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Books on Screen: The Kite Runner

March 19, 2009 by Jennifer

Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner is such a beautiful story. I read the book a year and a half ago, which sets me up perfectly to enjoy an on-screen adaptation of the book (My recipe for success in this area? Read book. Love book so much that I want more. Let time pass — at least a year — so that the details of the book have softened in my mind. Watch movie.). For more details about the story if you are unfamiliar with it, please read my review of the book.

I didn’t rush to watch the movie for the same reason I hesitated to read the book — it’s a tough story dealing with the pain of regret. But once I started reading the book, I was drawn in by the beautiful language and heart-felt story.

In a similar way, the film is so visually appealing that it drew me in right away. Watching the movie — already knowing the story from the novel — gave it an even greater effect. The weight of Amir’s bad choices just hang in the air, since I know what’s going to happen. However, seeing it play out on screen, I had a slightly different reaction. Hassan’s loyalty seems more real and less of an archetype. Amir’s youth and insecurity is more readily understood. As time passes, watching Amir’s persistence and sacrifice to right his past wrongs gave me the same emotional reaction that the story of redemption in the book evoked.

If you’ve avoided this story because of its difficult content, I recommend this movie to you. You’ll get a taste of the story, but in a two-hour chunk with an uplifting ending, as opposed to having to invest in reading 400 pages — 400 beautifully written pages — but nonetheless. . . . On that note, I have to say that you will be reading a fair bit if you watch the movie. Most of it is subtitled, and this surprised me, even though I knew that the majority of it took place in Afghanistan.

It is not a story without hope. As the movie highlights “There is a way to be good again.” The movie’s ending is a bit happier than the book’s, not because anything material is changed, but because some of the details are left out. Some of you will like that.

Watching the movie has made me want to read the book again, and I’m sure that I will at some point, but for now, I think it’s encouraged me to finally read A Thousand Splendid Suns (I stated this same intent in my book review over a year and a half ago, but I kept delaying, and as always happens, other books got in the way, but will you believe me now if I say I really, really plan to read it?). Khalid Hosseini is a beautiful storyteller.

In honor of the release of this movie (rated PG-13) in Blu-Ray format, I have one Kite Runner Blu-Ray DVD to give away (U.S. or Canadian shipping addresses).

It truly is a beautiful movie — the type that plays out wonderfully in high-definition format. There are also some great special features, including interviews with the director and the author of the book, which I enjoyed. Khaled Hosseini is even featured in the commentary on the movie (that I haven’t watched yet), which shows his active role in adapting his book to the screen.

He’s pleased with the movie. Yes, there is a lot cut out, but there are no significant changes, so even book purists will probably be pleased with this movie.

Just leave a comment if you’d like to win, and I’ll announce the winner on April 1.

In addition to books, managing editor Jennifer Donovan, loves a good story as told via a movie or TV series, which she most often enjoys on DVD. She blogs at Snapshot about life with her tween daughter and preschool son.

Filed Under: Books on Screen, Fiction, Jennifer, Literary

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Comments

  1. Catherine says

    March 22, 2009 at 1:47 am

    Thanx for the contest

  2. Christina G. says

    March 22, 2009 at 2:02 am

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  3. Janna Johnson says

    March 22, 2009 at 2:27 am

    Thanks for entering me! Great Contest!

    Janna Johnson
    [email protected]
    http://www.FeedYourPigBlog.com

  4. Monique Rizzo says

    March 22, 2009 at 3:20 am

    Wonderful movie! Thanks for the chance.

    [email protected]

  5. MIKE says

    March 22, 2009 at 4:35 am

    The book scared me. I was worried about the main character. Especially when he returned to his hometown. Good movie too.

  6. Donna R says

    March 22, 2009 at 12:31 pm

    I’ve never seen this movie or read the book. I’d like to though. Thanks for the contest.

  7. Pamela S says

    March 22, 2009 at 3:22 pm

    I loved this book and look forward to seeing this movie. Thanks.

  8. JIMMY says

    March 22, 2009 at 3:55 pm

    this is sad story.

  9. Michelle says

    March 23, 2009 at 12:02 am

    I love the book and am still wanting to see the movie

    yzgirl4[at]verizon[dot]net

  10. gc says

    March 23, 2009 at 9:04 am

    this is great!

  11. Martha H. says

    March 23, 2009 at 9:11 am

    I would like to see this movie.

  12. Kim says

    March 23, 2009 at 10:53 am

    I would love to win this!

