Prime Video’s latest literary adaptation of House of the Spirits brings author Isabel Allende’s sweeping, multi-generational family saga to the screen.
First published in 1982, the celebrated novel is a cornerstone of magical realism, weaving the fantastical elements into everyday life – something which Allende admits she was initially concerned could look “ridiculous” on screen.
“I told them, this is very difficult to do on a screen because it looks ridiculous,” the acclaimed author told Radio Times in a recent interview.
“But they did it in a very subtle way… they totally integrated it in a natural way, which was very hard to do with a film.”
Magical realism – a genre that blends the supernatural into the everyday – is central to the story, particularly through the character of Clara del Valle Trueba (played by both Nicole Wallace and Dolores Fonzi).
The clairvoyant matriarch predicts major events before they happen, levitates objects with her mind and communicates with the dead.
But translating these elements on-screen can certainly be a challenge, particularly when balancing them with the novel’s deep-rooted political themes and darker tone.
The new series, spearheaded by showrunners Francisca Alegría, Fernanda Urrejola and Andrés Wood, has taken a markedly different approach to Danish director Bille August’s previous 1993 film.
Starring a high-profile but controversially whitewashed cast – including Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder and Jeremy Irons – the film forgoed several key elements of the novel in favour of a more traditional Hollywood style adaptation.
Allende recalled even small details proved difficult to adapt at the time, including Rosa del Valle’s (Clara’s sister) hallmark green hair.
“I cannot have a person with green hair on the screen because it will look like a clown’s wig,” she recollected of the Danish director’s comments.
In contrast, the new series takes a more understated approach. “There’s a reflection of green. It’s not quite green, but if you look, it is green. So they did it in a very good way.” She continued.
Filmed in Chile with predominantly Hispanic cast and creative team, the Prime Video series marks the first Spanish-language adaptation of the source material – with Allende praising the series as “totally authentic.”
“I think they did a great job… the movie is really good but this is a completely different experience,” she continued.
“I’m so impressed. I never expected it to be this abundant, this rich, you know, in texture, in everything.”
The eight-episode miniseries offers a cinematic and authentic take on Isabel Allende’s seminal novel, immersing viewers in a long-overdue Latin American adaptation.
The House of the Spirits is available to stream now on Prime Video.
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