Books turned into movies (1 Viewer)

[spiny norman]

Also, if ever a film version was better than the novel it's Barry Lyndon. The Thackery novel was fairly average, whereas the film is an absolute masterpiece.

 

[Demandred]

I can just imagine The Wheel of Time books as movies in their exact detail:

The Wheel of Time 247: Elayne Tries on Five Different Dresses in One Hour

(Only WoT fans are gonna get this one ...)

I don't really think to make WoT is feasible, LotR was only 3 books and it was a marathon, WoT is going to be 13, the last book is going to be larger than LotR combined - 2000 pages - oh wait.... the Eye of the World has more pages than LotR combined lol. The only remote part of the series that is feasible I guess is something based on the War of Power from the Age of Legends.

It's going to be quite rare for movies to rival books. Books does not set everything in stone, it leaves certain details out, the kind of details that would be left to your imagination, and that is something that cannot be surpassed, any attempts to do so would fail as it is incompatible with our imagination. However, it does not mean all movies are 2nd rate compared to the originals, certain movies has been awesome - HP, Fight Clib to name a few, it's only that the books were simply a little better .

 

[7.62 BOS]

Jarhead the Movie vs. Jarhead the Book. I can't wait.

 

[Benny_]

I've heard a lot of bad things about Jarhead the movie. But then the criticisms directed at the film seem to be mostly broad criticisms of Mendes' work in general.

 

[Demandred]

I was under the impression RJ will do A Memory of Light and that'd be it. He did imply that if if book 12 was simply too long the series would run to 13 (an appropriate number, given it's significance in the books).

But you've highlighted the very point I was making when I suggested we'd need an entire movie deovted to Elanye's (love her or hate her) wardrobe, given RJ's tendency to go slightly overboard with descriptions, particularly with clothes.

Sorry, book 12.

 

[MedNez]

The only example I can think of where movie > book: The Phantom of the Opera.

Perhaps the untranslated French version is better. But then, I can't read that. I guess it's a little unfair to use PotO as an example though, given that it's more based on the musical than the book.

I agree with that (there are more, but I meant specifically PotO). It was wonderfully done last year, and a credit to the director and producers.

 

[sando]

The movie version of "narnia: Lion, witch,wardrobe" has done a bloody awesome job

 

[Lundy]

The only instance where I've enjoyed a movie adaptation more is the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I like the movies, but the books bored me to tears.

 

[Lainee]

Sometimes films are better than the books though.

I thought Fight Club as a book sucked, but the movie was much better.

Same with Seven Pillars of Wisdom/Lawrence of Arabia, Chopper/the numerous books it was based on and a few others.

Agree with Fight Club.

The Godfather is one of the best adaptations IMHO. Reading the book made me want to watch the film, and then watching it made me want to read the book again just to imagine Al Pacino's face deliver all those Michael Corleone lines. So awesome.

And JAWS! The book is average, but the film is such a classic.

Most of the adapations of John Grisham's books are hideous. A Time To Kill was insufferable.

EDIT: And must add Dracula that, the newer one with Winona Ryder, was so true to the book. I don't think it was better than the book, but it definately was pretty good.

EDIT #2: Must edit again to say I also liked the adaption of Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient. The movie simiplifies the plots, but it makes it alot easier to understand. I'd recommend reading the book first then watching the film, the film clarifies things.

 

[Riviet]

HP and LOTR have been two of the most successful books turned into movies.

 

[Lainee]

HP and LOTR have been two of the most successful books turned into movies.

Successful in terms of financial success: yes.
Successful in being true companions to the books: no.

My bet is that most people went to see the movies just to see whether they got better since the last one.

 

[m0ofin]

.

 

[spiny norman]

The Lord of the Rings films are a completely different beast to the novel. They took aspects from the novel and did a complete re-imagining of it. They're excellent films, and I think a completely original way in translating a fantasy novel into a film (sadly the fact that everything from Narnia to King Kong is being done the same way is diminishing this).

 

[(enigma)]

some of the movies made from books are alright, but mostly they seem to be better as books.
the hitchhikers guide movie had nothing on the book.

 

[the_dilemma]

Books are almost always better than the movies but one exception that I can think of right now is Bridget Jones. Horrible, horrible books.

The Emma Thompson Sense & Sensibility is far better than the book as well.

 

[Sarah168]

The first Bridget Jones book is fine. 2nd is awful though and Colin Firth just MAKES the movie...sigh

S&S is brilliant as a book and luckily was made into a great film too. I wouldn't dismiss the book so easily

 

[walrusbear]

fight club the movie is somewhat better than the book
even chuck himself admits it

 

[AntonTheswan]

I once had a book that turned into a movie.

I also had a sock that turned into wine rack.

sorry what was the question?