Friday, October 26, 2012

All Boys, All Blogged: October 29 and 30, 2012

Focus: How does the film version of The Kite Runner challenge, enhance, or flat-out contradict your understanding of the book?

1. Welcome, Mrs. Makovsky!

2. Overview of blogging during the film:

At least five times throughout the film (and preferably more), please post a comment about the film that responds to one or all of the following:

  • What aspects of the film don't match the way you thought about the book?  How are they different?
  • What aspects of the film support the way you thought about the book?  How so?
  • If you could ask the director questions about the choices he made in this film, what would you ask?  Feel free to respond to other peoples' questions as well.
  • If you were directing this film, what would you do differently?


3. 5 minutes: Large group discussion (aloud)

HW: Work on your independent reading book talk; you should finish Step 1 (the brainstorming portion) tonight.  Remember that when I return on Wednesday, we will be starting a challenging essay on The Kite Runner

351 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. This is more americanish than I thought.

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  3. Shouldn't Amir be more excited about his book being published?

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    1. I think that we would but maybe it was one of his later books.

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  4. I thought that the people should be darker and Soraya should have a unibrow.

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  5. Amir is way to white. i pictured him completely different

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  6. The beginning doesn't match the book because it starts off with Amir speaking to Rahim Khan rather than in the past. It already gives away Rahim Khan saying "A way to be good again."

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    1. True but it also gives a different prospective

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  7. 1.What was the reason why they they started with closer to the end of the book then start with his memory of his life?

    3.I would of started the movie with The first sentence of the book "I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975."Pg 1

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  8. The actor doesn't look anything like he is described in the book. The beggening starts out with his book arriving instead of going straight into his childhood story.

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  9. Why does the movie start out in the market place and the kite fight?

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  10. Kabul is bigger than I thought it was. There are more people.

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  11. I pictured everything a lot different

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  12. Why doesnt Hassan have the weird lip things that is described.

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  13. If I was directing this movie i would have given less detail with Rahim Khan and a little more detail into their relationship

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  14. To me, the setting matches what I thought it would be like. Right in the heart of Afghanistan.

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  15. The movie does not portray Hassan's hair-lip like the book does.

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    1. I noticed this too, it is surprising since the surgery helps to create tension between Hassan and Amir.

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  16. Something I notice about the movie that is different is that they put tiny aspects from the book in the movie but earlier than they happened in the book.

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  17. Why wasn't Amir more excited about his book?

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  18. I like the way the director shows the intensity of kite fighting and how the kids all run to get the fallen kite.

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    1. It seems that if in the movie kite fighting is more symbolic.

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  19. Amirs character is described very different than the actor in the movie.

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  20. The boys are small for there age

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  21. I think that it is interesting the director uses the kites as a way transition the film. It adds a different aspect than the book transitions.

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  22. Baba looks much more rich than I pictured, I knew he was rich but I thought he would be more casual looking.

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  23. I pictured the house a lot different to me it looks like a building and not at all how the book described it,

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  24. It seems to be missing the first few chapters. And wasn't the smoking room secluded upstairs?

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  25. Baba looks exactly like I picture him.

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  26. It isn't a small hut but a large house that Hassan and His father live in.

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  27. I pictured Baba much bigger and more hair.

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    1. He's very hairy in the movie. Very Very hairy hairy.

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  28. When they are talking about Amir not being violent how do they not see him pass in the wide open hall.

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  29. i pictured baba a lot bigger and more imposing than he actully is.

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  30. Despite the missing hairlip, Hassan is almost exactly how I pictured him.

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  31. He was on the stairs while he was listening to his father in the smoke room while in the book he was looking though a door.

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  32. Childhood Amir looks way darker than Adult Amir.

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  33. I didn't think that they would run very far to get the kite.

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  34. The hut that Hassan lives in is not a small hut

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  35. Why is Baba so much diffrent than discribed in the book. In here he is so small.

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  36. Does Rahim Kahn have any children? Because in the movie he seems like he would make a very great father.

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  37. If I was the director I would show the audience Amir's and Hassan's friendship in more detail.

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  38. I thought Baba would look more powerful and strong

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  39. thats not a tree...

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  40. Wasn't it a tree where Hassan and Amir shoot the dog?

