I don't think I need to remind anyone of what's happening THIS FRIDAY - we've all been discussing the casting, gushing over the first trailers, and counting down the days for months and months. It's finally here! In honor of this Friday's release of The Hunger Games, today we are discussing our favorite page to screen adaptations. These are the movies that managed to capture everything that we loved about our favorite books and transform it all into two hours of visual entertainment. And just to keep things interesting, we're also going to discuss our least favorite adaptations. These are the movies that took everything that we loved about our favorite books and destroyed it utterly.
In preparation for this post, I looked around the interwebs to see what other people had listed as their favorite (and least favorite) movie adaptations. Did you know that Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was based on a book? NEITHER DID I! Other surprises to me were Rambo, Dr. Strangelove, Cowboys & Aliens, and Planet of the Apes. It also got me very excited for the future of the Book vs. Movie blog posts as I compiled a list of over 200 movie adaptations. Of course there are the crowd favorites, Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings series, but I didn’t want to pick any of those because so much has already been said about them, plus I’m pretty sure everyone and their dog has seen them all. Everyone has probably seen the ones I did pick as well, but I feel a bit better about them. When Catie was thinking up the ratings system we are going to implement (see below), I had to interject the need for a 6-star category. Very rarely does a movie surpass its book counterpart but that is the case with The Princess Bride. (“When I was your age, television was called books.”) The entire movie is like one long quotefest from beginning to end and even though the book was a 5-star experience for me, the movie is even better. There is adventure, intrigue, romance, pirates (“Murdered by pirates is good!”), a giant, duels, and rodents of unusual size. The movie does a fabulous job of taking William Goldman’s humor from the book and translating it to film. Who is the mastermind that captured Goldman’s sense of humor so well, you might ask? It is William Goldman. Imagine that! The movie is perfectly cast from top to bottom and I don’t know of too many movies where so many characters lend memorable quotations. I can’t wait to do a comparison to the book. I haven’t read it for years and I want to see exactly how many of my favorite lines come straight from the book.
My other favorite book based on a movie is actually an entire collection—basically every movie based on a Stephen King novel or short story. My two favorites are probably Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption, which are both based on short stories by King. (The Body and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) Those are two of my overall favorite movies and I watch them both all the time. The number of King’s works that have been adapted to film is huge: Misery (screenplay by William Goldman!), Carrie, The Shining, Pet Sematary, It, Firestarter, Apt Pupil, The Green Mile, Secret Window—that isn’t even half of them.
My other favorite book based on a movie is actually an entire collection—basically every movie based on a Stephen King novel or short story. My two favorites are probably Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption, which are both based on short stories by King. (The Body and Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) Those are two of my overall favorite movies and I watch them both all the time. The number of King’s works that have been adapted to film is huge: Misery (screenplay by William Goldman!), Carrie, The Shining, Pet Sematary, It, Firestarter, Apt Pupil, The Green Mile, Secret Window—that isn’t even half of them.
I love short stories when they are done right. It is so hard to tell a compelling story in such a restrained format without leaving readers wishing for more of everything. Stand By Me is one of my favorites because there aren’t too many stories or movies that remind me of how wonderful childhood friends are. I always tear up at the end of that one when the narrator, Richard Dreyfus, says, “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?” I have nothing but happy memories of all the antics I got up to with my friends around that age. I speak to a whopping one of them these days, and just barely. I sometimes wonder if it is better that I am Facebook friends with these people or if it is just natural to move on and only hold onto the memories. Dreyfus’ character, The Writer, says, “It happens sometimes. Friends come in and out of our lives, like busboys in a restaurant.”
Shawshank is a favorite of mine—there are so many reasons why I love that movie but that moment when, SPOILER ALERT, the Warden and the guards figure out that Andy got the best of them and Morgan Freeman narrates Andy’s escape? Priceless. (see also: When Edmund Dantes exacts his revenge in The Count of Monte Cristo) I love the friendship that Red and Andy develop, the commentary on the penal system, and the way the “good guys” come out on top several times in the story, even though that is not always the case in the film.
