Film Adaptations - Horror/Supernatural - Part I

[Valancourt Books]

I thought I'd make a series of posts about some of the books we've reprinted that also have film adaptations. Most of these you probably know about, but some you might not. I'll post each genre in a different thread.

Enjoy!

Horror/Supernatural



The Monk: A Romance (1796) by M.G. Lewis, introduction by Stephen King

A French/Spanish adaptation of The Monk was filmed in 2011 and (finally!) released not long ago in the U.S. Vincent Cassel plays the tormented Ambrosio. It's a fairly loose adaptation but one well worth checking out.

Learn more about the book and the movie at the links below:
http://www.valancourtbooks.com/the-mo...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mon...




Carmilla (1871-72) by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, edited by Jamieson Ridenhour

Carmilla has been filmed repeatedly but my favorite of the adaptations (that I've seen) is Blood and Roses (1960) directed by Roger Vadim. It's a beautifully shot film with some very haunting imagery. The whispering of the name Carmilla in the film is sure to stay with you.

Description from Wikipedia:

"Set in the modern day at a European estate, Camilla is torn emotionally by the engagement of her friend Georgia to her cousin Leopoldo. It is hard to tell for whom she has the strongest unrequited emotions. During the masquerade ball celebrating the upcoming marriage, a fireworks display accidentally explodes some munitions lost at the site in WWII, disturbing an ancestral catacomb. Camilla wearing the dress of her legendary vampire ancestor wanders into the ruins, where the tomb of the ancestor opens slowly. Camilla returns to Leopoldo's estate as the last guests depart. Over next few days she proceeds to act as though possessed by the spirit of the vampire and a series of vampiric killings terrorize the estate."

Learn more about the book and the movie at the links below:
http://www.valancourtbooks.com/carmil...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_a...



Benighted (1927) by J.B. Priestley, with a new introduction by Orrin Grey

Benighted has two adaptations: a successful 1932 production titled The Old Dark House directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff, and a 1963 remake by William Castle (not as memorable).

Synopsis of the 1932 film:

"Seeking shelter from a pounding rainstorm in a remote region of Wales, several travellers are admitted to a gloomy, foreboding mansion belonging to the extremely strange Femm family. Trying to make the best of it, the guests must deal with their sepulchral host, Horace Femm, who claims to be on the run from the police, and his religious, obsessive, malevolent sister, Rebecca.

Things get worse as the brutish mute butler, Morgan, gets drunk, runs amok, threatens Margaret Waverton and releases the long pent-up brother, Saul, a psychotic fantasist and pyromaniac who gleefully tries to destroy the residence by setting it on fire."

Learn more about the book and the movies at the links below:
http://www.valancourtbooks.com/benigh...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old...



Nothing But the Night (1968) by John Blackburn, with a new introduction by Greg Gbur

Nothing but the Night was released in 1963 starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. It didn't quite capture the mystery and horror of the book. Like all of these, I recommend the book first.

Learn more about the book and the movie at the links below:
http://www.valancourtbooks.com/nothin...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing...



The Cormorant (1986) by Stephen Gregory, with a new introduction by the Author

The Cormorant was the 1987 Somerset Maugham Award winner. After much success, BBC filmed a miniseries adaptation in 1993 starring a young Ralph Fiennes. Unfortunately the movie has never been released in the US and I don't think it's currently on DVD anywhere in the world. Earlier this year it was on Youtube. If you can find it, I highly recommend checking it out.

Learn more about the book and the movie at the links below:
http://www.valancourtbooks.com/the-co...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen...



The Birds (1936) by Frank Baker, with a new introduction by Ken Mogg

Although Hitchcock's 1963 film was based on Daphne du Maurier's short story of the same name, Frank Baker threatened to sue because of strong similarities between his novel and Daphne du Maurier's story. It just so happens that Baker's novel was released by a publishing company owned by du Maurier's cousin. The novel came before the short story.

Learn more about the book and the movie at the links below:
http://www.valancourtbooks.com/the-bi...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bir...



Ratman's Notebooks was first filmed as Willard in 1971 starring Bruce Davison and Elsa Lanchester (Bride of Frankenstein). A fairly close adaptation, it gained a following and even had a squeal titled Ben. Ben is now most memorable for its theme song by Michael Jackson.

Ratman's Notebooks was again filmed in 2003 starring Crispin Glover. This happens to be my favorite of the films. It is less like the book but takes on a much darker tone.

Learn more about the book and the movie at the links:
below:http://www.valancourtbooks.com/ratman...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willard...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_(film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willard...

Stay tuned for more....

[Char]

Cool! :)

[Jon Recluse]

Sweet!

[Nancy]

It's aggrevating re the no video/dvd copies of The Cormorant, but there's a copy on youtube. At least if you were so inclined, you could actually watch it.

[Char]

I loved The Cormorant so much...but I'm worried that if I saw it on film it would be ruined.

[Jon Recluse]

I can live without seeing the movie.

[Char]

I think I can too.

[Valancourt Books]

I think The Cormorant is too difficult a book to capture in any other medium. That being said, the BBC production is decent for what it is. They did manage to find a cormorant that can act. :)

[Tom]

The Old Dark House has long been a favorite movie of mine. I will definately check out Benighted

[Canavan]

Excellent post.

I remember that when I first saw The Old Dark House about 15 years ago I was somewhat disappointed. It looks terrific, but I wasn’t all that impressed by the performances, especially that of Douglas (who I’ve never much cared for). I had no idea it was based on a J. B. Priestly novel.

Gilbert’s book was re-issued as a mass market paperback after the success of the original Willard. I’ve never read it, but probably still have it boxed up somewhere. I never saw the re-make, but did see Ben when it came out. I was surprised to see from the Wikipedia article you cited that it enjoys a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I remember it as being excruciatingly bad.