Movies based on books

[Connavar]

There are a lot of people saying that "the movie is never as good as the book" and this is true in some cases. But there is actually a surprising number of great films based on books, it just so happens that the books aren't hits in the way the films are.

For example, The Godfather or a more recent gem, Drive.

What are you saying? The books are not hits? Drive is better than the book?

Of course there is films better than the book version like imo The Big Sleep by Hawks/Brackett/Faulkner is better than the book. The Godfather film is very similar to the book. The film is classic because of the actors but it isnt better story than the book imo.

Drive was awesome film but the book isnt forgotten it was listed in NY Times in top 10 noir books list.

For every good adaptation like there are 1000s of never as good as the books films.

 

[Juliana]

The ones that spring to mind for me are The Secret Garden and A Little Princess

I loved the Agnieszka Holland version of The Secret Garden; although a lot of things were changed in the screen version, she translated the sense of wonder beautifully.

Jane Austen's work has had highs and lows in screen versions. A couple of highs that come to mind are the BBC Pride and Prejudice series (pure awesomeness!) and the version of Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow - one of my least favorite Austen books yet a lovely film.

And I have to admit that I loved Baz Luhrmann's version of Romeo and Juliet (the one with Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes)...

 

[Gordian Knot]

Don't think anybody's mentioned The Thing yet....based on John Campbell's short story Who Goes There.

The original movie of course? Absolutely!

 

[steve12553]

I enjoy both the Thing and the Thing from Another World. The earlier version was limited by the available technology at the time but kept the closed up paranoia and the second one took advantage of the wonderful special effects of Rob Bottin to bring it much closer to the original story and keep it stiffling close and paranoid. (We won't talk about the Prequel).

 

[Null_Zone]

I am Legend (Especially the DVD ending) is a very good adaptation of a...difficult book to film. As unsympatic characters go I am Legend is up there, so changes must be made and I think Will Smith pulls it off.

Taylor of Panama, a certain ex 007 playing a washed up spy.

Dungeons & Dragons - All of them. Yes, dear god the films were bad. But I have had some bad D&D games that make these seem a pleasure to watch and those Dragonlance books about dwafes should be burnt.

 

[Metryq]

I am Legend (Especially the DVD ending) is a very good adaptation of a...difficult book to film.

Say what? THE LAST MAN ON EARTH was the closet film adaptation of the book, and even that one took a sudden left turn at the ending. Every other adaptation thereafter was worse than the previous one. Yes, the Will Smith I AM LEGEND was even worse than OMEGA MAN, and OMEGA MAN was pretty bad.

I have not seen any alternate DVD endings for the Will Smith movie. My first exposure in the cinema was bad enough that I didn't want to repeat it with home video.