Blog Post 4

Adapting Shutter Island into a movie would have some challenges but with the right amount of budget is very plausible. The fact that the most of the movie is set on an island it would be an important director’s decision to film the majority of the film on an island. It is also essential for the names of the main characters, especially Teddy Daniels and Rachel Solando to stay the same because those names are essential to the plot. The movie would suffer greatly without the connection that some of the names have in the book. The professions of both Teddy and his partner as FBI detectives investigating a missing person case, is also a crucial element of the book that must stay intact.

            One particular scene that is a necessity to keep in the movie would be when partners Teddy and Chuck are on the boat arriving to Shutter Island. This scene where they’re on the boat and slowly approaching this sketchy island is important to the suspense and mystery of the island. If this is not in the movie the story would lose some of its mysterious quality that is so important in a book that is all about mystery and uncertainty. The movie version did a great job in creating the suspense and the audience got a really good sense of the characters uncertainty.

            Another specific scene that I would want to keep for a movie version would be the moment when Teddy tells Dr. Cawley he and his partner would be leaving in the morning because they weren’t receiving the information they wanted to solve the case. Keeping this scene shows the frustration of Teddy wonderfully which builds throughout the story. Not only is Teddy’s frustration in the situation is showcased but his anger at Cawley.

            The last scene that I would definitely have to keep would be the scene when he’s interviewing a patient and she takes his pen and notebook and scribbles something in it. Having this scene in the movie would be important because it adds to the mystery of the story. It also gives the audience and indication that there is something not right about the entire situation. We feel like we are missing critical information that we should know.

            A scene that I would probably not put in the movie would be the scene when Teddy and Chuck play cards with the orderlies after they were at Cawley’s house. This scene although entertaining in the book, would have no real value in the movie and would just add to the length of the movie. Without having this scene in the movie wouldn’t hinder the plot in any way because it kind of diverges from the story.

            Another scene that I would alter would be the scene where Teddy and Chuck search Rachel’s room and find the note that has all the numbers. I think the movie version did a great version of changing it to only have “Who is 67?” and not all of the “rule of 4” and “they were 80” phrases. This being said, I think a close interpretation to the book in a movie would be not too difficult and essential. When there is a plot that is confusing and connects to itself like Shutter Island, there needs to be a lot of similarities between the book and the movie.