Favorite Books Destroyed by the Movie
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Harry Potter >___>
They left too much out.0 -
The soundtrack thread got me thinking about this. Inevitably a movie comes out about our favorite book or a book we really enjoyed reading. Some movies are pretty good and some are just awful in relation to the book. I'll start,
Decent translation:
1. Da'Vinci Code: The movie was actually pretty well done, pretty happy overall
2. Hunt for Red October: Decent transition to film
Awful
1. Jurassic Park: almost completely different, even the sequel
2. Star Wars Prequels (all 3): The books were really good and gave great insight into the characters, the movies...
Your turn...
Interesting -- I thought Jurassic Park (first) was an excellent example of how to turn a book into a movie--by not trying to slavishly recreate the book.
I thought Spielberg kept the essence of the book intact, but then stepped back and said: "OK, now let's make sure we make a good movie".
To me the result was that I can enjoy the movie for what it is, and I can enjoy the book for the separate, more detailed experience IT is, and neither one interferes with my enjoyment of the other.0 -
Harry Potter >___>
They left too much out.
I wish they had done the Harry Potter movies the way that Peter Jackson did the LOTR trilogy--put out a theatrical version for the general public and then an extended 4+ hr version for the DVD.
Otherwise, I agree with your assessment in principle--although, I'm not sure how much they could have put back in w/o them seeming even more choppy than they are.0 -
Clan of the Cave Bear - I love the book but the film was dire :grumble:
^^^^This!! Great book, really, really bad movie0 -
I actually thought the Da Vinci Code movie was terrible. Tom Hanks was not convincing at all, the whole movie I just felt like I was watching Tom Hanks run around Europe. I also didn't like how much they cut, and how they made it obvious. My favorite part of the book was when they went to the library at King's College. In the movie they steal some dude's cell phone on the bus to conduct the archive search....right....and he said outright, "We don't have time to go to the library!"
EDIT: Also, the movie was very confusing to people who hadn't read the book. You had to have read it to know what was going on at all.0 -
Hannibal...the movie completely veered off course. I was so looking forward to seeing Clarice eat brains, dye her hair blond, and run off with Lecter...0
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^ditto on Hannibal!
The Black Dahlia. The book was decent, movie was bad. Movie took out all the good parts of the book.0 -
Harry Potter! Not only do they leave out really important/interesting bits of the books, but they add random crap in that doesn't *kitten* anything to the story.
Also all the child actors are terrible.
OH and the movie of roald dahl's witches saddens me ):0 -
The movie 'The Help' is pretty good...I still liked the book a lot better - deeper character development, etc....but the movie surprised me...I usually don't like the movies if I've read the book...
This! Everyone seems to love it, but I as disappointed in a few different things - 1. They missed the perfect opportunity to "teach" about domestic violence and how it escalates. 2. The ending was all wrong - in the book, she may have been fired, but she was looking forward to her new path in life (being a writer!). 3. A lot of the background meaning as to WHY the maids didn't want to talk was left out. 4. And, for gods sake, why did they leave out the part where she beats the crap out of the crazy person?!? (I sooo wanted to see Nick Nolte play that part! LOL!)0 -
Biggest disappointment ever- Bonfire of the Vanities. Just ridiculous. Excellent book. Stupid silly movie.0
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Eragon
Twilight Series
Some of the Harry Potters
Water for Elephants
The Hulk (comic book, tv show to movie)
Green Latern (comic to movie) I love Ryan Reynolds so it made it more palpable for me
LOTR is probably the best adaptation ever.0 -
My big disappointment was Practical Magic. Alice Hoffman's book had a subtle magic interwoven through the story and wonderful characters with real motivations, but the movie was as subtle as a ton of bricks, though I did love the cast. Also agree that the movie Eragon was pretty awful.0
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Harry Potter >___>
They left too much out.
I wish they had done the Harry Potter movies the way that Peter Jackson did the LOTR trilogy--put out a theatrical version for the general public and then an extended 4+ hr version for the DVD.
Otherwise, I agree with your assessment in principle--although, I'm not sure how much they could have put back in w/o them seeming even more choppy than they are.
I couldn't agree more! I keep thinking "when they remake these" and then reality wanders in and reminds me that this won't happen in my lifetime =(
Also Eragon - what were they thinking?
And all time biggest eff up? Percy Jackson - some great adult actors totally waisted on crappy cheesy translation and the main characters were hopelessly off... The girl was supposed to be strong willed but slight with curly blond hair -there are a ton of actresses that fit that look. And the story READ like a screenplay! Why the need to change it SO MUCH? We avoided previews so we would be surprised and boy were we :sick:0 -
I would have to say "Interview with the Vampire", "Queen of the Damned", and "Blow". I made the mistake of reading all three of those books before I saw the movies, and the whole way through I was thinking "Damn, this is NOTHING like the book".0
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The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold0
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Good to know, I really enjoyed the book.