If you haven’t seen all three of these movies, you need to remedy that situation. I can’t wait to read/reread the books and stories and evaluate how true the films are to their literary counterparts. Honorable mentions go to: Silence of the Lambs, Charlotte's Web (1973), and the 1940 version of Pride & Prejudice.
I've been wracking my brain to think of movie adaptations of books that I didn't enjoy and I've come up with a few, the most recent of which is Confessions of a Shopaholic. The books were fluffy and fun and I could fly through the awkward moments. I love Hugh Dancy and Isla Fisher but the movie was entirely too over the top. All I have to do is think of that awful scene with the dancing and the fans and I want to vomit all over the floor. Another one that did nothing for me was Jumper. I read the book last fall and it seems like Hollywood just took the idea, like the bare bones of an outline of the first half of the book, then tossed the rest out the window. I didn't love the book (it was ruined by the second half) nor did I love the movie--but at least the book had some redeeming qualities. And three movies I have a hard time watching mostly because of casting decisions: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Moaning Myrtle is my own personal nightmare), The Golden Compass (I didn't love Frankie from Skins as Lyra or Nicole Kidman), and the Narnia movies (Ugh, Lucy). But even when movies are awful, I'll still watch them. Sometimes, I'll watch them even more than the good ones.
If you haven’t seen all three of these movies, you need to remedy that situation. I can’t wait to read/reread the books and stories and evaluate how true the films are to their literary counterparts. Honorable mentions go to: Silence of the Lambs, Charlotte's Web (1973), and the 1940 version of Pride & Prejudice.
I've been wracking my brain to think of movie adaptations of books that I didn't enjoy and I've come up with a few, the most recent of which is Confessions of a Shopaholic. The books were fluffy and fun and I could fly through the awkward moments. I love Hugh Dancy and Isla Fisher but the movie was entirely too over the top. All I have to do is think of that awful scene with the dancing and the fans and I want to vomit all over the floor. Another one that did nothing for me was Jumper. I read the book last fall and it seems like Hollywood just took the idea, like the bare bones of an outline of the first half of the book, then tossed the rest out the window. I didn't love the book (it was ruined by the second half) nor did I love the movie--but at least the book had some redeeming qualities. And three movies I have a hard time watching mostly because of casting decisions: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Moaning Myrtle is my own personal nightmare), The Golden Compass (I didn't love Frankie from Skins as Lyra or Nicole Kidman), and the Narnia movies (Ugh, Lucy). But even when movies are awful, I'll still watch them. Sometimes, I'll watch them even more than the good ones.
NO.
I’m going to start with my least favorite adaptations, because reading through Flannery’s post has reminded me of just how much I hate the Shopaholic movie. Becky Bloomwood is American? Is nothing sacred? I have no idea why the “movie people” (that nebulous group about whom I know absolutely nothing) decide to take literature that is beloved by millions and change everything that we’ve loved about it. (Actually, I do know why: I'm pretty sure the producers of my two least favorite film adaptations are laughing all the way to the bank). It feels like such a betrayal, doesn’t it? Which brings me to the absolute worst adaptation I’ve ever seen: The Bourne Identity. My brother mailed me Robert Ludlum’s classic spy thriller a few months before the first film was released and pressed me to read it. I’m not usually into action/thriller novels but I decided to give it a chance anyway, and I loved it! Sure, it’s quite obviously from the 70’s and the “romance” is hilariously ridiculous. But I think that it’s one of the most compelling, twistiest (not a real word) stories ever put to paper.
And then I saw the film. It starts out okay – with poor “Jason Bourne” waking to find himself in the middle of the frigid ocean with no memories. But then, and I seriously cannot even write about this to this day (ten years later!) without getting pissed off, they took arguably one of the best spy/thriller plots ever written and just shat all over it. My poor husband had to sit through my infuriated mutterings for the entire film. I almost stormed out of the theater! Marie isn’t some crunchy granola, wandering backpacker! She’s a high-powered, Canadian economist! She’s brilliant! Jason Bourne was never a real assassin!!! And guess what? HIS NAME ISN’T EVEN JASON BOURNE. They didn't even get the main character's name right.
