When the first teaser arrived for THE GIVER, many noted the similarities with a number of young adult movies from recent years despite the award-winning novel having been published twenty years ago. It still looked intriguing with a large cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, Alexander Skarsgard, Taylor Swift, and newcomer Brenton Thwaites.
But, fans of Lois Lowry‘s novel noticed the trailer seemed to ignore a major aspect of the story which is that all characters are suppressed from experiencing emotion which leads to them being unable to see in color. Director Philip Noyce assured fans after that initial teaser that the black and white was a part of the film. That is why this new teaser essentially copies the original one but now includes black and white elements. While it may not be quite as revolutionary as PLEASANTVILLE, it does add a little something unique to what otherwise could have been overlooked by most moviegoers.
The haunting story of THE GIVER centers on Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. The film is based on Lois Lowry‘s beloved young adult novel of the same name, which was the winner the 1994 Newbery Medal and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.
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THE GIVER is a book that is often taught in schools while also topping lists of banned fiction. It is a very well written novel, unlike a lot of what passes for YA fiction these days. Hopefully the finished film lives up to the book and adding the black and white is a nice addition.
THE GIVER is slated to open August 15, 2014.