When I was younger I read alot of Stephen King...Most of the movie adaptations were TERRIBLE. 2 exceptions: Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me (ironically both from the same book of 4 short stories).
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AMEN to Stephen King... Cujo was WAY better in the book! Shawshank was a great movie, but then again, I LOVE Morgan Freeman... so sexy voice! All Stephen king books rock!0 -
The only good book to movie translation I can think of is The Lord of the Rings-- I actually liked the movies better than the books (don't stone me :P)
I was heartbroken as a little girl when the Black Stallion movie came out-- that was my favorite book (hey, I was like 9) and they couldn't even get the kid's hair color right.
More recently, the Time Traveler's Wife (I agree it just didn't capture the book)
Pretty much anything based on Phillip K D*ck's work (think Bladerunner. . . ugh). I can't believe it won't let me type the poor guy's last name. That was his last name!
The Stand-- one of my favorite novels and they totally switched out a character, along with completely flattening all the character development
Basically if you find yourself explaining the characters' actions to whomever you're watching the movie with because you've read the book and they haven't, then the filmmakers screwed up0 -
Oh and I HEARTILY second Dune-- the SciFi channel miniseries was much better than the feature film, and that's a sad thing to say :P0
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My Sister's Keeper. The book had a MUCH better ending...Good movie if you hadn't read the book. Good interpretation except for the ending. Sad.
Oh my god I was going to say this before I even opened the thread.
I think the ending MADE that book, and then they changed it!!0 -
Good adaptation
-No Country for Old Men
Bad adaptation
-I Am Legend0 -
Secret Window was good and I liked that they changed the ending. Otherwise most Stephen King books stink as movies unless they change a lot about them like The Shining.0
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Bad adaptation
-I Am Legend
Agree. I would say it was more loosely based on the book. VERY loosely.
I'm also gonna have to agree with most adaptations of King books. My husband was so pissed off at the ending of the Mist, I made him read the last 5 pages of the story.
My daughter and I really enjoyed the book Blood and Chocolate so we were excited when the movie came out. After watching it, we were pretty disappointed.0 -
I'm definitely in the minority on this one, but I liked the movie ending of "My Sisters Keeper" better than the book. I gave up on Jodi Picoult.
Done well (or as well as possible given time constraints)
Gone with the Wind
The Lincoln Lawyer
Ramona and Beezus
The Notebook
Bourne Identity - majorly changed the plot and I still love it
The Help
Really bad
All the Twilight movies
The Firm
Time Travelers Wife
The Lost World
Water for Elephants
Bridget Jones Diary
And I'm so scared for the movie version of Hunger Games that I may attempt to hide from them. It's probably futile. Just not excited about the cast or the plot changes that have leaked.0 -
Biggest "Botch Up": "The Bourne Identity" & "Bournes Supremacy". Although the movie (part 1 & 2) were good, they sucked compared to the book. Both books were fantastic!0
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The entire Twilight series thus far...we'll see how Breaking Dawn fairs later this year...
same here I love the books but the movies have all sucked. sookie stackhouse novels the show is getting way off from the books.0 -
sookie stackhouse novels the show is getting way off from the books.
I went to the True Blood panel at Comic Con and Alan Ball said they'll follow the books even less as the show progresses.0 -
Harry Potter >___>
They left too much out.
I wish they had done the Harry Potter movies the way that Peter Jackson did the LOTR trilogy--put out a theatrical version for the general public and then an extended 4+ hr version for the DVD.
Otherwise, I agree with your assessment in principle--although, I'm not sure how much they could have put back in w/o them seeming even more choppy than they are.
I agree completely!! Had Peter Jackson directed the Harry Potter movies, I think it they could of had a lot of potential!0 -
The book Memoirs of a Geisha was way better than the movie IMO.0
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Being an avid fantasy reader, I was really disappointed with The Golden Compass and Eragon. Harry Potter peeved me a little, but those two down right offended me. They strayed so far from the books and left out so many great parts that needed to be included.
On a side note, I actually liked The Devil Wears Prada better on the screen than in the book.0 -
I think our own imaginations are so much better than anything a producer can come up with. Also, the thoughts someone is thinking can be conveyed easily in a book, but you have to be an awesome actor/actress to portray the emotions on your face.
With all the botox going on it is amazing we can get anything but SURPRISE from their expressions:laugh:0
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