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Worst ever film from a book?


kateleopald

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Yeah, it's not ACTUALLY in any way a horror story. It's a classic satire. I think they're pumping up the gothic horror element, which is secondary in the book.

 

What'll happen now is loads of people will go see this 'gothic horror' movie, having no idea about the original book, then go read the original book and dismiss poor ole Oscar. :lol:

 

Yes, that is true :D

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There has to be a special so-bad-it-is-unwatchable mention for The Running Man. King's story was a thrilling, dark tale of human need and an inhumane society, while the Arnie film was... An Arnie film. It isn't so much the fact that it's a bad film, it's the fact that a true adaptation would have been amazing.

 

The ending will probably be changed if it ever goes to the big screen again, but I would love to see a respectful adaptation.

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There has to be a special so-bad-it-is-unwatchable mention for The Running Man. King's story was a thrilling, dark tale of human need and an inhumane society, while the Arnie film was... An Arnie film. It isn't so much the fact that it's a bad film, it's the fact that a true adaptation would have been amazing.

 

The ending will probably be changed if it ever goes to the big screen again, but I would love to see a respectful adaptation.

 

I didn't even realise this was a book! I wouldn't mind reading it as I thought some of the characters were interesting and I'd imagine it's a fantastic read. :lol:

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Can I really only choose one???

 

If that's the case I pick HP & The Goblet of Fire.

 

But just for argument's sake, almost any fantasy developed for the screen is a massive disappointment. All of the HP movies, Golden Compass, Lord of the Rings (all three) and especially Wizard's First Rule, by Terry Goodkind (although not a movie :lol:) which was adapted into the Legend of the Seeker tv series in the states! None of these did any justice to the original work by the authors whatsoever in my opinion :D

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Can I really only choose one???

 

If that's the case I pick HP & The Goblet of Fire.

 

But just for argument's sake, almost any fantasy developed for the screen is a massive disappointment. All of the HP movies, Golden Compass, Lord of the Rings (all three) and especially Wizard's First Rule, by Terry Goodkind (although not a movie :irked:) which was adapted into the Legend of the Seeker tv series in the states! None of these did any justice to the original work by the authors whatsoever in my opinion :lol:

 

I have enjoyed all of the LOTR books and films and all of the HP books and films, EXCEPT HBP.

 

Funny how people's tastes are different :lol:

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Oh no! Don't thell me they are making a Dorian Gray movie!

 

It's made. It's nearly out. :irked: I don't think modern culture would be capable of creating a decent version now - I like the black and white version with the colour painting. But movies are too focused on visuals rather than acting and story these days to make it worthwhile.

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I have enjoyed all of the LOTR books and films and all of the HP books and films, EXCEPT HBP.
I loved all of the LOTR books (ten years ago so they're due for a reread) and films (saw those 8, 7, and 5 times at the cinema respectively; OH owns the extended versions which we love as they take the time to explain things that don't add up unless you've read the book, i.e.

Faramir acting like a twerp - I cannot believe they cut the whole flashback whereby you see that his own father despised him and idolised his brother, which makes his treatment of poor Smeagol at least understandable... he just wants his father to say to him "well done" and mean "I love you"

!).

 

I also loved HP books 1-4 (after which IMHO they got silly, soppy and repetitive); however I thought all films post-Chamber of Secrets were rubbish: Prisoner of Azkaban had an awesome cast but the director spent so much time on stunning scenery he forgot to tell the plot. Hadn't I read the book I wouldn't have known who the Marauders were!

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Pretty much any of the Stephen King books - the worst being "The Shining", "Carrie", "Christine". The only SK book/movie adaptations I liked were "It" (fabulous IMHO), "Misery" and "Stand By Me"
Ironic - I loved the three you hated (admittedly, I haven't read "The Shining" yet, though I have read and adored the other two), but thought "Misery" could have been so much better. Kathy Bates was superbly cast but the film itself was one of those heavily-cut transpositions which you need to have read the book to follow, which vexes me.

 

"Stand by Me" I agree is superb; I've yet to see "It" (though I'm predisposed to think well of it because it's got Tim Curry in it!).

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Pretty much any of the Stephen King books - the worst being "The Shining", "Carrie", "Christine"

 

The only SK book/movie adaptations I liked were "It" (fabulous IMHO), "Misery" and "Stand By Me"

 

I love the book and film Shining :D I have read the book soooo many times.

