Very minor spoilers ahead.
John Huston did a fantastic job adapting Melville's masterpiece for film. Ray Bradbury did an excellent job adapting the dialogue and exposition from the novel for the film. he took giant and important chunks of essential dialogue, without needing to take up the extraneous scientific jargon or soliliqiues that are better suited for the printed page than the screen. He remains faithful to Melville's vision, and the important symbolism is there. It's a very difficult job, and Melville's novel is a very difficult book to adapt, but Bradbury, who apparently hadn't read the book before adapting it, did one hell of a job.
The actors are great, and it's a shame they didn't win any Oscars. Gregory Peck is excellent as the sullen, vengeance-driven Captain Aheab. He made the role his own, and knew when to be passionate and when to be calm and quiet. Some parts of the novel may seem wordy to viewers, but are important in conveying Melville's meaning, such as Father Mapple's sermon on man's obedience to God. If you have a short attention span, and only like action films that are short on substance, this movie is not for you. Everyone else must do themselves a favor and watch this classic. This is an adaptation for the ages.
John Huston did a fantastic job adapting Melville's masterpiece for film. Ray Bradbury did an excellent job adapting the dialogue and exposition from the novel for the film. he took giant and important chunks of essential dialogue, without needing to take up the extraneous scientific jargon or soliliqiues that are better suited for the printed page than the screen. He remains faithful to Melville's vision, and the important symbolism is there. It's a very difficult job, and Melville's novel is a very difficult book to adapt, but Bradbury, who apparently hadn't read the book before adapting it, did one hell of a job.
The actors are great, and it's a shame they didn't win any Oscars. Gregory Peck is excellent as the sullen, vengeance-driven Captain Aheab. He made the role his own, and knew when to be passionate and when to be calm and quiet. Some parts of the novel may seem wordy to viewers, but are important in conveying Melville's meaning, such as Father Mapple's sermon on man's obedience to God. If you have a short attention span, and only like action films that are short on substance, this movie is not for you. Everyone else must do themselves a favor and watch this classic. This is an adaptation for the ages.