Best book to movie conversion
I would nominate the obvious and say fight club.
this is a tough topic cause there are so many more bad examples than good.
I would also like to note trainspotting but i cant really give an honest judgment cause i couldn't look past the Scottish jargon slang dialog and didn't even read past the first chapter.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Do not speak- unless it improves on silence.
Err... The Passion Of The Christ?
Shawshank is about the only movie I can say is actually better than the book. Stand By Me was a fantastic adaptation too. Just thought of CITY OF GOD that was an amazing movie aswell as a book.
[B]The English Patient[/B] is the correct answer.
[QUOTE=Thag;926900][B]The English Patient[/B] is the correct answer.[/QUOTE]
If that's so, I'm puzzled as to the question...
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
[QUOTE=monkeywright;926924]If that's so, I'm puzzled as to the question...[/QUOTE]
How so?
City of God and Shawshank redemption are two of my fav all time movies.
and yet i never knew they were books.
I still feel very new to the world of fiction literature.
I do think the adaptation of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe was well done. It was a beautiful movie and I was impressed by the battle scene. I hope they can do as well with Prince Caspian. Also, the Magician's Nephew would be nice to see.
Good coffee is like drinking Rock and Roll.
A Clockwork Orange
And second version of Lolita.
And 1992's version of Dracula (even if relationship between Mina and Dracula ...changed a bit)
No I changed my mind.
It's... The Godfather!
I liked American Psycho...there were many parts in the book (i.e. the Huey Lewis section) that had a great abridged version in the movie. Very well done I thought.
American Psycho was an amazing movie. I think Christian Bale was an excellent Batement - especially that scene where he is breaking down and leaving the message on the phone.
I did miss a lot of the music stuff. It was so compelling. I mean, it kind of made you think - really? Should I give Huey another shot?
Good coffee is like drinking Rock and Roll.
[QUOTE=Thag;926900][B]The English Patient[/B] is the correct answer.[/QUOTE]
I must say you're wrong... The novel was all so poetic and abstract, feelings and stuff like that, whilst the film was quite epic... Ondaatje should really say Thanks to Minghella for making such a great job at adapting his novel
As for me, I guess I must say Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) really captured that special something of the novel
claudiu d.moga
[QUOTE=Synnove;926997]American Psycho was an amazing movie. I think Christian Bale was an excellent Batement - especially that scene where he is breaking down and leaving the message on the phone.
I did miss a lot of the music stuff. It was so compelling. I mean, it kind of made you think - really? Should I give Huey another shot?[/QUOTE]
Only part of American Psycho I like was Bale they should have made him crazier though, like the real Bateman, the characterization was pretty weak but Bale plays the perfect Bateman, just wish more gory scenes were included.
They really toned it way down from the book. There was so much controversy surrounding it, the movie had trouble finding anyone that would back it.
Just think, it was almost Leonardo Dicaprio playing Batement at one point.
Good coffee is like drinking Rock and Roll.
Obviously Fight Club.
The Godfather was excellent, I liked Rules of Attraction, Downey was good in Less than Zero, loved The Beach actually thought Leo did just fine, Naked Lunch was fucked up and great, only Croenenberg could do it. Crash was good, also Croenenberg.
[QUOTE=Claudiu D.Moga;926998]I must say you're wrong... The novel was all so poetic and abstract, feelings and stuff like that, whilst the film was quite epic... Ondaatje should really say Thanks to Minghella for making such a great job at adapting his novel
As for me, I guess I must say Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) really captured that special something of the novel[/QUOTE]
I like all Minghellas shit. What can I say.
[QUOTE=Thag;927012]I like all Minghellas shit. What can I say.[/QUOTE]
Me, too, actually... and he was here in Romania, shooting Cold Mountain, but it was all so secret, than I didn't actually knew where or when was he.... Of course, there was that incident when a stupid romanian politician mistaken jude law for a car thief
claudiu d.moga
[QUOTE=shawnPboyle;926960]City of God and Shawshank redemption are two of my fav all time movies.
and yet i never knew they were books.
I still feel very new to the world of fiction literature.[/QUOTE]
Stephen King wrote The Shawshank Redemption in a book titled Different Seasons, its definitely worth checking out since it also includes Stand by me (The Body) and Apt Pupil aswell as a short story that featured on The Twilight Zone.
City Of God was wrote by Paolo Lins, if you liked the movie you will love the book!!!!
[QUOTE=Claudiu D.Moga;927229]Me, too, actually... and he was here in Romania, shooting Cold Mountain, but it was all so secret, than I didn't actually knew where or when was he.... Of course, there was that incident when a stupid romanian politician mistaken jude law for a car thief[/QUOTE]
Really? I never heard about that!
It's pretty neat how much Romania looked like parts of the American south.
The movie version of The Ice Storm is really good (so is the book).
