Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
The Hunger Games Part Two: Key Plot Points
60 Plays12 days ago
📖✨ In this episode of Book Watch, we’re diving into the Plot Breakdown of 2008's The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and its 2012 adaptation of the same name. How well did the film capture the heart of the book? What changes worked—and which ones missed the mark?
In Part 2, we’ll explore:
✅ Plot changes, major omissions, and how well the adaptation stayed true to the book’s themes.
Join host Sarah-Daye and her guest, J Scotty Sinclair one more time as they break down what worked, what didn’t, and whether this adaptation does the book justice. 🎬📚
📌 Tell us your thoughts! Did you love or hate this adaptation? Let’s discuss in The Book Watch Lounge on Facebook 💙
🔗 Follow & Support:
📲 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups.bookwatchlounge
📺 Watch behind-the-scenes: http://patreon.com/BookWatchPodcast
🤳🏼Follow Book Watch on Instagram: www.instagram.com/bookwatchpodcast
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Book Watch Podcast
00:00:08
Speaker
Welcome to Book Watch, the podcast where pages meet screens. I'm your host, Sarah Day. Each week, I'll be joined by amazing guests to dive deep into the world of adaptations, comparing beloved books with their cinematic counterparts.
00:00:23
Speaker
From faithful retellings to bold reimaginings, we'll break down what worked, what didn't, and what made each adaptation unforgettable. Whether you're a bookworm, a movie buff, or both, you are in the right place.
00:00:37
Speaker
So grab your bookmark, grab your popcorn, and let's watch some books.
Exploration of The Hunger Games Adaptation
00:00:46
Speaker
Hello, listeners, and welcome back to part two of The Hunger Games. I am here with J. Scottie Sinclair again. Welcome back. Thank you so much. Good to be back.
00:00:57
Speaker
And on today's episode, part two is where we dive into the key plot points of the story and how well the film adapted those key plot points.
00:01:08
Speaker
So diving right in we open up with an introduction to the scene and ah the reaping itself. And um I believe in the movie Prim wakes up from a dream from a nightmare.
00:01:24
Speaker
In the book, I think it was Katniss that woke up from a dream and then saw her sister sleeping with her mom. Correct. In the book, it's Katniss that wakes up. And if I'm not mistaken, in the movie, actually, even before all of that, we get the opening title sequences that describes the process of the reaping and the history of Penham.
00:01:42
Speaker
And then even before that, you get like an interview with Seneca Crane and Cesar Flickerman, which is right off the bat, having just read the re-read the book and watched this movie for the first time in a long time. I was like, that is that is a departure.
00:01:56
Speaker
Yes. Yes, it is. But again, you it using the game show as a way to tell the story and give that exposition. And that's exactly how they introduced the movie. And so and they continue that on from beginning to end.
00:02:11
Speaker
hmm. Mm hmm. So in the book, we also have we're introduced to Gail through the hunting. And you and then we after they're done hunting, we meet the hob, which is like the underground market.
00:02:24
Speaker
Right. um And we meet some characters. We also meet Madge in the book, who has been cut from the film, who is the mayor's daughter. um Anything else you want to talk about about this introduction and and meeting all these characters? Right.
00:02:38
Speaker
Well, just focusing on Madge a little bit, it's worth mentioning that Madge is actually the one that gives her her mocking J-Pen that becomes her symbol of rebellion, right? So ah certainly a departure there as well. But the other part that was in the book about Madge's character that I kind of appreciated is Katniss's perspective on her. so When she first talks about her, she's really just like refers to her as more of an acquaintance, like ah someone that she has lunch with because they're both loners.
00:03:05
Speaker
But as, you know, this process of the reaping and her becoming volunteer and saying goodbye to everyone, the fact that Madge does come see her um and says goodbye. And there's that sequence earlier on where Gail kind of takes a dig at her and Katniss kind of comes to her defense.
Character and Scene Differences
00:03:20
Speaker
You just really do that realize that while Katniss is a person that kind of holds people at arm's length, Madge was a friend for her. So I think that's just, you know, something that the novel does that unfortunately the movie could not do.
00:03:33
Speaker
Um, that just showing that Katniss is capable of warmness, even though it's just a little different for her. Right. Right, exactly. Yeah. And I think also the emotion behind the pin is taken away. I mean, Prim will give it to her later in the film, but it means something else for her to be given this as a gift instead of finding it and giving it to Prim and then having Prim give it back to her. Right.
00:04:00
Speaker
So it changes the meaning of the pin a little bit in the film. does. Yeah. Yeah. And then like, you know, characters like Greasy Say or Greasy Psy, however that's pronounced. I didn't read. I didn't listen to the audio. I think is how Greasy Say.
00:04:12
Speaker
Okay. um You know, she's not a big deal. I can i can do without that character. who doesn't do a big deal. But then I do think about Peta's father, who's not even named in the book, but he is like, you know, the the baker, right?
00:04:24
Speaker
um Right. He was a character I missed because I just felt like his inclusion did a lot for Peta. um Just to give some context there, you know, ah i'll so I'll save it for later, but some of the things he reveals about his, ah you know, growing up with Katniss's mom and ah and everything like that, how that kind of endeared him to that family from the get-go and PETA by extension.
00:04:45
Speaker
Right. Exactly. Yeah. um So let's talk about The Reaping and how it's explained and how how it's portrayed in the film and the differences or similarities.
00:04:59
Speaker
i thought they I thought they did a pretty faithful job like ah in terms of like the way it was described with the stage and um some of the proceedings. I did think that, I imagine more people there um in the book because I think they do a better job of like describing District 12, it's not limited to the hob and the scene. There's actually like a section of town where things are a little bit nicer.
00:05:21
Speaker
So there's actually like somewhat of a class system, class system and a cast system within district 12 that you don't really get to see. So I feel like they just kind of showed the bare minimum there. They just showed, this is clearly a very poor, uh, blue collar,
00:05:34
Speaker
ah kind of society. And um in terms of making it seem really desperate, I think making it a little bit smaller did make it feel more intimate and tight knit. And um so that was a departure that ah it did work for me.
00:05:47
Speaker
Yeah. And I liked seeing all of the faces of the younger children and how really dire the situation is. Like this is a very intense and scary situation that they're in. And I think all of these extras really portrayed that sense of fear really well.
00:06:02
Speaker
Yeah. Now they choose to not introduce Hamish at all in the film adaptation in this part. And i think I think the reason that they chose to do that, at least in my mind, is like he's pretty comical in the book, right? He's like you know tripping over himself, messing with Effie and stuff like that. So it's kind of a source of comic relief where I don't think they wanted to do that in the movie. They really wanted to hone in on the ah the heartbreaking nature and desperate nature of the reaping. So...
00:06:30
Speaker
In the moment, I was kind of i was like, huh, why are they waiting so late to introduce us to Haymitch? But i do understand the choice, and I do think it's another effective choice in terms of just making that scene really, really sad. and Yes, I
Visual and Emotional Impact in Film
00:06:46
Speaker
agree. And I want to add that even like from the opening of the film, after we get the adjusted position and the the interview with Cesar earlier, And we cut to the seam and we're seeing all these really dirty, sad people. And we don't really leave that again until they enter the train. And we have that contrast. But I think even the coloring and the it just really sets the mood and the tone for not only what their daily life is like, but also what the reaping is like.
00:07:18
Speaker
So then we get ah Prim, her name being called, and then Katniss volunteering, and then, of course, Peeta's name being drawn. And pretty similar from page to screen, i would say. How about you? Yeah, I can't think of any major differences that come to mind. I think Effie might have a line of dialogue about like, hey, normally when we have a volunteer, there's a process to these things.
00:07:42
Speaker
That got cut. But yeah, apart from that, very, very faithful. Yes, and I... I like the contrast. like It's a lot of emotion when Katniss volunteers.
00:07:55
Speaker
And then it kind of like dies back down and Pita's called. And there's kind of a change in the music where you can see, again, Jennifer Lawrence's acting skills phenomenal.
