Aug 20 2007
Dangerous Book for Boys Coming to a Big Screen Near You
The surprise British sensation, The Dangerous Book for Boys, achieved a new pinnacle when the rights for the book were sold to Disney and producer Scott Rudin (“The Queen” and “School of Rock”). The problem is that there is no story in The Dangerous Book for Boys. It’s a how to manual of reclaiming some past idea of manhood which includes camping, riding bicycles, and skipping rocks. There are chapters on grammar and a list of useful Latin terms and Shakespeare quotes. What there is not is a plot, central characters, a climax or the accompanying denouement.
The script will be made out of whole cloth and the only thing that will resemble the book? Possibly the font that is used to advertise the movie. Disney and Rudin apparently want to capitalize on the sense of nostalgia (where everything that happened 50 years ago must be better than today) and hope to drive the millions who bought the book to the theatre in an attempt to recapture lost youth. One of the authors, Conn Iggulden, says that the response is from people who are tired of the “health and safety culture”.
I particularly hate the “health and safety culture” that drives things like lead paint toy recalls. My father taught me how to pitch a tent, skip rocks, tie on my own lure, trim my own arrows, and shoot a gun. But he also taught me that the “health and safety culture” attendant to those activities were just as important as the activity themselves.
Via New York Times (annoying login required) or Entertainment Weekly.
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Aug 20, 2007 @ 10:55:18
My husband and sons LOVE this book. It’s fun for them to look at. There is a section on medieval weapons~what boy wouldn’t find it fun to look at that? However, there are no plans in this house to build any LOLOLOL
I don’t think that my family likes it b/c we think anything 50 years ago is better than today, but that it is a collection of things that interest boys. I do think that sometimes we forget the things boys like to hear about in an effort to “civilize” them :)
It is a fun book for boys and dads to spend time together looking at~I know b/c I’ve seen how much fun they have.
However, I have NO IDEA how you’d make a movie out of it!
I agree that we need to be health and safety conscious but you have to admit that sometimes we do take this a little too far today with kids. I mean, a kid hurts themselves on a toy (I’m not talking lead paint, or a safety issue, but just kids being kids and getting hurt) and they want to pull it off the shelves for life. Some people want to put their kids in a bubble and not allow for any injuries that are normal for kids.
You should see the looks I get at the park. My 5 year old is a total klutz and has no fear~not a good combo LOL Anyway, he’ll fall many, many times as he plays and he always pops up and says, “I’m alright!” and keeps going. I DON’T jump up to check on him unless he cries. I seriously get a lot of dirty looks from mothers b/c I don’t go coddle him every time he falls. If he’s hurt, I’m there for him, but why jump up every single time the kid takes a fall?? It’s not necessary!
So, in that respect I agree with the authors of the book. At the same time I think that we need to be safe (without going overboard)
Sorry I wrote a book here LOL I hope I am making sense.
Aug 21, 2007 @ 03:02:08
I find it rather hilarious nowadays to think, “OMG…I survived childhood and I didn’t even need anti-bacterial hand sanitizer.” Seriously, its on my kids checklist for school supplies. Doesn’t anyone remember what soap is???
Aug 21, 2007 @ 12:02:32
They should call Tina Fey.
I loved Mean Girls, which derived from non-fic.