In 1985, the novel "Perfume" by Patrick Süskind was published. Highly praised by the press, it was on bestseller lists (not only in Germany) for years. It was translated into 46 languages and sold over 15 million copies. Such a successful book was crying out to be made into a film. But actually Grenouille does not correspond at all to the typical cinema heros. Süskind resisted releasing his screenplay for a long time. Ridley Scott, Tim Burton, Steven Spielberg and Bernd Eichinger showed interest in the film version. However, according to rumors, the author hoped that Stanley Kubrick would film his novel.
In 2001, Eichinger finally obtained the rights to "Perfume". It is said that they cost him 10 million euros. Due to the popularity of the novel, the film adaptation of the material was impatiently awaited. In the following I will compare the novel in some points with the film version and go into difficulties with the conversion of the book (representation of the smells, the protagonist etc.). Furthermore, I would like to deal with some film reviews, in order to be able to draw my own summary regarding the cinematic world of Grenouille from the gained knowledge at the end.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Comparison of the beginning
- The beginning of the book
- The beginning of the film
- The Narrator
- The world of fragrances
- Grenouille
- Comparison of the ending
- General differences between book and film
- Reception
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper compares the novel "Das Parfum" by Patrick Süskind with its film adaptation, analyzing the differences and challenges in transitioning the book to the screen. It explores the representation of smells, the protagonist, and the overall narrative structure. Additionally, the paper examines film reviews to draw conclusions about the cinematic portrayal of Grenouille.
- Adaptation challenges of olfactory elements in film
- Comparison of narrative structures in book and film
- Representation of the protagonist Grenouille
- Analysis of film reviews and reception
- Exploration of the cinematic world of Grenouille
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction provides context for the analysis by discussing the novel's popularity and the challenges of adapting it to film. The second chapter compares the beginnings of the book and film, highlighting the film's medias in res approach and its use of visual and auditory elements to establish tension.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of the text include: Das Parfum, Patrick Süskind, film adaptation, olfactory elements, narrative structure, protagonist, Grenouille, film reviews, cinematic world, reception.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Nadine Klein (Autor:in), 2007, Süskind's novel "Perfume" and its film adaptation, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1216457
