History Literature / SayCheeseAndDie

-> ''Primitive tribes fear the camera. They say it can steal a person's soul. This camera is far worse. Far worse.''
-->-- Spidey

* WholePlotReference: This story is very much inspired by [[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E46AMostUnusualCamera ''A Most Unusual Camera'']], though a little more kid friendly.

This book was adapted into [[Recap/GoosebumpsS1E15SayCheeseAndDie episode 15 of the first season]] of [[Series/{{Goosebumps}} the TV series]].

This book was adapted into episode 15 of the first season of [[Series/{{Goosebumps}} the TV series]].

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!!The episode provides examples of:

* AdaptationalContextChange: In the book, Shari disappeared soon after her photo was taken. Here, Greg only learns of her disappearance later that night.
* AdaptationalHeroism: Greg Banks and Shari Walker come off a bit more likable and heroic than their book counterparts, Greg particularly. For example, [[spoiler: in the book, he takes the camera back to the abandoned house he found it, all but dragging his friend Shari with him, whereas in the television version he initially goes by himself, believing wrongly that Spidey is holding Shari prisoner there in exchange for the camera, and gets joined by Shari who voluntarily accompanies him. Also, Greg gets to fight back more enthusiastically in the TV version than his counterpart, while Shari snaps Spidey's picture on purpose instead of by accident.]]
* AdaptedOut: Michael does not appear in the show, which [[CompositeCharacter gives his part to Bird instead]].
* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:Spidey gets trapped inside his own camera, until two bullies accidentally set him free.]]
* CompositeCharacter: Because Michael was cut from the story, Bird takes does all the things Micheal did in the book.
* GirlsWithMustaches: The female detective who questions Greg after Shari's disappearance has a small mustache, not that it gets pointed out. Funnily, her male partner is clean shaven.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler: Spidey gets killed by the camera]] in the book. In the TV episode, [[spoiler: he becomes trapped in the camera and eventually released by the two bullies whom picked on Greg and Bird, but strangely doesn't appear in the TV episode of "Say Cheese and Die -- Again!" (except in flashback).]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler: After Spidey's released from the camera, we're never told what happens to him. Even in the episode adaptation of "Say Cheese and Die -- Again!", he's only seen in a flashback.]]

* ShoutOut: This story is very much inspired by [[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E46AMostUnusualCamera ''A Most Unusual Camera'']], though a little more kid friendly.

* BuyOrGetLost: [[ImpliedTrope Implied]] when Greg and his friends are discussing what to do at the beginning of the book. Bird suggests that they could look at comics, which Shari then points out that it would be a good plan until teh grumpy shop owner (Grover) would start yelling at them, with her even doing an impression of the store owner and saying, "Are you paying or staying?"

* AdaptationalHeroism: Greg Banks and Shari Walker come off a bit more likeable and heroic than their book counterparts, Greg particularly. For example, [[spoiler: in the book, he takes the camera back to the abandoned house he found it, all but dragging his friend Shari with him, whereas in the television version he initially goes by himself, believing wrongly that Spidey is holding Shari prisoner there in exchange for the camera, and gets joined by Shari who voluntarily accompanies him. Also, Greg gets to fight back more enthusiastically in the TV version than his counterpart, while Shari snaps Spidey's picture on purpose instead of by accident.]]

While exploring a local abandoned house with his friends, Greg finds an instant-film camera in a hidden compartment. OK, this doesn't sound too impressive to someone with a smartphone, but in the 90s this was amazing technology. He tries it out on his friend Michael, who promptly falls through the floor -- and that is what the photo shows. Indeed, every picture the camera takes shows the subject dead or horribly injured, which inevitably comes true. When his friend Shari vanishes after he takes a photo of her, he must find a way to undo the effects of the camera and save his friends.

* AlliterativeName: '''Fr'''itz '''Fr'''edericks.

