[The Saucepan Man]

Mark Lawson is a commentator on the arts (ie a critic) and no doubt adheres to the belief that "new" art should differ in some way from that on which it is based. For example, a cover version of a song should not be just a facsimile copy of the original, but should add to it, or approach it differently, in some way. The same with a film adaptation of a book. He would probably see it as PJ's duty to make changes to the original, so as to "stamp his mark" on the films.

Now, that may be true in some cases, but I don't think it applies here. When making a film adaptation of a book, there is no particular reason why the director should purposely strive to make key aspects of it different. But, at the same time, it almost inevitably will be different in key respects, because it is being conveyed in a different medium, because the underlying work is open to interpretation and because of all sorts of other pressures (availability of funds, the need for commercial success etc).