The Hunger Games, Lost in Adaptation ~ The Dom

[@emilky924]

One thing that I am sad that wasn't in the film was Cato running over to Clove as she was dying, holding her hand, crying and begging for her not to die. I thought this was one of the best parts of the book as it showed that the careers aren't just mindless killers, and they are just children who have been forced to kill, just like everyone in the hunger games :/

[@huntcd2012]

Part of me is kind of glad they left that bit out because the way Clove was calling for Cato and the way he called back to her as she cried out, you'd think he was close by, but he doesn't show up until after both Katniss and Thresh have left. I think they did make up for the lack of that scene though with Cato's new final scene in the movie where he realized he was a pawn just like everyone else and looked like he just wanted to be put out of his misery (compared to the book where he held onto Peeta in order to keep Katniss from shooting at him, so he could win).

[@aleeyahmarie3650]

Careers ARE NOT forced to kill. They volunteer in hopes of winning luxery and food but I see ur point

[@amhk5918]

Em Livingstone you do know that carreers volunteer right?

[@weiyin8046]

Matpat IsBAE and AMHK of course, but you’d assume there’s pressure within the district to volunteer. if you don’t then you’re a coward sort of thing. and while katniss tell us they volunteer for glory, she's an unreliable narrator with unreliable information. none of the districts know anything about the others (or at least very, very little) so any information they get is like a game of chinese whispers sifted through a filter. it may be that the careers volunteer to keep their families safe or to keep the district fed.

[@MegaKaitouKID1412]

​@@aleeyahmarie3650 Careers are trained up to volunteer from a very young age-- even without getting into the other factors that led the adults of the district to begin training up careers in terms of their district as a whole (see footnote), the fact is these children were trained for most of their lives to be careers. It's not like, say, Cato woke up one day and said "I want the glory (and food), I'm going to volunteer" like someone from another district with no stake in the person picked would have to think to chose to volunteer. Who knows how those districts arrange careers-- it's very possible there is a random draw done within the community of younger-aged children to decide on the two of each year that receive training to one day volunteer, or maybe their parents volunteer them at a young age, or there might be other methods or combinations of methods that are used. This isn't information Katniss has, but we do know that even the careers chose to avoid one less killing when given the opportunity to team up and both win. The younger they chose or are selected for the training, the more you can call what happened to them "force". Footnote: seriously, though, in terms of the good of the many vs the needs of the few, no matter how they're chosen or when and why they volenteer, the idea of having careers is a really good one. Think about it. Train up two kids born each year to be sacrifices and it spares all the other children the fear of random picking. If the Capitol's draw remains in place in those districts for technicality and is implemented the same way as in District 13, it gives all children the ability to put their name in for as much food as their family needs to survive without ever risking being picked. The trained kids having a higher chance of winning and therefore surviving and bringing more resources back, and their riches would stimulate the internal economy of their district and raise the quality of living for everyone even if they were mostly selfish about the use of their wealth, and especially if they were even minorly and quietly charitable about it. Plus the survivors would be able to train the next generation of careers even better than before so that on average the district will ultimately lose less children than the others (assuming all the districts don't have and implement this idea, which was the case here). Forcing two children to be trained to volunteer is really just a better plan all around than letting random selection play out.

[@TashiSoCali]

My BIGGEST issue with the movies was that they left out the HUNGER. You didn’t really get a sense of how dire the food situation was in district 12 and the fact that Katniss HAD to hunt to feed her family and had to put her name in the drawing more times to get more food. That was really nicely juxtaposed against the people in the Capital gorging themselves on decadent foods then drinking a liquid that makes them vomit just they can eat more.

[@Kairos_Akuma]

Also the Fact that in the Books she's bloody FOURTEEN at this point.. And approx. 16 at the end... Just let that sink in.

[@silexxeedits]

@@Kairos_Akuma No, she’s not? 🤔 she really is 16 at the beginning of book 1 (which doesn’t make the story less tragical tbh) 😩

[@tasheve3015]

did we watch the same films? because i definitely got a sense of that

[@davimelo9181]

My biggest problem with the film is it's camera work

[@Munnwort]

@@tasheve3015 I think they’re saying in comparison to the book which they’re right about

[@alexandrapedersen829]

A thing, I thought was a shame to leave out, was Katniss' and Haymitch's connection. In the book, Katniss was nearly died of hydration, yet Haymitch didn't send her any water, so she figured out, she was near a small lake. This also comes into play, when Katniss has to act loving Peeta, whereas in the film, he just sends a note with the food. Not anything major, but one of my favorite things about the first book.

[@lorettabes4553]

Ow yeah, I remember that

[@Rexowogamer]

It defo felt odd. The lack of water felt like a somewhat major plot point in the book but the movie just... gave it to her.

[@crazygamerkids3180]

Same, it was one of the many awesome moments in the book.

[@trampoleen8750]

you know, you don't, have, to put, commas, between, every clause, if you, didn't know, already, though,

[@Rexowogamer]

Trampoleen Seems, a, bit, irrelevant, but, thanks, for, the, grammar, tip!

[@sg-qi7np]

one thing the movies left out is katniss's hair and makeup crew. she ends up having to save them later on (book three?) when they're held hostage by the capitol.

[@nadiamozerhusain4259]

Yeah, this is another thing I'm upset about. It showed the moral complexity of Panem, and established that you can't just define a whole category of characters as evil in the books. Katniss slowly came to see that the people in the Capitol didn't know any better. They'd been raised to care about their looks, to have a boring life, and they couldn't sympathise with the Hunger Games participants who were starving or living a harsh lifestyle. The Hunger Games was probably the biggest thing they had in their lives and they didn't know what else to be excited about. Without watching young children fight to the death, they're pretty much lost. And seeing their tenderness, their genuine curiosity towards the rough places they saw because they couldn't understand them, and later how hopelessly they reacted to becoming poor, looked down upon citizens of District 13 in the middle of a war after all the splendour and shielding from the horror of their own country, Katniss eventually comes to feel sorry for them somewhat despite being unable to relate.

[@the_tangled_girl9494]

@@nadiamozerhusain4259 I agree, but I do like how they put Effie instead, since they didn't give the prep team much role in the first movie, unlike the book

[@Ramsey276one]

THE PEA GREEN LADY I WANTED TO SEE HER IN A MOVIE AS SOON AS I READ THAT PART! XD

[@pinkajou656]

SPOILERS

[@marieroberts5458]

The fighters save/kidnap the prep team and Effie , but SPOILERS.... Effie and the team are treated very badly by the Powers that be in 13, because the preps do not understand exactly how strict and rules oriented the system is, and even the most minor breach is not tolerated and is met with very harsh punishment. The entire bunch are imprisoned and it takes Katniss demanding their release and giving them their jobs back to get them out of the cells. Their near hysteria/catatonia and their pathetic clinginess and gratitude to Katness put me in mind of happy Smeagol. So I like what they did in Movie 3, when Effie was pouting about not having her fancy wigs and clothes and Philip Hoffman's character says "See this door? It opens. No locks. You're not a prisoner here." Which inverts the reality of the book. A nice touch and makes the leaders of 13 less like evil nuns.

[@SayaCeline]

I don't envy directors and actors when it comes to a character with an internal monologue and a stoic face. If they had made Lawrence portray Katniss as more emotional then book fans would be screaming that it was unfaithful. I have yet to see a movie really pull it off. Which is a shame because Katniss did have some great internal lines. Especially the part about when she thinks about how she couldn't let Peeta die in the games because she "would always be trapped there trying to think of a way to save them" and her PTSD after it's all said and done.

[@fenrirunshackled4319]

It want that she was 100% stoic in the book, it’s that Jennifer Lawrence is so bad at acting that she can’t make a realistic human facial expression. It’s 0 or weird face for her.