The Godfather
Clockwork Orange
The Shining
Goodfellas
Because there is nothing over the rainbow… - http://theunsunnyvalley.wordpress.com
[QUOTE=Claudiu D.Moga;927229]Me, too, actually... and he was here in Romania, shooting Cold Mountain, but it was all so secret, than I didn't actually knew where or when was he.... Of course, there was that incident when a stupid romanian politician mistaken jude law for a car thief[/QUOTE]
I liked the movie I need to read the book.
btw I forgot about [I]Silence of the Lambs [/I]
Because there is nothing over the rainbow… - http://theunsunnyvalley.wordpress.com
- The Shining.
- I love Rules of Attraction even though some people hate it.
- American Psycho and Fight Club of course.
- One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
- Breakfast at Tiffany's - I think they both go in a little bit of different directions, but I thouhgt it was pretty well done.
- Get Shorty
- L.A. Confidential
I don't know if all of those are "the best" book to movie conversions - but I like those movies as well as the books they were made from. I know there's a few that I want to put on the list that I can't think of right now...
On a side note - I watched Carrie last night. They almost portray her as a retart. I don't remember her being [i]that[/i] slow in the book. She was just a little out of touch in the book... not retarted. Or am I wrong?
[QUOTE=Scottie Vollrath;927004]Obviously Fight Club.
The Godfather was excellent, I liked Rules of Attraction, Downey was good in Less than Zero, loved The Beach actually thought Leo did just fine, Naked Lunch was fucked up and great, only Croenenberg could do it. Crash was good, also Croenenberg.[/QUOTE]
I thought the movie version of "the beach" was an absolute insult to the book.
***********SPOILERS of the book/movie "the beach***********
[COLOR=Silver]
[SIZE=1]So typical of hollywood to refuse the idea that the main charector does not get to fuck his love interest and steal her from the "other guy" when in the book the true beauty was the friendship between the trio was so strong they all kind of just ignored the awkward sexual tension in a realistic way. The second the movie detoured from this it felt as if the story just fell apart and lost alot of the dynamic character driven story line. OR IN LAMENS TERMS IT JUST SUCKED[/SIZE][/COLOR]
[QUOTE=Synnove;926997]American Psycho was an amazing movie. I think Christian Bale was an excellent Batement - especially that scene where he is breaking down and leaving the message on the phone.
I did miss a lot of the music stuff. It was so compelling. I mean, it kind of made you think - really? Should I give Huey another shot?[/QUOTE]
If you mean the music no. The relevance of Huey Lewis to the 80s pop yuppie culture was what Ellis was really getting at. Don't bore yourself with the music. It is all relative to the time. It just so happens that he picked Huey Lewis, although I think there could have been a number of musical references to make his point (you can find this in other movies as well---The Wedding Singer and the jerk fiance who loved Miami Vice).
It has been years since I've read Fight Club, but that is one instance that I remember thinking that the movie was better than the novel. Which isn't an opinion I hold often.
I know Palahniuk is involved in minimalist etc.........but that novel could have provided so much more in my opinion.
I would love if Palahniuk re-wrote this novel.
Does anyone know if an author has ever done this? Writing a published novel, then rewriting it again, providing a fresh perspective to the authenticity that it already holds?
One of my favorites is Full Metal Jacket. It was adapted from The Short Timers by Gustav Hasford.
Do not speak- unless it improves on silence.
You all can stfu.
Harry Potter, and that's all I got to say.
[COLOR=DarkSlateGray]please read my lower post for my true feelings on this subject....[/COLOR]
Brentinlouis Wrote: What was that rule about being intentionally annoying?
[QUOTE=jmizair;927719]It has been years since I've read Fight Club, but that is one instance that I remember thinking that the movie was better than the novel. Which isn't an opinion I hold often.
I know Palahniuk is involved in minimalist etc.........but that novel could have provided so much more in my opinion.
I would love if Palahniuk re-wrote this novel.
Does anyone know if an author has ever done this? Writing a published novel, then rewriting it again, providing a fresh perspective to the authenticity that it already holds?[/QUOTE]
well its safe to assume that he rewrote his original version of invisible monsters, but that is before publication.
I would assume its a dumb idea on a market stand point, cause the only people who would be interested already bought a copy of it and already read it. even if he made it better (which i don't think many people including myself would think is possible) but even if he did there is a more profitable market in writing a new book.
I really liked Borat
I haven't read the book yet though
[QUOTE=jmizair;927719]
Does anyone know if an author has ever done this? Writing a published novel, then rewriting it again, providing a fresh perspective to the authenticity that it already holds?[/QUOTE]
movie-wise, Lucas and Spielberg can't seem to keep their dicks in their pants
[QUOTE=LeHaHi;927729]You all can stfu.
Harry Potter, and that's all I got to say.[/QUOTE]
YIKES, that is a tough sell for an opinion
The hp movies are good for what they are, an entertaining version for the people too lazy to read THE MUCH MUCH MUCH better novel version of the story.
especially now that the books are way too long to turn into single 2.5 hour formats. anyone who has read and seen Goblet of fire can back me up on how much of the books greatness will be lost in the last half of the series.
