Pablo Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Fight Club, for me, made a great movie, but a strange, forgettable book. Maybe it simply depends on which format you experience first though. I think that if you watch a film, the temptation will always be there, to transpose the scenes and characters directly from the movie to the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 I think I've probably already mentioned The Devil's Advocate (enjoyable film - terrible book; one of the worst I've ever read), and Brokeback Mountain (I liked the book, but the film is one of my all time favourites). I would also mention Fearless, starring Jeff Bridges. The book is a good read, but the film...well, it just blew me away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Trainspotting, also. After being slapped awake by the movie, I found the book a real let-down, especially considering the hype it received. I think real credit must go to the directors and producers of adaptations, who can manipulate books into something greater as a movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWords Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Can we include plays? Trainspotting (circa 2000(?), Adam Smith Theatre) was amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miltenburg Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 The Shawshank Redemption is up there with my favourite movies and one I feel really did the book justice. I thoroughly enjoyed the book too, it has been so long ago that I read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilona Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Fight Club, for me, made a great movie, but a strange, forgettable book. Maybe it simply depends on which format you experience first though. I think that if you watch a film, the temptation will always be there, to transpose the scenes and characters directly from the movie to the book. I actually saw the film before reading the book, but ended up liking the book much more. I guess something about Palahniuk's writing style struck a chord within me. For films I thought were better than the books: Twilight. I say this mostly because it was only two hours compared to the many hours required to read the entire book (hours and hours I will never get back... ). Additionally, while it wasn't a good film (it was too awful a story to ever be saved), it improved the plot greatly by interspersing it through the entire story rather than rushing it at the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arewenearlythere Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Blade Runner. I enjoyed the book but the original uncut version of the film is just untouchable. The revised version where they take out the monologue is just not right! Its not be a carbon copy of the book, but it does provide great source material to craft the world of Do Androids Dream... in your head. Great movie. Can I say the Shining? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlewtheCuckoosNest Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 I personally, love movies based on Popular Novels, they always seem to become huge hits. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest was only the 2nd Film in Cinematic History to win all 5 Major academy awards (Actor,Actress,Director,Screenplay and Picture) Never since "it Happened one night"(1934) had it ever happened. Silence of the Lambs is another example of this Thomas Harris's Novel was published in '88, and in '91 the movie was out, it was the 3rd movie ever to win all 5 academy awards. A ClockWork Orange and A Girl Interrupted were both classic movies that were both based on Brilliant Novels. Does anyone know of any other Movies popular today that were based on Classic Novels? Let's hear them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted May 5, 2010 Share Posted May 5, 2010 I love seeing Pride and Predjudice on the big screen. Mainly, the Colin Firth(1995) and the Keira Knightley(2005) versions, which are both wonderful in my opinion. The 2005 version was nominated for four academy awards and the 1995 version won an emmy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 I'm not sure if all of these would count as either "popular" films or "classic" novels, but anyway, here's a couple I liked Shawshank redemption - Stephen King The shipping news - Annie prolux Fried green tomatoes.... - Fannie Flagg Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 then again, it occured to me there have been some very good TV adaptations too. The most recent BBC version of Jane Eyre being one that sticks out in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Bringing the topic back to the start... I really don't like film tie-in editions, I think it cheapens the book and the experience. Obviously good for marketing to the masses. The book should not be linked to the film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyra_Lyrical Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I tend to avoid them, especially since the original covers would be better suited to the novels than the Film Tie-in versions. I broke that rule recently though; I was desperate for a physical copy of The Kite Runner and the Film Tie-In version was the only one available in the store. One day I may sort this out though; I love the book enough to go and buy it again with the original cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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