[@margaretfleur1559]

iSweat-Axion the problem isn’t Jen s acting it’s mostly due to katniss being more of an internal person she speaks and reacts in her mind in the book and it’s hard to portray that when there ain’t no dialogue in ur head without making it look childish or strange like dom said Katniss is more stoic in real life it’s like in some stories where the main character is thinking but in real life she just ain’t moving or just seems out of it

[@PLKinka]

It's hard but doable. You can sometimes see it in good period dramas. With these type of characters you need to rely on camerawork and subtle hints like posture, a slight change of tone, minor expression changes etc. Basically, speaking without words. It would be much harder in an action movie, though, since a viewer is too distracted by, well, action, to look for those hints, so they would possibly be waste of time and money.

[@faycoleman9023]

They shpuld have allowed the audiance to hear her thoughts a little.

[@kiiltochii1607]

a blank face is a blank face. I'm not a mind reader and neither is anyone else. Person being an introvert and putting on stoic facade and avoiding interactions is a-ok but JL's Katniss spends the whole movie just staring into nothingness. Books can get away with this as you can have inner monologue but staring blankly and saying the minimum didn't convey that she was nervous of public appearance in a movie

[@DitisEmile]

I was really frustrated that Peeta doesn't lose his leg. It would've been so encouraging to have a hero with prosthetics...

[@stephaniewozny3852]

Or at least one more. Right now, all we have is Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon.

[@TheBigbaby407]

Fin the Human from adventure time.

[@afro4640]

kelvin joyner Does he count as a paraplegic then?

[@kanebekkattla3963]

@@afro4640 none of those characters are paraplegic (which is someone who needs to use a wheelchair)

[@samanthabond3772]

@@kanebekkattla3963 I guess we have Beetee in Mockingjay.

[@alicedarhk9790]

10:40 As well, Katniss openly says (edit- in the book) that since she was a young girl and could hunt, that was her way of survival while girls a year or two older were prostituting themselves to Peacekeepers and anyone who could afford it.

[@francisthompson3772]

Well, there precise it was the leader of the peacekeaper who did that. Plus, this is only told in the second book.

[@Ben-vl5ew]

It's only peacekeeper Cray though not the others

[@katherinemorelle7115]

They also left out the coerced sex work that Finnick was forced to do. Honestly, sometimes I’m surprised by the fact that the books are marketed as YA. They’re very mature. I wouldn’t want my kid reading them until she’s at least 15 or 16. I was an adult the first time I read them, and I found them pretty brutal, and very mature, with all of the social commentary and the accuracy of depicting someone with severe PTSD (brutal is the word for it, to the point that I would caution people who might be triggered by such a depiction- that is, people who have PTSD themselves). They aren’t really something I’d recommend for younger readers. Not unless they were very mature for their age.

[@melodiclogic9904]

Neartmhor I started reading the books when I was 13 having already watched the films and I can confirm, the imagery gave me nightmares. It was strange because I was a really mature reader, I’d read dickens, Jane Austen etc. But it still really, really bothered me. One thought that scared me most was about the careers taunting the little girl who lit the fire. The fact that Peeta had to “mercy kill” her for it to stop made me cry.And the avoxes, the thought of having no tongue and being made a slave scares the living daylights out of me.

[@reesiuspeesiuspuffs3006]

@@katherinemorelle7115 Finnick does allude to the sex work when he gives the speech during the rescue scene. He says something along the lines of "Snow sold my body... to make themselves feel better my patrons gave presents of money or jewelry, but I found much better compensation... secrets". He mentions that those victors considered desirable are given as gifts.

[@melodyclark1944]

The movie left out the significance of the interviews. Katniss says, "You can tell her mentor didn't have any trouble coming up with an angle for [Glimmer]." She was supposed to be wearing a sexy dress. Rue was supposed to have shimmering gossamer wings.

[@salsgacha6955]

Yeah I hated that

[@nadiamozerhusain4259]

I wish the freedom in perspective had been utilised more by the Hunger Games movies, even if it made the movie different to the books. It's only unfaithful if it adds on parts that actually ruin the plot, has extra things that add nothing to the meaningfulness of the film/book series, and doesn't follow the character profiles or in-universe laws. With the ability to show anyone's perspective, they could've humanised the Careers, shown how deep Peeta's affection for Katniss was and how he acted with the Careers, shown more about the Capitol itself, and maybe even had more details about the other districts. But instead, they even leave out some really important or awe-inspiring points that the book makes. Of course, it's not entirely their fault due to audiences not being mind readers, but I feel like they could've _tried_ to put some of the thoughts in somehow, because so much couldn't be simply shown or said.

[@abolishpolice5232]

Something I am *deeply pissed* that this movie leaves out and I didn't really notice the first time I watched it, but *the movie omits literally every book disability.* The Avoxes, Katniss' ear, and Peeta's leg all got left out and I am so tired of this y'all, it is truly beyond my comprehension why How to Train Your Dragon is the ONLY book to movie adaptation (that I know of) to not do this.

[@sockgoblin2942]

I thought Katniss did go deaf in the movie when I first saw it (the ringing in the movie made me think that because during our farm safety lessons we were taught that deafness doesn’t necessarily mean silence and they played a ringing sound to show us what it was like) and Peeta’s leg I feel had to be omitted because of the controversy involved with an abled actor playing a disabled character, as well as how they toned down the leg injury (most likely to avoid an R rating). Yes, they could have cast an amputee actor for Peeta but that would also necessitate having to ‘disguise’ the prosthetic which also would have drawn controversy in making a disabled person “appear abled”, if that makes any sense. I do agree they should have made it a bit clear on how Katniss went deaf in the arena and used the avoxes more, but Peeta’s leg was really a no-win situation.

[@abolishpolice5232]

@@sockgoblin2942 I disagree, I think that mainstream audiences just have a tremendous discomfort with the malleability of flesh. Like, literally any abled person could get into an accident and become disabled at anytime. When characters in movies suffer permanent injury it reminds the audience of reality’s consequences and it squicks them. This is a movie franchise that, given the subject matter of war and trauma, completely undermined itself by avoiding squickiness.

[@sockgoblin2942]

@@abolishpolice5232 good point. I guess I kind of forgot about that. Your reply also oddly ties into my point about the studio trying to avoid an R rating (probably for mass marketability). I guess at the end of the day there’s some things in a book that you just can’t get out of a movie.

[@abolishpolice5232]

@@sockgoblin2942 Yeah these movies should’ve gone for the R rating, it’s hard to feel like they took the…(checks notes) _child soldier_ story seriously when they were more interested in keeping it clean enough for the PG-13 market

[@theaddamsfamily9577]

@@abolishpolice5232 this is probably controversial, but i do hope they redo the series and decide to go for the R rating. there was so much in the books that teens were already reading, putting it in the movie wouldn't have really made a difference. the fact that the movies erased pretty much all disability was horrendous and tbh i can't rewatch them because of it. there's definitely a difference between hiring an abled actor to play an abled character who becomes disabled as the story progresses (not a bad thing) vs having an ALREADY disabled character from the beginning and not hiring someone with that disability (not so good). like, hiring an abled actor to play Peeta who eventually loses a leg isn't as bad as hiring an abled actor to play a character who was already disabled like they did with the guy who plays Kaz Brekker in Shadow & Bone. one is understandable, the other isn't.

[@Juxtavarious]

Her lack of emotion was one of the things that I realized off the bat that they had gotten right. She was emotionally dead from all of the shit she had been through. The part that stuck out with me was that they were so busy front loading information that they failed to explain so much of it.

[@hadleyberman7433]

They had originally planned to do the tribute/dog thing (there are some pictures in one of the behind the scenes features on the DVD), but they apparently couldn't quite make it work without being silly or awkward on film.

[@Sarah-pn9ut]

@Nastassia I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this.10 year old me was like, "What the fuck?" I'm glad they left it out of the movie

[@bananahat3350]

Nastassia Super old comment, but I remember thinking that was one of the most horrific parts in the book. Doesn’t Katniss look into one with the eyes of Rue, her little sister figure? I dunno, I just thought it was super chilling to see the mutts as deformed humans and characters we had previously known.

[@MissyRose94]

My biggest complaint has always been that they changed the way Katniss got her Mockingjay pin.

