Adapting the Book

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
       Ken Kesey

There would be a few challenges in making this book. The first would be making sure that the Clinic is displayed exactly how the book describes it becuase a big chunk of the beginning is the narrator going into great detail about his surroundings. To help this, there would need to be good camera angles and panning so that the audience can get a full view. Also, it would be difficult to portray Nurse Ratched exactly how she is without her just being annoying because she is a pretty confusing character in my opinion.

Scenes to be kept:
1. The scene that no doubt needs to stay in the film adaptation is when the main characted McMurphy firsts arrives to the clinic and he is laughing and singing when no one has done either in that place in years. It completely transforms the mood.
2. Another scene is the one where McMurphy so desperately wants toothpaste to brush his teeth but it is too early. He stands there in his towel and dips his toothbrush into the bucket of soap an aid is cleaning with and goes on brushing his teeth.
3. This third scene actually happens a few times. It is where the residents are in a room where they are not allowed to play cards, games or anything. All they can do is sit there staring at the clock. I think this would be essential to have in the movie in order to portray the mood of the clinic and what their lives are like every day.

Scenes to discard:
1. When the narrator Chief Bromden is hallucinating at night, seeing machines and body parts being shipped and people being hung would be difficult to show in the movie without the audience getting extremely confused.
2. Another part where Bromden is hallucinating is when he sees fog everywhere would be a little bit much to include.
3. The last scene I feel could be taken out is where Harding, one of the residents has to get a shot in his behind because he refused to take medicine...it's pretty self explanatory why I think this could be taken out.