00:08:06
Speaker
You can see the realization of who Pita is to her. And we get little snippets of the flashback to the bread scene. No, actually, i don't think we do at this point, do we?
00:08:17
Speaker
um We might get lucky that come on really one one. Okay. But you can see, even when his name is called, you can see Jennifer react to that.
00:08:28
Speaker
um And I know in the book, we get the information about like they you know growing up. And i she doesn't i I don't remember if she goes into the bread story at this point or not.
00:08:39
Speaker
um I don't think it was needed for the film for that. I like how they added to the flashback each time we saw it. And then we finally get the whole story. um but seeing that she does have a reaction to Peta's name being called, I really appreciate it in the film.
00:08:54
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. And again, like I think that whole sequence is is pretty faithful in terms of like, yeah, we have no idea who Peta is until that moment. And that's just like it is in the book. It's like, oh, there's this new name to consider. And then we get kind of the backstory there. But I think one of the moments on screen that I wish there was a little bit more um is when,
00:09:17
Speaker
Effie asked for applause for the volunteer and they don't applaud. They, you know, they give the three fingered salute. Yes. And you see a little bit of a reaction from Effie, but in the book they do a much better job of like describing like this is something that like the viewers in the Capitol would take. It's like a a sign of defiance. And like I found myself like wishing I was like I i wish we got like a couple of like um Just changes in perspective, like maybe you got to see the Capitol, like viewing this on a screen or something like that to give us an idea that that was happening. But yeah.
00:09:49
Speaker
Right. And we'll get to it later, but we do have another scene with the three finger salute when Ru dies and District 11 does the salute. Although I don't think in the book they actually would know that salute. I think it's a District 12 thing.
00:10:06
Speaker
I believe so. Yeah. But we get that – we know that this is an emotional, respectful gesture. And then, of course, in in the film, we get to see the rebellion that happens in Eleven immediately after that.
00:10:20
Speaker
um Right. So I think we get that visually. We get the – we understand visually in the film what that gesture means that she's not able to explain in the – in the Yeah, I agree. Eventually we get there just like kind of in the moment. i was like, yeah, I wish this had a little bit more oomph behind it, but we get there. here yeah Yeah, I get that.
00:10:41
Speaker
See, for me, music is what really gets me emotional. um at The music adds to what the story is telling and music really gets me. And I think- This moment, but it hits for me because of the music. And it just, everything kind of silences out, but that that orchestra orchestra music in the background. And um you see Katniss kind of reacting to it as well. For sure.
00:11:05
Speaker
But I do, yes, we do get more information on that in the book, of course. So let's fast forward to training and capital life. We, well, actually, but let me back up.
00:11:17
Speaker
Let's talk about the train ride. This is where we get introduced to Haymitch and the introduction is very different. In the book, he is throwing up on himself. They basically have to pick him up out of his own vomit um to take care of him. But they don't go that route in the in the book, but I think that's ok okay.
00:11:35
Speaker
um they still effectively, and I talked about this in the the previous episode, but that's where, you know, it comes down to Woody Harrelson's performance. Like he really does lay everything just like within a few exchanges and a few minutes into that scene, you kind of get everything that you need to know about him.
00:11:53
Speaker
Um, So yeah, I thought and everything that you brought up in terms of like the train sequence is really kind of the first time that you get to see the stark contrast and get to see those expressions on PETA and Katniss's face that they're in a totally different world now.
00:12:08
Speaker
Yeah. Yes.
Capitol's Contrast and Character Depth
00:12:10
Speaker
Going back to Hamish, um the next morning, we meet him and then they everybody storms off. And then we fast forward to the next morning and Katniss sees him and Pita discussing the games and strategy, which did not happen in the book. He was a lot more reluctant in the book. And like you said, a lot more...
00:12:28
Speaker
not even able to have these conversations because of the alcoholism. um So that was an interesting change in the film to have him be sober, hungover, but sober in the, in the train and talking to PETA in that way.
00:12:41
Speaker
yeah Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember that the film ever explicitly points out the fact that he was a survivor.
00:12:55
Speaker
Do they? Like I think they just refer to him as mentor. Now I'm going to have to go rewatch myself. Sorry. They know. That's a good point. Because I mean I think we as viewers know that he was a tribute.
00:13:08
Speaker
But i don't know when we get that information. Right. They must have, they must say it on the train at some point. Yeah. I think, I think there is a passing line of dialogue because I just feel like the, the adaptation would not, you know, that would be a ah huge oversight if that was the case. But ah certainly they don't spend a ton of time on it.
00:13:28
Speaker
But again, with his like first pieces of advice, like just kind of accept that your death is imminent. Again, that kind of shows a little bit like the built up callous, like, he's done this so many times and seen so many kids die. Like it, it makes sense.
00:13:43
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It's tough. And that's, yeah, I do wish they had set spent a little bit more time on that fact in the film. But again, I think Woody Harrelson portrays the,
00:13:58
Speaker
you know, really, ah how do I describe? Hey, bitch. Um, just over it. He's, f he he's, yeah he's heartbroken, you know, he's been heartbroken. What happened to him after his victory. And then every year watching these tributes die.
00:14:13
Speaker
So he's just, he has, he's hopeless until he's not. Until he's not. And that's another thing is ah Peta's mom in the film is the one that says we might finally have a Victor. And she wasn't talking about me, Peta says.
00:14:30
Speaker
Right. So they're they're finally seeing something in Katniss. hey And i was so that's an example of like a line lifted right out book. so Yes. She wasn't talking about me.
00:14:41
Speaker
Right. Poor Peta. Poor Peta.
00:14:46
Speaker
So we arrive at the Capitol and in the book we spend a lot of time talking about the makeovers and um getting their first impressions of the Capitol people and their – particularly their hair and makeup, their prep team. That's what they're called, their prep team. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:15:04
Speaker
Now in the film, the prep team is present. ah They don't have – many lines at all, um if any. So um do you think that it would have been nice to see the prep team a little bit more?
00:15:18
Speaker
Sure, it would have been nice, but I think they serve their purpose in terms of like what we needed to get from them in this adaptation, right? A lot of Katniss's like in the novel, her like her take on them is like, I think she refers to them as like a trio of pets, like birds, like they're kind of like squawking and flurring about her And that's effectively what they do in the in the one scene that they're really given. So I think I think it works. I don't think I needed all that much for the more from them.
00:15:42
Speaker
It would have been nice to see Octavia somewhere in the background just because they describe her of like having dyed all of her skin like a shade of green like that would have just been kind of cool to see and just like hey I recognize that but it wasn't anything that I was like super missing.
00:15:55
Speaker
Sure. um And I think I might be remembering some stuff from future books. So forgive me again for getting too ahead of ourselves. um But I do think they – see, in the film, to me, they just seemed like more of a medical field. Okay.
00:16:11
Speaker
okay I think that's – Setting. Yeah. um And very much not interested in being there. Like they were more interested in each other. And like I know that she talks about them gossiping a lot in the book. But I feel like the book really – gives them more agency in the sense that they're proud of what they're doing and like they like their roles in making this person presentable.
00:16:33
Speaker
I think that's fair because like with everything that I said where Katniss does like look at them kind of like pets, there is like some kind of fondness. Like I even think she has a line where she's like, it's kind of like if you come home after like a really tough day, you've got like this trio of like little animals or whatever. So she does have some level of fondness. And to your point, I do think that comes from the fact that they are helping her because they take ah ah certain level of pride in what they're doing.
00:16:58
Speaker
Yeah. hu Yeah, so that's what I think um I miss from the film. but I think that's fair. They kind of give all of the prep team into Cinna and Peeta's prep team into – I forget i'm his main person. Portia? Portia.
00:17:15
Speaker
um And she's there. i think it's Portia in the audio book. um She's there, but not – No speaking lines, I don't think, at all. um but Not a one. But she's present in the film. Yeah. Okay. um So, again, I think it would have been nice. Out of all of the characters that are cut or pared down, i think the prep teams are what I miss the most.
