Movies of Your Favorite Books - Page 2

ardeegee · 04-01-2011, 06:59 AM

I recently read Shoeless Joe when it was offered for free from some web site. I think that Field of Dreams was much better-- the book was actually pretty sloppily written. And I was going to mention Blade Runner being better than DADoES, but looks like I'll just have to second it.

elemenoP · 04-01-2011, 10:26 AM

I tend to like the movie better if I saw it BEFORE I read the book. That worked great for The English Patient: I liked the movie a lot, and then I read the book and loved it. I have heard that some people had a bit of a hard time following the book, but I already knew the plot so I could just enjoy the beautiful language.

eP

Nyssa · 04-01-2011, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elemenoP

I tend to like the movie better if I saw it BEFORE I read the book.
eP

I think I'm the same. If I read the book first, I tend to find all of the faults, inconsistencies, or changes (for good or bad) in the movie., which can be quite distracting. I remember grumbling about Harry's aunt having the wrong hair color in Philosopher's Stone (silly, yes, but I noticed it).

MartinC · 04-01-2011, 01:56 PM

The Morse TV adaptations were much better than the books - and in fact Colin Dexter ended up changing his formula to match the TV programmes. In the original novel, as far as I remember, Morse drove a Lancia. I think he was also younger than Lewis, who was a time-serving sergeant waiting for retirement. Haven't got a copy to hand to check, unfortunately, but I've got a complete set of the DVDs.

gmw · 04-01-2011, 08:22 PM

I agree with most of the movies in the OP (those I've seen anyway), although I don't think much of the Pride & Prejudice with MacFadyen and Knightley - impressive photography but that was about it for me.

A couple of movies from books that I would add:

* Stand By Me, with Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix - a movie of the Stephen King novella "The Body" is a real favourite of mine.

* The Shawshank Redemption, with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman - a movie of Stephen King's novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" is also very very well done.

menevets · 04-01-2011, 08:47 PM

Nick Hornby:

About a Boy
High Fidelity

Michael Cunningham

The Hours

Goldman

The Princess Bride

Catlady · 04-01-2011, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by menevets

Nick Hornby:

About a Boy
High Fidelity

Michael Cunningham

The Hours

Goldman

The Princess Bride

Oh, The Princess Bride is a great example of a movie that improved on the book--the parts of the book that weren't by "S. Morgenstern" were boring, but the movie did a great job with framing the story with the grandfather and the boy--Peter Falk and Fred Savage were just right.

RainingLemur · 04-01-2011, 10:42 PM

I agree with the OP in that V for Vendetta was enjoyable.

I may catch some flack for it, but I really liked Dreamcatcher. I very much enjoyed the book. When I first read it, I found myself thinking "Man, I wonder how they'd do the little s***-weasels if it were made into a movie..." I felt like the movie was a fun B-movie with absurdity all around.

Simon Wood · 04-02-2011, 11:32 PM

I just finished reading The Eiger Sanction and I thought Clint Eastwood did a really good job of capturing the spirit of the book and screenplay did a nice job streamlining the book.

mediax · 04-03-2011, 04:37 PM

Probably the only time I've preferred the film version to the book was The Odessa File (by Frederick Forsyth) - mainly because the film neatly got round the need to plough through the block of diary entries that contained crucial information but which (for me, at least) ruined the pace of the novel.

Not quite what was asked, so apologies for wandering

dacattt · 04-03-2011, 05:18 PM

There was a year that two different movies came out from books that folks had been wanting to see have movies made. The production companies took two entirely different tracks for "movieizing" them.

First took a long time SF classic war story and took many scenes directly from the book to the dialog level... but messed with the world and technology holding back what they that was the "big reveal" for a sequel.

The second, took a newer SF post-apocalyptic story and composited characters left, right and center, flipped or added things like crazy, totally changed the ending.

Lots of folks screamed.

What were the movies?

1st - Star Ship Troopers - they even left out the bio-mechanical suits. Despite the scenes, they lost all tone and anything the movie was about.

2nd - The Postman - despite the differences, it adapted well, and the ending fight of the champions, of one man risking it all, works... so in spirit it "felt" like the book.

When rights get sold, ya never know what the producers will do with a well loved book.

tompe · 04-03-2011, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avantman42

The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Maybe a bit controversial, but I liked that it wasn't too close to the book. Every version of HHGG is different to every other version, and I was pleased that the movie wasn't an exception.

Well, all versions before the film were funny. The changed in the film was no problem, the problem was that they removed the humor.

tompe · 04-03-2011, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaureanBull

Steig Larsson Trilogy

I think film number 2 and 3 were bad to mediocre films. They were shortened versions of what was originally a longer TV series. The TV series was much better but still somewhat lacking compared to the books.

theducks · 04-03-2011, 06:40 PM

Hmmm!

They don't seem to make my 'Favorite' books into movies (yet

)

Books I liked that LATER had movies.
Herbert: Dune
Wells: Time Machine (the 1960's version)
Heinlein: Starship Troopers

Movies I liked better than the book:
LOTR (all 3) I just could not get into the books)

The list of Books I liked and that I hated the Movies is huge

Rumpelteazer · 04-03-2011, 06:45 PM

Movies:
Gone with the Wind - although it took a while to get used to the accents/rhythm of speech
The Lord of the Rings
Fight Club - I always have to laugh that one of my classmates misunderstood the ending of the book
One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest - both are very powerful
Shutter Island
V for Vendetta - still as current as when the graphic novel was released
The Phantom of the Opera - (not the one with Julian Sands stuffing rats down his pants) different from the book but very enjoyable

TV/mini series:
Dresden Files - different from the book series, a shame it was cancelled
Midsommer Murders - I recently read the first of the books and didn't like it as much as the tv series
The Stand
Rizolli & Isles
North and South
De Zevensprong - Dutch children's book/tv series, this is probably the reason I love detectives and mysteries

I also love the stage version of The Woman in Black, I've seen it 3 times and it still gives me the shivers. I hope they won't mess up the movie they are making with Daniel Radcliffe.

