I don’t like to read books based on movies after I’ve seen the movie. I can read the book first, but reverse it and the movie almost always fails to live up to the book.

Several weeks ago Kristen and I finally watched “Stardust”. We both loved it. I’m not a huge fan of the fantasy genre, the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Princess Bride” are the main exceptions. The film “Stardust”, however, did not take itself too seriously, had well drawn characters, and really drew me in. I found myself thinking about the film more and more as days passed.

I just finished reading the novel “Stardust” today, and was likewise impressed. There are major differences in aspects of the novel and movie. The ending is completely different, even though it is peppered with the same elements. I found the forgetfulness spell that one character is cursed with handled much better in the book, but I missed the wonderful ship sequence of the movie, relegated to a few pages of exposition in the novel. The novel was able to introduce more characters, but the ending was completely different, lacking the action and resolution of the movie.

There are very few books that make the transition to movies mostly intact (excepting King’s “Shawshank Redemption”).  I think the key is to look at movies and books of the same material as two entirely different stories. You write a story for the page and it is one creature. To move it to film you must create a different creature. Both mediums have their advantages and limitations.  I’ve also come to this mind about stories that are read aloud, I’m often surprised how stories that I read can engross me, but when read aloud they lose me.

“Stardust” changed between the two iterations, print and film, but both were entertaining and well done with the same core to them. That’s good enough for me on both counts, and probably the best we can hope for.

I’m still plugging away on the USS Weehawken, my deadline of March 7th looming larger and larger every day. I wanted to post these shots, though, of the XV-inch and XI-inch Dahlgren cannons. I’m really happy with the way they came out. While the full-sized cannons were massive, deadly, and ugly, these little facsimiles could be considered cute.

…someone emailed me yesterday and gave me grief about not posting photos recently.

There’s a part of any model project where it finally starts to come together. With Weehawken it’s this red paint. All of the sanding and filling are done and now I’m applying color. This shot is of the first coat applied. Some of the raised hull plating detail that I created is barely visible in the photo; it’s hard to see even in person, but that’s how it should be. Weathering and detail washes will bring it out a bit.  I hate to admit it, but this is the second attempt at this red paint.  I totally boned the paint-to-thinner ratio the first time, and my airbrush decided to literally puke all over my hands.  I guess the next time someone asks me for advice on airbrushing I can leave that part out.

The deck hatches will be open on Weehawken, so I have to show something. Here’s a shot of some interior details: pipes with cut-off wheels, cabin doors, green watertight door, and a gray strong-door (probably used to lock up weapons, payroll, etc.).

And finally something that I just have to do over. The gun carriage is in good shape, wheels designed by Gary Kingzett, and one of them built by him. I built the other wheel and the carriage. My father and I turned the gun barrel on his lathe while I was home over the holidays, but MAN, we got the barrel too big. It looks like some of the phallic graffiti you see on the walls at Pompei. I’ve got some brass rod chucked in my Dremel tool. Hopefully that will allow me to turn a more in-scale barrel.