I rented and watched this film immediately following reading the book (this was Spring of 2004) and while the book was phenomenal and lead Vonnegut to being one of my all time favorite authors, when I had heard that there was a film, I knew I had to see it. I also found out that was directed by the late George Roy Hill (Slapshot, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid) I figured it would be a pretty good adaptation.
Upon watching it I was almost angry at what I had saw. Now granted, on the surface, many of the events occurred just like they did in the book, however I felt that the film completely missed out on the underlying messages that Vonnegut was trying to convey, this is what makes Vonnegut's reading so great, and the movie missed the mark.
Even more so, the complete absence of Kilgore Trout was absolutely absurd, for he played a large role in the book and the events that occurred in the book.
I've heard that Mother Night (1996) and "Breakfast of Champions(1999) were much better adaptations (the same unfortunately couldn't be said for Slapstick (1982). However I am also looking forward to The Man Without a Country (2008). It is possible to translate Vonnegut over to film, however it is something that just needs to be done very carefully.
Upon watching it I was almost angry at what I had saw. Now granted, on the surface, many of the events occurred just like they did in the book, however I felt that the film completely missed out on the underlying messages that Vonnegut was trying to convey, this is what makes Vonnegut's reading so great, and the movie missed the mark.
Even more so, the complete absence of Kilgore Trout was absolutely absurd, for he played a large role in the book and the events that occurred in the book.
I've heard that Mother Night (1996) and "Breakfast of Champions(1999) were much better adaptations (the same unfortunately couldn't be said for Slapstick (1982). However I am also looking forward to The Man Without a Country (2008). It is possible to translate Vonnegut over to film, however it is something that just needs to be done very carefully.