Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

Director:

Brad Silberling

Writers (WGA):

Daniel Handler (books)
Robert Gordon (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 December 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

On December 17, Christmas cheer takes a holiday.

Plot:

Three wealthy children's parents are killed in a fire. When they are sent to a distant relative, they find out that he is plotting to kill them and seize their fortune.

Plot Keywords:

Atmospheric | Irreverent | Ribbon | Macabre | Marriage License

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 21 nominations

Cast

Jim Carrey	...	Count Olaf
Liam Aiken	...	Klaus
Emily Browning	...	Violet
Kara Hoffman	...	Sunny
Shelby Hoffman	...	Sunny
Jude Law	...	Lemony Snicket (voice)
Timothy Spall	...	Mr. Poe
Catherine O'Hara	...	Justice Strauss
Billy Connolly	...	Uncle Monty
Meryl Streep	...	Aunt Josephine
Luis Guzmán	...	Bald Man
Jamie Harris	...	Fernald - Hook-Handed Man
Craig Ferguson	...	Person of Indeterminate Gender
Jennifer Coolidge	...	White Faced Woman
Jane Adams	...	White Faced Woman

Also Known As:

A Series of Unfortunate Events (USA) (original script title)
Lemony Snicket (USA) (working title)
Lemony Snicket - Rätselhafte Ereignisse (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements, scary situations and brief language.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Brazil:10 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | France:U | Taiwan:PG-12 | Malaysia:U | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-11 | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:MG6 | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Downey Studios - 12214 Lakewood Boulevard, Downey, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The train scene is full of cameos from the books. First, the store is the 'Last Chance', as seen in Book 8, the Hostile Hospital. The man working there is reading the newspaper 'The Daily Punctillio", as seen in Book 7, the Vile Village, and on. Also, the headline reads 'Orphans to Blame', which is in the books as well. The window of the Last Chance advertises 'Parsley Soda', as seen in Book 6, the Ersatz Elevator. Finally, the magazine Olaf reads advertises a Veritably French Diner, which has the mysterious initials V.F.D.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the scene on the lake, as Count Olaf is pushing Aunt Josephine's boat away, we cut to Lemony Snicket at his typewriter. On the paper in the typewriter can be seen the words, "...the Viper leapt...", a reference to an earlier scene in Uncle Monty's Reptile Room.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lemony Snicket: [the Littlest Elf has just come to an abrupt halt] I'm sorry to say that this is not the movie you will be watching. The movie you are about to see is extremely unpleasant. If you wish to see a film about a happy little elf, I'm sure there is still plenty of seating in theatre number two. However, if you like stories about clever and reasonably attractive orphans...

Movie Connections:

References The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

Soundtrack:

Loverly Spring

If you've seen the movie, you don't know what the books are like

The movie was decent. I enjoyed it, certainly. Technically it was outstanding. Casting was good, sets were outstanding, costumes were very nice.

As an adaptation of the books, however, this was horrendous. It was as if the writer had torn a quarter of the pages from the first three books, a few pages from books 4-9, and pasted them together in a random fashion to try and create a cohesive movie. Now, had I not read the books, I would have enjoyed this movie very much, so I have to give that to them, but as a fan, it was just a slap in the face.

If you've read the books, don't see the movie, it will just enrage you. If you haven't, see the movie. It'll be very enjoyable. If, however, you decide to read the books afterwards, be aware that they are far darker than the movie shows, and the mystery is certainly deeper than some magnifying glass in Count Olaf's house. Do not think of them as kid stuff.

7.5/10 for the movie, 2/10 for the adaptation.