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  41. It doesn't look like Hassan has a hair lip at all.

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  42. Amir is much nicer to Hassan than they describe in the book.

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    1. Thats cause he hasnt been raped yet.

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  43. I would like to ask the author why he opened in America with Amir and Sohrab, rather than setting the tone of the whole story like the book did with Chapter 1.

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  44. Hassan and Amir dont look like they are 14

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  45. Assefs character is not at all what i pictured him to be in the movie

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  46. I thought that Assef would be bulker.

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  47. assef in the movie isn't blond or imposing. he looks really wimpy unlike the book describes.

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    1. I also noticed how scrony Assef looks in the movie.

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  48. He didn't call him one eye Assef.

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  49. Somehow I imagined the characters would look different than they do in the movie. Assef looks very different then the author describes him in the book.

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  50. Why didnt Hassan shoot the slingshot in the movie?

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  51. Assef should be bigger. He seems too skinny to be a bully.

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  52. they weren't in the tree just on the platform below it. They weren't on the hill when Assef attached but on the streets. And hassan didn't threaten to call him "one eye assef"

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  53. Did they replace the hair-lip with something else?

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  54. Did't they shoot Assef in the book?

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  55. I thought that Baba would look differently.

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  56. Assef and his friends look a lot like I thought they did.

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  57. In the book Hassan shot Assef with the slingshot but in the movie he just threatens him.

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  58. Another thing about the movie that I feel is different is the characters. They aren't how I pictured them at all. Hasaan is a tough kid who stands up for himself yet in the movie he is a little child. Amir is a coward who has his friend fight his battles but he's a big hunky kid in the movie. Baba is described as big as a bear but he's a thin little twig. And Ali is very well nicely dressed. And Assef is a scrawny little kid as well. It would't be hard to stand up the him at all for Amir because Amir weighs 50 pounds more than him.

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    1. Sorry I confused Rahim Khan with Ali.

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  59. Why didn't the director have Hassan shot the sling shot like in the book.

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  60. Assef was more Afghanistan then it says in the movie

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  61. I think it was a important thing to have Haasan shoot assef with the slingshot. But instead that part got left out. It showed how Haasan took the roll of standing up for the two of them.

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  62. How come Hassan is so assertive?

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  63. I pictured Baba to be a lot like fatter and not a man that wears a suit just around the house and i did not picture Amir to be a chubby little kid and he is more what i would think Hassan looked like. I also thought that Assef looked a lot different than described and i pictured him to be a big and well built boy but he was kind of petite

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  64. The house is not at all what i pictured when reading the book

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  65. If I could as the director a question I would ask why he left out when Hassan said assef would be one eyed assef and made it so short. In the book the part is longer so I wonder why he made it so short.

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  66. There hut is way bigger than I imagined it.

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  67. Their house is much bigger than I thought.

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  68. If I were the director, I think I'd prolong the events in the story like they are in the book, and maybe take some more time to develop the relationship between Amir, Hassan, Baba, and Ali.

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  69. Hassan's house is much nicer than it seemed in the book.

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  70. Is that tiny thing the tree in the book?

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  71. I like how the movie also includes all the important dialogue like Baba talk about pissing on the beared men

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  72. In the movie one of hassans favorite story book characters is named sohrab that was not true in the book.

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  73. What happened to Hassan's harelip or is it just really small?

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  74. Is there no speed limit or cops there?

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  75. Every thing where they live is rock. No grass not plains hardly any trees.

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  76. When Assef approached they were not on the hill but the street and Hassan didn't call him One eye Assef. Another thing I noticed is that Hassan's hair lip didn't get brought into the movie.

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  77. I also pictured Amir and Haasan's friendship differently. I pictured Amir to be more distant from Haasan, instead they seem close. Maybe things will change later into the movie.

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  78. Why did they take out Hassans harelip out of the story?

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    1. I was wondering the same question and it play's such an important role in the book.

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  79. How do people know Hassan is a Hazara just by looking at him? In my opinion, he and Amir look like the same race.

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  80. I pictured the pomegranet tree a lot different, I pictured it bigger like a tree not a big bush.

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  81. i thought the tree would be huge! like a giant weeping willow or a giant old oak. not like a wimpy smally tree.

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    1. Same and it seems like you know your trees phil.