[@the_tangled_girl9494]

Ikr

[@WTKB82]

I actually think your perception of Jennifers performance is the exact same that I had for Kirsten Steward in Twilight. Her acting wasn't bad, the character was just like that. Blank faced, emotionless, all the time

[@alexturlais8558]

except katniss was like that in the book. Bella was supposed to have emotions

[@melodyclark1944]

+I am Your Father Bella didn't really have any emotions.

[@WTKB82]

Bella had a limited emotional range, and what she did have, she didn't really express them facially. What Kristen Stewart did in the films, minimal smiling, that vacant look, that dull speaking voice for every line, is exactly how it seems Bella to be in the books. It seems Bella has few emotional states that range from "Im blinking and breathing" to "Well, look edward did something pretty" and the last book has "Omg wow are u really in love with my baby? I am slightly upset while i am yelling". That's like really it.

[@kieakewii]

Bla Blah basically Bella. That’s why I never understood the hate for her

[@MegaKaitouKID1412]

Yeah, Twilight wasn't really all that much for any of the actor's to work with. Bella was passive and blah, Edward was creepy... I honestly think they were both captured perfectly.

[@LadyTylerBioRodriguez]

For my money the second book and the second movie were the best. Everything is ramped up in the book, and they cut out the dumb shaky cam nonsense in the second film. It's also a bit more intense for both mediums.

[@LadyTylerBioRodriguez]

***** Yeah it gives me a headache. I love the Bourne movies, but by god did they create action movie hell for most directors not named Paul Greengrass. Thank god they realized real quick it was dumb.

[@JaysPlace20]

+Tyler Bioshock R Agreed! Though I still very much enjoy both the first book and film, the second is easily my favorite on both counts.

[@jaysea5939]

+Tyler Bioshock R I thought the first Bourne was good, action movie wise (dir. by Doug Liman).

[@LadyTylerBioRodriguez]

Yeah, I love the Bourne movies, it just caused people to think they could edit like Paul Greengrass. Its no shock, every time somebody does something very well, people try to do the same. A lot of people tried to do Tarantino after Pulp Fiction, same with 90s animated movies. Most were musicals because Disney was killing it with Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. Even recently, the Lego Movie was great and made a ton of money. So people are now making everything from Pez to bloody emoticon movies because of it.

[@the_tangled_girl9494]

I agree, it's probably because they had different directors, and Francis Lawrence did really good at adapting the books, more so than the first I think

[@MadameTamma]

Do you ever wonder what the rest of the world was doing during the books? Spain: well its been a rough apocolypes but I feel like weve gotten society back on track again. Germany: by the way has anyone heard from America? France: Oh yeah theyve got like one major city state back on track and planned out this whole thing where everyone living outside of it has to sacrifice their children to fight in a massive death match. Germany: wow um... should we do something? France: pfft. do you really want those guys involved with the rest of the world again?

[@matiasgazzarri4959]

Nastassia How does it not make sense in The Hunger Games, it was to punish the districts, and what better way to punish the districts than to force them to have their children fight to the death death

[@scp--297]

😂 lolz.

[@spilleren9173]

I believe the rest of the world was ruined. Remember, one nuke more and the entire world would have collapsed.

[@MegaKaitouKID1412]

@Nastassia And didn't multiple kids escape in the Battle Royale story we get due to choosing to cooperate? It's been a while since I read the book and I haven't seen the movie, but I have a strong memory of this. At least in the Hunger Games all the kids always betraying each other makes sense because they don't know each other. In general, though, I think the Games were meant more than just punishment. It gave the Capitol a piece of entertainment, and it gave the districts hope to see a winner even as they all always were punished with the loss of the loosers. Even more, the hope was handed out at the will of the capitol-- your tributes survived because of resources the Capitol viewers had airdropped to them, your winner's reward was resources given to them generously by the Capitol. And the people who stand in your kid's way of surviving aren't the people of the Capitol who just want them to succeed, but the other districts-- represented by their own tributes-- who are actively killing them out there. The districts rebelled by uniting, and the Hunger Games prevent the districts from ever trusting each other again because the Hunger Games force them to focus on each other rather than the Capitol.

[@WateverWatever04]

And Canada's just there like "Yeah once they started going apeshit, we secured the border and moved our population further north. I don't know _what's_ going on there but I'm _not_ getting involved."

[@redfyresasoiaf]

Major complains for the adaptation: 1. The minor Cato/Clove relationship (him crying over her body) was NOWHERE to be seen...and to make it worse, Glimmer and Cato were an actual thing. 2. Madge, the Mayor's daughter, though a minor character, would've been fun to see. 3. The 'dogs' not looking like the dead tributes annoyed me. 4. Peeta didn't lose his leg...that was kind of a big thing... 5. The Careers portrayed as nothing but merciless killers was just rude, IMO

[@barleysixseventwo6665]

I remember a lot of people did not find Katniss herself interesting. A valid opinion, but I'd say her seeming lack of character was excused by her upbringing, which almost entirely forced her to focus on the most primal aspects of her life. Hey Katiss! What's your favorite food? Good Food. What's your favorite hobby? Hunting for food. What's your least favorite activity? Starving. What are your aspirations? Survive. What are your greatest fears? Me or my family dying. What are your greatest hopes? Me and my family living. Who do you hate the most? The Capital. Why? They stop me from getting more food. My God Woman! Is there anything interesting to talk about you? At least the North Koreans have the racist angle! ...Got any food? I got venison to trade.

[@applemyomg]

I could not stop laughing when I read your post! That does sound like Katniss!

[@sugarbunni7207]

Barley Sixseventwo in

[@CruelestChris]

I don't think she would hate the capital, that's not how a dystopia works. It would be more like "I hate the other districts, because they are unstable and mean the capital can't give us enough food, which is clearly what they would do otherwise." Then again Panem is a dystopia run by morons that exists for no apparent reason, so...

[@painoftheheart12]

An uninteresting character is a bad character regardless of their reasons. It was a major factor in my lack of interest in reading the books knowing they are in her perspective and I couldn't give a rats ads about her or her motivation, opinions or anything. If tge book followed any of the other characters, fuck, if it followed Gail! I would be more willing. I have no interest in Katniss

[@morganyoung3557]

I would say that it is not surprising that Katniss had an interest in food because she lived in a place that was kept on the brink of starvation and they were one of the poorest families there. She was also the sole breadwinner of the family since she was twelve years old because her father had died around that time. But I would say that there was more to her than just “I like good food.” She cares deeply for her younger sister Prim even before she volunteered for her in the Reaping by letting her keep her pet cat Buttercup even though it was another mouth to feed and didn’t contribute to feeding the family like Prim’s pet goat did with her milk. She was still very bitter towards her mother for going catatonic after her father died forcing Katniss into the role of the bread winner at such a young age. She loves things that she finds beautiful even though it isn’t exactly a practical trait by enjoying the outfits that Cinna made for her to wear and being impressed with Peeta’s cake decorating skills even though she didn’t understand how useful it would be until they were in the ring and he had to hide from the Career Tributes after being injured. Her love for Prim was the reason why she was so willing to help Rue because seeing a young girl around the same age as her younger sister made her think of that sister and made her go into protective older sister mode. Those are traits I just listed in the first book, her character gets more interesting when she has to deal with very realistic PTSD and starts to look at the bigger picture of how her actions in the ring changed things which was why she started to care for more people.

[@eugenideddis]

When I saw the movie I knew that her being quiet was accurate, but that didn't make me not hate it for her emotionlessness. The book had her thoughts so I was still intrigued, the film had nothing.

[@HerHollyness]

And yet, just with her eyes, Jennifer Lawrence conveys almost everything we were told through Katniss' narrative in the book.

[@wdbarbie]

Eugenideddis finally someone someone understands!!

