Great books that became good/bad film adaptions...probably already been done...

[cerealkiller182]

No love for TS Garp

Havent read that yet. Loved the movie though

 

[Spider-Who?]

Speaking in terms of Jurassic Park, as a kid, I absolutely ADORED this movie. And now, I still love it, but I see that it is a decent movie with alot of lost potential. The book, which I've read just as many times - has so much more action and drama in it - so many great scenes were left out of the movie. (I won't even touch the Lost World movie).

I as well hated the Hitchhikers Guide movie, HOWEVER, there is HOPE!

There is a mini-series that the BBC produced some years ago - its cheap, its dated, but it is MUCH better then the recent movie. Check it out.

 

[Steelsheen]

many of what i wanted to say has already been mentioned, but here's one for each category:

Good Book/ Good Movie Adaptation= The Firm
Good Book/ Bad Movie Adaptation= Sphere.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

Good book - Good movie: L.A. Confidential.

Or as the man, James Ellroy, himself said; '''Great ****ing movie. Better ****ing novel.''

 

[WeaponXProject]

I actually HATED the ending to I am Legend, the novel. I thought it was trash! I understand how it relates to the title and the deeper meaning of him becoming the "new" terror rather than the vampires themselves but honestly... what a bull**** ending. And during the movei I feared I was going to witness it on film! As soon as that girl came to help him I found myself thinking: if it follows the same path as the novel, I'm walking out. but thank god it didn't! I love the movie though. And I'm glad they did kill Neville in a more heroic way. Than taking pills to his death.

I am not hearing this...I am not hearing this...just kidding but I disagree completely. I hated the movie and love the book just the way it is. Bad action in the movie, bad animation and an ending that was meaningless and left almost everyone I know that read the book pissed.

I was really disappointed in how they handled the situation with the dog in the movie compared to the book.

I also thought the book's more interesting part was how the vampires talked to Neville outside his house and how they themselves were the new man, the new wave of evolution, and Neville was the odd man out.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

Man, I Am Legend was a good ****ing book. I don't even have to see the flick.

 

[That-Guy]

Speaking in terms of Jurassic Park, as a kid, I absolutely ADORED this movie. And now, I still love it, but I see that it is a decent movie with alot of lost potential. The book, which I've read just as many times - has so much more action and drama in it - so many great scenes were left out of the movie. (I won't even touch the Lost World movie).

Yeah, that's pretty much how I view it. Visually, the film is pretty good but what I loved about the book was how in-depth and technical it was. And considering that I read it in junior high and understood it, I don't think that it would have been too complicated to put into a movie. But instead we got a cartoon DNA strand explaining it to a roomful of jackasses. Turning Ian Malcolm into Brett Michaels with a Ph.D. was unforgivable. And I hated how half the characters who survived in the book die in the movie and vice versa.

As for The Lost World... the book sucked and the movie was a complete waste of time.

 

[Untilteld]

Thank You For Smoking was an amazing adaptation.

 

[Nightwatcher11]

I am not hearing this...I am not hearing this...just kidding but I disagree completely. I hated the movie and love the book just the way it is. Bad action in the movie, bad animation and an ending that was meaningless and left almost everyone I know that read the book pissed.

I was really disappointed in how they handled the situation with the dog in the movie compared to the book.

I also thought the book's more interesting part was how the vampires talked to Neville outside his house and how they themselves were the new man, the new wave of evolution, and Neville was the odd man out.

LOL yea sorry. I hated the ending but everything else in the book is freaking brillant. I also loved how they all gathered around his house and taunted him, screaming his name. Especially his neighbor. And how the women would try to tempt him. Great stuff. I wanted to see him exploring the city, apartments more though, in the film. It could have built great tension just like when he looses his dog in the dark building.

 

[Spider-Who?]

Yeah, that's pretty much how I view it. Visually, the film is pretty good but what I loved about the book was how in-depth and technical it was. And considering that I read it in junior high and understood it, I don't think that it would have been too complicated to put into a movie. But instead we got a cartoon DNA strand explaining it to a roomful of jackasses. Turning Ian Malcolm into Brett Michaels with a Ph.D. was unforgivable. And I hated how half the characters who survived in the book die in the movie and vice versa.

