1. In your opinion, what is the best translation of a book to a movie?
2. The worst?
3. Had you read the book before seeing the movie, and did that make a difference? (Personally, all other things being equal, I usually prefer whichever I was introduced to first.)
And, by all means, expand this to as long a list as you like. I’m notoriously awful myself at narrowing down to one favorite ANYTHING. So, feel free to list as many “good” or “bad” movie-from-books as you like. (Heaven knows that’s what I’ll be doing….)
Good Question.
1. Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me, and Misery are three Stephen King books that have been excellently made into movies. A lot of books have been translated very well into movies: To Kill a Mockingbird, the Harry Potters, Anne of Green Gables, Bridget Jones' Diary,
2. I tend to avoid the worst; you can usually tell by the trailers. Some King books have been terribly translated: Firestarter and Pet Semetary comes to mind.
And some movies, I'm too scared to see, in case they ruin my book memory: It, The Stand. And I don't know how the movie Cheaper By the Dozen related to the book at all.
3. Sometimes I've read the book after I know the movie is coming out, because "must read book before seeing movie". The book adds so many layers of background that add to the movie experience, but then the characters are already cast and already the book-reading experience has been altered. I know I've seen movies where I appreciate all the other knowledge I have from reading the book. However, good movies will stand on their own and I have seen movies first and then read books and very often I've liked the movie better. But The Princess Bride book and movie are both excellent. It would be one of the few I've seen the movie first.
After seeing movies I've searched out the book, like Devil in a Blue Dress.
And the winner is..... Rob Reiner, best adapted from a book director (The Princess Bride, Misery, Stand By Me)
This was just too hard. I know I've forgotten some really good book/movies. I couldn't seem to think beyond Stephen King books. I didn't even think of any children's books/movies and there are tons of them
Oh, I agree about The Princess Bride--in fact, I think I'd give the movie an edge over the book . . .
ReplyDeleteYou and I must think an awful lot alike!! We have a lot of the same answers!!
ReplyDeleteThe Stand, though, is a fantastic mini-series!! I really, really liked it (except for the whole Molly Ringwald as Frannie thing!)
Happy Thursday!
Oh, Princess Bride! I didn't think of that one. I think I like the movie a bit better too.
ReplyDeleteI've seen The Princess Bride many times and just got the book -- I am eager to read it.
ReplyDeleteI liked the first in the Anne of Green Gables films but hated the last one.
barbara h. - that last Anne movie doesn't even count. It in no way related to any book. Anne, a spy in WW1? crazy
ReplyDeleteWe read Cheaper By the Dozen a few years ago and then saw the original B&W movie and it was excellent. Shocking, then, to see the silliness of the newer Stever Martin adaptation! The first movie is quite good. Visiting from Booking Through Thursday...SmallWorld
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about the last Anne movie. I was terribly disappointed in it.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you mentioned Bridget Jones; a lot of people have listed that as a good adaptation, but I didn't think it was that great. Of course, it WAS better than the second one ...
While neither the book or movie would be listed as one of my favourites, I still thought they did an amazing job adapting The Hours to the big screen.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned a lot of Stephen King adaptations. Some of his that you didn't mention, I thought have just been bizarre. The Lawnmower Man for instance was originally a short story about a psychotic naked guy eating grass and dismembering his victims, yet the movie was about a killer that lived in cyber space (?), The Running Man pretty much only shared character names. Christine had a lot of changes too. If I remember correctly, I think I enjoyed It better as a movie. Cujo wasn't bad either.
john- I think I mentioned so many of the good King adaptions because there have been so many stinkers. I completely ignore them.
ReplyDeleteI know nothing about The Hours. Worth reading? (I'll never get around to the movie)
Raidergirl, The Hours was interesting. Though, you might want to read Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway first, if you haven't already. The Hours is based around Woolf and that book- sort of- so it would help understand it a little more. As I said, it's not my favourite book by any means, but I was amazed that they pulled it off as a movie. The book had a lot of inner turmoil that I didn't think would translate to a movie, yet somehow they did it and kept true to the book. Quite a coup, really.
ReplyDeleteYou have a good memory. The only one I could remember was my very first book-to-movie adaptation.
ReplyDelete