[@HelloLillyTV]

Madge has a little bit more significance in the second book and although she might seem like a bit of a pointless character to the plot she actually adds a lot more meaning to the world building. She represents the “rich” people in District 12 and in the beginning of the first book there’s this interesting conflict between her and Gale. Madge fears that she might be picked for the games because she has her name 4 times in the bowls, but Gale has 42. As you would imagine, Gale is not very fond of her. She brings some nuance to the way this system works, it shows that things are not so black and white. Without her the world feels very simplistic: Districts are super poor, Capitol is super rich. While the movies are an okay adaptation plotwise, I think they are a missed opportunity and ended up being exactly what the books criticize. I’ve been doing a series of in-depth videos on my channel (shameless plug) about The Hunger Games, I hope I’m able to tackle the economy of this world anytime soon. I’m happy that you enjoyed the book, it’s one of my favorites. Not the most exquisite literature but I love the Universe of the books. Great video as always. :)

[@alexturlais8558]

that's true, the movie does become a bit too good/bad without showing the grey areas. in mockingjay p2, I felt the same thing when they didn't show the poor people of the capitol. it takes away from the nuance

[@arithearies1211]

Also, wasn't there this huge thing with Madge's mother and the mockingjay pin? I can't remember the details, but I remember a lot of the meaning with the pin had something to do with Madge's mother and friend.

[@SaraGold]

AritheAries there’s a lot of hints and nuance about the 50th hunger games that makes me want a prequel. Her dad getting blown up in the mines, an accident? Not in this world.

[@nadiamozerhusain4259]

I loved Madge's character, and I wish she had more importance in the plot. Yes, she complicated the starving = good and Capitol = bad groupings, but beyond that her character was fairly disposable, which is exactly the fate she suffered. Just killed offscreen with the rest of her family in an occurrence we only hear about. We don't even get to witness Katniss's reaction to her death in the books, she just dies to raise the impact of Snow bombing District 12. Madge deserved so much more in both the books and movies.

[@juliannazajda8883]

@@arithearies1211 Madge's mother had a twin sister, who owned the pin, she took part in the hunger games and died

[@shannonmacisaac8087]

What really annoyed me about the movie was that they left out the mayors daughter. She has a lot more significance as the books continue. The mockingjay pin holds a lot more significance and back story ( which helps understand haymich and the hunger games better). The way it all connected made more sense as you got more information and it was really interesting, it was totally down played in the book.

[@EvelinaNinudottir]

I actually liked the fact that Katniss didn't understand at first that Gale and Peeta were interested in her romantically. It resonated well with me. Some of us really are this naive when it comes to romance and flirting. Especially when you are of the mindset that having close, intimate friendships is possible without there being any romantic or sexual undertones.

[@The_Keeper_of_Names]

Ye and to be honest i also put it down to her being 16 and being too focused on survival to have ever really thought about it idk. But hard to think about romance when you're trying not to starve.

[@mollyholly3547]

Fr like if you were constantly starving all day you wouldn’t stop to think too much about what boy liked you

[@KyleRayner12]

The mockingjay pin is important later in the series, so the change in who gives it to her probably has some weird, plothole-filled ramifications in the sequel movies.

[@natascha701]

Another film grievance I had was the casting of Katniss. Jennifer Lawrence was 22 when the movie came out while Katniss was supposed to be a 16 year old starved girl. It minimizes a lot of the horrors of the situation by casting adults instead of teenagers. Also Katniss is described as having black hair and olive skin. Most of the seam had this appearance while most of the merchant and more wealthy class in 12 had blond hair and blue eyes. This minimizes the whole racial distinction and emphasis of the books and it is so important even though it is not the main focus. It just takes away so much from her character by eliminating these aspects. I know appearance does not make or break a character, but by casting a white adult woman they washed out her character so much

[@idontneedaname318]

I agree they should've cast a different woman (not a blatantly white lady) but it's very common practice to cast adults as teenagers

[@omegapuppyttv]

i agree they should have casted someone younger or at least someone who looked younger. one of the absolute most important points of the series is how the capitol is taking the CHILDREN off these districts and forcing them to murder each other. them being so young is a key component and jennifer looked like a fully capable grown woman which didn't have as heavy as an impact

[@frozenweevil4022]

20

[@frozenweevil4022]

I feel 20 is close enough and Jennifer Lawrence is such a good actor it wouldn’t have been as good otherwise

[@SheilaRough]

A lot of people complained that Jennifer didn't look like she'd been starving, when Katniss and her mother & sister were actually eating better than most people of the seam due to her hunting & gathering and Prim's goat In the book, Peeta father often bought squirrels from Katniss. He came to see her before they left and promised that he'd make sure that her sister wouldn't starve Madge the mayor's daughter was Katniss only friend in her year at a school. Gale was 2 years older😊

[@Lilliaace]

The avox does actually appear in the first film. But they're a VERY minor NPC type character, and it's only very briefly. No one brings attention to them, which is why most people miss this when they watch the film.

[@silverbrumbyfan]

Worst change for me was the dogs, I was so angry when I saw they were basically just hellhounds. Its one of my favourite moments because of the shock value but no just completely miss the point, again

[@the-inatorinator]

I understand why they made the change, but I really think they could have made them look kind of look like the tributes just as a little nod to those who read the books. It wouldn't have been hard to give them the tributes' eyes and fur and add a quick dramatic reaction shot from Katniss, and they would still be generically terrifying dogs to the movie-only audience.

[@Nick_C1997]

@@the-inatorinatorApparently, the film makers tried to implement the tribute resemblance thing to the dogs, but they scrapped the idea because they couldn’t find a way to not make it look silly

[@emilyrcronin]

My main problem with the movie is .... that it exists?? The book was so visceral and terrifying because it was from katniss's perspective, and watching it play out in the third person is a tad voyeuristic. Watching it for entertainment, as so many do, is awfully similar to what the citizens of the Capital were doing. Then there's the issue of things like maybelline putting out a Capital themed make up line, which is again just really fucking weird. Team Peeta/Team Gale nonsense which feels superlatively out of place. And the fact that so many of the social critiques in the book get washed away for the spectacle of it all. I thought the book was really good and thought-provoking, but the movie missed the mark for me.

[@deawallach3404]

The movies needed the first person narration that the books had.

[@Aj.Ryan12]

Dea Wallach Narration doesn’t work so well in movies but an jnsteresting idea might be the “over the shoulder” style that 1917 has. 1917 is filmed in such a way that you feel as though you’re with the main characters, which ups the tension in a lot of scenes. If the ‘games’ portion was filmed in a way that you feel like you’re “with” katniss, it would feel a lot more tense

[@clumsytriangle2436]

You read my mind. I couldn't have said it better. Overall, the depth of the characters and their relationships/interactions were very superficial and bland in the movies.

[@RabblesTheBinx]

I dunno that the whole "voyeurism" argument is valid. These are fictional characters from our perspective and we all know it, whereas the people in the Capital were watching real (from their perspective) children killing each other. It's like the difference between playing Pokémon and participating in real-world dogfighting: it's just not really comparable.

[@Cometstarlight]

Still sad that they didn't include Haymitch's original entrance in which he is so freaking drunk at the reaping that he falls over and off the stage. That made me laugh so hard while reading the book.

[@munromister777]

I think whether or not an author's input on a movie is important depends on the quality of the author and the quality of the source material. Collins' input helped keep the adaptation good, while authors like Meyer or James tanked their adaptations by being too close to the source material. Not letting Rick Riordan give input on the Percy Jackson movies hugely tanked those movies, but not letting Stephen King have input in Kubrick's Shining made it a more memorable movie.

[@SheilaRough]

To be fair, Stephen King wrote & directed Maximum Overdrive during the height of his substance abuse

[@jmalmsten]

Though... if I cannot appreciate the story experience from just watching the film and not reading the book. If so much of the good experience hinges on me reading the book before the film... then... is it really that good of an adaptation?

[@Dominic-Noble]

+jmalmsten Yes. The problem is its a good adaptation at the expense of being a good stand alone film.

[@MrsXanatrix]

+The Dom I would argue that in order for a film to make a truly good adaptation, things that are in both the book and the movie, need to be established not only in the book, but also the movie and that by not establishing Kaniss's seeming lack of emotion as part of her backstory (which the book did), the movie commited a blunder both as a sand alone movie and as an adaptation. Sometimes you can get away with leaving out backstory in a movie, since time constraints are a problem, but in this case it made the movie worse

[@JaysPlace20]

+jmalmsten Honestly, I saw the movie before reading the book, and I remember liking it very much. After reading the book, however, I came to appreciate the film on a whole new level, due to how close it stuck to the source in terms of both story and characters. With that being said, I do believe that you will likely enjoy the film more after having read the book, but it's also entirely possible to appreciate the experience without having been familiar with the source material beforehand. I would say this also goes for the sequels, all of which remain incredibly faithful to the books' story and characters while also expanding on a few details, and even upping a few characters' roles, but I'm sure The Dom will be covering that when he eventually reviews those as well. Actually, considering Mockingjay was split into two films, that makes me wonder whether he'll be covering both parts in one video or give each its own video. Probably the latter, but only time will tell on that one.

