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Which books were better as a movie than a book.
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Gatorman
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Nov 07, 2010 05:31AM
I'm a huge SK fan but thought Needful Things was just too long with too many characters and subplots. The movie wasn't great but eliminated the issues I had with the book and was just entertaining enough. The cast was great (Ed Harris, Max von Sydow, J.T. Walsh, Amanda Plummer). And yes, von Sydow played the Devil.
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I love JT Walsh- so sad we lost him so early
Mod
I do remember the Max Von Sydon (sp) was in it and played the bad guy..."
The book was ok- but the movie was far more fun- pretty simplistic reason, I know!! but sometimes simplicity says it all!
J.T. Walsh was one of the best character actors ever. Definitely miss his work. And you're right, the movie was much more fun and that's why it worked better than the movie.
Gatorman, oh man, was he ever. He could pull off being horrible but yet funny at times..
Mod
so sad J.T. passed away at 52- right after making Pleasantville and The Negotiator
The best example I can think of at the moment is Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series. Even though the series is a very quick read, six volumes didn't seem necessary. The 90 minute movie format forced them to edit out the slow parts. Although it surprises me to say so, this was a case where the the movie ending was actually better than the original one, imho. And the action sequences (of which there are many) had much more of a visual impact on the big screen than in the original black and white illustrations.
Totally agree with M.A.S.H but the only book where I could honestly say I thought the movie was better was Sleepy Hollow - maybe because they strayed so much in parts from the original but I really enjoyed that movie
Rick wrote: "Gatorman wrote: "J.T. Walsh was one of the best character actors ever. Definitely miss his work. And you're right, the movie was much more fun and that's why it worked better than the movie."..."
I think he died while making "Breakdown", which is ironic because this was actually more of a starring role for him than a character part. Again, I miss his work.
Mod
Here is some info on JT Walsh
J.T. Walsh appeared in two 1998 movies released after his death: as the scummy hostage in The Negotiator and as the characteristically unpleasant mayor of Pleasantville. Both films are dedicated to him. His final exit, abruptly rushing offscreen in Pleasantville after having seen his real face in the mirror, leaves us with the feeling that he's gone too soon...
James Patrick Walsh (a typo gave him "J.T."; he took it and ran with it) was a journalist, teacher, social worker, salesman, and restaurant manager before he decided, at age 30, to dedicate himself to acting. He didn't make his first movie (a bit part in the Kirk Douglas vehicle Eddie Macon's Run, which also marked John Goodman's debut) until he was 40, but he left an indelible impression on moviegoers -- usually as a venal WASP bureaucrat, a scummy lawyer, or a crooked politician. Yet there was always some warmth, or at least some humor, in his portrayal of these jerks. Even as the disturbed and disturbing sexual pervert who accosts Billy Bob Thornton with salacious tales of his exploits in Sling Blade, Walsh always displayed the brains, wit, and charisma that kept him from being a cardboard cutout villain. He played a lot of small parts, but like Steve Buscemi or William H. Macy (a fellow David Mamet favorite), he was something of a good luck charm for some of us. No matter how bad the movie, at least it had Walsh in it -- and the most damning thing you could say about it would be that it didn't give him enough to do.
He was born in San Francisco, and graduated from the University of Rhode Island. On the stage, Walsh co-starred in Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross and American Buffalo, and Al Pacino's Richard III. He had two movies in the can when he died (apparently of a heart attack) at age 54: Gary Ross's Pleasantville with Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, Reese Witherspoon, and William H. Macy; and F. Gary Gray's The Negotiator with Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, and David Morse.
J.T. Walsh was:
The shifty lawyer who dispenses phone advice to Linda Fiorentino's scheming femme fatale in John Dahl's The Last Seduction. "Still a lawyer, Frank?" she asks. "Still a self-serving bitch?" he replies. And later, when he asks, "Anybody check you for a heartbeat lately," it's with the (self-)loathing of someone who truly admires just how low she'll go.
