The BOOK/MOVIE Club discussion
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Question 4: What is your favorite movie adaptation of a book?
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Max
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Aug 20, 2017 03:49PM
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I think movies should be close to the books. I feel that when they go their own direction, it isn't telling the story I loved. My favorite book to movie is probably Room. I think the director did a good job of keeping the important parts of the story. The one that bothered me most was Divergent. I LOVED the books, but I had to stop watching the movies partway through the second one.
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my favorite that i've read and seen was the martian it was the best. Very close just missing a few lil gag bits but I think they did it a great service but I think that's because the guy who wrote the book co- wrote the film script.
I haven't read the shining but I love the film and I've heard its very loosely based on the book.
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The Shining is one of my all time favorite films! I'm very interested in reading the book and weighing out the differences.
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I was initially very interested in Divergent, but after I watched the film, I never ventured to pick up the book!
On the other hand, I haven't seen or read Room, but the great film/book reviews has made me interested in both versions (:
I know, it's best not to judge a book by its film adaptation- but, wow! can a film create a strong impression. It's very interesting how film/movie counterparts can make or break each other.
My favourite movie adaptation of a book is Divergent because even though there are big chunks taken out of the book, it was nice to see the book on the screen. I felt like The Fault in Our Stars was a more faithful adaptation as I hardly noticed any bits missing from the book.
Imogen wrote: "My favourite movie adaptation of a book is Divergent because even though there are big chunks taken out of the book, it was nice to see the book on the screen. I felt like [book:The..."I agree with you about The Fault in Our Stars. I thought it was a great movie and followed nicely with the book.
Dylan wrote: "I haven't read the shining but I love the film and I've heard its very loosely based on the book."I liked the movie but once I read the book I definitely think it is 10 times better!!
I thought that Bridge to Terabithia and The Lovely Bones were two very good movie adaptations of books.
Clara yes OK i will try give the book a read. I liked Ender's game the movie but the book ten times more and blade runner and the book it is based on " do androids dream of electric sheep" are very different but they are amazing in their own separate ways
Dylan wrote: "Clara yes OK i will try give the book a read. I liked Ender's game the movie but the book ten times more and blade runner and the book it is based on " do androids dream of electric sheep" are ve..."
The book (Ender's Game) was definitely so much better than the film. I like to see the film first and than read the book. The book enhances the film for me. But if I have already read the book before I am almost always disappointed in the film.
Except for the first Harry Potter book, I watched all the movies first and than read the books afterwards.
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I liked Ender's game the movie but the book ten times more and blade runner and the book it is based on " do androids dream of electric..."
Agreed on the Ender's Game book for sure... The movie was okay considering how much story they had to cram into 2 hours, but still a disappointment. It would have been nice to see Ender age throughout the story, as impossible as that would have been to film. Also to see the subplots with his brother and sister develop as they did in the book.
I've often been the same way as you, wanting to watch the movie version before reading the book! It's a rare, underrated preference :) But I find it's the best way to enjoy both versions fully, since the book is almost always better.
For example, I saw the new "It" movie before I read the Stephen King novel, and I LOVED it. Fans of the book have not been as happy with the movie, though, as I understand...
Definitely the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice.
IT 1990 based on the novel by Stephen King
Wow this one is hard! I would definitely have to say Zora Neal Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God ! The book was beautiful, but so was the movie.
the Game of Thrones series. while the books are of course far superior, and full of rich and in some cases critical back story, I feel the series is done very faithfully, with small divergences in the interest of time constraints.
My favorite adaption is Shōgun with Richard Chamberlain. Its an incredible faithfull adaption of the book.
may have to watch this im a big chamberlain fan
Matthew wrote: "may have to watch this im a big chamberlain fan"You really should.
Matthew wrote: "may have to watch this im a big chamberlain fan"I must have watched the Bourne identity with him in is 20 time and I recently found out he was in towering inferno , the count of monte Christo and the man in the iorn mask and thanks to you I know hes in this
My favorite movie at the moment is the fast paced "Scott Pilgrim vs the world" which was based on graphic novels. The movie used a great way of visualising music and making the fighting scenes look like fighting games like Tekken.
My favorite movie adaption, hands down, is Coraline. I admit I actually watched the film before realizing it was a book, but wow. Stop-motion at its finest, stylistic and melancholic and just enough darkness to keep me on edge--and engaged. It's honestly my favorite movie, ever, and I feel no shame in saying that.I'm also a huge fan of both the original Frankenstein and Dracula films even though I know they differ greatly from their novels. Can't help it! I love me some classic monsters.
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I think Scott Pilgrim is one of the most visually interesting movies ever made. One of my personal favorites for sure! The editing/transitions are awesome, the effects are really unique, and I love the Vegan Powers guy :) The director Edgar Wright makes exclusively amazing movies that are full of style and visual flair. See Baby Driver if you haven't already!
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All 3 of the movies you mentioned are movies that I saw for the first time recently :) Coraline is amazing! I'm not sure which is my favorite, that or Paranorman. They are both stop-motion animation and are directed by the same guy, so there are some obvious similarities. But Coraline is the most artistic I think.
I saw the original Dracula in a theater with a live orchestra playing the score! It was an awesome experience, and such a classic movie. Bela Lugosi is a legend! Same goes for Boris Karloff as Frankenstein, which I watched with friends this past Halloween. It's too bad that the recent remakes have been so terrible, I would love to see a good modern version of these stories.
My favorite adaptation is Harry Potter and the mystery of the prince, I know that many do not like books or movies, but what they did with this movie was incredible, the way they developed it, there are parts in which they allow the viewer know that Harry Potter is alone in this whole problem, apart from the relics of death this is the best adaptation.
