Book to film adaptation

[magicbeatle]

What do you think has been the best book to film adaptations over the years, and what has been the worst?

[elgroucho]

The Godfather and th Lord of the rings triology have to be up there with the best. I heard the Count of Montecristo (sp?) was a great book but lousy film.

[georgit79]

One of the worst is definitely The Horse Whisperer

Sleepers is a very good adaptation, as is The Beach.

[georgit79]

I like this question so I'm back:

Good: Stand by Me- brilliant film, based on a short story by Stephen King I think?
A Streetcar named Desire

 

Bad: Captain Corellis Mandolin- awful,

[ninja]

Read Hannibal, thought it was terrible. Saw the film. Made the book seem like a literary masterpiece.

[Glossopswift]

To kill a Mockingbird and Breakfast at Tiffanys are the only 2 films that I have ever seen that are as good as the book, so they get my vote. LotR, 1984, Animal Farm come close, but the books still rule. Mrs GS would vote for Captain Corelli as the worst adaptation, and if I was ever forced to watch it I'm sure I'd agree.

[JinxtheCat]

I thought the book Hannibal was fantastic, and the film was absolutely ****

[Eternity]

Steven Spielbergs transformation Jaws from the novel by Peter Benchley was absolutely brilliant. Alfred Hitchcock classic film Psycho is another brilliant example (Robert Bloch novel). Here are a few others

Vertigo
One Flew Over The Cuckoo�s Nest
Goodfellas
Fight Club
The Silence Of The Lambs
Raging Bull
The Shining
The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
Forrest Gump

Oh, and who could forget Misery.

I could add at least another twenty to thirty to the list. I�m going to add another list of comic books transformed into movies.

Spiderman 1 and 2
Superman
X Men 1 and 2
Sin City
The Punisher
Batman Begins
 

[cherrybomb]

Good: Lord of the Flies and Brighton Rock.

Bad and very dissapointing: High Fidelity

[nicola_red]

I'll have to disagree with Glossop as whilst To Kill A Mockingbird is my favourite book ever, I hated the film.  I didn't like High Fidelity either, in fact I rarely like films of books at all.

[Englishbird]

Bridget Jones is a fab adaptation, imho better than the book.  John Grisham novels are nearly always better as films, he writes them like screenplays anyway.  Have to admit to being disappointed with the Harry Potter films, books are much better.  And although i agree with the above, i still think the Godfather book is better than the film, although i love the film.

[shaneystar]

I know this is not cinema but the best adaption of a book I have ever seen on television was Brideshead Revisited.
The best film adaption... Lord of the Flies.
Captain Corelli ... film nothing like the book.I have read a number of books and then seen the film and have more often than not been disappointed.

[Clanad]

Almost all the adaptaions of Tom Clancy's novels have gone very well, but outstandingly so with The Hunt for Red October.

However, two excellent writers of years ago, Ernest Gann and Robert Ruark did fare nearly as well.  The High and the Mighty by Gann was terrible and even worse was Fate is the Hunter. Sadly, Ruark's Something of Value was equally as wretched...

[Clanad]

Ooops, should read "did not fare nearly as well"...

[lindapinda]

I was very disappointed with the film,The Shining.The tension in the book was unrelenting,especially once Jack was chasing Wendy.When he was trying to get in to the bathroom after her,by smashing at the door with the axe,I was practically afraid to read what would happen next.In the corresponding film scene,Jack Nicholson was so over the top,that the audience assumed it was a comic moment and laughed.

[glenis]

the worst has to be any adaptation of a stephen king novel -his books are gripping and live up to the title of the king of horror ,but the films made are absolute rubbish

[Eternity]

�his films are absolute rubbish�

Have you seen Misery, or The Green Mile? If not, perhaps you have seen Shawshank Redemption? I rest my case.

[jimmer]

The worst book to film adaptation i have seen is Bonfire of the Vanities. so bad it's almost good, almost.

Usually, if i read the book first i won't enjoy the film. the exception to prove the rule is one flew over the cuckoo's nest which is quite frankly, awesome wells in both book and film terms.

 

jim

[Robinia]

shaneystar I have to agree with you about Brideshead - I have it on dvd - it's stunning!!

[janesmythe22]

Best: Akaira Kurosawa-Kumonosu j� (Throne of Blood)-Shakespeare-Macbeth

Akira Kurosawa-Ran (Chaos)-Shakespeare-King Lear

John Huston-The Dead-James Joyce-The Dead (story)

Worst: FF Coppola-Apocalypse Now-Joseph Conrad-Heart of Darkness

[Otrere]

Have to agree To Kill A Mocking Bird is one of my favourite films.

But read Bridget Jones Edge of Reason and thought the film was highly disappointing after that.