The book thief the book thief audiobook, by markus zusak. The movie stars james caan as a man who says he was raised by the state and spent eleven years in prison. It is a welldesigned, good looking film with locations and costumes that place its audience squarely in the middle of world war iiera europe. Zusak may not have lived under nazi domination, but the book thief deserves a place on the same shelf with the diary of a young girl by anne frank and elie wiesels night. In the novel the book thief liesel experiences many difficulties in her life. I had high hopes for this book, but it far exceeded my expectations. The book thief a movie by brian percival nealspaper. The film is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by markus zusak and adapted by michael petroni. It is a warm hearted,emotional film with fantastic acting by all the cast,likeable characters and a great storyline. By giving a richness of color to the home and to the film overall, we reflect that warmth and the good that can come from a terrible situation.
She landed the part and starred alongside geoffrey rush and emily watson. Based on the beloved international bestselling book, the book thief tells the story of an extraordinary, spirited young girl sent to live with a foster family in wwii germany. The book thief 20 cast and crew in 1938, young orphan liesel sophie nelisse arrives at the home of her new foster parents, hans geoffrey rush and rosa emily watson. How ya bestseller the book thief got made into a studio. Download for free on all your devices computer, smartphone, or tablet. Nov 03, 20 a recent graduate of the guildhall school of music and drama in london, mr. Markus zusaks international bestseller the book thief has been brought to the screen with quiet effectiveness and scrupulous taste by. Though they tell their stories in different way, the book and the movie of the book thief turn out to share an identical flaw, the heavyhandedness of the storyteller in presenting a tale that has intrinsic narrative movement and doesnt need the pushing and forcing and preciousness.
Dec 02, 20 the book thief a movie by brian percival as much as one cant help perpetuating the practice, books and movies, even of works bearing the same title and telling the same story, should not be compared. The popular 2007 young adult novel the book thief has gotten a director for its movie adaptation the film will be helmed by downton abbey director brian percival, who. With its muted cinematography and a fairly slowpaced story, the book thief isnt the flashiest of potential awards contenders this year, but its one of the most genuine. Feb 18, 2020 the book thief, like the book on which its based, is narrated by death roger allam, who explains that he rarely cares about the stories of the living, with the exception of young liesel meminger sophie nelisse. Aug 04, 20 the celebrations have quietly continued for the book thief. Nov 22, 20 the book thief runs 1 minutes and is rated pg for some violence and intense depiction of thematic material.
In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, awardwinning author markus zusak has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time. The book thief is definitely one of the best films that i have seen this year. The film is about a young girl living with her adoptive german family during the nazi era. In the case of the book thief, the legions of fans of the original novel lessen that risk somewhat, but it still may take some welldeserved oscar nominations in january for the film to be. Casting bring on the monsters, a seven episode mini series based off of percy jackson and the olmpians.
The filmmakers are quickly completing the project, whose release date was moved from winter 2014 to nov. It tells the tale of a young german girl living in nazi germany who goes to live with new foster parents as the outbreak of world war two approaches. Liesel meminger cannot read when she arrives at her new home, but finds herself drawn to books. Liesel is a young, passionate girl who is brought into a foster home after enduring a forcible separation from her family early on in the movie.
She landed the part and starred alongside geoffrey. A young girl sophie nelisse living with foster parents geoffrey rush and emily watson in nazi germany begins collecting forbidden books and sharing them with the jewish refugee hiding in her home in this war drama adapted from markus zusaks book by screenwriter michael petroni the dangerous lives of altar boys and director brian percival downton abbey. Scenes dealing with nazis searching for jews in hiding should generate more suspense than percival is able to muster. In order to achieve his dream of a family, frankwho is. Casting kids via online auditions for the book thief film. The book thief is a story about the power of words to make worlds. Schnetzer, 23, is a star of the book thief, an adaptation of a novel by markus zusak, which will open in new york. You know things have come to a pretty pass when a movie like the book thief looks wrong coming from a major studio.
The celebrations have quietly continued for the book thief. The prologue of the book thief is an introduction to the narrator death and his unique line of work. The book thief 20 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The novel is narrated by death, characterized not as the usual grim reaper, but a sympathetic guardian of the souls of the deceased. Based on the beloved international bestselling book, the book thief tells the story of an extraordinary, spirited young girl sent to live with a foster. When it comes to the filmmaking, however, the book thief sometimes falls flat.
Death is present from start to finish in the movie in which the acting performances by sophie nelisse,geoffrey rush and emily watson were remarkable. Nov 07, 20 you know things have come to a pretty pass when a movie like the book thief looks wrong coming from a major studio. Set against the backdrop of world war ii germany, the book thief is a compelling and moving story about a young girl sophie nelisse who is taken in by foster parents geoffrey rush and emily watson. By kira brice canadian actress sophie nelisses first starring film role is her appearance as liesel meminger in the book thief.
Liesel stole books from a grave digger, a bonfire and the mayors wife, ilsa herman. Oct 04, 20 markus zusaks international bestseller the book thief has been brought to the screen with quiet effectiveness and scrupulous taste by director brian percival and writer michael petroni. Its a very human story and although it takes place against the backdrop of a difficult period, its about loving relationships. But the movie about a girl adopted by a german couple during world war ii also crystallizes the perils of. The book thief is the story of liesel meminger, a girl living in nazi germany whose foster parents provide refuge for a young jew, max vandenberg, by hiding him in their basement. Casting kids via online auditions for the book thief.