And then I saw the film. It starts out okay – with poor “Jason Bourne” waking to find himself in the middle of the frigid ocean with no memories. But then, and I seriously cannot even write about this to this day (ten years later!) without getting pissed off, they took arguably one of the best spy/thriller plots ever written and just shat all over it. My poor husband had to sit through my infuriated mutterings for the entire film. I almost stormed out of the theater! Marie isn’t some crunchy granola, wandering backpacker! She’s a high-powered, Canadian economist! She’s brilliant! Jason Bourne was never a real assassin!!! And guess what? HIS NAME ISN’T EVEN JASON BOURNE. They didn't even get the main character's name right.
And exhale…. Now on to more pleasant topics: my favorites! I wonder if it’s any coincidence that I saw both of these films before reading the books – and in one case, I still haven’t read the book! Perhaps that’s the only way I’ll ever love a movie more than its foundational book, because in my experience –once you go book, you never go back.
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I first watched the Anne of Green Gables adaptation when I was about seven or eight years old and I fell in love with it absolutely. Megan Follows will always be my Anne, and Jonathan Crombie (swoon) will always be my Gilbert. The rest of the cast is just incredible as well. The adaptation itself doesn’t follow the book absolutely – and in fact, the film titled “Anne of Green Gables” is actually a melding of the first two novels (Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea). But they captured everything about the books that I love: Anne’s determination (and foolishness), Marilla’s distant but steady love, Matthew’s sweetness, Gilbert’s regret, Diana’s faithful friendship, Rachel’s haughty affection…I could go on and on and on. The sequel (titled “Anne of Avonlea”but containing material from Anne of the Island and Anne of Windy Poplars) is excellent as well.
And for my final pick, I have to mention Howl’s Moving Castle. This feels like cheating, because I haven’t read the book, so I have no idea how it matches up (although I hear that Flannery has a Book vs. Movie post in the works so I can’t wait to find out). But I can’t leave this one out because it’s not only my favorite adaptation; it’s probably my favorite film hands down. I am an unapologetic rabid Miyazaki fangirl, and my two daughters are well on their way to holding that title as well. (When we went to see The Secret World of Arrietty, my three year old shouted, “Mommy! It’s TOTORO!” when the Studio Ghibli logo came up.) I love absolutely everything about this movie! I love the intricate, beautiful animation. I love that the heroine gets aged magically by about fifty years but then says, “meh, it could be worse” and moves on with her life. I love that the hero is a spoiled, vain, drama queen. And of course I love the ambiguously happy ending! I’ve seen this movie about a hundred times and it will never get old.
To start off, I am the type of movie watcher who thinks books are ALWAYS better than their movie adaptations. (Granted, there are exceptions to this strict rule - The English Patient, for example, I could not even get through the book and adore the movie.) Therefore, if I am ever to give a movie a chance, I do not read the book it is based on before watching the adaptation. This is the reason why I held myself back and did not reread The Hunger Games for the fifth time. I want the movie to impress me and also make me cry, preferably on numerous occasions (in fact, I am counting on it).
So, what is my favorite movie adaptation?
I am taking the most gratuitous and shallow route with this one - Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen!
You can try to argue with me until you turn red about how unfaithful this movie adaptation is, that Mr. Darcy (aka Mr. Hottie McHaughty Pants) would never be strutting with his shirt open in a morning field (neither would he be doing the 19th century wet T-shirt contest interpretation, might I add, for Colin Firth's fans), that the dresses are all wrong, etc., etc, etc. I do not care. (Do not ruin my favorite fantasy, OK?)
I just love Matthew's take on Darcy, that he is all prideful and stand-offish, but also shy and reserved, and with a lot of passion hidden under that haughty exterior (or so I love to imagine).
I can watch this particular scene a million times and it makes me giddy and all fluttery each and every time:
I am taking the most gratuitous and shallow route with this one - Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen!
You can try to argue with me until you turn red about how unfaithful this movie adaptation is, that Mr. Darcy (aka Mr. Hottie McHaughty Pants) would never be strutting with his shirt open in a morning field (neither would he be doing the 19th century wet T-shirt contest interpretation, might I add, for Colin Firth's fans), that the dresses are all wrong, etc., etc, etc. I do not care. (Do not ruin my favorite fantasy, OK?)