00:17:38
Speaker
Okay. Yeah. I did not feel that way initially, but the points that you raise are valid points, and I can totally see where you're coming from. Thank you. Mm-hmm. After we're all prepped and ready to be presented to the Capitol, we first have to train and have our assessments.
00:17:55
Speaker
um Again, i thought this was all pretty well done. i mean, we didn't spend more time than we needed. We didn't really cut anything we didn't need to cut. What do you think?
00:18:06
Speaker
I agree. I didn't like as I was watching the film, no qualms with it whatsoever. Thought it was a pretty faithful adaptation. Thought they made some nice choices in terms of like that particular exchange where Katniss gets to tell PETA like, hey, you need to throw that thing. And like they're looking at you like a piece of meat, like an easy target right now. You need to do something.
00:18:25
Speaker
I appreciated that moment. In retrospect, just kind of thinking back on it. I think that would have been a nice place to maybe give us a little more time with some of the other tributes. because And to be fair, in the book, we do not get all that much. But again, being in Katniss's mind so much, we get a little bit about what she thinks about Foxface and some of the other tributes. like That could have been a nice place to do some of that.
00:18:50
Speaker
ah But again, it's it's not a major qualm at all. Sure. i agree. um Even if it was a little bit of dialogue between Katniss and Peeta giving them the nicknames, like I don't want to know their names because I don't want to have attachment to them. Like I've – yeah, sure. I've killed animals. I've never killed people.
00:19:06
Speaker
So not knowing their names and calling her Glimmer and Foxface. um And then, of course, I think that would highlight the relationship she has with Rue later on. Sure, sure. i mean, they do have the moment like you have a shadow and then she gets to like Ru gets to like take the knife from Kato, which was a great moment, which I don't think was in the book.
00:19:24
Speaker
um But yeah, I think like a character like Thresh, like if they had some passing acknowledgments, like I think that would have made. And again, these are just minor gripes. Like I largely I think this is a really great adaptation, but it's just like, yeah, on the page that we get so much more from Thresh than we get in the movie. So, you know, I i do think like yeah that sequence could have been a nice place to do little things.
00:19:44
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. um So, yep, we have our assessments. Now we're on to presenting everybody to the Capitol and really getting ready to enter the games. So we have our interviews with Cesar Flickerman.
00:19:58
Speaker
And this is when PETA announces his little secret. Can I backpedal just a little bit? Absolutely.
Action and Strategy Adaptation
00:20:06
Speaker
I think they kind of feed into each other like going into the interview. But um the choice with Katniss firing her arrow into the the apple in the pig where the the game makers and potential sponsors are in the book – they spend a lot of time on her like fretting and like crying and being really tortured about that decision and the impact that might have on her loved ones.
00:20:30
Speaker
And the movie does not do that at all. It's like she's instantly getting accolades. She's already laughing about it. And everyone's like, whoo girl, like I can't believe you did that. I'm so proud you did that. And Effie is kind of the one like, oh, I don't know if that was a good idea.
00:20:42
Speaker
ah Right. And i we opened that scene with Effie going in on her. And even Sina is like, and Effie shuts him down. And then when Hamish comes in and gives her the thumb ah thumbs up is when she's like, okay, i I kind of feel relieved. But I do agree having a little bit more of a contrast would have been nice.
00:21:00
Speaker
Yeah. But yeah, that does go right into into the interview, kind of her state of state of mind and and how she's feeling, right? Yeah. Mm-hmm. So, yeah.
00:21:11
Speaker
I thought the – Okay. Sorry. No, no, go ahead. Go ahead. but Just in terms of the interview, the depiction of the, we haven't really talked about, we talked about the, the costuming and makeup team, but in terms of like the actual outfits and how they're adapted and put to screen, like this was one of my favorite ones, like this dress and the way that it functioned with her twirling and like igniting, like that is exactly how I envisioned what was written on the books.
00:21:35
Speaker
The black leotards from the chariot opening sequence, not so much like they work, but they're a little different than what I imagined. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. The costume – this whole movie it's with the Capitol especially, getting the visual that Susan Collins writes onto the screen, I really think they nailed it. And like all the costumes and the hair and the makeup and just even the set design, it's just phenomenal.
00:22:01
Speaker
Agreed. Agreed. Yeah. Yeah, they really capture that out of touch capital. yeah Yeah, very much inspired by like the Roman Empire, but also obviously influenced by the the modern day.
00:22:17
Speaker
Yes. um So do you have anything else to say about the actual interviews and how you know the the dialogue between Peta and Caesar and Katniss and Caesar and then the aftermath of that?
00:22:33
Speaker
I did think I appreciated the fact that we actually got to see in real time, PETA and Caesar sniffing each other. Like that was just something like you kind of heard like Katniss referred to, but actually watching it happen in real time was pretty funny.
00:22:46
Speaker
And then, yeah, the, the emotional reaction from Katniss afterwards where she shoves him. I am kind of glad that they didn't do the whole thing where she knocks him down into the ceramics and he cuts his hands and everything like that. Cause I feel like that's,
00:22:59
Speaker
A little overkill in that. But that is one of the things that endeared me to PETA in the book because like I remember the specific line where she comes to the the conclusion and the recognition like he has done me a kindness. like Like Hamish says, he's made you more desirable. He hasn't made you look weak. He's made you more desirable.
00:23:17
Speaker
And she says something or she thinks something to the effect like I have answered his kindness with injury. And so that did, you know, in the book that did warm me up to PETA. But in this instance, I think I think it was it was kind of the right choice for the for the scene. We don't need to have, you know, bloodied up hands right going right into the into the games.
00:23:36
Speaker
Sure. Yeah, definitely. um Let me ask you, what was your I know you saw the film first, but what was your first impression when you saw PETA with the careers?
00:23:50
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Watching the the movie the first time around, I'm trying to put myself back into that headspace because... but I know, it's been some time. But I will admit, even like how I reread the book this time before I rewatched the movie. And when I read the book, like that was a moment that I had kind of slightly forgotten. So when she's up in the tree and like hears him for the first time and it's like,
00:24:11
Speaker
I recognize the voice. It was PETA and the chapter ends on that note and it's such a gut punch. Like it does work. um In the movie, it works as well. But I feel like just like by way of editing and moving on to the next scene, um it's not as effective just because we don't get like that prolonged reaction from Katniss or like, you know, really feeling yeah screwed over or betrayed by him. It's just kind of like, okay, this is the situation. Got to keep pressing on.
00:24:40
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And that's the benefit of books is being able to see that internal dialogue. Yeah. What about you? how did How did that moment hit you though? i'm curious. I don't remember. Okay. So the book, let me scroll back up here, came out in 2008. – ah two thousand and eight so um Yeah, that's a very long time ago. But I'm sure – like you said, okay, the chapter ends on that, right? And that is the reason why I could not put this book down because every single chapter was a cliffhanger. Every single one. And I'm like, well, I can't stop reading now. Like I've got to know what happens next. Like what? She does with the careers? No, this can't be.
00:25:18
Speaker
yeah um So yeah, i I'm sure at that time – was shocked and needed to keep on reading. And as I'm contemplating and thinking about a little bit more, I can't help but kind of like put myself in the position of the book more so than the movie. But ah the book especially does just such a great job of like, at that point, you really don't know what his alliances are. Like this makes sense. Like he has all, all the way along the way, been voicing his doubts. And in every instance where Katniss succeeds, he's,
00:25:51
Speaker
He you you know, that's kind of a mark against him. Like the fact that she gets an 11. That's when he decides like, hey, we need to separate our training here. And so, yeah, they do a really good job of like you really never know whether or not you can you want to trust Peeta. He's the boy with the bread.
