“John Carter” of Mars or why I’m never happy with Edgar Rice Burroughs translations

Well, I went this week to see “John Carter”, I had been waiting for this for months, and I was very, very excited.  I love ERB and all his books; I have read and reread the Tarzan books since I was a kid.   And I thought the John Carter of Mars series was a great way to start a new Sci-Fi franchise.  Effects have finally gotten to the point where all of the great alien characters from the “Princess of Mars” can be believably brought to life.  And they were, but in a story really different from the one written by Burroughs.  I am not really sure why moviemakers always feel the need to rewrite his books.  They have remained popular for almost a hundred years, due in large part to their solid, engaging characters and exciting stories about men and women in situations completely alien to our experience, but still very recognizable to the reader.   The only movie that has ever been even slightly on target was the 1984 version, “Greystoke”, and even that took quite a few liberties. 

I wish “John Carter” had only taken a few liberties.  Basically they have taken ERB’s characters and rewritten the storyline almost completely.  If I, like the friend I went with, had never read the books, then I may have enjoyed the film (he did), but because I have read the books, more than once, all my brain kept telling me is, “this is wrong, this is wrong!”

John Carter became an angry PTSD suffer, obsessed with gold, instead of a highly competent, courageous, and experienced warrior.  His friend Powell became his enemy and the mysterious means of transport to Mars became an amulet (because we cannot leave anything unexplained, even though that is what ERB meant to happen). His super strength, on Mars becomes only the ability to jump incredible distances, and his military training does not even come into play.

Tars Tarkas and the green Martians became savages living in huts, instead of savvy, highly political movers, living in a marble city.  Sola, became a victim, instead of a strong female character. And even the story of the river Iss and their religious mythology was completely changed with the most important aspects left out.  (Apparently even alien stories that debunk religion are against the PC Disney mindset.)  And the war between the different factions is dropped as secondary to the “gladiator/arena” scene.  The friendship between Tars Tarkas and John Carter was never developed, even though that is very important to this story and later stories.  

I wish I could say I enjoyed this more, but I am hesitant to recommend not seeing it.  If you have never read the books it could be a very entertaining movie, however, if you have read the books and are a fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs, you may be greatly disappointed, I know I was.