[@JaysPlace20]

+MrsXanatrix Except that the backstory was clearly established (albeit briefly), and the disconnect Katniss felt with the world because of it was easily recognizable. I originally saw the movie before reading the book, and I was able to understand that the first time around. Therefore the movie still succeeded on both sides. With that being said, I will maintain that I did end up appreciating the film even more after reading the book, but did not require it to enjoy the film in the first place.

[@vindeltrapp]

I actually liked the film better than the book, mostly because the prose of the book bothered me a bit, and I felt that the Katniss-only point of view was limiting. I enjoyed getting out of her head and seeing the stuff that went on outside the arena as well. But then again, I read the book first, so I had more context for the film. I've seen the films with people who haven't read the books, though, and they've liked them.

[@teheyepatch]

I 100% agree that Peeta got a downgrade. I loved Peeta in the books, and he was so bland in the movies and hardly did anything. I think they should have cast a better actor.

[@contactfront5212]

I especially hate that they left out the part where Peeta mercy-kills the tribute who lit the fire. That scene was important to his character because it added to the possibility that he was betraying Katniss and also willing to get his hands dirty, whatever his motivation may be. The movie just made him look too innocent and stripped him of any hint of moral ambiguity, whereas in the book he’s much more mysterious and Katniss can’t figure out if he’s friend or foe up until he saves her, which was one of my favorite parts of the story. But he definitely improved in the later movies.

[@faycoleman9023]

I don't think that's completely fair to say. Most of Peetas more interesting traits are not presented as such or are cut out to give more highlight to badass Katniss. If they had presented some of those traits the way they were in the book maybe the actor could have done a better job.

[@nikebauschaum4714]

@@contactfront5212 Him mercy-killing the tribute is an interesting take. I interpret it as the game makers wanting to wait with sounding the canon because they anticipated Katniss to be spotted and killed by the Careers within minutes.

[@contactfront5212]

@Nike Bauschaum “Was she dead?” asks the boy from District 2. “No. But she is now,” says Peeta. Just then, the cannon fires. I think that makes it pretty indisputable the tribute was still barely alive. Maybe Peeta didn’t actually finish her off, maybe he just comforted her while she died. Unless he himself figured out Katniss was nearby, which I personally find highly improbable. But either way, I think the implication is still there, as well as the implication Peeta might still be a villain, the latter of which I care most about. But you’re certainly welcome to your interpretation.

[@ginao6810]

Fay Coleman Peeta got the Ron Weasley treatment. In the books Ron was funny and loyal and had strengths and weaknesses balances out by Harry and Hermione. In the books most of his good lines, actions and exposition*** was given to Hermione because the film makers were so enamoured with Emma Watson. The end result being that Hermione had all the answers and zero flaws, and Ron was a dope who tagged along. (*** some of the exposition they gave Hermione made no effing sense. Part of Ron’s original function, as a born wizard, was to explain the wizarding world to Harry and Hermione (and the audience), who both grew up in the muggle world. In the films, especially the latter ones, they would give much of this to Hermione in moments where there is really no reason Hermione would know it and Ron wouldn’t. Especially when they are talking about nuances in wizarding society - ie not something obscure Hermione would have read about in a book. ⬅️ none of this has anything to do with Peeta, it’s just been pissing me off for 15 years) Peeta was stripped of anything nuanced, morally ambiguous, or frankly interesting, to make Katniss look cool. Which is stupid, because if you can only make your girl hero look cool by weakening your male hero, you’re a crappy storyteller!

[@randimatsuzaki8461]

I’m glad they didn’t have her over emotional. I grew up in extreme conditions and also emotionally shut down. Movies always seem to have female characters do what I assume men imagine we do. The lead doesn’t do that here I assume because the author is female and can write from what feels right and not rely so much on tropes. I appreciate that I saw what I recognize as an authentic portrayal. Emotional walls may not be as flashy, but they are more representative of real lived experiences and less detrimentally stereotypical.

[@shadowprincess3724]

“By design I’ve only read the first book and seen the first film. Time will tell if this technique is better or worse in the long run.” Literally 2 videos later “Yeah that was a stupid rule.”

[@XanderVJ]

This was one of the episodes I was looking forward to the most. And it didn't dissapoint. :) Although I think you missed one small change in the film that I thought was for the better: in his final moments, Cato is made a bit more sympathetic than in the book. He basically curses his fate and, frustrated, screams to the audience if they are having a good time with all that slaughter. Other than that, you got pretty much everything. Now, can't wait to see the videos about "Catching Fire" and "Mockinjay".

[@captaintaco979]

Holy shit, I just realized that there's an alternate universe where Jennifer Lawrence played Bella and Kristen Stewart is Katniss.

[@lexalina132]

Get out. XD

[@Kimiya]

I think that was because her character in Zathura was so much better written than Bella. Really liked her in Zathura! But I really like the thought +CaptainTaco97! If Kristen Stewart would've been Katniss it would be funny because Peetas Actor played her sibling in Zathura?

[@TheSufferingDarkness]

reading journey Maybe that’s why they didn’t cast her

[@mickodooku6058]

There's another one where Katniss is played by Seth Rogan and it's very weird.

[@allisonswaim8535]

@@TheSufferingDarkness yuh6eeqa5rttrr2

[@theamazingbiff]

Regarding her poker face, you might enjoy another KZbinr called Cinema therapy. A therapist goes through the whole trilogy as an exploration of PTSD and complex PTSD. It's very well done, and gives a whole new perspective on the character and how it's performed..

[@daniellado2523]

I would love for the Dom to one for Battle Royale. They left out a lot of character backstory in the movie.

[@whensomethingcriesagain]

It would have to be a 3 way... BATTLE ROYALE between the novel, the manga, and the movie.

[@melodramatic7904]

I tried reading the manga and gave up after number 2 because it was so damn depressing and dark. They were well written though. :)

[@hitchhicker2013]

Alright so you've convinced me to read the book. Damn it and I was so content on just hating it because it was popular.

[@Dominic-Noble]

+hitchhicker2013 Excellent ^_^

[@TheStraatjutter]

+The Dom i read that in the voice of mr burns XD

[@Dominic-Noble]

+Tom Bruggeman Eeexxxcellent O_o

[@TheStraatjutter]

The Dom literacy must be sinister.

[@hitchhicker2013]

+Tom Bruggeman Well it was already sexy so why not?

[@yarocat9585]

“Somewhat” dystopian????????? Understatement of the century

[@darkknight5541]

There's a small change that I always thought was interesting involving Katniss's pin. In the book, all of the tributes are allowed a token from home in the arena, with Katniss's pin being hers. It's never addressed in any meaningful way in the first book, other than Katniss mentioning a tribute in a previous year trying to sneak poison inside with theirs. In the film, while the idea of tokens isn't mentioned, Cinna making the shushing motion when he shows it sewn into her uniform implies its something he managed to sneak in and not allowed, implying he's truly on her side.

[@Matrim42]

Having just reread the book, the careers absolutely did go around laughing and joking and obviously enjoying themselves (until things start getting rough for them), though they didn’t do any mocking impressions.

[@Tomwithnonumbers]

I really enjoyed this one, admittedly I do adore the books and films so hearing you praise them in the end made me feel even more positive towards it =D I think one of the things I like about the books (apart from really connecting with the media/third world angle) is that, for such a broad just-go-with-it concept, they're surprisingly detail focused. Someone who hadn't read the books was discrediting the premise arguing that a soft capital could never supply people to an efficient hard military and I was pretty sure the books had actually taken that into account. And yep, the soldiers are mainly recruited from District 2, a much richer and well-treated district. And when you look in real life you can see all sorts of examples in that from British colonial armies to the Roman system. Sure not everything 100% hangs together, but it really feels like most angles were considered.

