they are few and far between. Most likely, the devoted, intense fans that watched Veronica Mars won’t be satisfied by a movie version of their beloved TV show, and it’s doubtful that it’ll give them the fulfilling conclusion they expect. If anything, the film will probably leave them more frustrated than they were back in 2007 when the show went off the air.
Read More Here
Last week, the creator of Veronica Mars, Rob Thomas, along with the show’s star, Kristen Bell, raised over three million dollars on Kickstarter to fund the movie version of the cancelled cult TV show. Through fan contributions and the power of the Internet, they exceeded their goal in a matter of hours, and it looks like Veronica Mars: The Movie will be coming to the big screen sometime next year. Judging from the explosion of the blog world, fans are rejoicing, the cast is psyched to reunite, and Hollywood insiders are beginning to take note of Kickstarter’s powerful new role in the film industry. There’s no question that what Thomas and Bell have accomplished is impressive. However, I believe that it’s a huge mistake.
I’ve never seen Veronica Mars. I have no doubt that it’s a good show, and that many people were disappointed when it was cancelled after just three seasons. Yet if they think that a movie version based off the show is a good idea, they’re wrong. More often than not, films based off television shows fail to capture the charm and vivacity of their original forms. The movie versions are flat and uninspired, leaving the viewers with unanswered questions and unresolved feelings. Need an example? Here are three: Sex and the City. Bewitched. Avatar: The Last Airbender. There are exceptions, of course, such as last year’s great 21 Jump Street, but they are few and far between. Most likely, the devoted, intense fans that watched Veronica Mars won’t be satisfied by a movie version of their beloved TV show, and it’s doubtful that it’ll give them the fulfilling conclusion they expect. If anything, the film will probably leave them more frustrated than they were back in 2007 when the show went off the air.
Read More Here