As for The Lost World... the book sucked and the movie was a complete waste of time.

I didnt mind Goldbloom's version of Malcolm. If I remember correctly in the book, he was pretty full of himself and socially awkward. They showed this in the movie, but in a more "lovable goofball" way, as opposed to "dude, this guy's kind of a dick" like in the book. But then again, I'm a big fan of Jeff, so there ya go.

There were only 2 things I wish that they hadn't changed: The fact that, in the book, NOONE leaves the island before **** hits the fan - meaning more deaths by dinosaurs; and the whole T-Rex chasing the boat in the water scene, with Mouldun (sp?) shooting at it with a shoulder launcher. - that would have been absoluelty awesome.

The Lost World...as a movie of its one, wasn't bad (my biggest problem with it was at the end - HOW did a T-rex, locked in the cargo hold, kill sailors in the bridge?!?!

I loved the Rex in San Diego - that was cool. But the whole movie was NOTHING like the book. AT ALL. I think they could have done alot with the book, but no, they completely changed, well, everything. Plot was different, characters were missing, or combined, new ones were added - what a mess.

 

[Spider-Who?]

Thank You For Smoking was an amazing adaptation.

I didnt read the book, but I loved the movie, and I smoke.

I still haven't watched (or read) I am Legend. I want to. But then I heard about the dog scene, and I said I'd skip it. I have a really soft spot for pets, dogs in particular, and I know that scene would screw me up.

 

[Dark Victory]

Good
The Mist
Green Mile(the book was better but still a great movie)
Fight Club
Thank You For Smoking
The Shining

Bad
I Am Legend
The Ruins
Outsiders
Hoot
Holes

 

[The Navigator]

Misery got adapted really well--Kathy Bates deserved that Oscar.

Starship Troopers got shafted.

 

[PyroChamber]

Stephen King books/stories own this thread.

 

[SodaPop]

I actually HATED the ending to I am Legend, the novel. I thought it was trash! I understand how it relates to the title and the deeper meaning of him becoming the "new" terror rather than the vampires themselves but honestly... what a bull**** ending. And during the movei I feared I was going to witness it on film! As soon as that girl came to help him I found myself thinking: if it follows the same path as the novel, I'm walking out. but thank god it didn't! I love the movie though. And I'm glad they did kill Neville in a more heroic way. Than taking pills to his death.


Another Flick worth mentioning: The Warriors. This film is an instant classic. But the novel form of the film, is sickly dumb. The gang is pretty much the opposite to the film's form of the warriors. I LOVE the movie to death and I'm glad they changed the approach to the movie.

I absolutely love the warriors! Can You dig it?

 

[marukisu]

...

 

[The Navigator]

Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House" was adapted really well into "The Haunting."

 

[The Joker]

Stephen King books/stories own this thread.

Definitely. My favourites being Misery, IT, the Stand, and the Green Mile.

 

[K.B.]

IT was a TERRIBLE adaptaion.

 

[FIREPHOENIX]

The Good
_________

The Mist
The Notebook
The Towering Inferno
First Wives Club

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Gone with the Wind is probably the best novel adaptation ever.

 

[KenK]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Of Mice and Men yet. Great book made into a great movie.

 

[K.B.]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Of Mice and Men yet. Great book made into a great movie.

Forgot about that and it is a VERY good adaptation. I remember in high school one semester we had to read it and it was well known that I never once picked it up the whole time, then the big test came and i got one of the best marks in the class and the teacher asked me how I did it and i told her "I saw the movie when it came out, was pretty good wasn't it? Mind if I read the book?".

I got to keep the book

 

[Dark Victory]

IT was a TERRIBLE adaptaion.

...and so was The Stand.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

Good book - Good movie: L.A. Confidential.

Or as the man, James Ellroy, himself said; '''Great ****ing movie. Better ****ing novel.''

And in that vein: Good book - Bat movie: The Black Dahlia

It wasn't TERRIBLE, but it could have been SO MUCH BETTER.

Man, I Am Legend was a good ****ing book. I don't even have to see the flick.

If they had used the original ending, it would have been better--then at least it would have been closer to the meaning of the book.