[@Aster_Iris]

So...something about Peeta that I noticed that is absolutely hilarious. He's a baker by trade. Pita, though spelled differently, is a kind of bread pronounced the exact same way his name is. ...I see what you did there, Ms. Collins, I see what you did.

[@rebeccaliar9873]

Also, you completely left out how the concept of tesserae was barely explained in the film.

[@nadiamozerhusain4259]

Well, he can't cover everything.

[@noelle982]

@Mason Moore Getting extra rations of flour or oil and the like in exchange for your name being entered an extra time

[@katherinemorelle7115]

Amazing Hello and that was a big thing between Madge (who was also left out of the movies) and Gale. Madge was worried because her name was in 4 times. Gale had something like 42 entries. It showed that even within districts, there were still “richer” and poorer families. Tesserae and the existence of Madge were things that really fleshed out the world. And unfortunately, that fleshing our is something they usually give up when adapting to movie form, given the time constraint.

[@timothylaiwg]

They totally left out the Avox, which is one of the most tragic part of the books!

[@camillebatista1875]

xf"xf"w

[@cjstanky]

The removal of Cato's reaction to Clove's death was bugged me a bit especially since it played into a lot of the last parts of the narrative. It shows that despite being tykebombs trained to kill, the careers are still kids who are placed into a horrific situation (they may have volunteered for the games, but the fact that there is a games to volunteer for makes them victim of the capital simce the benefits given to victors and their districts creates the careers in the first place). It also explains why Katniss and Peeta are given that reprieve from being hunted by Cato. Peeta was delirious at that point and Katniss wasn't super mobile so she would in theory be a better target than a well prepared Thresh who's fit, dug in, and not having to worry about a wounded tribute splitting resources with. But Thresh being killed by Cato indicates he chose to go after the arguably more difficult target because of vengeance for Clove. It also is a nice way to build Cato as the final boss for Katniss by having him takeout someone like Thresh setting up some nice stakes (which get subverted a bit by the mutt attacks indicating that no matter how scary Cato is, its the Capital that is the true horror of the games)

[@78jujubs]

The thing is, the fact that you only liked the movie after reading the book isn't an uncommon thing, it's actually super common. The book fills in alot of the gaps the movie leaves, and basically explains everything that the movie should've explained itself. The only reason this movie does so well in my opinion, is that the fans of the book are able to enjoy it because it's essentially the same thing as the book, but incredibly cropped with holes in it. Fans are able to just smooth over all the holes and unexplained things because they already know the context and missing information. This doesn't make the hunger games a good movie, in fact, if you look up the reviews of this movie from people who haven't read the book, there will be a general confusion. Idk, the movie just failed my expectations.

[@michaelfraser1073]

It’s a minor thing, but it amuses me no end that when Cinna shows Katniss the Mockingjay pin, he whispers ‘shhh’ like it’s a secret he smuggled in. In the book, they were allowed a ‘district token’. One of the Careers lost hers as it was found out it could actually be used as a weapon.

[@PlantaWho]

13:32 that itty bitty little thing is Isabelle Fuhrman from The Orphan and she'll kill in a heartbeat.

[@rebeccaliar9873]

Um, why are you saying Haymitch's name like Hammish?

[@AquaLantern]

+Nathanael Unger close enough

[@morganyoung3557]

That was what I was wondering too, but at least it was close to his name.

[@Upper_echelon_exotics]

I thought it was different... I didn't trust my own memory.

[@lapolilla2478]

I still hate Jennifer Lawrence's performance. I get that Katniss was supposed to be stoic, but this is where a change in medium really should dive differences in adaptation. In the book, Katniss being stoic is fine because we can read her inner thoughts. With cunning and manipulation being so important in her survival, understanding her thought process is really important to our investment. In the movie we don't get any of that. We just get stone faced Jennifer Lawrence doing things. You don't need to make her overly emotional, just tweek the character performance to better suit a visual medium.

[@XanderVJ]

+La Polilla Well, the problem is that the book explicitly states that Katniss has trained herself to not emote at all. It has to be a really overwhelming emotion for her to show it in her face (usually seeing other people die in front of her), which is when Lawrence drops the wood. As Dom says, it's a conundrum. :S

[@lapolilla2478]

I know. I'm saying in this instance being accurate isn't the best choice for the film necause, as the reader is no longer privee to Katniss's thoughts and feelings, it takes away that connection to her character. Instead were left with an ice queen we can't relate to

[@authoralysmarchand4737]

@@XanderVJ I agree with La Polilla. The real people in the Apollo 13 near-disaster were very calm the entire time, and didn't need to explain to each other why they did what they did. Listen to the audio recordings. They sound almost bored telling command they've got a problem, and command sounds bored in replying. But the audience wouldn't understand how they were so calm or why they were modifying things the way they were. So they had to externalize a lot of things and explain the why's to each other as a way of explaining to the audience. Otherwise we'd have had a movie where they calmly report the problem, calmly figure out a way to get back alive, then arriving home, and being all like..."So what's for dinner, June?" That would be boring, though accurate.

[@tdark987]

12:26 His character was actually one of my favourite aspects of this adaptation. In the novels, the only thing we’re ever really told about him is that he had an “unfortunate sentimental streak”. The film lets us witness this first-hand right from the very first scene - where his interview epitomises the whole “forgetting the original purpose of the Hunger Games” mentality - and builds on it throughout; from his utterly perplexed response when Snow asks hims why the Games need a victor, to the way he allows himself to be persuaded to bend the rules because of the burgeoning “love” between Peter and Katniss (where it’s heavily implied that Seneca was responsible for that initial announcement, and that Snow was the one who later overruled him and annulled it, basically leaving him in a no-win situation). His subsequent execution by forced “suicide” with the hemlock/nightshade hybrid was pretty anachronistic though: it seems like the writers confused the Romans and the Greeks for that part. :-P

[@Sate12]

A small detail added to the movie: "Fox Face" is seen studying edible plants and other flora in the region. This leads to a theory that "Fox face" intentionally unalived herself to save Peeta

[@thats4thebirds]

Watching your old videos after getting into your newer ones first makes me really appreciate your outfit glow up lol Digging the videos as always!

[@sarafontanini7051]

WHY DID THEY CHANGE THE DOGS!? That design sounds so much more interesting and horrifying than the movie's!

[@KnightsaysNi]

I was really looking forward to that, especially with the eyes, and was incredibly disappointed with what we actually got.

[@Sifu-intraining]

I thought Katniss looked too well fed in the movie I also thought that they did Hamish diffently in the movie which I didn't like

[@anonb4632]

Shane Mcgonigal Jennifer Lawrence said she didn't want Katniss to be too skinny as it would contribute to young girls' brainwashing into anorexia (which happens through other means).

[@bellac6311]

Anon B but it isn’t about anorexia, the only reason Katniss didn’t have enough to eat was because her dystopian government practically starves everyone under their power by taking all their resources. She wasn’t promoting being skinny, because Katniss complains too many times to count about how being starved and so skinny was awful for her and her family. She wasn’t prancing around the seam yelling “Look at my waist!” wanting others to look like her, because she was self conscious about how small and bony she was, and how she wished she had enough to eat. I understand in film that message is hard to transfer because the book was in katiss’s perspective, so we could hear her thoughts, but the films just had visuals, with no explanation that was of significance. Jen was right in what she said, however it doesn’t apply to the book.

[@abigailmarsh772]

Bella Crafts you’re right it’s just we kinda have to accept that even if a character should be unhealthily thin we can’t (and shouldn’t) expect actors to harm themselves for a role

[@CeltycSparrow]

I agree. I know in the books they establish that after her father died, her mother fell into a very deep depression, so Katniss was forced to essentially become a parent to Prim when she was just a child herself and she also became the breadwinner of the family and she learned to hunt and gather wild plants and fruits in the woods with Gale and trade at the Hobb, so her family has it a BIT more to eat than most in District 12...but they also make it a point to illustrate how poor District 12 is....like some people go hungry so their children can eat and they consider bread and blackberries a FEAST, kind of poor.