The studio executive in Christopher Guest's The Big Picture -- probably the most accurate and devastatingly funny movie ever made about the way the Hollywood studio system really works -- who offers suggestions to first-time feature director Kevin Bacon in his Southwestern theme park of a decorator office (suggesting the Silver Pictures bungalow on the Warners Burbank lot). "What if..." he says about the director's script about four middle-aged people in a mountain cabin, "... it took place in the summer... on the beach!" Hey, it's just an idea. Click here for a video clip of this scene (from my Christopher Guest multimedia feature interview on Cinemania).
Wayne, the sherrif/bar owner who hires Nicholas Cage to kill his wife (Lara Flynn Boyle ) -- and then double-crosses him in John Dahl's Red Rock West.
Kurt Russell's truck driver nemesis Red Barr in the Duel-like box-office hit, Breakdown.
John Ehrlichman, the president's left-hand man (with James Woods' Bob Haldeman on the right) in Oliver Stone's Nixon.
Sgt. Major Dickerson, army superior (and villain) to Robin Williams' manic Armed Forces Radio DJ Adrian Cronauer in Barry Levinson's Good Morning, Vietnam.
Another bad guy military officer, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Markinson, in Rob Reiner's stilted and card-stacked A Few Good Men, which nevertheless offered a whole host of character actors -- including Walsh, Kevin Bacon, Matt Craven, Christopher Guest, James Marshall, Wolfgang Bodison, Noah Wyle, Kiefer Sutherland, Xander Berkeley, Cuba Gooding Jr., J.A. Preston and others -- to have a field day, while Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise yelled melodramatically at each other.
With Mamet and William H. Macy again (and, yes, Jim Emerson in a, uh, non-speaking as one of Lila Kedrova's medical students) in Mamet's shot-in-Seattle House of Games, as the nameless businessman at the heart of the scam in which Joe Mantegna involves Lindsay Crouse.
As the hotel manager, again with Mamet, Macy, and Mantegna (and another favorite of mine -- and Mamet's -- Ricky Jay, so funny as the kvetching cinematographer in Boogie Nights), in Mamet's delightful low-key comedy, Things Change, where the subtle chemistry between mobsters Joe Mantegna and Don Ameche (in his last memorable role, and one of his best) is priceless.
Danforth (Buster) Keeton, the corrupt politician who makes a deal with the devil (Max von Sydow) in Stephen King's Needful Things.
As Bob Woodward in the disastrous John Belushi bio-pic Wired, which was based on Woodward's book about Belushi's drug use. Interesting, though, that he played Woodward in this picture and later played Nixon's Ehrlichman -- one of Woodward's journalistic prey in the Watergate scandal.
Wing, boss of Danny DeVito's team of Tin Men (1950s aluminum siding salesmen), who include Bruno Kirby, Jackie Gayle, and Stanley Brock. His counterpart in this second of Barry Levinson's nostalgic Baltimore comedies, is Michael Tucker's Bagel (a holdover from Diner), whose team includes Richard Dreyfuss and more great character actors: John Mahoney, Seymour Cassel, Richard Portnow, and Alan Blumenfeld.
Federal drug enforcement agent Maguire in Robert Towne's Tequila Sunrise, opposite Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell, and Michelle Pfeiffer.
Annette Bening's sleazy mentor in Stephen Frears' The Grifters.
An uncredited cameo as a park ranger in Rob Reiner's movie of Stephen King's Misery.
The Memphis FBI chief in Joel Schumacher's film of John Grisham's The Client.
A one-scene, scenery-chewing tantrum (again unbilled) as an official who warns of the dangers of the Outbreak, in Wolfgang Peterson's movie.
The aforementioned predatory sex offender who savors telling Carl (Billy Bob Thornton) about his exploits with young girls in Sling Blade.
Wow, Rick, talk about taking my breath away! I had just about forgotten he was in Good Morning! He was so creepy in Sling Blade and I love the ending with him and Carl.