00:26:07
Speaker
Right. But he also wants survive and get home to and to see his family. So sure. Yeah, it's it's really well done. And you just mentioned the 11 and then Peeta not wanting to train with her. And in the film when Hamish mentions that and he's like, this happens from time to time, you can really see the hurt on Katniss's face.
00:26:26
Speaker
Absolutely. Just kind of like not so much a betrayal, but kind of like the just shock. And like, i thought we were in this together, but I guess not. Okay. Any final thoughts on everything up until this point before we get into the arena?
00:26:41
Speaker
um no Okay. Are we going to have... Sorry, are have another opportunity to talk about like excluded characters and stuff like that? We can do that now. Well, I guess this is a good point to do it at because the AVOX.
00:26:56
Speaker
Yes. The AVOX was a big exclusion. So... And I... Yeah, I feel like... um all the way up until her entering the arena and going into the games. Like the AVOX was kind of like this recurring figure in her life in the books, in the book rather.
00:27:13
Speaker
um So that was something I missed a little bit. But again, in terms of like the adaptation, that's a lot of world building and have to do. And that would involve like an extensive flashback sequence as well. So I get why it wasn't in there.
00:27:26
Speaker
Yeah, and going back to our theme discussion, our key themes from this book is that sense of rebellion. And it's not a huge theme of this particular book because that's not where Katniss is at the moment, but sure there's the seeds it.
00:27:43
Speaker
a rebellion that are being planted throughout this entire book. The first one is her volunteering for Prim, which is not really ah rebellion. Like that's the thing that is allowed to happen. The careers actually want to do that. Right. um But that's the first time that's ever happened in District 12.
00:28:00
Speaker
And so that's that first kind of like her heroism showing. And the fact that she's brave enough to do something like that for something that she cares about. The AVOX is another – Symbol of the rebellion. And they they don't they know that they know each other from before, but they don't mention it. And they know that they shouldn't mention it. And they have this sort of secret between the two of them. um And then they...
00:28:29
Speaker
you know that's the That's the second sort of hint towards Katniss's role in this story.
Rebellion Themes and Visual Storytelling
00:28:35
Speaker
And um it will be – I think there's more to that, their relationship later on in the trilogy, um if I'm not mistaken.
00:28:46
Speaker
and Well, at the mention of the AVOX, it's also another opportunity. Like in the book, when she first mentions recognizing her, everyone's like, what? There's no way you could recognize her. And PETA comes to her rescue again. So it's like you don't get as much of that in the movie. But there are multiple instances where PETA comes to the rescue and kind of shows his care or does things to...
00:29:05
Speaker
ah to the benefit of Katniss. Like you do in the movie, you get the great, I love the chariot race for the fact that like, it really does make a point to emphasize the fact that it's his idea to raise their hands up in unison. And like, what a great reaction that gets from everybody.
00:29:20
Speaker
Yeah. And again, talking about planting seeds, the, that's him planting seeds that he wants her to make it out alive. He doesn't have any hope for himself, but he's going to make sure she does. For sure.
00:29:30
Speaker
For sure. All right. Let's talk about the arena and the games and our first look into the arena. For sure. What were your initial thoughts?
00:29:41
Speaker
Well, I guess tell me – because you saw the movie first, so you kind of already had a visual. So when you read the book, did you think that the movie really did a good job of making the arena come to life from what the book was saying?
00:29:55
Speaker
Absolutely. Again, not to sound like too much of a broken record, but I do think they nailed it. Outside from the cornucopia being gold in the book, yeah silver in the adaptation. But apart from that, I thought the way they chose to depict it, the landscape.
00:30:10
Speaker
um I don't recall that we spend too much time around the lake or that the lake is ever like... mentioned as major geographic feature in the book, but ah not not a ah major deal for for me in terms of like the topography and the environment.
00:30:30
Speaker
Yes, it's like a rocky, wooded, somewhat mountainous terrain. Like, yeah, they nailed it. Yes. And I really like the the opening, you know, we we come up to the arena, she sees the arrow, the bow and arrow and glances at Peeta and he just slightly shakes his head no. And like that just really, really was brought from page to screen really well.
00:30:55
Speaker
Yeah. The whole, that whole opening sequence of the, you know, the cannons going off and her trying to get the bowl, but it's just not working out. And then she just grabs a pack and skedaddles. Yeah, yeah. And I guess that ah whole sequence is referred to as the cornucopia bloodbath in which we lose like half of our our tributes right there.
00:31:16
Speaker
The film makes a choice to do that entire sequence with like an omission of sound. Like it's all yeah silence to kind of contribute to the disorientation, which I think works, but it also has the added benefit of – um We're seeing some pretty gruesome things on display, but this movie also manages to keep it at a PG-13 rating. So I think the like lack of noise and sound design kind of helped with some of that. But yeah, certainly yes certainly a slaughter. And you you feel that. like I remember the first time I watched the movie in 2012, that's kind of like I was already enjoying the movie for the world building and the character development. But that was kind of like when I shot forward in my seat. and i was like, OK, this is the ride that we're in for.
00:31:58
Speaker
Right, because you're told that 24 kids are going into this arena and only one comes out. you're You're told that, but it doesn't really hit you until you start seeing them, even in the training and even in them having the conversations, even between Peta and Katniss saying, you're like she wasn't talking about me. You're the one that's going to make it. You don't really grasp that and it doesn't become a reality. And probably for the tributes themselves, it doesn't really hit them until they step foot in the arena.
00:32:25
Speaker
sure. Yeah. But yeah, they did a really great job of portraying portraying that sense of um chaos. Yeah. Now I did read an anecdote. um I think it was from one of the writers and they said they ah thought about making a change to the film adaptation, which I kind of would have liked to see. And like if they, if they did like a deleted scene, I think it would be pretty cool.
00:32:47
Speaker
But in the book Katniss has the anecdote about in a previous year, they had someone that stepped off the the pad too early and hit of the lines and they had to scrape them off.
00:32:58
Speaker
um They talked about doing that in the film adaptation just to show And obviously they probably would you know used kitty gloves in terms of the gore. But I do think that could have like, ah I think that could have like helped do some of the world building and establish like why they were standing on those circles and stuff like that. It would have been, i struggle to say cool to see, but I would have appreciated it on some level.
00:33:20
Speaker
I wonder if they will add that to the sunrise on the reaping. okay. Even the book, like maybe that happened during Haymitch's games and then we'll see that on film. Could be. Because if I remember correctly, Haymitch's games are very brutal. Okay. um So I can see, I'll be surprised. I'd be interested to see what this is rating. I don't remember what Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was rated either, but.
00:33:45
Speaker
think they all shoot for PG-13. Yeah. So it'll be interesting to see what ballad ah i'm sorry what the Sunrise on the Reaping is going to be like because I i really anticipate this book being a really brutal book based on the the little bit of dialogue we get in this trilogy about what Hamish went through.
00:34:03
Speaker
yeah i don't know that I'll be able to handle it.
00:34:08
Speaker
um ah But I will. I will read it and I will watch it because I do really love this world that Sue Sand Collins has written. Yeah. Yeah.
00:34:18
Speaker
while we're on the subject of this kind of like opening sequence to the games, um, I will say, I think one of the benefits to this adaptation is, uh, while I did speak to the disorientation and kind of just like the utter chaos we're seeing on display, I think the film does a better job of kind of like, um,
00:34:33
Speaker
letting us see the impact of this, this blood bath, because in the book, it's not, it's all from Katniss's perspective again. So we really don't know how many people were lost until like that night when she gets to hear, I mean, I think she hears the cannons and has some idea, but it's not until that evening when you see the names and faces displayed on the, on the sky that she gets to understand. But in the film, like right there, you're like almost instantly, it's like they just lost like the majority of the, well, not the majority, but a good portion of the. Yeah.
00:35:03
Speaker
competitors Right. And that, I mean, that, I think that's what happens in a lot of the games is that initial bloodbath, um, loses a good chunk of the characters. I mean, what would you do in that situation? Would you go for the gear or would you just hightail it?