[@jellybean1528]

Anon B Even families like Peeta’s that were better off had to eat old bread or burnt bread that no one wanted to buy, like he was well fed but it wasn’t pretty for anyone.

[@whatalsaid]

I'm re-reading Hunger Games right now, and man is it good. You get a lot more detail into why Katniss is the way she is than you do in the movie, and the part where she's explaining the time when Peeta threw the burnt bread at her and the events that lead up to it genuinely broke my heart.

[@omniviewer2115]

I remember reading way back when that there was controversy over casting Jennifer Lawrence. Apparently, there were quite a few people who claimed that Katniss may not have been Caucasian in the book, based on a few select lines, and this was considered another example of Hollywood whitewashing. Not that anyone cared after the movie premiered.

[@MissyMona]

There was a lot of strange disconnects regarding color in the movie adaption. If my memory serves correct Katniss was olive skinned. And there wasn't a clear skin tone for her district. Just that they often looked dirty from the coal mining. In the movie the majority of district 12 all looked like white settlers. The majority of district 11 were all black and worked on the farms.. It seemed a lil awkward to say the least, not a big issue just noticeable.

[@emilygrey6603]

I remember the "Olive skin" description used for her (and Gale too if memory serves). And then how Prim and her mother stood out as they had lighter features. Again, not 100% sure so please correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't exactly read the books lately.

[@MissyMona]

Pretty sure you're right. Apparently the richer half of the district had lighter skin.

[@rominarad3984]

yea im like 99.99% she wasnt supposed to be white (along with most of the lower districts) and that it prb white washing. Thicc oof that no one cared tho

[@primmoore6232]

Good review, Dom! Thank you for stating that the *ONLY* link between HG & Battle Royale is kids killing each other. I lived neared where they filmed this and have toured District 12. The houses and Peeta's Bakery are just up the hill from the dam she ran across. *North Carolina" is beautiful!

[@zachstump1800]

I miss the fact that when clove died Cato cried and told her to come back. I made Cato somewhat good.

[@jellybean1528]

Zach Stump or his rage rather than sadism that made him more human

[@kadebrockhausen]

"In a somewhat dystopian future." Yep. Only somewhat.

[@AbsolXGuardian]

I would of preferred if Kattniss had a hearable monologue and flashbacks. Most of the things in extra scenes were people talking about things Katniss told you.

[@calebpike]

WOULD OF?

[@christiandevey3898]

I honestly cried at the end when peta found out that katniss was only pretending to love him

[@underscore_ditto]

author writing the screenplay is good huh? someone obviously hasnt seen crimes of gridelwald

[@Kairos_Akuma]

Found another thing they changed. The Horn in the Arena was described as Golden - not Black \o

[@TheJthedog]

Calhaora Lightsbane I think that can be chopped up to a black horn looking better on screen then a golden one.

[@nadiamozerhusain4259]

Story wise, that doesn't really matter.

[@pablobarboza8446]

That's not a big deal

[@jellybean1528]

And had texture like it was a basket or something

[@bewilderbeastie8899]

I remember reading somewhere that some people view Katniss as aromantic, which explains her naivete towards Gale and Peeta: she doesn't feel romantic love, so she doesn't get it when people feel it towards her. Which I think is a nice interpretation, although, as always, it would be nicer to see it openly addressed in-story (not just the Hunger Games, but in any story whatsoever - asexuals and aromantics never get any positive portrayals. :/)

[@midgetwthahacksaw]

Bewilderbeastie That is, if the author meant to write her that way. When I read it, I got the feeling she was more focused on real life issues. Her mother's decaying health, feeding and looking after her sister, taking on the role of provider for the family, and then surviving the Games. She was just more "career" driven than anything else and kept her priorities centered around her family. She just didn't have time for "love" and petty teenage angst. In fact, I'd say she took over the "father" role more so than "mother". Mostly because her mother, though sick and low functioning, is still alive. "Father", however, is available because he's dead so she takes on that sort of persona. Katniss never had the time to be a little girl. She had to grow up and do it fast, therefore maturing in a harsh reality that wasn't going to be "soft". There was no tine to think about the cute boy next door, not when there isn't enough food to feed the family and chores to be done. Katniss prioritized responsibly, family, and real world problems instead of daydreaming. She's certainly straight because she realizes later that she does love Peta, but by then she also realizes that she's a "veteran". She's a soldier come home from war who doesn't know how to enjoy life that ISN'T filled with death, loss, and violence. But, the important thing is . . . she tries. She tries hard. She wants to be happy. She wants to be in love. She wants to be that soft, kind mother HER mother was. But, she can't be soft, she doesn't know how to be anything other than what she is. But, Peta still loves her and it's through that unwavering loyalty and love and sacrifice that Katniss is able to find some sort of solace and normalcy. Peta isn't going to let her go because she's damaged, he's going to stand with her every step of the way. That's the love story of Peta and Katniss. A real one that isn't going to paint love as a colorful, bright, shiny rainbow. It's raw, rough, and coarse. It's filled with suffering and hardships. But it's through that darkness that light can be seen. That's the beauty if it.

[@Crimson_Cheetah]

Midgetwithahacksaw That was beautifully said.

[@morganyoung3557]

Just because Katniss wasn’t constantly thinking of getting in the pants of either Gale or Peeta it doesn’t automatically mean that she is asexual and/or aromantic. She was very concerned with keeping her family alive at the time and that took priority over her love life. Also people take the part about her never wanting children as proof, but she only felt that way because she didn’t want a child who had a strong chance of being Reaped and she couldn’t save because she would then be too old to volunteer for the child or she could have a son and she could only volunteer for another girl. We also don’t know how this was what the author intended for character of Katniss either. Also it is rather annoying that asexual people seem to think that people are not only think about sex and let it rule their lives. They don’t want to be stereotyped, but they are willing to do that to people who are not like them.

[@OneWingedHoneybee]

Why do people who identify as asexual think anyone who isn't asexual is just constantly thinking about fucking and nothing else? This portrayal of people (i.e the naive asexual who has the mentality of a five year old and doesn't understand relationships, and the non-asexual who is constantly trying to find their way into the pants of the person nearest to them) has confused an entire damn generation of Tumblr users into thinking they are asexual simply because sex isn't the one thing ruling their mind. I see a lot of "ace" people saying "I will have/enjoy sex, I just don't focus on it!" Congrats, you aren't asexual, you're a normal functional person.

[@adamfletcher6032]

OneWingedHoneybee well that was aphobic as all fuck! ace people can still have and enjoy sex, asexual does not mean complete and utter aversion to sex, it means no sexual attraction. Some ace people have sex to please their partner, some do it for just the stimulation, and some want to have children. Also, referring to people who are not asexual as “normal functioning” gives off an extremely harmful idea that ace people are abnormal, or broken.

[@niafenn6710]

Do you have any plans to do a lost in adaptation on the rest of the franchise? If so I think your thoughts may change on the omission of Madge Undersee.

[@themwhiskers2067]

how about an ep about "V for Vendetta"?

[@calebpike]

Some of The Dom's other videos have been 'in name only' adaptations, like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

[@MorgothBauglire]

-i think this movie sucked-

[@AllShadesAreGray]

I have to say it...if you think Jennifer Lawrence was not emoting, you weren’t looking closely? It’s in her eye and lip acting. It’s subtle, but once you watch for the minute movements of her face, you see how well she did with the part. It is true that Hollywood often depicts teens as exaggerated or overdramatic in their expressions. Glad they didn’t do that here, even if it might have led to some unmet expectations.

[@Hewylewis]

Peter S. Beagle did the screenplay for The Last Unicorn and Louis Sacher did the screenplay for Holes. :D

[@LadyTylerBioRodriguez]

+Hewylewis Hewy, you really do like the Last Unicorn. I can relate, I talk ungodly often about Beauty and the Beast as well. Both great films. Didn't know the writer of the book helped with Holes. Was that the film with a young Shia Labouef where he becomes part of a chain gang?