Mod
Heather- one of my all-time movie scenes is in Slingblade- when J.T purposely slides the chair- slowly and causing it to make a very annoying and loud screech - scraping against the floor- in his opening scene- the look on his face- daring anyone to say something to him..is priceless!
OMG, I am going to have to watch the movie again. Right now I am baking what I call 'The Crack' cause it is so addicting: peanut butter toffee cheesecake fudge brownie but I think as soon as I am done I will pop in the DVD of Sling Blade. I think I remember that scene and of course it is Carl that puts him in his place without having to get up and do anything..
Mod
wow- what a recipe!!
I love that scene- especially JT Walsh's face while he is purposely trying to annoy his fellow patients with the screeching chair!! let me know when you see scene and what you think of it!
Rick, saw the movie last night like I said and yep, loved all of Walshes scenes, especially after Karl tells him off and he walks away. You know that Karl would have maybe made him flinch if he kept on talking. Great movie and Billy Bob did a great job. Can't stand the man but he was damn good in this one so I don't mind watching him..
Mod
a great movie! put Thornton on the map
also a really great performance by John Ritter
Coming in late to this...FIGHT CLUB: The movie was certainly more imaginative and better written than the book.
And let's not forget LOLITA (the one with JAMES MASON!). The book is magnificently written, but the Kubrick movie is compelling on its own.
There is only one case where I've been disappointed in a book compared to the movie, and that's "Like Water for Chocolate." Usually there is some internal and/or background information you get that makes the story richer, but in that case, the book added absolutely nothing.
Mod
FIGHT CLUB: The movie was certainly more imaginative and better written than the book.
And let's not forget LOLITA (the one with JAMES MASON!). The book is magnificently w..."
another brilliant James Mason performance!!!(James spoke very highly of that film- a rare thing for him as he was VERY modest)
Nabokov is not a favorite of mine- I had to read his Autobiography in College-SPEAK/MEMORY- 400 pages about his love of collecting butterflies!
I am going to agree with people who've said LOTR. I mean the books were beautifully written but my goodness were they way too much for me to deal with.Fantastic Mr Fox; originally I refused to see it, but during a movie night I ended up watching it with friends and loved it so much more than the book. Not that the book was bad, but the movie was beautiful.
I tried to read Lolita, couldn't get into it. The movie is much better, Shelly Winters is good in that one as well as James Mason. Who played Lolita? She was perfect in that role.
Mod
Sue Lyon
In my opinion books are so much better than films because, if it's well-written, you can get right inside the heads of the characters. Also, because of time constraints, films have to be shortened and you miss so much.Sabine Dolls
Mod
Very good points Sandy- I recently read an interview with Robert Crais- who said he refuses to sell the film rights to his Elvis Cole books because he feels it wouldruin the character- as each reader has their own "vision" of him and a film would alter that. I agree completely- as the Ludlum "Bourne" films have -IMO- greatly hurt the novels - in that I never pictured Jason Bourne as a young hollywood figure
Sometimes who I picture in the book, and what is in the film totally deviate on that point. In Dickens, we read Little Dorrit, Flora, one of the central characters in the book was played by Dawn French, she was good in the role, but sometimes what we see and what the directors see are two different things.
Mod
YES!!! that is exactly what Crais was getting at- and I agree totally!!
Rick wrote: "Sandy wrote: "In my opinion books are so much better than films because, if it's well-written, you can get right inside the heads of the characters. Also, because of time constraints, films have t..."I, too, don't want Elvis, Joe, et al brought to life. We probably each see them in a different way. And that's how it should be.
Mod
PRECISELY!!
But some look better in the cinema. I just viewed the Queen on people's suggestions, and the cinematography of Scotland, or England was just beautifully stunning. Besides the subject matter, it was a good film. Bright Star was another good movie about John Keats and his love Miss Fanny Brawne.
