Crazy in Alabama

So, after reading One Mississippi by Mark Childress, I decided to go back and read Crazy in Alabama. This is probably his most famous novel because Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas made a movie of it. Anyway, I will admit that I liked One Mississippi better than this one. When I first started reading it, I wasn't even sure if I'd finish it, but about 1/3 of the way in, I got really into it and couldn't put it down for a day or two. So, it's definitely good, but not the best thing I've ever read. I will say this: it gets kind of heavy into the Civil Rights movement, and admittedly, I cried at one point during a fictional speech by Martin Luther King. I don't cry at things, so that's saying a lot.

Childress has several other books available, but I'm going to take a break from him; there are still five other books in my little stack o' books to read. I am, however, looking forward to his next book, which will be out soon, Georgia Bottoms.

Anyway, I really wanted to watch the movie after I finished the book, and of course it's not available on Netflix or anywhere else I would have paid to see it, but I found it free on Hulu of all places. I haven't felt too good over the last few days, so I decided to camp out on the sofa and watch it this afternoon. Admittedly, I was very disappointed. Childress wrote the screenplay, but from what I understand, Banderas and Griffith had their own ideas. I know, it's cliche to say the book was better, but in this case, it's absolutely true. The acting was not good, the direction was not great, even down to the costumes - I just wasn't a fan. Some of my favorite scenes were edited out. Had I watched it without reading the book, I don't think I'd hate it, but the quality was still pretty crappy.

OK, end of my book/movie review from the 90's. Next I'm reading Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell. It's her latest, and I hear she mentions my hometown in it.