30 Authors On Movie Adaptations Of Their Work

[Michael Colton]

30 Authors On Movie Adaptations Of Their Work - Films - ShortList Magazine

Some of these are incredibly depressing, though the science fiction authors included seem to not be the most disappointed. Unlike these:

Mary Poppins:

"I cried when I saw it. I said, 'Oh, God, what have they done?'"

- P.L.Travers


Myra Breckenridge:

“The second-worst movie I’ve ever seen.”

- Gore Vidal
​

The most surprisingly positive response to me:

Blade Runner:

"My life and creative work are justified and completed by Blade Runner.”

- Philip K. Dick
​

 

[Abernovo]

I'm not entirely surprised by the Philip K Dick comment. Blade Runner wasn't entirely true to the story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep but, I think, did get a good part of the 'feel' of the world in the book.

There is one film on that list which I refuse to acknowledge exists: Captain Corelli's Mandolin. It's a brilliant book. Shame about...no, it was never made into a movie. If I tell myself that, perhaps I can erase it from my memory.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

It didn't exist, Aber. You dreamt it. Never fear.

 

[Michael Colton]

I have not read the book or seen the film, but now I want to do both . . .

 

[Jo Zebedee]

The book is incredible. Really. Can't recommend it enough.

 

[Bick]

PKD's comments probably do relate to the ambience and sets he saw and the feel that came from rushes, rather than the final film (that didn't follow the plot exactly like the book). I'm sure I read that he was invited to see early rushes and meet Scott, but he died before it was completed didn't he?

 

[Michael Colton]

PKD's comments probably do relate to the ambience and sets he saw and the feel that came from rushes, rather than the final film (that didn't follow the plot exactly like the book). I'm sure I read that he was invited to see early rushes and meet Scott, but he died before it was completed didn't he?

Yes, he did. Which is partly why the quote surprised me. I was not aware he saw the previews he did.

 

[J Riff]

Throw in Donald Westlake/Richard Stark, who had to deny permission to use certain characters after he saw what they had rewritten them into.

 

[Zoe Mackay]

George RR Martin had a comment about this at the weekend: As an author, the deal is that you give them the rights to make a film of your book, and they give you a truck load of money. That's it. If you don't want to give up control of your baby, you don't get the truck load of money.

I'm not aware of many cases where authors' careers were significantly damaged by a bad film of their books. Clive Cussler has sold millions of books, and Raise The Titanic is spectacularly dull and Sahara is worse.