Mod
I never heard of Bright star
Eat Love Pray much better movie than the book. I agree. Even though I loved the color Purple book, I found the movie wonderful also. Last, The Painted Veil was an astounding movie but loved the book too.
Mod
Do you refer to The Painted Veil - the original? I agree then
I don't know why, but it seems that those books that have a near cult following, but are not really that great end up as movies. Just saying....
Rick wrote: "Robin wrote: "But some look better in the cinema. I just viewed the Queen on people's suggestions, and the cinematography of Scotland, or England was just beautifully stunning. Besides the subjec..."Have you heard of John Keats, an absolute must see, the director was Jane Campion the one who directed Holly Hunter and Anna Pacquin in the Piano. Luscious cinematography and sad plotline. But well worth the viewing.
Mod
no I have not- tobe honest- I found The Piano a bit boring- I did like Harvey Keitel in it- but I like him in anything!
Didn't see it either, but Bright Star was stunning.
Harvey Keitel is one the most talented actors we have, not to mention handsome and sexy.
Sonia wrote: "Harvey Keitel is one the most talented actors we have, not to mention handsome and sexy."Harvey Keitel *handsome and sexy* ... hmmm ... interesting viewpoint ...
My recollection (I read the book in college +35 years ago) is that the story quite a bit. IIRC, it took me a fair portion of the book before I recognized the story.In all fairness it was before I had much exposure to cable tv and TCM and VCR.
Mod
Robin, Bright Star is one of my favourite movies, of course there is Aussie connections, but it is a wonderful movie, my daught..."
thanks -put it my netflix queque
African Queen is great with Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. Mr. Arnott, I can still remember Hepburn's voice in that. She played a great uptight lady.
Alex wrote: "Shay wrote: "Gini, the thing is that I can recognize that the LOTR trilogy is very well written. From the parts I've read, I can see what it is that other people who enjoy it see. It's just that fo..."While Tolkien is a master at definging cultures and has an obvious fscination with language, I think the main problem with the books is that he is not much of a STORYteller. Before everyone's ire gets in a bunch, let me explain. I'm not talking about the "events" that make up the story. I'm talking about the way they are presented. Return of the King is the best example. He follows Sam and Frodo exclusively for the first half of the book all the way to the point where the ring is destroyed in the fires of Mt. Doom, then the narrative switches to Aragorn's story. As a reader you can't help but ask, "Hey didn't they already destroy the ring? What's with all the battle? It's over.... go home." By breaking up the narrative and instituting a chronological timeline, Peter Jackson has taken the same material and made it better by showing each character's critical emmotional arc as they progress in their own missions. It also gives an elongated sense of time and helps remind us how long the "Fellowship" was away. All books will be able to give more detail because no movie can show everything. Even the expanded versions of the LOTR trilogy can't show everyything. But for clarity, and from strictly a "storyteller's" point of view, for me, the movies were much better.
Mod
I must admit to not haveing seen the LOTR films- but on my to buy BluRay list!
full disclosure- I still love the old animated The Hobbit- with Orson Bean!!
I generally like the book better than the movie. However, I thought the movie version of The Bridges of Madison County was much better than the book. I couldn't get through the book. As a matter of fact, I threw up on page 37.I went to see the movie on a bet. My brother insisted I'd like it even though I hated the book. He was right. Not a bad flick.
Merrill Heath
Bearing False Witness
For me, there were two. Silence of the Lambs and Jurassic Park. With Jurrasic Park, I felt the book was a bit long-winded. The movie was more concise, which I appreciated. Silence of the Lambs goes without saying. I liked the book and loved the movie.
The Princess Bride and Bridget Jones Diary both come to mind.
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I love the movie like the book. The movie was chronologically arranged better than the book.
The Constant Gardener by John leCarre - excellent film starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz.Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane - excellent film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Practical Magic. The book was okay, but I loved the film.
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THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
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Sabine Dolls (other topics)M.A.S.H. (other topics)
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