Hugo - The Book or the Movie, I Say Both

Want a great book to read and a fabulous movie to watch? Check out The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick or the wonderful movie, Hugo directed by Martin Scorsese.

Hugo directed by Martin Scorsese

Throughout his extraordinary career, Academy Award-wining director Martin Scorsese has brought his unique vision and dazzling gifts to life in a series of unforgettable films. This holiday season the legendary storyteller invites you to join him on a thrilling journey to a magical world with his first-ever 3-D film, based on Brian Selznick's award-winning, imaginative New York Times best-seller, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret." Hugo is the astonishing adventure of a wily and resourceful boy whose quest to unlock a secret left to him by his father will transform Hugo and all those around him, and reveal a safe and loving place he can call home. – Paramount                 

 The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick                 

“Paris in the 1930's, a thief, a broken machine, a strange girl, a mean old man, and the secrets that tie them all together... Welcome to The Invention of Hugo Cabret.” – author Brian Selznick

The story is about Hugo, a young orphan boy, living in the walls of the Paris train station in 1931 where he tends to all of the clocks in the station. Hugo continues his father’s job once of winding the clocks and keeping them running in the train station. His father, once a clockmaker and museum curator, died tragically in a fire. Now that his father is dead, 12-year-old Hugo must continue his work in the station without being caught and sent off to an orphanage. But that isn’t all Hugo must do. He also continues to work on an automaton (a mechanical imitation of a human being) that his father had brought home from the museum. Now he is obsessed in making the automaton work in memory of his father. To do this he must steal parts from the grumpy old toy maker in the train station. But in the process of stealing  the parts and trying not to get caught, Hugo befriends the toy maker’s granddaughter (also an orphan who was much more fortunate than Hugo). Together the two unlock the mystery of filmmaking.

This is more than a story about a young orphan boy. It is also about the beginnings of filmmaking and the life of the real French filmmaker George Melies (who is played fabulously by Ben Kingsley in the movie). Melies was a magician before he became a filmmaker in the 1900’s.  Author Brian Selznick says that this book was inspired by one of Melies' first movies in 1902, A Trip to the Moon, a film about a rocket that zooms towards the moon that has a human face on it. Once the rocket hits the face squarely in the eye, a liquid oozes from the moon.

Hugo can be seen in 3-D. Why 3-D? Because Scorsese wanted depth added to his film and he wanted to make it real by having the story come to life for the audience. Scorsese wanted the audience to actually be a part of the film, and he did so successfully.

Personally, I think the movie portrays a different part of this story, the history of filmmaking. This movie isn’t only for kids (probably not the young ones as the movie is a bit too long) but also a great one for adults too. Can you imagine watching some of the history of filmmaking in 3-D by one of the most infamous filmmakers of all time? While the movie is long, both the movie and book are highly recommended for ages nine and up.

The book itself is a beautiful piece of work, winning the Caldecott Award in 2008. Brian Selznick created a story that is half pictures and half words. This 500 plus page book is half text and half finely penciled illustrations that tell the story in turn. A must read book for all middle grades.

Read the book first and then go see the movie, or see the movie first and then read the book. Either way, I promise you won’t be disappointed.  Rarely does a movie live up to the expectations of the book. Kudos to Martin Scorsese for making a magnificent film while also staying true to the book. This film is truly a moving tribute to filmmakers everywhere. Both Scorsese and Selznick should be commended for helping us to remember the past.