Tag: Peacock

Book to series adaptation: ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ by Heather Morris

‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ has been adapted into a Peacock original series. Photo: Amazon

Historical fiction transports readers to bygone eras, blending fact with imaginative narrative. They resurrect ancient civilizations and wartime landscapes with meticulous research and vivid storytelling. Through the eyes of fictional characters, readers explore crucial events, from epic battles to intimate moments of daily life, offering insights into the human condition across time. These stories often combine real historical figures with invented protagonists, creating a rich tapestry of emotion, intrigue, and adventure. These books not only entertain but also educate, inviting readers to ponder the echoes of the past in our present and future. One such historical novel is The New York Times and International bestseller “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” by Heather Morris.

Heather Morris is a native of New Zealand, now living in Australia. For several years, while working in a large public hospital in Melbourne, she studied and wrote screenplays, one of which was optioned by an Academy Award-winning screenwriter in the US. In 2003, Heather was introduced to an elderly gentleman who ‘might just have a story worth telling.’ The day she met Lale Sokolov changed both their lives. Their friendship grew and Lale embarked on a journey of self-scrutiny, entrusting the innermost details of his life during the Holocaust to her. Heather originally wrote Lale’s story as a screenplay – which ranked high in international competitions – before reshaping it into her debut novel, “The Tattooist of Auschwitz.” It is a tale of hope and courage based on interviews that were conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov—an unforgettable love story in the midst of atrocity. It has now been adapted into a Peacock original series (6 episodes) and will be available for streaming starting May 2, 2024. (Amazon, 2024)

“The Tattooist of Auschwitz” – In April 1942, Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew, is forcibly transported to the concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. When his captors discover that he speaks several languages, he is put to work as a Tätowierer (the German word for tattooist), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners.

Imprisoned for over two and a half years, Lale witnesses horrific atrocities and barbarism—but also incredible acts of bravery and compassion. Risking his own life, he uses his privileged position to exchange jewels and money from murdered Jews for food to keep his fellow prisoners alive.

One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, comforts a trembling young woman waiting in line to have the number 34902 tattooed onto her arm. Her name is Gita, and in that first encounter, Lale vows to somehow survive the camp and marry her.

A vivid, harrowing, and ultimately hopeful re-creation of Lale Sokolov’s experiences as the man who tattooed the arms of thousands of prisoners with what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust, “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” is also a testament to the endurance of love and humanity under the darkest possible conditions.

Streaming guide: new releases and family friendly programming

Locas Por Cambio is available on Amazon Prime Video. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The holidays are a time to spend with family and some of those moments are spent watching television.  The following is a guide for family-friendly shows and films to watch this season.  (H + M Communications, 2020)

Family Friendly

Universal Pictures – The Croods: A New Age Release date: December 18 on PVOD.  The Croods have survived their fair share of dangers and disasters, from fanged prehistoric beasts to surviving the end of the word, but now they will face their biggest challenge of all: another family.

Focus Features- Half Brothers Release date: December 4. Renato, a successful Mexican aviation executive, is shocked to discover he has an American half-brother he never knew about — the free-spirited Asher. The two vastly different brothers are forced on a road trip together, masterminded by their ailing father, to trace the path he took as an immigrant from Mexico to America.

Pantaya – Celebremos: Eterna Navidad Release date: December 4. Juanes hosts a group of A-list Latinx celebrities in his home.  Not the typical holiday special because there is a fun story intertwined with music, food, and fun.  Premieres on the Spanish language streaming service Pantaya.

Peacock – Saved By The Bell Release date: available now. California Governor Zack Morris closes low-income high schools, relocating the affected students to Bayside, the richest school in the state. The new students give the oblivious Bayside kids a much-needed reality check.

Peacock – Shrek Release date: available now. To save his home, a monster with a donkey makes a deal with a mean lord to rescue a beautiful princess.  Available free with ads to all Peacock users.

Peacock – Trolls World Tour Release date: available now. When a rock ‘n’ roll king and queen set out to destroy other forms of music, Poppy and Branch embark on a daring mission to unite six different troll tribes to save the diverse melodies from becoming extinct.

Adventure/comedy

Amazon Prime – Locas Por Cambio Release date: available now. Tells the funny story of Paula (Mariel Molino) who has had a life full of privileges that have led her to feel satisfied with her life, and of Paulina (Sofía Sisniega) who has experienced the opposite and who feels overwhelmed with the responsibilities of modern life. Everything will change one fateful day when they step into each other’s shoes and discover that not everything is what it seems.  Between tangles and adventures, they will experience what makes them so different and similar at the same time.

Amazon Prime Video – El Cid Release date: December 18. El Cid is a Spanish Amazon Original series about the man behind the legend of El Cid Campeador (played by Jaime Lorente). A journey that narrates the trajectory of the young “Ruy” until he became a faithful vassal, knight, and hero of the Spanish crown in the 11th century.