Max wrote: "I think Scott Pilgrim is one of the most visually interesting movies ever made. One of my personal favorites for sure! The editing/transitions are awesome, the effects are really unique, and I love the Vegan Powers guy..."I'll check out Edgar Wright's Baby Driver. I also didn't notice until later that the movie star/pro skater Lucas Lee was played by Cap. America actor Chris Evans.
Absolutely Never Let Me Go- Kazuo İshiguro
The perks of being a wallflower
David wrote: "My favorite adaptation is Harry Potter and the mystery of the prince, I know that many do not like books or movies, but what they did with this movie was incredible, the way they developed it, ther..."when did mystery of the prince happen , ive seen and read halfblood prince , is this a short novel on potter more ?
First off, my favorites change periodically. Second: my current favorite is Life of Pi because the movie was better than the book.
Here me out: the book boasts it'll make you believe in God, but the movie is so breathtakingly beautiful it does a much better job at inspiring awe and wonder.
Oh, I love both the book and the movie "Fried green tomatoes". Also "sleeping with the enemy" I think both are really good. And in both case I also was seeing the movie before I read the book... I don´t know if that´s matter... And about the next question I think it could be fun if the book and movie are a bit different, (Like the two I wrote) but the movie should still of course be based on the book. Maybe the best is if the book and movie are "the same but different" ;)
For a bookworm and film buff--how to pick just one? First off, I am usually unhappy when a screenplay veers too far away or completely changes aspects of the book. All of a sudden, I'm like "What?!" I have to say To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books and the film did a good job of staying true to the story with the time constraints movies had back then. Gregory Peck played Atticus Finch like the pro he was and the child actors selected made for great choices.
Another one I like is Ethan and Joel Coen's version of True Grit by Charles Portis. They often write their own scripts as well as direct the film and I cannot remember if this was the case here. I noticed only one or two characters/scenes which are not in the book. However, they lend themselves well to Sheriff Cogburn and Maddie. I have almost nothing good to say about the film version with John Wayne. (sorry)
If you're begging for more, read Empire Falls by Richard Russo and then try to find the DVDs of the mini-series created starring many fine names in showbiz. Russo has had a couple of his books adapted and is a wonderful author. Also, Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove. This was the first western I'd ever read (on the list of Pulitzers for fiction I finally finished) and I loved it. It's 'dense' and the mini-series fulfilled my expectations. Also full of big names in showbiz.
I really love "Rubin red". It's german film but it's sooooooooooo good
I thought that Gone Girl was well done and for a classic I have to say that To Kill a Mockingbird was a great movie (though the book is still probably better), I know that this isn't answering the question, but for the worst, I would have to put forward Captain Corelli's Mandolin. To be fair, it was such a multi-layered book that it would be almost impossible to adapt into a film, but Nicolas Cage in particular, was totally miscast.
Adriana (Mea) wrote: "Here's a short list of some of the greats in case any of you are curious. I've seen many of these movies, but have not read the books! http://www.shortlist.com/entertainmen......"This is a great list. Gone With the Wind impressed me the most. It was a 1000 page book and the movie captured most of it.
Sebastian wrote: "My favorite adaption is Shōgun with Richard Chamberlain. Its an incredible faithfull adaption of the book."Wow, Sebastian, that's an old one! I read the book when it first was released and the series did follow it pretty faithfully. It was an adaptation which was well done and Richard Chamberlain was a great choice for the lead role. Heart throb that he was...
Max wrote: "C.C.Webb wrote: "My favorite movie adaption, hands down, is Coraline. I admit I actually watched the film before realizing it was a book, but wow. Stop-motion at its finest, stylistic and melanchol..."Max, that must have been a wonderful experience seeing Dracula on stage with an orchestra! Have you ever watched "Bram Stoker's Dracula" from 1992? It starred Anthony Hopkins, Winona Ryder, and Gary Oldman (as Count Dracula). I'd read the book and was fascinated. So many people get a wrong idea of the story because of so many poor film adaptations. This one was well done, in my opinion, holding well to the original story. Lucy gets screen time as she deserves. Oldman and Hopkins always shine and Ms. Ryder wasn't too shabby in this one either. ;>) The makeup and the scenes with transitions "from count to vampire" and back again are exquisite.
Matthew wrote: "Matthew wrote: "may have to watch this im a big chamberlain fan"I must have watched the Bourne identity with him in is 20 time and I recently found out he was in towering inferno , the count of m..."
He gets around, doesn't he? hahaha He plays a musketeer as well. "The Three Musketeers" from 1973.
One Book (novella) is a River Runs Through It. I mention it because it was a story that moved so slowly. I didn't think you could make a movie out of it. The movie and book were both great.
ROBERT wrote: "One Book (novella) is a River Runs Through It. I mention it because it was a story that moved so slowly. I didn't think you could make a movie out of it. The movie and book were both great."I enjoyed both, but I agree the pace of the book was a bit slow. Both made me cry like a baby, and want to go to Montana.
Paula wrote: "Max wrote: "C.C.Webb wrote: "My favorite movie adaption, hands down, is Coraline. I admit I actually watched the film before realizing it was a book, but wow. Stop-motion at its finest, stylistic a..."your right , fantastic book and fantastic movie adaption
Paula wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Matthew wrote: "may have to watch this im a big chamberlain fan"I must have watched the Bourne identity with him in is 20 time and I recently found out he was in towering inferno ..."
brilliant , I shall have to get my hands on that
I thought about it a bit and I think LOTR is the one that was the best. I liked the movie more than the books but I suspect I am in the minority there.
The Color Purple.I actually prefer the movie to the book
The BOOK/MOVIE Club
Books mentioned in this topic
To Kill a Mockingbird (other topics)True Grit (other topics)
Empire Falls (other topics)
Lonesome Dove (other topics)
Divergent (other topics)
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