[@Hewylewis]

Tyler Bioshock R Indeed, it is. Pretty damn good book AND movie! :)

[@LadyTylerBioRodriguez]

Might have to check it out again, I remember Shia was a actually pretty good as a kid, hell he CAN be good nowadays, he just chooses to be a punk.

[@doggytheanarchist7876]

I have not read the books, but I did grow up in a dangerous situation (ofc nothing like this story) And I saw Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss as a surprisingly accurate representation of what a teen might be like, surviving extreme circumstances. Being not only, willing to sacrifice herself for her sister, but having such a deep love and obligation towards her, that there really is no choice in her mind. It's just something she does, because that's how she is. Her stoic face has been necessary for survival throughout her upbringing. Coz showing emotions is being vulnerable and she can't afford vulnerability. Maybe that's also part in why she's so seemingly oblivious about Peeta and his love for her, coz it's just not her scope of what she can expect from humans. Katniss survivors guilt. Her internal hell, is what she could have done differently, to help someone else better. Down to the ending, where she's showing all of us that, though life might be good now. She's never really gonna be ok. Coz that's how trauma works.

[@ThePa1riot]

18:13 Oh I know exactly what you mean The Dom. My own mind is such a frustrating mystery to me sometimes.

[@PlanetZoidstar]

I wonder how it took HOURS for Cato to be torn apart by the mutant dog monsters, you'd think they would have done him in pretty quick.

[@The_amazing_dust]

He had some type of special protection armour, that he got in the backpack during the feast. Also it's hinted, that the fallen tributes were taking revenge on Cato and prolonging his death.

[@esmenouvelle9439]

If you have to have read the book, then the movie has failed. It's the responsibility of the film makers to establish the world, the characters and the situation.

[@totalCoolerUsername]

Currently binging the Doms vids and I'm really impressed by the constantly great quality through the years and how he even improved it 👌

[@midnightsun40]

You forgot that they changed the colour of the cat. That pissed 12 year old me way too much.

[@erinella]

I love revisiting your reviews of this series, Dom. The Hunger Games is my favourite trilogy and your reviews of the movie adaptation of each book are detailed and fair. These videos were what cinched it for me and I subscribed ^_^

[@UIAL570]

I actually found the first movie extremely alike the book. I understand there is not a lot of character development but I think that’s just something that happens in films. That’s why we read books!

[@firelight09]

I think it's important to have characters who are more closed off and more comfortable with themselves than around people. It was nice to relate to a MC.

[@l.tc.5032]

Madge wasn't superfluous.

[@JC_Cali]

Still upset about leaving out how she got the Mockingjay pin and that the Mutts didn't look like the fallen tributes.

[@КинТацу]

There's one major problem in the film tho. They kinda lost the word "hunger" in the hunger games. Everyone looks well-fed, but more importantly, the hunger itself isn't so prominent in the plot and character's lives. In the book - you know they are not just putting up with all the bullying from the capitol - they are too starved and tired to rebel. And the bread Peeta gave Katniss is not just a good gesture - it saved her life and her family members' lives. And the games also do lean on hunger aspect - no, it's not okay they brushed off Katniss almost dying from thirst in the beginning, - it was pretty damn important. And so on and so forth. I mean, it's not like they didn't include that at all, but it's way less significant in the film, or at least feels like it, so i consider it to be a pretty bad case of yes, maybe staying true to the source material, but loosing very important stuff along the way - mood, atmosphere, themes.

[@myfanwyharlow8240]

the biggest change i think was the fact that in the book when katniss volunteers effie says 'don't want her to steal all the glory do we' this shows how the capitol does not see the hunger games the way the districts do, they don't really process the deaths.

[@binifarmer4045]

Could you do A Clockwork Orange next?

[@pajamanerd7633]

your opinion of Jennifer Lawrence was almost exactly to the letter how I felt about Kristen Stewart after the first Twilight. Reread the book, saw her in other things and went, 'oh, I get it. The character's blank, so that's how she played it.' Twas a realization.

[@2wingo]

To anybody who claims that Hunger Games is a rip-off of Battle Royale, I reply that you might as well say that Battle Royale is a rip-off of Richard Bachman's The Running Man, which came out 14 years prior, or The Long Walk, which came out 17 years prior.

[@pinkajou656]

EMOTE GIRL EMOTE DARN YOU YOU’RE IN THE FREAKING MOVIE NOT WATCHING IT

[@GoldenEye50]

Who’s gonna see the ballad of songbirds and snakes ?

[@gennybaratta2460]

Who wants Dom to do a Lost in Adaptation for Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

[@The_amazing_dust]

It sucks that the movie left out the part, that Katniss was acting her part in the star-crossed lovers relationship. It adds a whole new layer to both her and Peetas character and their relationship. Especially at the end of the book, where it becomes clear, Peeta wasn't in on the acting gig during their time in the arena and actually meant it, while Katniss did not.

[@KaltatheNobleMind]

also ... 1) what kind of bird do you have for a pet? 2) do you pet it? 3) is it soft?

[@madsstokes]

I will never not cry at even just the name Rue.

[@anonymous_wednesday]

my biggest gripe was the casting age everyone was FAR too old for this. part of the horror was that these weren’t just people fighting to the death, but specifically the nation’s CHILDREN. you literally aged out of the program once you hit adulthood. i feel like that aspect was really neglected

[@ChaoticMoon1]

I'm re-reading the series currently and I love your videos

[@DetectiveSpratt]

Isn't there also a passing mention of Katniss being...something other than white? I don't know exactly what it entails, but there's definitely a line where she reflects on having 'olive' skin or something.

[@TheDailyDaysAndGuns]

I haven't read the book so I can't say one thing or the other about that, but white people can have olive skin tones. o_o A lot of italians/greeks I think have olive skin tones.

[@DetectiveSpratt]

+TheDailyDaysAndGuns Fair enough. In any case, Jennifer Lawrence is still pretty pale in contrast to what the book described. In my opinion.

[@TheDailyDaysAndGuns]

+Jack Spratt Yeah, that's fine! I didn't mean it as a defense of how she looks in the movie. : ) just commenting on the skin tone thing.

[@freyatopper5134]

I believe it's said that the "Seam" people had dark hair, olive skin and grey eyes. The was a very brief description that the merchant kids ( the rich ) have blonde hair.

[@pxnxd68]

I don't have the book in front of me so copy pasting off of the Wiki: "Katniss has long dark brown hair, which she normally pulls back into a long braid, olive skin and gray eyes. She is small in stature and thin for her age as she was generally malnourished because of her district's poverty. She is thus one of the smallest tributes in her Games, but due to her outdoor life, she is strong for her size." The use of 'olive' does have more of a Mediterranean implication, aforementioned Italians/Greeks in particular, but there's nothing that explicitly says that she was (or wasn't) white; given that her sister was described as having blonde like their mother, it's possible that she is also biracial as her father was, to my knowledge, given no description. I *think* it's said that she inherited his grey eyes but I could be wrong.

[@TheNameJohnny]

Your videos have inspired me with my channel so much! Thank you

[@midgetwthahacksaw]

The music is so Brilliant though!

[@nolanddean5680]

My biggest problem with the movie is that the hopeless situation of the districts is not shown in the movie. You just see that their life is hard, but you don't see how close they are to starve every day. But the rest of THIS movie is really fine.

[@gravestoneXD2]

Woo, does that mean you'll do a lost in adaptation of Battle Royale one day? It bothers me that everyone forgets {or don't know} that it was a book and a manga adaptation [which in itself is amazing])

[@TheSharbear14]

So glad that you finally did an episode on this book. I'm not so good at reading books that fast. Usually it takes me a couples weeks or months to finish it. I finished The Hunger Games in 1 week.

[@samtmh7240]

I can understand and forgive pretty much all the changes except for the end of the games with the dogs. I literally read the whole book in one sitting, and I remember being so horrified with the dogs in the books it still sticks with me. I was so disappointed they didn't include such a key detail that I feel would only add to the story.

[@christopherclack660]

Getting off of work and a Lost in Adaptation episode is waiting are the best Mondays.