John Carter - Film Love

I consider myself to be widely read, but, before last week, I had never come across books by Edgar Rice Burroughs in my travels. I'd heard of him, but never read one of his books. I realise now that he wrote
 Tarzan of the Apes. 

Well, last week, we watched the movie, John Carter, based on his book The Princess of Mars, and I really got into it! John Carter is a former American Civil War Confederate army captain when he stumbles across a cave that is a portal to the planet Mars. Here, he meets the inhabitants, both alien and human in form, and learns to survive in this unusual landscape. He realises he can bounce and jump extremely high on Mars, and he has amazing strength. 

A cross between the movies Hulk, Star Wars, Clash of the Titans, and Avatar, with a bit of the wild west thrown in, John Carter is a fantastic tale of  survival, and love. 

The lead actors, Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins, have a great chemistry and screen presence. 

I especially enjoyed the way Edgar Rice Burroughs himself is a character in the story, and I was intrigued by the part he played in John Carter's survival.

The setting at the beginning and end of the film is the late 1800s and is similar to that in the film, Sherlock Holmes, with its Victorian, industrial feel. Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Rice Burroughs were contemporaries in their time.

                                          Burroughs                                                     Doyle

I thought about the film for days after watching it, and then downloaded the book from ibooks for free. I love Burroughs writing style and know this will be a book I will enjoy.  

The book was first published in 1917, and over the years, there have been graphic novels based on the story, with illustrations like the one above. Very 70s and pulp fiction looking! But don't let that put you off - the story is brilliant!

Have you seen the film, or read the book? 

If you're a fantasy or sci-fi buff, I highly recommend them!

xx