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It is uncanny how close Liz Miller’s column on adaptations hews to our recent experience (ironically — or perhaps not — when we saw Hellboy). First, our mother poked us over and over, saying, “this isn’t what I think it is, is it?”, then the man next to us leaned across two empty seats to say, “Asimov must be rolling over in his grave” (we didn’t agree or disagree, being fairly certain Isaac Asimov has passed on, but not wanting to embarrass ourselves). Miller, in her Hollyood Madam column on Bookslut, lays out what we consider to be the immutable rules of adapting a novel for film. We sincerely doubt Hollywood types will take Miller’s incredibly perceptive advice to heart, but we wish her all the best in making our joint dream a reality.

• A Nerdy Day At the Movies, and The Three Laws of Adaptations