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The Most Popular Book-to-Scream Adaptations
Hollywood has a long-standing tradition of adapting horror novels into frightening films. From 1930s classics like Dracula and Frankenstein to last year’s acclaimed remake of Stephen King’s IT, theatergoers won’t be facing a shortage of screams anytime soon.
Many adaptations have become just as iconic (if not more so) as their source material. Think Linda Blair’s hair-raising performance in The Exorcist, the blood-curdling shower scene in Psycho, or how the phrase “Hello, Clarice” instantly brings a certain cannibalistic dinner host to mind.
Because we’re all about reading the book before seeing the movie, we rounded up some of the most popular horror adaptations on Goodreads. For easy browsing, we sorted these titles into several spine-chilling themes. Which ones have kept you up at night, and which ones will you be adding to your Want to Read Shelf?
Many adaptations have become just as iconic (if not more so) as their source material. Think Linda Blair’s hair-raising performance in The Exorcist, the blood-curdling shower scene in Psycho, or how the phrase “Hello, Clarice” instantly brings a certain cannibalistic dinner host to mind.
Because we’re all about reading the book before seeing the movie, we rounded up some of the most popular horror adaptations on Goodreads. For easy browsing, we sorted these titles into several spine-chilling themes. Which ones have kept you up at night, and which ones will you be adding to your Want to Read Shelf?
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Which adapted horror novel would you recommend as a great read? Let us know in the comments!
Check out the complete coverage of Horror Week:
13 Terrifyingly True Tales
A Guide to the Ghastly Subgenres of Horror
50 Most Popular Horror Novels on Goodreads
Check out the complete coverage of Horror Week:
13 Terrifyingly True Tales
A Guide to the Ghastly Subgenres of Horror
50 Most Popular Horror Novels on Goodreads
Comments Showing 1-50 of 63 (63 new)
message 1:
by
Tanya
(new)
Oct 01, 2018 05:57AM
I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all.
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Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."Yes, I say this all the time! If you've read the book you realize that the movie really doesn't make much sense. The miniseries from the '90s with Steven Weber was much closer to the book.
I plan to check out Netflix's adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House.
Margaret Jones wrote: "Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."Yes, I say this all the time! If you've read the book you realize that the movie really doesn't m..."
Yes.
The opening footage gives me motion sickness. The horrendous annoying noises in the soundtrack and Wendy......oh my gods, Wendy drives me insane. I want to hit her in the head with an axe myself whenever I'm forced to sit through this film.
The Woman in Black is fantastic! Perfect for this time of year!
Lyndy Ann ♫ wrote: "JAWS is my all time fave movie but I disliked the book did not like what the character Ellen Brody did in the book,"OMG! Same! Jaws = Fave Movie / Really disliked the book. One of very few book/movie adaptations where I liked the movie more.
Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."
You're absolutely right. So much of the book's subtext and characterization gets lost.
You're absolutely right. So much of the book's subtext and characterization gets lost.
Lyndy Ann ♫ wrote: "JAWS is my all time fave movie but I disliked the book did not like what the character Ellen Brody did in the book,"I have said it is one of the few books where the film adaptation is actually *better*.
I totally agree. The miniseries was much better. I also really like the miniseries they made out of The Stand.
If I was going to recommend one book, it would have to be MISERY by Stephen King, because it was the way she went about getting her victim. Scary stuff.
Margaret Jones wrote: "Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."
Yes, I say this all the time! If you've read the book you realize that the movie really doesn't m..."
Finally, someone who speaks my language! Kubrick bastardized King's story, and I'm glad King had the chance to make things right with Weber's version.
Yes, I say this all the time! If you've read the book you realize that the movie really doesn't m..."
Finally, someone who speaks my language! Kubrick bastardized King's story, and I'm glad King had the chance to make things right with Weber's version.
Read 10 of these. quite surprised. Is Jaws horror?
Phil wrote: "Read 10 of these. quite surprised. Is Jaws horror?"Yes, definitely.
As for The Shining, I loved the Kubrick version and found the mini-series way too melodramatic and badly acted. I liked the book (except the ending).
I think Stephen King's "CUJO" needs a remake was totally disappointed with film. Yes, I read the book before seeing the movie.
I guess JAWS could be considered horror. A killing machine.
17 out of 24! The Exorcist, The Silence of the Lambs and Psycho are all excellent reads and movies! I can't recommend them enough.
Reader453 wrote: "I plan to check out Netflix's adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House."There are two adaptions out of this book. An old black and White Adaption from 1963 and the new one from 1999.
Both are good, but the original Version is more like the book.
Watched 18 of 24, read 3. I'm a child of the video tape and Blockbuster.
Ladypyrate wrote: "Lyndy Ann ♫ wrote: "JAWS is my all time fave movie but I disliked the book did not like what the character Ellen Brody did in the book,"I have said it is one of the few books where the film adapta..."