* GoneHorriblyWrong: The person who invented the camera ended up being killed for his trouble, and Spidey ended up homeless after he tried to exploit it.
* GreaterScopeVillain: The original inventor of the camera and Spidey's partner was apparently even more evil than Spidey and knew all sorts of evil arcane secrets.
* HereWeGoAgain: The book ends with the bullies from earlier retrieving the camera from where it was hidden.

* ShoutOut: This story is very much inspired by [[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E46AMostUnusualCamera ''A Most Unusual Camera'']] though a little more kid friendly.

* AdaptationalHeroism: Greg Banks and Shari Walker come off a bit more likeable and heroic than their book counterparts, Greg particularly. For example, [[spoiler: in the book he takes the camera back to the abandoned house he found it, all but dragging his friend Shari with him, whereas in the television version he initially goes by himself, believing wrongly that Spidey is holding Shari prisoner there in exchange for the camera, and gets joined by Shari who voluntarily accompanies him. Also, Greg gets to fight back more enthusiastically in the tv version than his counterpart, while Shari snaps Spidey's picture on purpose instead of by accident.]]

* CompositeCharacter: Because Micheal was cut from the story, Bird takes does all the things Micheal did in the book.
* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler: Spidey gets killed by the camera]] in the book. In the TV episode, [[spoiler: he becomes trapped in the camera and eventually released by the two bullies who picked on Greg and Bird, but strangely doesn't appear in the TV episode of "Say Cheese and Die -- Again!" (except in flashback).]]
* UncertainDoom: [[spoiler: We don't know what the bullies' picture was, nor if Spidey has anything to do with it.]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler: After Spidey's released from the camera, we're never told what happens to him. Even in "Say Cheese and Die -- Again!", he's only seen in a flashback.]]

* AdultFear: Shari's disappearance greatly worried her family and friends. In the TV episode, Bird believes Spidey may have kidnapped her.

* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler: Spidey gets killed by the camera]] in the book. In the TV episode, [[spoiler: he becomes trapped in the camera and eventually released by the two bullies who picked on Craig, but strangely doesn't appear in the TV episode of "Say Cheese and Die -- Again!" (except in flashback).]]

* AlasPoorVillain: Spidey/Fritz Fredericks. The real kicker, though, is that despite his efforts, [[Literature/SayCheeseAndDieAgain Greg continues to show off the camera for his own selfish needs]].

* ShootTheShaggyDog: Spidey spends much of the book trying to reclaim the cursed camera and prevent any more carnage. [[spoiler:He's accidentally killed by Greg, and the camera lives on to cause more trouble]].

* ShoutOut: The story has a lot of similarities to [[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E46AMostUnusualCamera ''A Most Unusual Camera'']] though with more of a kid friendly vibe.

While exploring a local abandoned house with his friends, Greg finds an instant-film camera in a hidden compartment. OK, this doesn't sound too impressive to someone with a smartphone, but in the 90s this was amazing technology. He tries it out on his friend Michael, who promptly falls through the floor - and that is what the photo shows. Indeed, every picture the camera takes shows the subject dead or horribly injured, which inevitably comes true. When his friend Shari vanishes after he takes a photo of her, he must find a way to undo the effects of the camera and save his friends.

It has one direct sequel, ''Literature/SayCheeseAndDieAgain'', in which Greg faced danger after using the camera -- again. The camera also appears in the ''Goosebumps [=HorrorLand=]'' book ''Literature/SayCheeseAndDieScreaming'', but with a completely different {{backstory}}.

* SparedByTheAdaptation: [[spoiler: Spidey gets killed by the camera]] in the book. In the TV episode, [[spoiler: he becomes trapped in the camera and eventually released by the two bullies who picked on Craig, but strangely doesn't appear in the TV episode of "Say Cheese and Die - Again!" (except in flashback).]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler: After Spidey's released from the camera, we're never told what happens to him. Even in "Say Cheese and Die - Again!", he's only seen in a flashback.]]

!!It provides examples of:

* SpookyPhotographs: The photos taken with the camera always show somebody suffering.

* HereWeGoAgain: At the very end, the bullies dig out the camera and decide to take some photos.

* AlliterativeName: '''Fr'''izt '''Fr'''edericks.