00:35:17
Speaker
have the temptation to go for at least one pack of gear would be there for me. I'd be honest. Like, I really have no idea how to answer this. I want to say that I would be brave. Sorry to you the spot. But no, I really think that I'm a scaredy cat and I would run the other direction.
00:35:31
Speaker
And I would try survive. Well, maybe someone that would volunteer for you. Yeah. No. Yeah. I don't know how far I would make it in the Hunger Games, but I really want – like I don't like camping. guess it would depend on the arena. Okay.
00:35:43
Speaker
And what arena I'm being thrown into um and what what tools I have at my disposal. But I do not think that I am strong enough to fight people off at the cornucopia. I think I would take my chances and run the opposite direction and then figure out what I have with what the arena has for me.
00:36:05
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Not to tangent too hard, but I do think it's an interesting discussion. And I just think like I'm yes please pragmatic enough of a person. Like I weigh the pros and cons. It's like, yes, there's an inherent risk to going for some gear.
00:36:17
Speaker
But it's like, say I go for the gear, I managed to get it and get away. At least like I've got like two to three days of survival where I'm not like left... completely bare where I could go for it, get killed instantly, and then that's it.
00:36:30
Speaker
Or i i go for it or I just don't go for it at all. And then I'm out in the woods for like three days, just starving to death, which would be pretty terrible. I would prefer to die quickly. Now that I've thought about it a little bit, I think I am going to run, but I'm going to really bank on getting sponsors and um yeah trying to figure out how I can really tug on their heartstrings and get me to um give me some goodies.
00:36:57
Speaker
Well, thank you. That was a really fun tangent to go on. I've never thought about that question before. um Listeners, please write in and let us know what you would do if you were in the Hucker Games. Yeah.
00:37:08
Speaker
ah But getting back on track now, I want to keep talking about the arena. And um we you know we've kind of talked about our initial impressions. But if there's anything you want to talk about before we start talking about Rue and our alliance with Rue.
00:37:26
Speaker
Okay. Yeah. I think the one thing that comes to mind before we get to Rue is... In the book, like they, I remember in the, in the movie, they mentioned dehydration. I think they say like 20% of you will die from dehydration, but in the book, dehydration is just such like the biggest obstacle Katniss is facing in those first few days, because like we talked about, she makes that decision to go for a piece of gear, but PETA and Haymitch have instructed her, don't do that. Like go for a source of water. So, um, movie doesn't really do that, but she's got plenty of obstacles to face anyway.
00:38:00
Speaker
So, um, Yeah. Yeah. i do want to mention her internal dialogue during that scene and saying like, why isn't he sending me water? And then she's like, it's, it's, it's a game to him. Like he, I need to do something for him to reward me.
00:38:16
Speaker
And then she finally figures out what he wants her to do. Or he's, I think it's actually, she does it. She knows he's not giving it to him. She's not, sorry. Hamish is not giving her water because that must mean she's close.
00:38:30
Speaker
He knows she can do it. And she makes that realization. And that would have been nice to see in the film somehow. um i don't know how because you can't talking to herself out loud, you can't do that. You can't talk in the arena. Somebody will find you. I'm really thirsty. Wish I had some water. It doesn't work so well. So I don't know how they could have portrayed this in the film. But to see that...
00:38:56
Speaker
and like see them communicating without communicating in the film would have been nice to see somehow. Yeah. And I guess as we get towards Rue, this is kind of like the kind of preamble to the, the partnership with Rue. But I do want to talk about the tracker Jacker sequence because I talked about how the cornucopia bloodbath did some things to make that a little more palatable, but the death of glimmer and seeing her bloated body. um like they do not do the full, you know, things that are described in the books in term in terms of what Katniss has to do to get that yeah bow and arrow free from her grip. But yes in terms of showing us that bloated corpse, I was kind of like, Ooh, I'm like, you know, that's, that's tough to see, but I'm kind of glad that they, they went there.
00:39:41
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. Um, and it just, the, it just shows the violence of the arena and what the hunger games are. Yeah, yeah. And I think we talked about it on the last episode, but that was a great opportunity to utilize the character of of Caesar Flickerman to great effect. Like he's providing that commentary. He's providing that exposition, giving us the backstory on Tracker Jackers. And then as I was watching the movie, I was like, I could not remember. I was like, are they going to depict the hallucin as hallucinations at all?
00:40:11
Speaker
And I'm so glad that they did. Yes. We don't get the eyes boring the ants boring into their eyes, but it's still there. yeah Well, and another thing that I thought was really well done is Peeta coming up and saying, you've got to run, you've got to run. she doesn't and She doesn't remember if that was really him or if that was a hallucination.
00:40:30
Speaker
yeah. And thought that the way they filmed that, how it was um like blurry-ish, um that depicts like, okay, this could be a hallucination. And that's not something you would know from the film. But as a reader, you would be like, oh, that that's the hallucination effect. She doesn't know if that's real or not.
00:40:48
Speaker
For sure. And then when she's in her fever dream, um it's a good opportunity. I don't think the book does it, but the film uses it a great opportunity to do some of those flashbacks. And that's where we get to learn more. Yes. Like they never flat out say this is what happened to her dad, but you're able to like,
00:41:04
Speaker
use visual context to understand, okay, this is what happened. And she has that moment where she's like laying into her mom, like you don't get to tune out. You can't tune out again. Like you need to, to be here and to transition to like that being Pete, PETA, like it it just worked really well.
00:41:20
Speaker
Great editing there. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I agree. Um, so yeah, let's talk about ruo because Rue because is the one that kind of helps her through the tracker, jack Jacker Venom.
00:41:32
Speaker
and then they form this alliance. Um, Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So very faithful adaptation again. the fact that she's not even aware that Rue's around until she sees her in the tree pointing to the to the nest. And yeah.
00:41:46
Speaker
yeah Yeah. Yeah. And um I just really liked seeing their relationship play out on screen. um Again, a lot is cut, a lot of dialogue, a lot of internal yeah dialogue.
00:41:59
Speaker
um But we needed to, you know, we can't have a five-hour movie. i'm Right. So i do think what they did keep in the film was fine. We we were able to understand that they formed a really good relationship.
00:42:14
Speaker
And think that Jennifer Lawrence really gets across that she has a sisterly love for Rue, especially with the funeral Yeah, that moment where she lets out like the guttural cry after Rue's passing like really, really hit me. and um yeah i Her basically doing that for District 11. I know in the book she receives the bread says my thanks to District 11. That was the one of the moments in the book that really got me in the book because you get the full exploration. She's like, what did this mean?
00:42:54
Speaker
for these people to band together to get me this lo of loaf of bread, someone not from their district. This is kind of unheard of to do this. So yeah just the the gravity of that gesture was not lost on me and really hit me in the book.
00:43:06
Speaker
And it was one of those moments. like i I like the direction that they went in the movie because I think they needed to. um But I would have liked to just have that bread moment, I guess. Yeah, and I think what they gave us instead was the rebellion and the shots of District 11. Absolutely. And I do like that they did that for her, and I would have liked to see that.
00:43:28
Speaker
But being a movie and you need the drama, and I think that that really got across. There's the same feelings that they respected her and they were mad that this is happening to their children.
00:43:41
Speaker
I mean, Rue is 12 years old. yeah. Yeah. yeah Yeah. And in the book, we find out that she's the oldest sibling. That's why there was nobody there to volunteer for her.
00:43:51
Speaker
So that's even more heartbreaking to think that she's got how many many younger siblings that aren't going to have her to come home to them. Yeah. yeah Right. Yeah. Yeah. Well, let's move on to something less sad.
00:44:05
Speaker
um Well, actually, I do want to note um my comment earlier about planting the seeds of Katniss being rebellious. For sure. This is another moment um where she – Is being rebellious without realizing she is.
00:44:20
Speaker
um But that is what gives her the power to be the Mockingjay later on is this is another. And this is not, not only is this a seed, but this is a seed that is being seen across all of Panem.
