Analysis Of The Movie 'The Pedestrian'

“The Pedestrian” Film Adaptation Comparison Essay
Many stories and novels are created into films, but it is not easy. Stories often rely heavily on the narrator, but films don’t typically have one. While film gives you direct visuals, books give you the opportunity to make up your own; a film takes away your own visual interpretation. Also, film has certain limits, such as time, interaction with the imagination, and the need to collaborate with certain people. It is common for a book to film adaptation to have the downside of not having all of the details from the story, but it isn't the filmmaker's job to adapt the story word for word, they use their own vision. Sometimes, it is necessary for some things to be changed, maybe to “highlight new themes, emphasize

different traits in a character, or even to try to solve problems [the filmmakers] perceive in the original work” (2). From book to film, any story can have a few adjustments made. Furthermore, there are many unique ways to demonstrate a certain point or theme in a film adaptation.
Different portrayals of theme in Ray Bradbury’s “The Pedestrian” are evident in the short story and the film adaptation.
Ray Bradbury’s “The Pedestrian” has many things in common with its film adaptation by Alin Bollinger.

It’s coinciding theme, that what Leonard Mead is doing is alien to the rest of society, is a huge similarity between the two. Mr. Mead knows that he is most likely the only other human walking out at night, for in his many years of doing it, Leonard “had never met another person walking” (49). Leonard Mead’s awareness of being the only one willing to walk in both the story and film illustrates the overall theme they share. Although they may be demonstrated in different ways, the point is still made clearly; man have become tools of their tools. As Mr. Mead walks past the many houses on his way down the sidewalk, he can see the bright blue glow of the televisions in their homes. This is a very key point in the story and film, as it adds to the hopeless feel of the setting and storyline. However, it is still depicted in slightly different ways. In the story, Leonard Mead is talking to himself about the people in the houses glued to their screens, while in the film he is explaining the state of the rest of the world to his friend. Although the theme is represented in different ways, it is still the same

theme.
The film “The Pedestrian” and the short story by Ray Bradbury have many differences, even if they are subtle or seem unnecessary. A prominent difference in the film is the appearance of a Leonard’s friend, Bob. In the story, Mr. Mead talks to himself for the better part of the first half, but in the film, he talks to his friend while they walk and try to avoid being spotted by patrol vehicles. Furthermore, Leonard sees no need to hide from the police in the story while the film portrays it as imperative that they do; walking is an oddity in one and a crime in the other. In the story, Mr. Mead walks along nonchalantly, he “whispered to every house on every side as he moved”(49). The film demonstrates that getting caught walking about could leave to grave consequences, as he is shown hiding him and his friend multiple times. Conversely, he is surprised when he is stopped by the police in the story, as “he stood entranced, not unlike a night moth, stunned by the illumination and then drawn toward it”(49). While these differences may play a small part in the story, they do contribute to the overall slight difference in theme.
The changes from short story to film, small and important, were cleverly placed so that the main point at the heart of the story was kept intact. While there were adjustments made to specific events in the story, the plot remind whole all the way until the end. The reader was able to follow and match what was happening in the film to what occurred in the story, no matter what objects were replaced or what dialogue was added or removed. Although the narration of the short story was replaced with a friend, the main character’s thoughts and feelings on the world were unchanged. The entirety of the story and plotline overall remained the same and portrayed the same internal and external conflicts that the character faced. The theme of the pedestrian was modified significantly and subtly, but the variations in theme and the changes in the plot did not contribute to the development of a new story. They worked to match two versions of a story with the same meaning.