  13. Jason Nickolay says

    March 23, 2009 at 4:17 pm

    I would love to win this. Thanks for the chance

  14. Randall Busby says

    March 23, 2009 at 7:19 pm

    Loved the movie at the theater, just think it would require blu-ray to do it justice at home. Thanks so much. r

  15. Kathy D says

    March 23, 2009 at 8:48 pm

    really wnated to see this one

  16. Jacob LaFountaine says

    March 23, 2009 at 10:39 pm

    I’d like to see this on blu-ray

  17. Erica C. says

    March 23, 2009 at 11:12 pm

    I’d love to see it!

  18. Sarah Stern says

    March 23, 2009 at 11:13 pm

    Looks like a great one!

  19. sarah h says

    March 24, 2009 at 10:43 am

    Haven’t seen this yet, but would like to.

  20. James Jenkins says

    March 24, 2009 at 10:59 am

    wow

  21. cris says

    March 24, 2009 at 1:11 pm

    Would love to see this–

  22. Ken Robinson says

    March 24, 2009 at 1:26 pm

    My sister would love this. Please accept my entry. Thank you

  23. dianne says

    March 24, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    I heard this was a facinating movie. I’d love to own it.

  24. Denyse says

    March 24, 2009 at 1:58 pm

    I’d be thrilled to own this and add it to my DVD collection.

  25. jayne says

    March 24, 2009 at 4:39 pm

    I would love to add this movie to my collection!

  26. Karen Gonyea says

    March 24, 2009 at 8:30 pm

    I’d love this 🙂

  27. Annmarie says

    March 25, 2009 at 10:29 am

    I have heard so much about this book – most of my friends have read it – and I’ve thought about reading it so many times. But I’ve always ended up picking up something else instead. This would probably give me that extra incentive to just read it!!

  28. sarah says

    March 25, 2009 at 2:48 pm

    enter me!

  29. Dave says

    March 25, 2009 at 10:27 pm

    I’ve read so many great reviews of this film, I would love to see it. Thank you for the chance to win.

  30. Molly Capel says

    March 26, 2009 at 7:23 am

    This book was really good, would love to see the movie.

  31. Michael Kuntz says

    March 26, 2009 at 12:09 pm

    I would also love to win this. I rented the movie awhile back and thought it was amazing. Now that I have a blu-ray player it would be awesome to see it again and actually own it!

  32. Joseph Stowell says

    March 26, 2009 at 8:18 pm

    I would like to win!

  33. Gabriel Jolivet says

    March 26, 2009 at 11:22 pm

    Please, enter me, great prize!!! I would love to win this.

  34. James Nickerson says

    March 27, 2009 at 12:21 pm

    I’ve read the book but have not seen the movie. Thanks for this great giveaway! Would like to win and compare.

  35. KarenPr says

    March 27, 2009 at 2:33 pm

    Thanks for the contest, please enter me.

  36. Miriam Tisdel says

    March 27, 2009 at 3:22 pm

    I would love to see this movie with my kids. It looks like a great movie.

  37. sandra says

    March 27, 2009 at 3:36 pm

    please enter me

  38. ky2here says

    March 27, 2009 at 5:25 pm

    This movie was emotionally genuine and extremely well edited and portrayed. What an excellent story of loyalty and friendship.

  39. Daniel M says

    March 27, 2009 at 6:24 pm

    looks like a good one, i wanna win!

  40. Sara Amos says

    March 27, 2009 at 7:48 pm

    I would like to win

  41. Ro says

    March 27, 2009 at 8:29 pm

    Thank you for the opportunity to win this

  42. Jennifer Hedden says

    March 27, 2009 at 10:07 pm

    enter me

  43. Jay F. says

    March 28, 2009 at 12:56 am

    Amazon keeps this book on top of the recommendations for me, but I’d like the movie.

  44. Adrian Lamont says

    March 28, 2009 at 1:10 am

    Sounds like a great read, please count me in.

  45. Ed Nemmers says

    March 28, 2009 at 4:18 pm

    Happy Weekend!

  46. Kristen B says

    March 28, 2009 at 4:55 pm

    Excellent book – would like to see the movie.

  47. Hesper F says

    March 28, 2009 at 6:33 pm

    I read the book and loved it! I have never seen the movie, but would love to!

  48. jaded081 says

    March 28, 2009 at 7:46 pm

    My son is a fanatic, he would love the blu ray. Please enter me

  49. Tim says

    March 28, 2009 at 7:53 pm

    love to see this movie!

  50. Kym Ellis says

    March 28, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    Would really love to win this.

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