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    2. i dabble in tree talk.

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  82. In the book it made it seem like there is more vegetation.

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  83. It shows how they make the string in the movie. I feel like this is an important aspect to show.

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  84. They did a good job showing how Amir is jealous of how Baba treats Hassan.

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  85. I pictured Kabul very differently. I think it seems more modern than it was in the book. I think everything about the movie seems more modern than the book.

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  86. Kabul looks different than what I pictured.

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  87. I thought that in the book you slightly over time see Amirs jelosey towards Hassan but in the movie you see ti very quickly pry in the first 15 minuets

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  89. Kabul is way more civilized than I thought.

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  90. I thought that they would be at like a field to fly the kites.

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  91. Why are they all flying there kites on buildings and not at the park

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  92. Why have they yet to show Alli i the film?

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  93. dang, look at the kite fly!

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  94. He didn't talk about his dream at breakfast or before the kite race.

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  95. If I were to ask whoever made this movie a question it would be, Why do you put such important events so early in the movie and why do you not focus on them and make them seem as important as they are in the book?

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  96. Kite fighting seems kinda cool.

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  97. I like the way how the director makes kite flying like a huge thing its way bigger than I pictured it.

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  98. Does it mean anything that Omar says I cut him and Amir says we cut him?

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  99. I think the movie needs to do a better job of showing Amir's jealousy of Baba and Hassan's relationship.

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  101. Baba seemed very Amir in that moment

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  102. I've noticed that they are using the exact lines of the book as the words they are speaking.

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  103. Why dd the director have Amir walk when he was looking for Hassan and make it not like he was running for him like in the book.

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  104. In the book Amir and Hassans relationship as children is not really developed in the movie

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  105. Where is Ali? He played a decently large role.

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  106. The talk with the old man was not very long and he almost immediately told him where he was. There was no flash back there was just the rape scene.

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  107. Hassan still has a hair-lip in the movie but in the book he got it fixed

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  108. They did a good job in making Assef look like a crazy person.

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  109. hassan has no harelip! this leaves a huge part of the book out because a lot in the book the reference things back to hassans lip.

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  111. The city they live in is almost exactly like I pictured it

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  112. Hassan doesnt have the hair lip and it is not brought up at all.

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  113. The kite fighting seemed much more intense than it did in the book. I thought that either Amir and Hassan would be bigger, or Assef and his goons would be smaller.

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  114. I thought the way the rape scene was portrayed was exactly the same as in the book. I don't think anything was changed in it.

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  115. If i was directing this movie i would shown more character growth, and the friendship between Hassan and Amir. I also would have started in an earlier year, not 1978.

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  116. When something good happens to Amir, it always turns out to get worst.

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  117. I noticed that it was the same very descriptive details of the rape as in the book and i think they did that so show how big that was as a role in the book

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  118. In the movie it seemed like Amir was walking to look for Hassan but in the book they made it seem like he as running for his life to look for him.

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  119. We haven't seen Assefs brass knuckles.

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  120. Ali is a lot different looking than I thought.

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  121. I pictured Ali a lot differently

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  122. WHy is Hassan's scene so much worse in the movie.

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  123. I feel like that in the book Amir was more disturbed of how he didnt stick up for Hassan.

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  124. What I didn't know in the book that I did know in the movie is that Ali knows something a little more than he was just sick.

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  125. When they are fighting the kites i figured it to be more for fun then a war

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  126. If i was the director I would not change anything about the rape scene. It was exactly like the book.

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  127. The movie never really showed the early relationship between Amir and Baba, when Baba wasn't very proud of him. I think this was an important part of the story because now that Baba is proud of Amir it isn't that big of a deal.

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  128. How does Baba know that Hassan and Amir are fighting, and that Hassan isn't just sick?

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  129. Why is the lamb scene after the alley scene?

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  130. The house isnt what i imagined but it is very nice

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  131. The house is very nice well kept a lot nicer than I haught it would be.

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  132. I feel so sorry for Hassan.

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  133. Why does it show that baba never does anthing and just pays people to have stuff done. Baba worked on somethings in the book but in the movies he doesnt work much

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  134. His birthday seems like more of a party for Baba then for Amir.

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  135. if i was directing the film i would have actually had Hassan's Hair-lip visible.