With a book as beloved as the book thief by markus zusak, an adaptation was always going to be a challenge but an inevitable one. Shes supposed to tell the viewer why she didnt complete her homework with three different answers. Nov 06, 20 when it comes to the filmmaking, however, the book thief sometimes falls flat. Rent the book thief 20 starring geoffrey rush and emily watson on dvd and bluray. Jun 01, 2012 ashley renees latest audition for the book thief. Mar 02, 2012 the popular 2007 young adult novel the book thief has gotten a director for its movie adaptation the film will be helmed by downton abbey director brian percival, who directed the. Liesel is the book thief referred to in the title because liesel is fascinated by the power of words. He is a highly skilled professional thief a trade he learned behind bars from okla willie nelson, a master thief. The book thief is a 20 war drama film directed by brian percival and starring geoffrey rush, emily watson, and sophie nelisse. As the movie opens, hes been free four years, and lives in chicago.
Sophie then went on to play a role in luc picards 2012 feature esimesac before being asked to audition for the lead role of a german girl in the englishlanguage feature film the book thief. The book thief has its moments of brilliance, thanks in large part to an adept cast. But the movie about a girl adopted by a german couple during world war ii. The incredibly unique tale, narrated by death himself, follows. Liesel meminger is the protagonist in the novel, the book thief. Maxs sentiments about writing and thought can lean toward the hallmarky, but the book thief is almost always remedying its schmaltz with lyrical language and rich, corresponding imagery. Why sophie nelisse gave up her olympic dream for book thief. The book thief has the use of nazis in movies reached the point of being pornographic. With sophie nelisse, geoffrey rush, emily watson, ben schnetzer.
Familyfriendly, feelgood emphasis in the book thief paints over the holocaust as well as mein kampf in a wishful narrative set amid catastrophe. Liesel has never known her father and is turned over to a foster family by her mother, along with her young. Brian percival is a director and producer, known for the book thief 20, downton abbey 2010 and shakespearetold 2005. Death comes across one particular survivor the book thief and he meets her three times. The book thief is an outstanding young adult novel set in germany during 19391943 and follows the life of liesel meminger, a young foster girl, as she endures a povertyridden existence. When he realizes that she is unable to read, kindhearted hans begins to teach his new ward out of a book that she stole from her brothers funeral, and liesel soon. She is seen by death one day and catches his interest. A recent graduate of the guildhall school of music and drama in london, mr. In thief, james caan plays frank, a professional jewel thief who wants to marry jessie tuesday weld and settle down into a normal life. Geoffrey rush and sophie nelisse talk the book thief, meeting for the first time, how familiar they were with the book, and tackling tough scenes by sheila roberts november 5, 20 share tweet.
Like zusaks novel, the movie is narrated by death roger allam, who explains that world war ii was an exceptionally busy time for him, and allowed. Its grimness and tragedy run through the readers mind like a blackandwhite movie, bereft of the colors of life. The book thief 20 stream and watch online moviefone. The book thief tells the story of liesel canadian sophie nelisse, a young girl sent to live with foster parents hans geoffrey rush and rosa emily watson in nazi germany. The book thief runs 1 minutes and is rated pg for some violence and intense depiction of thematic material. Nov 14, 20 the book thief has its moments of brilliance, thanks in large part to an adept cast. So when they offered me to audition, i wasnt even sure if i wanted to audition. Death, as the narrator of the novel, dedicates his spare time during a certain time period to talk about those said experiences of liesel.
The book thief is an earnest melodrama with a solid cast that deals with powerful themes of life, death, and connection. Ben schnetzer on the book thief the new york times. The book thief, like the book on which its based, is narrated by death roger allam, who explains that he rarely cares about the stories of the living, with the exception of young liesel meminger sophie nelisse. The book thief thanks themes in the book thief the power of words courage determination war motifs.
I really enjoyed the book thief which i found compelling throughout. Parents need to know that the book thief is a historical drama set in wwii germany based on the bestselling youngadult novel by australian author markus zusak. While subjected to the horrors of world war ii germany, young liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. Casting director donna isaacson is seeking child actors to submit online video auditions for the book thief, the longawaited film adaptation of marcus zusaks bestselling young adult novel. Oct 04, 20 the book thiefs unique narrator now has a voice.
There are many scenes of violence, from the way the nazis treat jews, to schoolyard fights, to recurring bomb threats. Books darkness stealing hans accordion one spit yes, two spits no plot of the book thief the book thief was directed by brian percival. The narrator refers to liesel as the book thief because she steals a. The story of liesel meminger, the book thief, is one that will linger in my memory for time upon time. While some observers might say that line was crossed long ago, others may find that conclusive proof arrives in brian percivals the book thief, based on an international bestseller that the new york times jibed as harry potter and the holocaust. Let us know what you thought of the film in the comment section below. The book thief is unsettling and unsentimental, yet ultimately poetic. The book thiefs unique narrator to be voiced by roger allam. In the basement of her home, a jewish refugee is being protected by her adoptive parents. Rent the book thief 20 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix.
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