Blindness is a 2008 dramatic thriller film that is an adaptation of the 1995 novel of the same name by Jos? Saramago about a society suffering an epidemic of blindness. The film is written by Don McKellar and directed by Fernando Meirelles with Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo as the main characters. Saramago originally refused to sell the rights for a film adaptation, but the producers were able to acquire it with the condition that the film would be set in an unrecognizable city. Blindness premiered as the opening film at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2008, and the film was released in the United States on October 3, 2008.
The rights to the 1995 novel Blindness were closely guarded by author Jos? Saramago. Saramago explained, "I always resisted because it's a violent book about social degradation, rape, and I didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands." Director Fernando Meirelles had wanted to direct a film adaptation in 1997, perceiving it as "an allegory about the fragility of civilization". Saramago originally refused to sell the rights to Meirelles, Whoopi Goldberg, or Gael Garc?a Bernal. In 1999, producer Niv Fichman and Canadian screenwriter Don McKellar visited Saramago in the Canary Islands; Saramago allowed their visit on condition that they not discuss buying the rights. McKellar explained the changes he intended to make from the novel and what the focus would be, and two days later he and Fichman left Saramago's home with the rights. McKellar believed they had succeeded where others had failed because they properly researched Saramago; he was suspicious of the film industry and had therefore resisted other studios' efforts to obtain the rights through large sums of money alone. Conditions set by Saramago were for the film to be set in a country that would not be recognizable to audiences, and that the canine in the novel, the Dog of Tears, should be a big dog.
Meirelles originally envisioned directing the film in Portuguese similar to the novel's original language, but instead directed the film in English, saying, "If you do it in English you can sell it to the whole world and have a bigger audience." Meirelles placed the film in a contemporary setting, as opposed to the novel that he falsely estimated took place in the 1930s or 1940s. The book is more likely to take place in the 60s or later, as evident by the fact that a group of people stumble upon a store with more modern appliances like microwave ovens, dishwashers, etc… Meirelles chose to make a contemporary film so audiences could relate to the characters. The director also sought a different allegorical approach. He described the novel as "very allegorical, like a fantasy outside of space, outside the world", and he instead took a naturalistic direction in engaging audiences to make the film less "cold".
These all events was so successful but there was one accident. The premiere of this film calls perplexity of many societies of people who suffered from blindness. It was so loud affair like a situation with death of Michael Jackson. And nowadays it continues to make a decision in internet. The main leaders of societies accuse the film's director of slander. They said that he doesn't know about all problems of blindness , he has an easy imagination of this life and showed care-free film. In the other words, he hurt their honour.
Of course it is difficult situation and it can continues for a long time but I think if the leaders would recognise the pardons of Meirelles this problem will solved.
Sounds like a very interesting film, one that should be viewed. Did you enjoy it yourself? Have you read the novel? Did you think the movie did it justice, despite the apparent adaptions? -Kristine
Yes, I watched this film and decided to read the original interpretation of the writer. I can’t say that this film made a deep impression on me but you can watch it. I will be glad to discuss the scenery of this film
The last film, that impressed me is Lovely bones. Did you watch it? Saskia Solovieva