Fortunate Land Mass

Book 38 - A book that became a movie

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

A couple weeks ago, I took a tour through the book area in our local Value Village. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, when I happened upon this delightful tale.

Rather than refer back to my lovely book challenge list, I decided to purchase the novel knowing that one day I would eventually read it; book challenge or not. Much to my enjoyment, I hadn't used this very challenge yet.

The movie to which I am referring to is not any ordinary Treasure Island, but rather the spectacular Muppet Treasure Island. Well done, Disney, I must say.

We could sit here and make a case that the movie is a wonderful example of how great Hollywood is at ruining good books; but you really can't go wrong with Muppet Treasure Island. I am quite leery about all those other Muppet movies they've been producing in the last few years, but this one is the creation of pros.

If you haven't already guessed, this novel is based around an island that is said to hold buried treasure. This treasure was hidden on the island by Cap'n Flint oh so many years ago.

The trouble all starts when an old drunkard of a pirate, Billy Bones, calls home an inn that Jim Hawkins (our dear narrator) and his mother own and operate. This old drunkard is handed a Black Spot by a blind pirate and soon after falls over dead. Jim retrieves a treasure map from Mr. Bones' garments and then begins the journey that will take him to Treasure Island and return him in much larger fortune.

As is always the case, the Disney movie had all the characters enjoy a happy ending, where the good guys won and the bad guys lost. The novel however, was rather full of murder and mutiny galore. If someone wasn't dying, was the chapter really worth reading? I say yes, but that's just one persons opinion. 

The movie also took on a somewhat musical element. During the hour and 3/4 length film, we are treated to many wonderful tunes brought to you straight from the mouths of the Muppets (and the humans). Now I generally love musicals so it wasn't difficult for me to rekindle the love that I had for this movie as a youngster. The score was also by Hanz Zimmer, how can you go wrong with that?

I can't say that this novel is one of my most favourite stories. If you have been relying upon the tale told in Muppet Treasure Island, you might want to consider reading this novel, because you are missing a lot of the story.

Seasons are a-changin', this is t-bear signing off