Yea it is rare to be able to say that, but I agree the movie was much better. I felt that the characters in the movie worked better with the story line rather than a random affair bring played in.
Rosemary's Baby will always be one of my favorite film adaptations of a novel. While the story was faithful to the novel. Polanski was a genius with the lighting, casting, camera angles, art direction, just everything that makes the difference between a quality film and an okay film. Using the Dakota for the Bramford was just the icing on the cake.
One of the best novels turned into a TV miniseries (twice) was Salem's Lot by Steven King
The scariest movie of all time for me is the original "Alien".I was so impressed with the perfect B-movies horror format par excellence that I took my then girlfriend to see it. When I drove her home she wouldn't go into her house until I'd been though it and turned all the lights on and brought out her cat to the car.
But is there a book the movies was based on as opposed to a book-of-the-movie?
Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."I completely agree. That movie has always fallen flat to me, and people just want to go on and on about how scary it is. Uhhh, which part? It has some great horror imagery (the wave of blood, the decomposing woman, stuff like that), but the dialogue is so forced and unrealistic it hurts my ears.
I read 24 can’t believe I missed that many of the others
Read 13, seen 15...Dracula I have read and re-read and re-re-read, and enjoyed the movie (Coppola's) tremendously each time I watched it (numerous times).
Holly wrote: "Margaret Jones wrote: "Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."Yes, I say this all the time! If you've read the book you realize that the..."
I absolutely agree!! Wendy is so mousy (instead of the badass she is in the book) and Danny is a toddler who can't even speak. It's pretty much a movie showcasing Jack Nicholson. I can't believe the movie is considered a horror "classic."
The film was disappointing, but Peter Straub's Ghost Story was a chilling read.
Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."Same! I thought I was quite alone with my sentiment. Glad to see that's not the case! :D
Everybody seems to praise Kubrick's adaptation over the skies, I never understood why, haha! He completely changed the meaning of the story.
Anton wrote: "[...] is there a book the [Alien] movies was based on as opposed to a book-of-the-movie?"Not exactly. But apparently the original Alien movie is sufficiently similar to A. E. van Vogt's stories Black Destroyer and Discord in Scarlet (later combined into the fix-up The Voyage of the Space Beagle) that he reached an out-of-court settlement with the film company.
Ditto Peter Straub’s Ghost Story. What a great book!
The Woman in Black is my all time favourite scary story. I saw it first as a play in London and then read the book. Both were equally amazing.
Margaret Jones wrote: "Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."Yes, I say this all the time! If you've read the book you realize that the movie really doesn't m..."
THANK YOU! It's good to know I'm not alone in my feelings about the miniseries. I can't seem to find many people who've seen it. Far and away, much better than the movie.
Whitney wrote: "Margaret Jones wrote: "Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."Yes, I say this all the time! If you've read the book you realize that the..."
Actually, we all share this feeling with Stephen King. He hated it too, which is why Stephen King's The Shining also exists.
Kubrick's film adaption of The Shining far exceeds the book. Don't waste your time on King's mini-series version. Horrible casting. Rosemary's Baby is a good one for following the book though but still translating well on screen.
I Am Legend shouldn't be on this list at all. All the book and the movie have in common is the title. Literally could not possibly be any more different. (Both are good, you just have to stop yourself from comparing them)
For me it has to be Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker. It was of course filmed as Hellraiser. Love Pinhead !!
If you listen to one horror audiobook, make it The Exorcist, read by William Peter Blatty. A great novel and an incredible storyteller.
I’ve read seven, currently reading one, and I’ve seen thirteen of these but hopefully will see the rest by the end of October 🎃👻 !!
So glad to see that King is almost in all of these categories.
-"Gerald's Game" by Stephen King.-"Pines" by Blake Crouch.
A section about "Thriller psychological" would be great.
Lyndy Ann ♫ wrote: "JAWS is my all time fave movie but I disliked the book did not like what the character Ellen Brody did in the book,"I feel the same too! I was so excited to read the book, and couldn't believe such a great movie came from that!
Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."Totally agree! Even King himself thinks so.
Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."I like Kubrick's "The Shining" but it is only a "BASED ON" rather than adaptation of "The Shining." Much the way the Peter O'Toole version of "Goodbye Mr. Chips" only has the name and occupation of Mr. Chips and the fact that his wife died in common with the original book.
Richard Matheson’s Hell House I believe was adapted by Hammer Studios in 1973. That film is rated PG and only hints at the disturbing events explored in detail in the novel. I highly recommend the book.
✰☽❤✰ Unsolved Mystery ✰❤☾✰ wrote: "The Woman in Black is fantastic! Perfect for this time of year!"I totally agree.
Tanya wrote: "I dislike Kubrick's adaptation of the Shining. Doesn't do the novel justice at all."Yeah, and I believe even King himself was dissatisfied with the Kubrick movie, instead preferring the Rebecca De Mornay TV series, which was more faithful to the book. But I love both movies though.