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04-01-2011, 06:59 AM	#16
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	I recently read Shoeless Joe when it was offered for free from some web site. I think that Field of Dreams was much better-- the book was actually pretty sloppily written. And I was going to mention Blade Runner being better than DADoES, but looks like I'll just have to second it.

04-01-2011, 10:26 AM	#17
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	I tend to like the movie better if I saw it BEFORE I read the book. That worked great for The English Patient: I liked the movie a lot, and then I read the book and loved it. I have heard that some people had a bit of a hard time following the book, but I already knew the plot so I could just enjoy the beautiful language. eP

04-01-2011, 01:56 PM	#19
MartinC Hanger on Posts: 148 Karma: 1355233 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Dorset, UK Device: Kindle 3, Galaxy S, Sony PRS-505, Sony tablet	The Morse TV adaptations were much better than the books - and in fact Colin Dexter ended up changing his formula to match the TV programmes. In the original novel, as far as I remember, Morse drove a Lancia. I think he was also younger than Lewis, who was a time-serving sergeant waiting for retirement. Haven't got a copy to hand to check, unfortunately, but I've got a complete set of the DVDs.

04-01-2011, 08:22 PM	#20
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	I agree with most of the movies in the OP (those I've seen anyway), although I don't think much of the Pride & Prejudice with MacFadyen and Knightley - impressive photography but that was about it for me. A couple of movies from books that I would add: * Stand By Me, with Wil Wheaton and River Phoenix - a movie of the Stephen King novella "The Body" is a real favourite of mine. * The Shawshank Redemption, with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman - a movie of Stephen King's novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" is also very very well done.

04-01-2011, 08:47 PM	#21
menevets Connoisseur Posts: 88 Karma: 750010 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: PRS-300/Kindle 4 basic/iPad/iPod Touch/iPhone/Nexus 7	Nick Hornby: About a Boy High Fidelity Michael Cunningham The Hours Goldman The Princess Bride

04-01-2011, 10:42 PM	#23
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	I agree with the OP in that V for Vendetta was enjoyable. I may catch some flack for it, but I really liked Dreamcatcher. I very much enjoyed the book. When I first read it, I found myself thinking "Man, I wonder how they'd do the little s***-weasels if it were made into a movie..." I felt like the movie was a fun B-movie with absurdity all around.

04-02-2011, 11:32 PM	#24
Simon Wood Addict Posts: 237 Karma: 400001 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: California Device: none	I just finished reading The Eiger Sanction and I thought Clint Eastwood did a really good job of capturing the spirit of the book and screenplay did a nice job streamlining the book.

04-03-2011, 04:37 PM	#25
mediax Readaholic Posts: 255 Karma: 1058454 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Swindon, UK Device: Sony PRS-T2 (previously 505 and 650)	Probably the only time I've preferred the film version to the book was The Odessa File (by Frederick Forsyth) - mainly because the film neatly got round the need to plough through the block of diary entries that contained crucial information but which (for me, at least) ruined the pace of the novel. Not quite what was asked, so apologies for wandering

04-03-2011, 05:18 PM	#26
dacattt Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 3102 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Los Angeles Device: Astak 6 EZ Reader Plus	There was a year that two different movies came out from books that folks had been wanting to see have movies made. The production companies took two entirely different tracks for "movieizing" them. First took a long time SF classic war story and took many scenes directly from the book to the dialog level... but messed with the world and technology holding back what they that was the "big reveal" for a sequel. The second, took a newer SF post-apocalyptic story and composited characters left, right and center, flipped or added things like crazy, totally changed the ending. Lots of folks screamed. What were the movies? 1st - Star Ship Troopers - they even left out the bio-mechanical suits. Despite the scenes, they lost all tone and anything the movie was about. 2nd - The Postman - despite the differences, it adapted well, and the ending fight of the champions, of one man risking it all, works... so in spirit it "felt" like the book. When rights get sold, ya never know what the producers will do with a well loved book.

04-03-2011, 06:40 PM	#29
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,897 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Hmmm! They don't seem to make my 'Favorite' books into movies (yet ) Books I liked that LATER had movies. Herbert: Dune Wells: Time Machine (the 1960's version) Heinlein: Starship Troopers Movies I liked better than the book: LOTR (all 3) I just could not get into the books) The list of Books I liked and that I hated the Movies is huge

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04-03-2011, 06:45 PM	#30
Rumpelteazer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,289 Karma: 27518794 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition	Movies: Gone with the Wind - although it took a while to get used to the accents/rhythm of speech The Lord of the Rings Fight Club - I always have to laugh that one of my classmates misunderstood the ending of the book One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest - both are very powerful Shutter Island V for Vendetta - still as current as when the graphic novel was released The Phantom of the Opera - (not the one with Julian Sands stuffing rats down his pants) different from the book but very enjoyable TV/mini series: Dresden Files - different from the book series, a shame it was cancelled Midsommer Murders - I recently read the first of the books and didn't like it as much as the tv series The Stand Rizolli & Isles North and South De Zevensprong - Dutch children's book/tv series, this is probably the reason I love detectives and mysteries I also love the stage version of The Woman in Black, I've seen it 3 times and it still gives me the shivers. I hope they won't mess up the movie they are making with Daniel Radcliffe.