00:44:34
Speaker
Right. And the choice to make a funeral for her is an open act of defiance. She knows that the Capitol's not going to like that, that this humanizes Rue, that this makes them face up to the fact that they've just ah been complicit in the murder of a 12-year-old girl. So it does take me back to... um And I'm glad they included in the movie, but the scene with Peeta and Katniss on the rooftop where he gets to tell her, like, I don't want these games to change me.
00:45:00
Speaker
And this is the moment where that starts to make sense to her. Like, now I finally get what he means. Like, this is my opportunity to stand up. And yeah, planting those seeds of rebellion. Absolutely. This is like her first open act of defiance. It's all been survival up into this point. But now she's yeah kind of realizing that she has tools at her disposal.
00:45:18
Speaker
hmm. Yes. Yes. ah Okay, so we – so, okay, this is the end of an alliance for her, but they have – the capital has now – the game makers, I should say, have now announced that they're going
Alliance and Relationship Development
00:45:32
Speaker
to change a rule. This is the first time in history they've ever changed rules during a game, – and A district can now have two winners.
00:45:41
Speaker
So now she realizes, well, I've lost one ally, but I still have one. And that's Peeta. And she needs to go find him. um And then she finds him by the river, the lake, right?
00:45:54
Speaker
um Correct. Yeah, she almost steps on him. Yes. And this is the introduction now of the Star-Crest lovers and how they were back together. Yes. yes Again, i think largely very faithful in its adaptation. We even have the sequence where she's kind of following the stream because she knows he has to be near a source of water. That's the only way that he'd be surviving.
00:46:17
Speaker
And she sees the blood smears and kind of tracks him that way. And um I felt like the film was really effective in like They capitalized on that opportunity. Like, hey, let's show some of Katniss's tracking and hunting skills here.
00:46:30
Speaker
ah Which, you know, in the book, you got that by just getting to spend more time with her when she was in District 12 in the forest. But I did appreciate that that sequence for showing those skills on display.
00:46:41
Speaker
Mm-hmm. Great example of show, don't tell. Absolutely. in In the visual medium, yeah. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. But I feel like pretty quickly from there, they're kind of in the cave where write in the book, I know they spend an extensive amount of time together. And that's kind of where we really do get this fledgling romance starts to to really take shape, at least for Katniss.
00:47:04
Speaker
Yeah. Well, I would say for PETA because Katniss, I think, still thinks of it as an act. Yes. Yes and no. Yes. ah Especially earlier on. Like I think she's like bargaining. She's using her kisses as like leverage to get like the bra. Yes. And then later on the medicine to put him to sleep. But um there are some some moments. Like in the film, I remember she – I can't remember exactly what he says, but she gives him a really warm and genuine smile.
00:47:33
Speaker
And I was like, okay, this is one of the first times she's like genuinely warming up to him. But in the in the book, I know they like do such a good job of like describing like the safety that she feels in his arms. Like yeah safety she's not felt since her her dad. Yeah.
00:47:46
Speaker
so Yeah. I just think that her guard is still up in the book. For sure. For sure. And she's really willing to admit feelings for him because it is still the games and they still need to make it out of here. She's still just very tactful – or not tactful, but still planning what needs to be done to make it out of here. Sure. And – I don't think that she realizes what the feelings are for him until later on.
00:48:15
Speaker
And right now it's just that he's whole. We're allies. We need to get out of here. I do think she genuinely has feelings for him and cares for him. i just think that it's still much more planning.
00:48:26
Speaker
How are we going to get what we need and how are we going to make it out of here alive? And those are, you know, that's at the forefront of her mind. you're You're not wrong. You're not wrong. And I think that is just another, ah you know, area where the the book gets a few opportunities. think about...
00:48:44
Speaker
um i think about when they're in the cave together and really like first warming up to each other, like PETA is kind of like the instigator in terms of saying like, you know, you can kiss me whenever you want. Like yeah ah well I'd welcome a kiss anytime. And in the film, it's more Katniss, you know, she's the first one to kind of plant a kiss on his, on his cheek and everything like that. But so one of the things in the book that I really loved and kind of, again, like as I'm mentioning, just kind of like, you know, these little,
00:49:13
Speaker
Differences and I wouldn't even call them gripes. It's just like, you know, just notice noting the differences. But in the book, one of my favorite things that they do just being in Katniss's head is anytime she thinks about like Gail or PETA together, she's like, oh, they don't mix well in my head together. Let me like push that to the side. And you do get a sense of like she's such a mature person.
00:49:30
Speaker
But this is like the one area of kind of like immaturity for her. And there's a yeah line later on where she's like, Pete is so interesting. Like he's um he's not predictable. Like he's interesting. It's like any other time that would be that would be interesting to me. But right now that doesn't work for me. Like I need someone that I can predict. So I like those little asides.
00:49:50
Speaker
Yeah, I really do like all the information we get from Katniss's inner thoughts in the book. um And but there's just no way to do that for a film. So yeah um I think they did well with what they had. um But I would say the cave is probably some of my favorite parts of this book is yeah how they survive um these few days in the cave and seeing that relationship blossom.
00:50:18
Speaker
I agree. And to give the adaptation some credit, I did appreciate the choice to flash back to District 12 and like show Gail's reaction to some of those kisses and stuff like that, because that's all going on in Katniss's mind in the book. but that's just a great way to, again, to show that without telling us. yeah Yeah, exactly. Again, this is why this is one of my favorite adaptations, because yes, that none of that was in the book, but you have to have a way of showing that those things that are happening in her mind.
00:50:48
Speaker
And you they just did such a really great job of doing that and and making it more ah of a, you know, there's going to be differences between a written book and a visual film or show. And I just think this adaptation really nailed making this a a visual. And I think that's another great example of how they did that. Agreed.
Climax and Ending Differences
00:51:12
Speaker
So let's go ahead and move forward to the final showdown the final defiance. And we can talk about the mutts a little bit and Kato's last stand.
00:51:27
Speaker
um and then, of course... The last seed of rebellion of this book is the berries and her decision to – because what the game makers do is change their minds. Oh, just kidding.
00:51:39
Speaker
you're You should be the winners, but we're going to make you fight to the end. And she's like, no. Like, let's eat these berries, take our own lives, and nobody wins. Right. Right.
00:51:51
Speaker
Right. Well, I guess in terms of like the way that the berries are introduced again, another almost like word for word straight out of the book in terms of like Fox face, uh, inadvertently falling for PETA's not trap that ended up being a trap.
00:52:07
Speaker
Um, so they, they learn about the berries there. and then, yeah, the, the mutts or the mutations, uh, whatever they're, whatever they're called. Um,
00:52:18
Speaker
I appreciated the fact that they didn't spend too much time on them in the film and did not pursue the the way the book went in terms of them being like combined with the corpses of the fallen tributes. like That would have been a lot to try and get across on the screen. And I don't think the CG was quite there. So I think keeping them darkly lit and not super focused on was a smart choice in this adaptation.
00:52:44
Speaker
Yeah, I think that might be one of the complaints I have is that I didn't like the way the mutts looked. I didn't i don't need them to look like the fallen tributes either. um But i think it was I think it is just a problem of the CGI of the time. And i just they just don't – it takes me out of it a little bit. And it's supposed to be this really intense moment. And I just – they're not that scary to me.
00:53:06
Speaker
Yeah. And not to pivot too hard, but at the subject of like visual effects and CGI, like largely this movie does a great job with its VFX. But there are a couple of little instances here and there. I think there's like a wide shot of the Capitol. Okay, that kind of looks like CG from 2012, but I'll give you a pass.
00:53:24
Speaker
Yes. we are We're pretty spoiled these days in 2025. For sure. Yeah. Yeah, but I guess as far as like, yeah, this this act of defiance that you refer to like again, like it's just one of those like it worked on the page. So why change anything like that?
