Michael Ondaatje: THE ENGLISH PATIENT

I watched the film adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's THE ENGLISH PATIENT in 1997. I liked its almost epic treatment. The cinematography was stunning. The performances were superb, particularly that of Juliette Binoche's, which gave her her well-deserved Best Supporting Actress Oscar. I heard and read things like the book was unfilmable and that any film adaptation would not justify the substance of the book. Personally, I don't get it when people always pre-judge films adapated from books. In my opinion, the book and the film shouldn't be compared for they are two different media. Definitely, one will always have a better grasp of the book because he or she can always go back to a few pages or read important parts slowly to have a better experience with the book. You can't rewind scenes when you're inside the theater. Of course, it's very much possible when watching the film at home.

Just a few days ago, 13 years after I watched the film, I dared to read the book. I read it not because of the film. I read it because recently I read In The Skin Of A Lion in which Hana and Carravagio first appeared. I enjoyed both books. The English Patient is told in a non-linear (sometimes confusing) narrative, which, I think, is the reason people tag the book as unfilmable. Then I watched the film for the first time after 13 years right after finishing book. Having just read the book, I find the film even better. As a book The English Patient is a worthwhile reading experience. As a film The English Patient is stunning. Just one observation: Hana (played by Juliette Binoche) is the main character in both media. How come she won Best Supporting Actress? She deserved at least a Best Actress nomination.

Rating: 4.5/5.0 (book); 4.0/4.0 (film)

{25 April 2010}