Faithful to Master and Author

The most popular American writer of his too-brief heyday, Jack London died just over a century ago at the age of 40, his health seriously deteriorated by the long-term wear of alcohol, tropical maladies, and other ails. Yet he proved to be a very modern celebrity, using every tool available—including film—to expand his brand.

During the last half of his life, motion pictures outgrew their initial identity as a presumedly short-term novelty. The Birth of a Nation was released in 1915, greatly advancing “flickers” as both an art form and a political lightning rod. By then, the media-savvy writer had appeared on-screen several times, and movie versions of his stories were already ubiquitous.

This year will bring two high-profile adaptations of London’s work—both very different from anything he could have imagined. In yet another take on , a big Hollywood hybrid of live action and computer animation is, a daring Italian adaptation of London’s autobiographical novel, has won prizes on the festival circuit.