Twisted

It seems that adapting classic works is the new rage. From Jane Austen to Shakespeare, the adaptations seem endless. But I will never understand why there is this fascination with adapting Charles Dickens Oliver Twist and changing the little boy thieves into little boy hustlers. Oh for the simpler days of Oliver!, a sweet and kind musical, where boys remained boys, and not play things for dirty old men. But I digress.

Twisted is a 1996 adaptation that takes place in New York City. This movie like all adaptations makes changes to the original text, including: Oliver is a 12 year old African American child, the artful Dodger is a bleach blonde twink, and Fagin is a lecherous old queen. But most importantly, the thieves are now prostitutes. In the case of Oliver aka Lee, bait for pedophiles.

I have to say, I have watched a lot of bad movies in the past and this one is no exception. It shares the same fatal flaw of a slow story development, overly artistic elements that simply bog down the production and an inability to retain the interest of the viewer. I have to say, if you really need to see a Oliver Twist adaptation with boys hustlers, check out 2003's Twist.