00:53:42
Speaker
That whole sequence apart what we mentioned from the the Muttos, I think is all from the page, like even like Cato having ah Peta in a grip lock and Peta saying, hey, hit him and hit him on and on his hands.
00:53:56
Speaker
okay Now, they are a lot more merciful with Cato's fate, which I think was a good choice. Yes, and I remember rereading it. I mean, it was like all night. They listened to him yeah um being attacked by these mutts.
00:54:10
Speaker
And yes, in the film, they just get it over and done with, which again, we don't have time to spend on that and like having a top, like the time passing visual. But, um, I, agree also, I'm very glad that they were a lot more merciful in the film and just cut that shit or cut that short.
00:54:29
Speaker
Um, and so, um, yeah. So, and then we, I get like the the end of the book in the film. We, we return back to, uh, the Capitol. We have our, um, celebrations. Yep. Yes. Yeah.
00:54:46
Speaker
Any thoughts on wrapping up? ah Is this just wrapping up in the capital or is this like the end of the book altogether? Both. Well, yeah. wrap Wrapping up at the capital and then kind of wrapping up the book and final thoughts on.
00:54:59
Speaker
Well, there's that's and that's one of the strong similarities between the book and the and the film adaptation is like in the book, like. the last chapter, it's like, Oh, I've only got 10 pages left. And it's like, we just got out of the games. Like, what are they going to try and cover in the short amount of time? And it's kind of the same in the movie.
00:55:18
Speaker
Uh, but I think the, the film ending actually works better for me. I think ending things off in a better place with, Peta and Katniss and having them actually return to District 12 and get to see Prim and her mom and Gale in the crowd. like But there's still the threat of snow. like We know it's not all sunshines and rainbows. The seeds of rebellion have been planted. There's still a threat here.
00:55:45
Speaker
um I think that just works as a better ending. Whereas with the book, um like, like we've kind of said, like, I just immediately want to pick up the next book because it's not that satisfying of an ending in terms of like the last thing she says is like, I think it's like something about like letting go of Peter's hand and being afraid, like,
00:56:04
Speaker
the next time that she'll be able to grab it again, because like she has voiced and rightfully so she has voiced like the reality of like, Hey, now that we're on the other side of this, I, you know, my feelings are a little more conflicted and he just takes that to heart, which is also understandable from his perspective, but it's just a, it's a terrible place to leave the characters off. It's just like so unsatisfying. I'm like, Oh, this is a crappy ending, but We talked a little bit – I want to talk about the love triangle of it all because we talked you a little bit earlier about um
00:56:36
Speaker
the the Hunger Games came out at the right time and how Twilight was also a thing and then Divergent was also a thing. And um I don't think Divergent had a love triangle, but Twilight definitely had a love triangle. And love triangles are still a true trope of young adult um literature.
00:56:55
Speaker
But – Going back to The Hunger Games, I think Suzanne Collins, it's not – The love triangle is not the main part of this story, not even in Katniss' mind.
00:57:09
Speaker
um And I think that's what makes it so compelling and that it's not – It's still – The story is still about her and the rebellion and all of the key themes we've already talked about.
00:57:21
Speaker
It's not about the love triangle. The love triangle is just, I mean, they're teenagers. That's going to happen. And it's just kind of there. And I think that um both, I think that the movies did a really good job of not highlighting that as well.
00:57:35
Speaker
I agree. yeah Yeah, Especially with it, again, being so focused on Katniss's perspective, certainly in the book. like It's not really at the forefront of her mind at all. It's only when Gail mentions like running off together and like the you know wanting to have kids and stuff like that, that those things start to come up for a little bit. But um yeah, I guess that's where I think they...
00:58:01
Speaker
I don't know. um I feel like the movie just kind of like didn't waste any time in terms of like presenting Gale as a potential romantic interest. Yes. Whereas I felt like the book you had to have like, like as we're going on that journey with Kat and she kind of warms up to that idea a little bit more and more. And that's only because there's suddenly competition in PETA.
00:58:24
Speaker
So I think I came away, i'm pretty sure both times if I'm not mistaken, When I see the movie, i feel like Gale's a better fit. But when I read the book, I'm Team PETA.
00:58:37
Speaker
Okay, in this particular segment of the trilogy. In this particular segment of the trilogy. And from what I remember, I think I may be Team PETA like all the way through, but don't quote me on that.
00:58:48
Speaker
Yes. i I can't remember who I originally – I'm sure Gale was probably my original team when I first read The Hunger Games. But um we will talk more about their relationship, I'm sure, as we talk about the other two sequels, um Kale and Katniss.
00:59:06
Speaker
Gail and Katniss. um But, um you know, we obviously we know that she ends up with PETA and I think that's definitely the better choice for her, even without the stuff that the key thing that happens in the future. There's a big fall. I that much. I remember. Yes. Yes.
00:59:24
Speaker
Yeah. But even that aside, I think she would have realized PETA was better for her. Okay. Okay. I can't remember the other subtleties of their relationship from the other books, but um certainly at least in this book, I think they present both as ah suitable suitors for lack of a better term.
00:59:48
Speaker
Sure. certainly get the feeling that like if life had just like taken its natural course, she would have ended up with Gale. 100% thrust into the situation is kind of what gave Peta his opportunity capitalize on him actually being a star cross star cross lover.
01:00:05
Speaker
And then yeah, Katniss has to warm up to the idea. but um yeah, yeah, it's always tough when it comes to relationships because and I feel like that's a credit to Suzanne Collins.
01:00:16
Speaker
Yeah. And that's a credit to Suzanne Collins writing. She makes the characters like fleshed out and real and not without fault. And ah yes, Peta could bore borderline on on sometimes like feeling kind of like the perfect boy like he's always doing good he's always looking out for Katniss always doing the right thing but I think they do give him enough nuance like he lashes out a couple of times like hey she's a survivor like in the book and the and the movie like she can shoot you know vermin straight through the eyes and not miss she's a real contender um So yeah, I feel like I said a lot without saying anything. but
01:00:47
Speaker
yeah No, no, no. Okay. So any other um any other key you know plot points that you want to discuss or do you want to move on to our next kind of segment here?
01:00:59
Speaker
I suppose we can move on. Okay. So um answer me this. Which medium told the story better? Or do they both succeed in their both ways? Okay.
01:01:09
Speaker
I think they both succeed in their own right. I really do. I think this is one of the best examples of that. Yes, exactly. I mean, I've already said that a thousand times today. Absolutely.
01:01:21
Speaker
Do you think that um either, so do you think there's strength, strength or weaknesses for each one, in the book and the film and and how do they compare to each other or how do, you know, how does one fix the weakness of the other? Hmm. Okay.
01:01:36
Speaker
I guess just to talk, overall about the potential weaknesses and strengths. I think one of the weaknesses that does exist in the book, and i again, I think it's a great book. It's like both times that I read it, I picked it up and like could not put it down until I was done. But while I appreciate so so much that it's all told from Katniss's perspective, I think that does kind of keep the rest of the characters kind of at arm's length and they don't actually get as much development. I think I kind of like alluded that to a little, a little bit, but I was even thinking about like Senna while he does get some great lines and exchanges with Katniss and Hamish too. It just feels like the warming up to them is not as earned as like it is with other characters like PETA specifically.
01:02:24
Speaker
um So I think that is a little bit of a weakness that exists in both properties. But I mean, there's not a ton that can be done about that now. um One of the big changes in the film adaptation that we talked a little bit about, but I think ends up actually being a real strength is the inclusion of Seneca Crane in terms of giving us like...
01:02:45
Speaker
um a little more insight into the minute manipulation of the game makers and letting us see the Capitals perspective on how this this game is going down. I appreciated that. But then also giving us just like a guy to take the fall.
01:02:58
Speaker
Like I think that happens later on in the books. Like I definitely remember c Seneca being a character in book two um at the very least, or at least we learn about his fate maybe after the fact, but um having someone visually there to take the brunt to be interacting with president snow to kind of have his life on the line and to say like at the end of this movie, Katniss did something and it's not without consequence. Like he's, he's got to eat these berries now.
