Thursday 7 March 2013

Editing Isn't Murder. Hurrah!

So, I'm twelve percent into Les Mis, and this thing is meandery-meandering and going all sorts of places just for a while before hopping back to everyone's favourite saint, Monsieur Valjean who-doesn't-tell-anyone-his-actual-name-of-coursey-course.
 Some people -- most people in fact -- would say this lovely little thing NEEDS ATTACKING WITH SCISSORS, and they're right.

 But that doesn't mean it isn't brilliant (I think -- my brain isn't too super-duper with my double negatives right now). The language is fllowery, but it's beautiful, pretty, insightful...

 Anyway, to get back to the title, editing is murder. The book Les Mis is obviously Victor Hugo's baby. Fact is, it's indulgent AND NEEDS ATTACKING WITH SCISSORS. Maybe. It's brilliant as it it is, of course...

Okay, obviously too late at night for me to make sense. Basics: let's see the film as THE EDITED VERSION, and the book as the UNEDITED VERSION. They're both good -- both brilliant, in fact -- and neither of them is better than the other. Just different.

 But, if we're honest, which of 'em would be most likely to sell: the 1000-ish page version or the short, snappy, hit-you-with-it version.

 Exactly.

Yes, I realise that this might actually be more verbose and self-indulgent than the book.

Charlie out!

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