best (and worst) book-adaptation films

[AmorRoark]

Well?

Some that come to mind:

*Bladerunner (aka Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?)
*This Boy's Life
*Fight Club
*Cold Mountian
*The Remains of the Day
*Lord of the Rings
*Election

 

[EA-1475]

Best: Gone With The Wind
Worst: Valley Of The Dolls

 

[xpensivtaste]

kes - a kestrel for a knave.
love the book love the film

 

[AmorRoark]

Best: Gone With The Wind
Worst: Valley Of The Dolls

That's a good idea. Mods: can you change the title to "best and worst book adaptation films"?

 

[tribal girl]

Cool thread idea.

In all honesty I hardly ever read the novels, so technically I don't know whether they're true to the original story or not. Most of the time I'll watch the film, then go and read the book. But anyway, movies I enjoy which are based on novels (I hope that still counts)...

*This Boy's Life
*Fight Club
*Election

Yes

I didn't know Election was based on a novel though. Here's something you might not of known about it - Thora Birch was originally going to play Tracy Flick. But due to some 'disagreements' with the director, she bailed out. For the best I think.

Dolores Claiborne - I've actually read the novel and there are a few differences here and there. But the film is brilliant and is in my top 10 favourites of all time.
Carrie - I have the novel but I'm a lazy reader and kinda started it and put it back down again. But I love the film.
Stand By Me
The Wizard Of Oz
Return To Oz - A lot of people think of this as a sequel to The Wizard Of Oz and end up hating it. Well, it's not a sequel. And apparently it's a lot truer to the novels then The original musical version. (I must read those books sometime).
East Of Eden - My favourite James Dean film based on a John Steinbeck novel.
The Virgin Suicides - how could you forget this one, love?
The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things - A lot of controversy surrounded the writer of the novel, J.T LeRoy at the time. She wrote the book as true accounts of her own life when it fact it was all a hoax.
Misery
Girl, Interrupted - Based on the diaries of Susanna Kaysen. I probably don't enjoy as much as I did at the time, but it's still a very decent film.

I know there's more but I'll have to think for a bit.

 

[AmorRoark]

I didn't know Election was based on a novel though. Here's something you might not of known about it - Thora Birch was originally going to play Tracy Flick. But due to some 'disagreements' with the director, she bailed out. For the best I think.

ouh I didn't know this. I'm glad it was Reece Witherspoon though, she was absolutely PERFECT.

 

[L2R]

That's a good idea. Mods: can you change the title to "best and worst book adaptation films"?

done

nice thread

 

[Belisarius]

The Right Stuff
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

 

[Daisybabe]

AmorRoark - I am guessing your list is the "best"?

For best, I would have to say Into the Wild is a nearly flawless adaptation. The Shawshank Redemption is excellent too.

Worst - Exit to Eden, hands down. The Ruins is terrible too, and it was the original author who adapted it!

I am currently reading Atonement; I'll let you know if it was adapted well in a bit.

Most anticipated adaptation: The Lovely Bones. *prays please don't muck it up*

Excellent post idea!

 

[ego_loss]

The Ruins is terrible too, and it was the original author who adapted it!

That's a shame. I heard good things about the movie, and I like Scott B Smith. He also adapted his book "A Simple Plan", and I thought that flick was pretty good.

In a similar fashion, Elmore Leonard also adapted his own bad-ass book "52 Pickup" into one of the shittiest movies of the era.

 

[AmorRoark]

AmorRoark - I am guessing your list is the "best"?

Yes my list is 'best'.

I am currently reading Atonement; I'll let you know if it was adapted well in a bit.

I've read the book and seen the film and I'll be honest and say I was a bit disappointed. I think Briony's character (both young and older) was absolutely spot-on. But I think Cecilia's protrayl was a bit off. I expected more moodiness... I guess. On a general level it was a very good job but I think I went into it expecting perfection. Good book and good film nonetheless.

 

[Daisybabe]

That's a shame. I heard good things about the movie, and I like Scott B Smith. He also adapted his book "A Simple Plan", and I thought that flick was pretty good.

I had high hopes too. What he did was:

NSFW:

change the ending completely (I have no idea why) but then he also added a totally new part that added an opening for a sequel.

And I thought of another 'best' - Baz Lurmann's Romeo+Juliet. Keeping the original words but setting it in modern day was genius.

 

[Belisarius]

Now, for my "worst":

*Dune (My apologies to any cult fans, but having just read the book, I'm amazed at just how brilliant and involving it is, and how murky and bizarre the Lynch version.)

*The Time Machine (Though I consider this movie a guilty pleasure, it contains loopholes absurd enough to make ID4 look as sober a calc workbook.)

 

[wizekrak]

Worst: The Rules of Attraction, the book is infinitely better

Best: Far too many to name

 

[shannonsensimilla]

Worst: Less Than Zero.

The book is just SOOOOOOOO much fucking better. Bret Easton Ellis got me into reading man. Fuck JK Rowling! lol

I've never seen Rules of Attraction...I've read the book, though....a few times...I LOVE IT! Should I not even bother, wizekrak?

 

[wizekrak]

It's worth a look but don't expect it to measure up.

 

[noone1]

Worst - Exit to Eden, hands down.

I'd have to agree who reads a bdsm book and the first thing to come to mind is turning it into a zany comedy with dan akroyd and rosie o'donnell.

Best would probably be A clockwork orange even if I disagree with the movie ending being better. Also The shining is good.

 

[panic_the_digital]

Now, for my "worst":

*Dune (My apologies to any cult fans, but having just read the book, I'm amazed at just how brilliant and involving it is, and how murky and bizarre the Lynch version.)

Quoted for truth. Hopefully the pending remake can atone for it.

 

[alasdairm]

related reading: the book is always better than the movie...

alasdair

 

[toa$t]

I just read that George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series is getting turned into an HBO show. each book is going to be a season. Should be awesome!