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Ironic - I loved the three you hated (admittedly, I haven't read "The Shining" yet, though I have read and adored the other two), but thought "Misery" could have been so much better. Kathy Bates was superbly cast but the film itself was one of those heavily-cut transpositions which you need to have read the book to follow, which vexes me.

 

"Stand by Me" I agree is superb; I've yet to see "It" (though I'm predisposed to think well of it because it's got Tim Curry in it!).

 

The shining is brilliant film and book, It is so scary and Tim Curry is one scary clown, Misery was good but saw it when i was a kid and had no attention spam but am yet to read any Stephen King books

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The original, big-screen version of The Day of the Triffids from 1962 was truly terrible.

 

 

Anybody that has read John Wyndham's masterpiece will understand that it is much more than a tale of marauding plants. However, that's the only element the film-makers were concerned with. It's hard to understand why anybody would want to make a film version that wasn't faithful to the novel, given how striking and original it was. Huge plot changes were made and none of them for the better. Characterization is paper thin and the whole thing looks remarkably cheap and shoddy.

 

 

People have told me that the BBC serial from the early 1980s did the story far more justice but I have yet to see it. Apparently a new TV version has also been announced.

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I've read Christine and Carrie, and thought the movies were both pretty good. At least I can't remember any real fault I found between them and the books, but it was quite a few years ago now :D. The Shining book is one of my favorites, but I truly hated the film adaptation. I think probably because the things I loved most about the book were left out of or seriously altered in the film.

 

Stand By Me and Shawshank Redemption were both excellent film adaptations though, and imo better than their short story counterparts :D.

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The original, big-screen version of The Day of the Triffids from 1962 was truly terrible.

 

As film adaptations go, yes, it's pretty shocking. But I love the movie for what it is: a B-grade 60s sci-fi flick. It's one of my favourite movies in that respect. :D

 

I did see the movie before I ever read the book though. And yes, the 80s mini-series is a much better adaptation, but it's too...80s...for my liking. I'm looking forward to seeing the new version.

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Kylie, you've made me feel dishonest!

 

 

I should have admitted that I too saw the film prior to reading the book. What is more, I quite enjoyed it. Particularly the early sequences (which tend to be most faithful to the novel), like Howard Keel awakening in the hospital after his operation. I guess the whole idea appealed to me and, yes, it is a B-grade sci-fi flick, quite typical of its time, which is fine by me.

 

 

However, many years after first seeing it I opted to read the book and that's where the trouble began. I think I enjoyed the book to such an extent when I re-watched the film I felt hugely disappointed. It could have been so much better if the film-makers had only stuck to the story. So, in other words, the book ruined it for me. All of which goes to show how completely different the two experiences (reading and film watching) can be. Both can be enjoyed at different levels but tend not to stand up to comparison.

 

 

I felt exactly the same way about Hitchcock's Jamaica Inn. The first time I saw it I was really taken by it. However, after reading the book I found the film suddenly bordered on unwatchable due to all the pointless alterations. As I recall, the character names remain the same but most of them seem to be performing functions attributed to other characters in the novel, all for no apparent reason.

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That's okay.

 

Incidentally, I saw the Robert Mitchum version of Farewell My Lovely about 13 years ago and really liked it. Earlier this year I read the novel, which was marvellous, and opted to watch the film again. Aside from a few liberties taken here and there, I thought it was even better than I had remembered. It really captures the jaded, slightly sordid atmosphere of the book. I haven't seen the original version starring Dick Powell.

 

Anyway, this was about bad films wasn't it!

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Incidentally, I saw the Robert Mitchum version of Farewell My Lovely about 13 years ago and really liked it. Earlier this year I read the novel, which was marvellous, and opted to watch the film again. Aside from a few liberties taken here and there, I thought it was even better than I had remembered. It really captures the jaded, slightly sordid atmosphere of the book. I haven't seen the original version starring Dick Powell.

 

Ooh, I had completely forgotten that I recorded Murder, My Sweet (the Dick Powell version) on TV several months ago. I've been keeping it all this time until I read the book. Thanks for reminding me! I've seen The Big Sleep, which was a pretty faithful adaptation as I recall.

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It has been mentioned but the film of 'PS, I love you' was just awful, I enjoyed the book and I think they lost a lot of it with the film, it was lacking, and the fact they changed the setting to America and Gerard Butler's awful awful awful irish accent.

:D

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