# What is this type of story/movie called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-story-movie-called/435320 "2008-01-28T16:39:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-story-movie-called/435320/41 "2008-01-28T23:47:06Z")
Wikipedia calls them [parallel novels](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_novel). ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-story-movie-called/435320/42 "2008-01-29T00:40:33Z")
[QUOTE=glee] In case you’re interested, there was a TV series where the action was shown from several viewpoints in a single episode. (It was a police series, but I don’t remember the name :o ) [/QUOTE] _Coupling_ used this device frequently. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-story-movie-called/435320/43 "2008-01-29T00:42:38Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur866] A good example would be Orson Scott Card’s Bean books. They first book takes place over the same time period as “Ender’s Game”, but from the POV of Bean. [/QUOTE] Ender’s Shadow. Not to be confused with the others: Shadow of The Hedgemon Shadow Puppets and Shadow of The Giant. That follow after Ender’s Shadow. And as I recall, Ender’s Shadow used the term “Parallel Novel”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-story-movie-called/435320/44 "2008-01-29T01:24:30Z")
[QUOTE=Bill Door] Would _[Lola rennt](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/maindetails)_ qualify for this? The same story is told three times in one movie from the same point of view, but with a small change in the beginning of each telling that affects the outcome. [/QUOTE] That’s similar to **[urk=[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120148/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120148/)]Sliding Doors** which show how the main character’s life is diverges over the simple act of either catching or missing a subway train. It came out earlier the same year as **Lola rennt** , but I would assume the two production companies didn’t know of each other’s projects. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-story-movie-called/435320/45 "2008-01-29T01:41:55Z")
The film [_11:14_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0331811%5B/url) tells the story of a car crash that occurs at that time one night from five different points of view. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-story-movie-called/435320/46 "2008-01-29T07:05:56Z")
**Mystery Train** by Jim Jarmusch takes the same time frame over and over from multiple POVs. I think you’re thinking of something like \*\*Grendel \*\*by John Gardner, though. Ultimately, aren’t all war movies (esp. ones that cover WWII) sidequels? ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-story-movie-called/435320/47 "2008-01-29T07:24:20Z")
Holy crap, I’m reading this thread and every time I think of a great example, it gets mentioned. So, okay, I’m left with wondering where something like Sondheim’s _Into the Woods_ would fit into this category? Or _Hoodwinked_, for that matter? Both mutiple versions of one story, that takes place within the various realms of other established fairy stories. (it’s been a long day, this is the best I can come up with.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-type-of-story-movie-called/435320.md?page=2)