Konrad Sallaway
Mr. O'Brien
English IV
1 February 2013

The artistic license taken by the creators of Slaughterhouse Five is more than acceptable. The book form is labyrinthine, long, and not easily transferrable to the screen. Certain portions of the book have been left out, specifically Billy's time on Tralfamadore, though his relationship with the blue movie star Montana Wildhack is explored. The overall effect is that Billy is crazy, whereas in the book, that line is much more ambiguously drawn. Moreover, elements of the plot have been melded into one another, to make for a streamlined film. For the film to appeal to a mainstream audience, the book cannot be followed to a letter, understandably.
What I found particularly well done was the discrepancy between Billy later in life, as an optometrist and Billy's obvious naivete before and during his time in Dresden. The change in the character himself is remarkable, from a simpering, complacent child to a pulled together doctor. I still do not particularly like Billy's actor, but then again I don't like Billy, his willingness to be ordered around irritates me. Choice in actors was good excepting Lazzaro, the supposedly pockmarked face is nowhere to be found. Lazzaro's actor captures the frantic energy and strange thought processes of a human that resembles a rabid dog.
The scene I like best in the movie is the fleshing out of Edgar Derby in preparation for his death. His warmth and acceptance of Billy allows him to be the most sympathetic character that the viewers will see on screen. For those viewers who have not read the book, his kindness to Billy, a character no one else likes, sets him apart. The ritualistic sharing of pictures of people close to the soldiers only serves to solidify their on-screen relationship.
The movie is good, considering the difficulty of the artistic vision that the creators had in mind. Slaughterhouse Five is not an easy thing to interpret and convey in such a way that a wide audience will enjoy it.