Stacia Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Obviously, this is started because of the other movie threads. I love both books AND movies (that I see in the theater as I rarely watch movies on dvd). What are some movies that you have enjoyed that have been based off of books? The movie doesn't have to be a replica of the book, but just movies you thought were great/fun/well-done, etc.... Some that come to mind for me are... Roxanne (modern interpretation of Cyrano de Bergerac) Apocalypse Now (modern interpretation of Heart of Darkness) the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series (the Swedish movies were my faves, but I also thought the American version was well-done; I liked the Swedish movies better than I liked the books) the Harry Potter movies (admittedly, I've read only the first HP book, but I've immensely enjoyed the movies w/ my dc) both Capote and Infamous (based off of In Cold Blood) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy The Painted Veil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 The Shining Life of Pi The Wizard of Oz Gone With the Wind Goodfellas Shawshank Redemption I loved all of these books and movies (actually, I never read the book that Goodfellas was based off of, but I love the movie). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Fight Club To Kill A Mockingbird Stand by Me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Adaptation (when I saw that movie, I *knew* Chris Cooper would have to win the Oscar that year... and he did [for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Adaptation]) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stars Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 The Princess Bride and The Hunger Games Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 The Princess Bride Oh, yeah. I actually liked the movie better than the book in this case. (Same for the Lord of the Rings movies, imo.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Chocolat comes to mind as one of the few movies I liked better than the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Captains Courageous-it is actually one of the few where I think the movie is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Oh, yeah. I actually liked the movie better than the book in this case. (Same for the Lord of the Rings movies, imo.) I really loved the zoo of death bit in The Princess Bride book. And LOTR books are SO much better than the movies, IMO, Peter Jackson really missed the point of the books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Babe, the Gallant Pig Hunger Games First 4 Harry Potter films To Kill a Mockingbird Remains of the Day Winn Dixie Blade Runner the original Jurassic Park Must think on this. I know there are others, but these come quickly to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justkeepswimming Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 How to Train Your Dragon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 The brothers lionheart, whale rider, once were warriors, other halves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Practical Magic. Only movie I prefer to the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 "The Princess Bride" and "Enchanted April" come to mind. Otherwise, I'm usually left disappointed with a book-to-movie adaptation. For "did a decent job, but not great" - I'd say "Cloud Atlas". The book is much richer, but the screenwriters didn't take a lot of liberties either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 How to Train Your Dragon :iagree: This is the first one I thought of. The movie was so good we got the book from the library. They are not the same at all. The books were just nowhere near as good as the movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Wizard of Oz is the one movie I always say was better than the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Fight Club To Kill A Mockingbird Stand by Me Oh, yeah! All of these! I hadn't realized Fight Club was based on a book. Interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 The Natural Field of Dreams Ben-Hur (Heston version) IMO, the movies are better, and significantly different, than the books. To Kill a Mockingbird Shawkshank Redemption The Princess Bride Jurassic Park Stand By Me The Wizard of Oz True Grit (2010 version) Children of Men These may not be better than the original, but they rival the greatness of their novels. Most of them manage to incorporate some of the same tone which makes the original novel great. I need to read Captains Courageous. I love the Spencer Tracy version. ('way ho, lettle feesh, don't cry, don't cry. way ho, lettle feesh don't cry, don't cry.') The beginning of the novel doesn't break out of convention, so I put it down after the near-drowning. Great movie though. My favorite Tracy role. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Atonement. The brothers lionheart, whale rider, once were warriors, other halves. I had no idea Once Were Warriors was a book! It was such a powerful movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Just a warning? The guy who wrote Fight Club writes very disturbing books. I need to read Captains Courageous. I love the Spencer Tracy version. ('way ho, lettle feesh, don't cry, don't cry. way ho, lettle feesh don't cry, don't cry.') The beginning of the novel doesn't break out of convention, so I put it down after the near-drowning. Great movie though. My favorite Tracy role. The book is totally different. I read the book because I loved the movie. I was a little shocked at how different it was. I had never experienced that kind of disappointment with a book before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Fahrenheit 451 And LOTR books are SO much better than the movies, IMO, Peter Jackson really missed the point of the books. :iagree: x1000000 Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 For "did a decent job, but not great" - I'd say "Cloud Atlas". The book is much richer, but the screenwriters didn't take a lot of liberties either. Oh, can't believe i forgot to mention that one. Loved both the book AND the movie. Both are fabulous! (For The Enchanted April, I liked the book better. The movie was ok but I was glad I read the book.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Forrest Gump was a book I hated, that had a great movie. I also like the Mary Poppins movie more than the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Oh, yeah! All of these! I hadn't realized Fight Club was based on a book. Interesting. You should know that Chuck Palahniuk is a brilliant author but be prepared to need brain bleach if you read any of his books. EDITED Just a warning? The guy who wrote Fight Club writes very disturbing books. :lol: I didn't notice you had already given warnings before posting. He truly writes things you CANNOT UNSEE. YOU CANNOT UNSEE THEM!!! He also wrote the book for the movie, Choke. I did not see that movie but I did read the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waa510 Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Choke has been made into a movie?! *shudder* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Choke has been made into a movie?! *shudder* Well...I think some of his books are *less* filmable but I didn't really want to see that one either. :lol: His books are actually quite good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I think I would say Fight Club To Kill a Mockingbird The Princess Bride The Wizard of Oz True Grit Life of Pi horrified me less in the movie but the book is still good (but horrifying) Steven King's short stories make great movies. Stand By Me and Shawshank Redemption are both great. I like The Shining as well, it is probably my favorite movie based on an actual full length book of his. I did not think Lord of the Rings was a super great movie. I think PJ missed the point, I was very disappointed in some choices he made. It was ok and I enjoyed it visually, but I don't know why he Faramid'd all the characters. I think he should have spent more time studying Tolkien rather than adding his own words to a story he apparently did not get. If he had studied Tolkien a bit better and listened to Tolkien's son I would probably have been much happier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Life of Pi horrified me less in the movie but the book is still good (but horrifying) The book horrified me so much that I didn't want to see the movie. :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 The book horrified me so much that I didn't want to see the movie. :huh: Now you all have made me completely afraid of the book. I guess I shouldn't read it unless I have a freezer nearby to put it in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Choke has been made into a movie?! *shudder* Not a good movie, but a totally watchable one due to Sam Rockwell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Now you all have made me completely afraid of the book. I guess I shouldn't read it unless I have a freezer nearby to put it in... It's a good book. I was really torn, though. The story is well-written, there's lots of deep-thinking there. BUT, the ending ripped my soul out. Truly. I couldn't pick up another book after this one for at least a week. Many found the ending uplifting. I did not. I even read reviews where it listed Life of Pi as being a book that would make you believe in God. I'm still scratching my head over that one. Again, to me, the book almost would make one believe the opposite. Many love the book. It was a very hard one for me. Interestingly, I recently read Edgar Allan Poe's book The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. There is a character in Poe's book whose name is used in Life of Pi. It's a fascinating, if telling, link. And, to my mind, it further supports my interpretation of the ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Now you all have made me completely afraid of the book. I guess I shouldn't read it unless I have a freezer nearby to put it in... It isn't frightening or anything like a Stephen King book. In fact, you don't see it coming until the end, THEN it rips your soul. By that time, it is too late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Now you all have made me completely afraid of the book. I guess I shouldn't read it unless I have a freezer nearby to put it in... I must be strange. I read the book twice and was not horrified at all. I haven't seen the movie. I don't understand the believe in God thing either As a teen I saw a movie called A Portrait of Jenny. I thought it was so beautiful and romantic. The book was flat and dull. The movie Bednobs and Broomsticks is a lot of fun, the book is not anything like it, neither is The Rescuers. They are both rather depressing books. My son says Jurassic Park is better than the book. I've not read the book, but the movie must be better, it has Jeff Goldblum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 In general, I think Stephen King movies are better than Stephen King books. Both the versions of Solaris are decent. I know someone mentioned Where the Wild Things Are in the other thread, but I loved that movie. So weird and rich. But not really based on the book, just inspired by... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I did not think Lord of the Rings was a super great movie. I think PJ missed the point, I was very disappointed in some choices he made. It was ok and I enjoyed it visually, but I don't know why he Faramid'd all the characters. I think he should have spent more time studying Tolkien rather than adding his own words to a story he apparently did not get. If he had studied Tolkien a bit better and listened to Tolkien's son I would probably have been much happier. I think I love you, 'cuz...oh heck yeah!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 The Anthony Andrews/Jane Seymour adaptation of The Scarlet Pimpernel...but only *that* adaptation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I did not think Lord of the Rings was a super great movie. I think PJ missed the point, I was very disappointed in some choices he made. It was ok and I enjoyed it visually, but I don't know why he Faramid'd all the characters. I think he should have spent more time studying Tolkien rather than adding his own words to a story he apparently did not get. If he had studied Tolkien a bit better and listened to Tolkien's son I would probably have been much happier. I completely agree. I wish he had never made the movies. At least we still have the Silmarilian. I doubt anyone will ever make that into the movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 PS I Love You, really didn't like the book, adored the movie. Princess Bride I love the LOTR movies, not so much because they were faithful (they were not, really) but because I get to live in Middle Earth every time I watch them. In extended version, on blu ray.......same goes for the Harry Potter movies. Loved the Spiderwick Chronicles. Beezus and Ramona was charming I loved Nim's Island, though it wasn't like the book at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 In the category of the movie's ending being better than the book's is Being There. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 To Kill A Mockingbird is a great film based on a great book BBC does some pretty good adaptions of various classics, Pride and Prejudiced was particularly well received by those in my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Does the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice count as a movie? Because that's really good and close to the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waa510 Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Well...I think some of his books are *less* filmable but I didn't really want to see that one either. :lol: His books are actually quite good. Yea, I can think of a few excerpts that I would never want to actually see on film. I agree his books are well-written overall and his plot ideas are sadistically interesting. Some of his characters seemed similar between books, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 The book horrified me so much that I didn't want to see the movie. :huh: It is more subtle in the movie, perhaps just the normal difference between reading a book and seeing a movie. The book is so much more immersive (what? Chrome says that is not a word?) it is jarring. The movie was just lovely. I would recommend seeing it and I was truly horrified by the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Oh North and South (the one with Richard Armitage) is a better movie than a book IMHO. I usually prefer the book but N&S was serialized so it is laid out awkwardly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I completely agree. I wish he had never made the movies. At least we still have the Silmarilian. I doubt anyone will ever make that into the movie. The Tolkien Foundation still owns the rights to the Silmarillian and with Christopher Tolkien being so angry with PJ that is highly doubtful. :( I don't get why they are making so many movies out of the Hobbit but the Silmarillian would make at least three or four GOOD movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 And LOTR books are SO much better than the movies, IMO, Peter Jackson really missed the point of the books. Well, I have to duck & run here because I'm one of the (very few?) folks who does not especially care for the LotR books. The Hobbit book is not a favorite of mine either. :leaving: (So, w/ that as my background re: the LotR books, I definitely found the movies to be more interesting. At least there's Viggo.... :D ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Now you all have made me completely afraid of the book. I guess I shouldn't read it unless I have a freezer nearby to put it in... It isn't frightening or anything like a Stephen King book. In fact, you don't see it coming until the end, THEN it rips your soul. By that time, it is too late. A lot of people didn't even notice it. It is a good book. I really liked (despite the trauma) it but I can't read it again. :scared: The movie is VERY well done. I was impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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