The first trailer for The Book Thief movie recently debuted, and here are nine (spoiler free) reasons why this film is going to be amazing.
The Book Thief trailer pulled no punches. The film is going to pull our heartstrings, make us laugh, and make even the most emotionless amongst us cry. Markus Zusak’s novel is difficult source material to adapt, but the look of the film and the casting shows us that the filmmakers sure know what they are doing.
Those who have read The Book Thief will already know how brilliant this film has the potential to be. For those who haven’t, or the more skeptical readers, here are some more reasons to get excited.
Why ‘The Book Thief’ movie will be amazing
Geoffrey Rush
How could Geoffrey Rush not be a major draw for film fans? The Australian actor will play Hans Hubermann, Liesel’s adopted father, and the man who teaches her how to read, and who is a fan favourite amongst many book readers.
Rush may be most well known from his role in Pirates of the Caribbean, but he is also a highly acclaimed and award winning actor (an Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy, plus several BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and SAG awards at last count). Rush will bring the gravitas and the humour to this beloved role, and from what we have seen in the trailer, he already looks magnificent.
Sophie Nélisse
In a star studded cast, Sophie Nélisse manages to more-than hold her own. As Liesel she looks understated, determined, scared, brave, and everything in between. If you haven’t guessed by now, The Book Thief really is Liesel’s story, and the success of the film is riding on Nélisse’s performance.
Nélisse is most well known for her award winning turn in Monsieur Lazhar, and we can’t wait to see more of her as The Book Thief promotional campaign takes off. From her performance in the trailer, we couldn’t imagine anyone else in the role. Now that is perfect casting.
John Williams is composing the score
You didn’t think it could get any better, did you? Yes, John Williams will be composing the film score for The Book Thief. The maestro himself will ensure that the film has the emotional resonance and careful consideration that it deserves.
And let’s be clear – the man has won 5 Academy Awards. He scored Star Wars, Harry Potter, Schindler’s List, and Jurassic Park, to name but a few. He doesn’t have time to waste on bad projects, so the fact that he is attached is yet another vote of confidence for the project.
The rest of the cast
Geoffrey Rush and Sophie Nélisse aren’t the only cast members we are excited about. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a single cast member of The Book Thief that didn’t look wonderfully suited to the role. What can we say, this was some excellent casting and we aren’t afrad to say so.
Emily Watson (War Horse) stars as Hans’ wife Rosa, an unforgiving woman who is difficult to get right – but Watson looks to be right on the money. Relative Ben Schnetzer (Happy Town) completes the four, as Jewish fist-fighter Max, who hides in the Hubermann’s house.
This look on Liesel’s face
This is the look on Liesel’s face when, for the first time, she is confronted with a huge library of books. As you may have gathered from the title, Liesel has a habit of taking books that were not always hers, and much of the story revolves around the way these books shape her.
So why are we so excited about a single fleeting expression? That this scene was even included in the trailer shows that the filmmakers understand just how important it is. And are you telling us your face would look much different the first time you walked into a library? Nélisse gets it absolutely right in this moment.
It seems like prime Oscar bait…but it’s just like that
The Book Thief has everything that is usually associated with Oscar bait films. A World War 2 setting, Jewish characters in the Holocaust, child actors, adult actors who allow themselves to look less-than-perfect, the list goes on (and on, and on).
The great thing about The Book Thief is, it’s just like that. All of those elements have come straight from the book, and instead of seeming like a pleading for awards, they just assure book fans that the production team are staying as true to the story as possible.
The most unconventional narrator ever
We won’t give it away for non-book readers, but book readers can now celebrate. Author Markus Zusak has confirmed on his Tumblr that the same character who narrated the book will also narrate the film.
This little detail has not been spoiled in the trailer, or in other promotional material for the film. We hope non-readers manage to stay unspoiled, so that they can bask in Zusak’s brilliance just like we did when we read the book. Trust us, it doesn’t get a whole lot weirder (or cooler) than his choice.
It tackles a difficult subject in a unique way
Despite often being classified as a Young Adult novel (no doubt due to Liesel’s age), The Book Thief makes no attempts to simplify or dismiss the difficult subject matter it deals with. There is really no escaping the elements of World War II or Nazi Germany in a book that is about a young Jewish man hiding in the basement of two sympathetic Germans.
And from the looks of the film, this topic will be treated just as complexly. None of these characters have a single motivation, or are simple in any sense of the word. Still, The Book Thief manages to explore this subject matter in a totally unique and fascinating way. Oh, and it will make you cry.
Even the author was excited about the trailer
Sometimes a book-to-film adaptation benefits from separation between the written material and what ends up on screen. But with a book that is so close to our hearts, let’s just say that the fact that author Markus Zusak approves of the film has us all breathing large sighs of relief.
It only seems appropriate to give Zusak the final word: “Just on eight years after The Book Thief was first published, here are Liesel, Hans and Rosa, Max and Rudy in the first official trailer for the film, and I can’t lie – I’m writing this with my heart still loud inside me.
As I said to a few people close by after watching it: “I’m fine! I’ve just got something in my eye!” It looks absolutely stunning, and it’s very hard to hold the emotion at bay.” (via Tumblr)
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