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  136. The party looks exactly how I imagined.

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  137. We've spent about 50 minutes watching this movie and we haven't even got to the point where Amir is a teenager.

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  138. I thought Amir was not allowed in Baba's office because that where Baba and his friends go and discuss.

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  139. Where's the book about Hitler that Assef gave him?

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  140. Why is Baba having a party for Amir when everyone is going to him?>

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  141. Now knowing that Hassan is Baba's son what clues are given throughout the story?

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  142. As the movie progresses it starts to be a lot more like I pictured the book.

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  143. Assef never gave Amir the Hitler book.

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    1. I was also wondering were the Hitler book was.

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  144. Assef didn't invite him over to play soccer.

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  145. He didn't use any money to accuse Hassan

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  146. If I was directing the film i would not have left out one of the most important parts that Hassan had a hairlip.

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  147. In the movie it describes the distinct comparison of Hassan, a hazara and Amir.

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  148. If I were the director, I would have shown Amir's relationship with Rahim Khan much more in the beginning of the story. I think it is very important because most of the end of the book happens because of Rahim Khan.

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  149. Why were Hassan and Ali's bags already packed?

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  150. The movie did not show that Hassan and Ali left on a rainy night.

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  151. WHy has the story of baba wrestling a bear not come up, Baba is not as strong and brave in the movies as he was in the movie.

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  152. why do nyou think they didnt tell baba what happened

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  153. When Amir decides to frame Hassan for stealing his watch. In the book, you know so much about why and how he plans it out - in the movie, the viewer is left to assume too much.

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  154. After watching part of the movie and being reminded of the awful things that Amir did even when he does good at the end of the book he still cannot be completely forgiven.

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  155. It's not raining when Alli and Hassan leave like it is in the book. Why do you think this is important?

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  156. I was supprised at how fast some of the main points of the film came out and i thought it would be spred out a bit more

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  157. Why dont they have Hassan be bigger in the movie

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  158. Why did the director take out the hairlip?

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  159. The soviets invade Afghanistan after Hassan and Ali leave.

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  160. How come the movie isnt explaining alot on the big points

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  161. If i was directing the film i would follow the book

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  162. This movie was fairly similar to the book but it went out of order. There were also some parts that were left out. Over all, I thought that the movie was pretty good.

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  163. Why is Amir the same age as he was at the start of the movie. He is supposed to be like 17 or something.

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    1. I also think this is interesting. Good question.

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  164. The scene in the back of the truck, is very similar to the way I had pictured it in the reading

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  165. I think that they did a great job with the soldier and baba.

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  166. If I were the director, I would have more english. Even though that may take away from the culture aspect, it would be easier to follow and easier to watch.

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  167. And also, isn't that one guy who was Assef's friend and his dad supposed to die?

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  168. The movie is different from the book because when they wait for the truck to be repaired in the book it takes months but in the movie the truck is already repaired.

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  170. Why do they not show Amir and Baba going into that house with all the other people. Why do the just go straight to the gas tank

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  171. in the movie the russian officer isnt as volitle or mean when he talks about the woman. and the russian officer isnt shot in the back by his supieror when he almost shoots baba.

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  172. I like how they added the line have I taught you nothing Amir, this shows in the movie they are really trying to capture Baba and what he stands for in that seen.

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  173. In the book during Amir and Baba's escape from Afghanistan, Amir is 18. Why did the director not make Amir older? I think it is important to the book that Amir is not as young because he starts learning very valuable lessons from his father that probably would not have made sense to him if he was very young.

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  174. What happened to the rest of the truck scene

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  175. They skipped the part in the basement filled with rats where Amir sees Assefs' friend.

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  176. The scene when Baba and Amir are on their way to Afghanistan is very similar to the one in the book. I think it portrays Baba as a fearless leader, just as I thought the book did.

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  177. Another difference I see between the movie and the book is that in the book Amir graduates from high-school but in the movie it shows Amir graduating from college.

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  178. I don't understand wouldn't Baba be able to transfer his money to the united states or has all of it been taken away the the russains?

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  179. I really like how the director added in the part with the Mustang.

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  180. in the movie they skip over almost 5 years. they go straight from the move to graduation. they miss the apartment and the flea market and a huge amount of information.

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  181. Didn't he graduate from high school first?

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