01:03:21
Speaker
um I thought that was a strong choice to include. Yeah, and just to piggyback off that, to see the game room and to see him directing the game room um is not something that we get from the books because she's there and we're only in her mind. But to see that and how they visualize the game room was really, really cool. And I just agree with you that having the different perspectives in the film really elevated the story. Agreed.
01:03:48
Speaker
So, J. Scottie, what did you like best about the film adaptation? I mean, what's not to love? It's just a really, really great app great great adaptation.
01:04:01
Speaker
ah But overall, I think it is kind of what we were just talking about. um I think in terms of really capitalizing on what you can do with an adaptation, and doing what we've been talking about, showing other characters perspective, giving a Seneca's and the game makers perspective, but especially, and you can tell how much I love this moment by how many times I've brought it up, but I just, I really liked the way they use Caesar Flickerman's character. Like this, I was like, this is the perfect way to use this character. Like,
01:04:31
Speaker
yeah Give us that exposition and give us that commentary. And like, that was kind of the ah perspective from the Capitol that i i felt like I needed. And maybe like the first third of the movie.
01:04:43
Speaker
Uh, because again, like when having it all from Katniss's perspective, everything that's going down, the reaping, um the train station, the goodbyes, like she's always saying like, Oh, I need to stay calm, cool and collected. So they don't make sport of this or like, you know, uh, it's a spectacle at, at the sight of me crying. Like you just don't get any of that in the movie until we get to the Capitol and have all that stuff going on.
01:05:06
Speaker
Mm hmm. Yeah, I think I really like the contrast. i the I like the set design and costuming because I like the contrast it creates and in the visual format um of where Katniss grew up and even in the arena and in the capital and even the people. Like seeing Effie in the scene is just – she's just the only color you see in that scene.
01:05:30
Speaker
yeah So um I really like what they did there and how how they managed to really – grasp the essence of who and what the capital is. Yeah, definitely.
Character Omission and Depth
01:05:42
Speaker
What is your least favorite aspect of the movie adaptation? It's tough. Yeah, it is tough. I think my least favorite aspect, and it it's just a credit to how great an adaptation is that this is kind of a small gripe, but I do think that by including at least one of Pete's, like either his mom or his dad or something would have done just a ah little something to give him more...
01:06:09
Speaker
some more background and relatability and just make him feel a little more realized. A little bit emotional. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. And I feel that way about the prep team almost. um Okay. That's my biggest gripe is we we talked about it earlier, so I don't need to rehash that, but cutting the prep team and those characters and giving them more – ah the of it they They weren't a big character in this particular book, but we don't even get them at all. Well, we get the one scene of them prepping her, but I really would have liked to see the prep team being a bigger character in the trilogy as a whole. Totally. think that's fair.
01:06:48
Speaker
Yeah. ah So let's wrap up the episode with what is your most memorable moment from either the book or the adaptation? What stands out to you the most?
01:07:00
Speaker
um Yeah, they are things that I mentioned previously, but they're worth bringing up again. um i think my most memorable thing from the book, again, is just like the couple of lines about Katniss's conflicting feelings like Again, those lines, are like just one line about like PETA and Gail. Ooh, they don't mix together and in my brain. Like it sounds so conversational. It really does sound like a 16 year old girl. And that's one of like the few times that you get that from Katniss. So and that was definitely one of my favorite things from the book. But um in terms of one of the most memorable things from the adaptation, again ah making the change from,
01:07:43
Speaker
the gift of the bread from district 11 and using that as an opportunity to show the rebellion being incited. I thought, was ah was a good choice for the adaptation and did a great job of like ah broadcasting the rippling effects that Caddis' actions are having having on the the whole country.
01:08:03
Speaker
yeah Sorry that this is kind of coming out of the middle of nowhere, but I'd i'd feel remiss if I didn't mention it before we got out of here. But ah the movie does not mention District 13 at all.
01:08:14
Speaker
And the book doesn't spend a ton of time on it, but we know that there at least was a 13th district where this isn't it's just not even mentioned in this movie. That's a good point. I guess they wanted to see if the movie was even going to be um popular before they moved into the District 13 stuff.
01:08:30
Speaker
Because obviously that's a big ah portion of the rebellion. and um And I don't know if the movie came out before Catching Fire, the book did or not.
01:08:41
Speaker
um But you know they they might not have even known that. That's one of my biggest complaints about the Harry Potter series is that they didn't some of those Easter eggs they didn't put into the films because they didn't know they needed to.
01:08:54
Speaker
ah It looks like Catching Fire came out in September of 2009. So she was like knocking these things out. yeah Wow. Okay. So yeah, they, they might, I don't know.
01:09:05
Speaker
And then, yeah, Mockingjay was August 2010. So like I said... They knew, but they just didn't... Yeah. And I think, like I said, I think Suzanne Collins wrote these with the intention that they would be adapted.
01:09:19
Speaker
So, yeah. So I would say, my'm ah other than Rue's death and funeral, because that always sticks out to me and it still makes me um sad, um the iconic...
01:09:34
Speaker
whistle from the film. yeah Um, and also the line, that's it. The line may the odds be ever in your favor. And even from the book and then in the film. And so that line and that whistle, just when I think of the hunger games and that's more the adaptations doing, um,
01:09:55
Speaker
That that's what I think about when I think of the Hunger Games. And then as we get later on in the series, the Hanging Tree song also is a very iconic song from the series. And so sure I think that's what really sticks with me.
Iconic Series Elements
01:10:09
Speaker
Even the line, may the odds be ever in your favor, whenever we're playing games or even with the fantasy heroes game that I run, i always say, may the odds be ever in your favor. So that line has always really stuck with me.
01:10:21
Speaker
Um, and I just have to, I always have to mention the music because, or sound effects because, um ah sound effects and music are really what I, draws the emotion out of me when I'm watching something. Certainly. And sure um the whistle still gives me chills to this day. so That's a good one. That is what ah is my most
Conclusion and Future Engagement
01:10:41
Speaker
memorable moment. And listeners, um those were our bookmarked moments. We're going to end every two episodes with our bookmarked moments, which what we liked best, what we didn't like, and then what stuck out the most. So –
01:10:54
Speaker
That said, ah Jay Scottie, thank you so much for being here with me to cover The Hunger Games. I can't wait to have you back to cover Catching Fire and Mockingjay. For sure. And maybe the prequels as well.
01:11:06
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, definitely. ah Go ahead and let the listeners know where they can follow you if you would like. Yeah, please check me out over on Multiverse News. That's a podcast where we talk about the latest and greatest news in both TV and movie stuff.
01:11:21
Speaker
And then Animation Deliberation. That's a podcast that focuses on our favorite action animated series and cartoons. So wherever you get your podcasts, please check those out. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. Thank you so much for being my first guest and I will see you next time.
01:11:36
Speaker
Listeners, I will see you next week with yet another book to watch with you. That's wrap for today's episode of Book Watch. I hope you enjoyed this journey into the world of page to screen adaptations.
01:11:48
Speaker
If you love today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, review wherever you listen to podcasts and share it with your fellow book and movie lovers. If you'd prefer to watch them along, you can check the show out on YouTube. You can follow the show on Instagram at bookwatchpodcast, and you can follow me, Sarah Day, on Instagram at captain.mcd.
01:12:04
Speaker
That's M-C-D-E-E. You can also join the conversation in the Book Watch Lounge on Facebook at www.facebook.com slash groups slash bookwatchlounge. If you would like to support the podcast, you can join the Patreon at www.patreon.com slash bookwatchpodcast.
01:12:21
Speaker
Tiers start at only $4 a month and I'd love to have you over there. If you have a favorite adaptation you'd like to cover with me, I'd love for you to apply to be on the show with the contact form on our website at www.bookwatchpodcast.com.
01:12:36
Speaker
Until next time, keep reading, keep watching, and I'll see you next week.