I just love Matthew's take on Darcy, that he is all prideful and stand-offish, but also shy and reserved, and with a lot of passion hidden under that haughty exterior (or so I love to imagine).
I can watch this particular scene a million times and it makes me giddy and all fluttery each and every time:
DARCY: Miss Elizabeth. I have struggled in vain and I can bear it no longer. These past months have been a torment. I came to Rosings with the single object of seeing you. I had to see you. I have fought against my better judgement, my family’s expectation, the inferiority of your birth, my rank and circumstances – all these things - but I am willing to put them aside and ask you to end my agony. LIZZY: I don’t understand. DARCY: I love you. Most ardently. Please do me the honor of accepting my hand.
Can I end your agony, please?
Now, for the worst movie adaptation, I stole my idea from Flannery's favorite audio books post. There are plenty of bad movies, but nothing reaches the level of WTF-ery like David Lynch's Dune, in my humble opinion.
I read Dune a couple of years ago. And although it was a very complicated book and required quite a bit of brain power to totally get into and understand the mythology, overall I thought it was a great work of science fiction. The whole universe of the almost waterless planet of Dune, genetics manipulating nuns and highly logical Mentats, political Houses fighting for power and resources of Dune, was very, very intriguing.
And then I decided to watch the movie version of it.
What an incoherent, almost psychedelic, gross mess!
I read Dune a couple of years ago. And although it was a very complicated book and required quite a bit of brain power to totally get into and understand the mythology, overall I thought it was a great work of science fiction. The whole universe of the almost waterless planet of Dune, genetics manipulating nuns and highly logical Mentats, political Houses fighting for power and resources of Dune, was very, very intriguing.
And then I decided to watch the movie version of it.
What an incoherent, almost psychedelic, gross mess!
Vladimir Harkonnen and Piter De Vries
Let me tell you, I totally understand why Dune would be considered a cult classic. There is a wacky quality to it that a certain group of people (*ahem* young guys) would think groundbreaking and extra spesul and beyond understanding of us, mere humans. But from where I stand, Lynch made this story exceedingly disgusting and weird, and too out there for an average person to not only appreciate, but simply understand.
Paul Atreides and Feyd Rautha
Even Kyle MacLachlan and Sting at the height of their oily hunkiness could not save this hot mess.
Holy Moly! I don't think my eyes will ever recover from the sight of greased up Sting wearing a blue diaper. To swiftly change the subject with no segue (I'd like to see you try to segue logically away from that mess...), we'd like to also introduce today our brand new ratings system, which we will use for all Book vs. Movie match-ups from here forward:
| "Inconceivable!" (From The Princess Bride, by William Goldman and directed by Rob Reiner in 1987) This is a very special rating that's reserved only for those movies that surpass the very books that they're based on. Inconceivable, for the most part but every once in a while it happens! We've probably already quoted these movies in reviews several times. |
| "Practically perfect in every way." (From Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers and directed by Robert Stevenson in 1964) A very faithful (in the details or in spirit) adaptation. We enjoyed it thoroughly. |
| "You're in for a treat. We all are." (From The Witches, by Roald Dahl and directed by Nicolas Roeg in 1990) There were some minor changes that we didn't like, but for the most part this was a decent adaptation. |
| "You pleased me some of the time." (From The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and directed by Kevin Reynolds in 2002) It was okay. We would probably watch it again if it were on in the middle of the day. But we'd be reading at the same time. |
| "Barely tolerable, I dare say. But not handsome enough to tempt me." (From Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen and directed by Joe Wright in 2005) We'd watch this, but only to make fun of it. |
| "A perfect graveyard of buried hopes" (From Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery and directed by Kevin Sullivan in 1985) You'd have to bribe us heavily and/or tie us down to get us to watch this again. |
Thanks for joining us today and make sure to tune in THIS FRIDAY (all caps!) for a very very special episode of Book vs. Movie. And I don't mean that we'll be discussing school bullying and teen pregnancy. *wink*
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