You would have a better argument for lord of the rings.
Dude, of course the books are ten times better than the movies. It was slightly a joke. Everyone on here knows I'm a huge HP fan, and while I do like the movies, I can atest to the fact that the books rock out loud. HP movies are not the best movies made from books, I was just kidding around. Good insight though, I suppose.
Brentinlouis Wrote: What was that rule about being intentionally annoying?
High Fidelity
The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood
"I thought I had mono once for an entire year. Turns out I was just really bored."
Wayne Campbell
Fight Club
Jurassic Park
Baz Lurhmann's Romeo + Juliet (Such an original adaptation!)
The Princess Bride
Big Fish
Silence of the Lambs
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Sin City (I know, it's a series of graphic novels, but I couldn't leave it out)
So many good Stephen King movies, but the only book of his I have read so far is "The Green Mile" and it was so good I just couldn't get into the movie.
Only read to the third Harry Potter book. The first two movies were infinately more entertaining than the books, though still not much good. The third book was actually decent, but the movie should be destroyed.
Looking forward to reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, American Psycho, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and any other Stephen King book so I can properly weigh in on them.
¬ The Magician's Secret
Blade Runner (based on Philip K. Dick's book "Do androids dream of electric sheep.")
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[QUOTE=wickerkat;928598]Blade Runner (based on Philip K. Dick's book "Do androids dream of electric sheep.")[/QUOTE]
Along those same lines I thought Linklater did a great job with A Scanner Darkly.
Do not speak- unless it improves on silence.
[QUOTE=Brainfat;928836]Along those same lines I thought Linklater did a great job with A Scanner Darkly.[/QUOTE]
concur wholeheartedly
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I may be a little twisted, but I do think the rat scene would have completed the American Psycho movie experience for me 
I loved the adaptation of The devils Seed by Ira Levin (Rosemary´s baby)
Have someone read requiem for a dream? is the book better than the movie?
Big potter fan here... but I must say that movies suck big time. lovely FX but terrible adaptations (the chamber of secrets is the best so far)
[QUOTE=monkeyfromhell;929516]I may be a little twisted, but I do think the rat scene would have completed the American Psycho movie experience for me :p[/QUOTE]
Good point
[QUOTE=monkeyfromhell;929516]I may be a little twisted, but I do think the rat scene would have completed the American Psycho movie experience for me :p[/QUOTE]
great first post
and i totally agree - that was the pivotal scene in the book for me, made me gag - the movie seemed too humorous, although i guess the humor placed right next to the mundane right next to the fashion next to the violence is what made it so jarring
much like the end of requiem for a dream, which totally messed me up
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[QUOTE=Do The Drew;928573]
Baz Lurhmann's Romeo + Juliet (Such an original adaptation!)
.[/QUOTE]
fuck that, Tromeo and Juliet had a 2 foot penis monster. can Baz Lurhmanns version claim that distinction?
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2l6xVsJEOk[/url]
oh, and manchurian candidate the movie is better than the book
My favorites:
- Do androids dream of electric sheep? (bladerunner)
- Heart of darkness (Apocalypse Now)
- One flew over the cuckoo's nest
- Sin City (do comics/graphic novels count?)
mmm..and i'm a sucker for Harry Potter's, go ahead laugh:rolleyes:
[QUOTE=Michiel;936299]My favorites:
- Do androids dream of electric sheep? (bladerunner)
- Heart of darkness (Apocalypse Now)
- One flew over the cuckoo's nest
- Sin City (do comics/graphic novels count?)
mmm..and i'm a sucker for Harry Potter's, go ahead laugh:rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
Oh Dang! All goood calls... except Apocalypse Now.
Am I one of the only people in the world that think the majority of that movie is boring? It's just way too long. Granted it has its parts that are great. But I just can't justify sitting there the whole time to see those few parts.
No, you're right, there are lots of people who think a lot of it is boring. I have to admit that i was a little let down by the ending.
But i though it was just a fantastic idea to transpose this (actually pretty short) novel to vietnam and completely make something else out of it.
I guess i'm a little prejudiced after seeing Heart of darkness a filmmaker's apocalypse, the making-off documentary about the film and can't get it over my heart to say something bad about big ole francis' film:)
The godfather was a great film, but the book was horribly written, same with Jaws, anyboday agrees?
Just to flip this thread a little, I'm wondering if anyone can think of a good adaptation of a John Irving novel. "The World According to Garp" was OK, but it really only carried the major themes of the book. "Cider House Rules" had potential, but fell short for me, and let's not even talk about the complete disaster that was "Simon Birtch".
The obvious choices are Battlefield: Earth and The Hours.
Oh...wait, best?
Hmm. Not necessarily faithful, but I'd go with Shawshank Redemption or Green Mile...