Adapting Own Novel into a Hollywood Movie: Insights from Jordan Harper on the Bitter-Sweet Process
In the world of literature, some authors choose to venture into the realm of film adaptation, shaping their stories in a new medium. One such author is Jordan Harper, a novelist who has made a name for himself with his gritty California-based novels.
Harper, inspired by the film "Shogun Assassin", penned his debut novel, "She Rides Shotgun". The novel tells the story of a father-daughter duo, Nate McClusky and Polly, on the run from the police and a gang called Aryan Steel. The setting is California's underbelly, featuring dirtbag motels, meth labs, prisons, diners, and more. The underlying theme is about a father protecting his offspring in a brutal world, often at enormous cost.
Interestingly, Harper's advice to other novelists is to avoid Hollywood, citing the "cheap greed and loathsome brainworms" of many executives. Despite this, he co-wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of "She Rides Shotgun" with Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski.
Harper has published four novels, including "The Last King of California" and "Everybody Knows". He had to rewrite the entire novel from Polly's point of view to make it work. His current manuscript is a sequel to "Everybody Knows" titled "A Violent Masterpiece".
Notable authors who have adapted their own novels into films include William Goldman, who adapted "The Princess Bride" in 1987, and Gillian Flynn, who adapted "Gone Girl" in 2014. The process is often complex, requiring authors to condense and alter narrative elements for the screen while trying to remain faithful to the spirit of the original work.
While Harper has extensive television credits, having written for shows like "The Mentalist" and produced around 20 episodes, he has no plans to adapt "Everybody Knows" himself, as a film version is in the works with another writer.
James Ellroy, whom Harper has a well-documented love for, once criticized the movie adaptation of his novel "L.A. Confidential" as a "turkey of the highest form". This demonstrates the challenges authors may face when their works are adapted for the screen.
In conclusion, Jordan Harper's journey from novelist to screenwriter is a testament to the complexities of adapting literature for film. His distinctive voice and storytelling style shine through in both his novels and the film adaptation of "She Rides Shotgun".
- Jordan Harper's noir fiction books, such as "She Rides Shotgun", "The Last King of California", and "Everybody Knows", offer historical crime narratives that are entertaining and distinctive, showcasing his unique voice and storytelling style.
- Despite his skepticism towards Hollywood, Jordan Harper co-wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of his acclaimed novel "She Rides Shotgun", which presents a challenging experience for authors when adapting their novels into noir fiction films.
