Movies from novels--succeed or fail (1 Viewer)

[theBaron]

The "Hobbit" thread made me think of this:

Which movies or TV series, based on a book or short story, succeed in telling the story and which fall short?

If you've read my posts in the "Hobbit" thread, you already know that I think the movies do not do the story justice, though I do concede that Jackson's filming of "The Lord of the Rings" did a much better job of portraying that story.

But for other works that I've read and which have been filmed, I can think of these:

"Jaws" - the movie succeeds. Even though the author had some disagreements with the film, I do think that the movie tells the story pretty effectively.

"Jurassic Park" - the movie falls short. I read the book when it first came out; I was already a fan of Crichton. And I remember thinking, "This would be a great movie, if someone could figure how to animate the dinosaurs realistically." Three years later, Spielberg brought out the movie. Don't get me wrong, it's a spectacular film, and the animation established a new standard, incorporating the latest paleontological info as well. But Spielberg changed key elements of the story, which change the theme of the novel, I think. I saw it in the theater when it came out, and I remember thinking, "This would be a great film, if you just took out all the humans" (a couple years later, that concept was released as "Walking With Dinosaurs").

"I, Claudius" (BBC miniseries) - the series succeeds magnificently in presenting Graves' story of Claudius, disdained as a fool by everyone, but who turns out to be the wisest of them all. Excellent acting throughout, with some veteran British character actors who later achieved world-wide fame, such as Patrick Stewart, Brian Blessed and John Rhys-Davies, and last but not least, Derek Jacobi as Claudius.

"Shogun" (US TV miniseries) - this miniseries also succeeds, in my opinion, in telling the story of the English pilot shipwrecked in medieval Japan, caught up in the intrigues of various Japanese nobles as well as those of the European powers. I thoroughly enjoyed the principals' performances, too.

So, what are your choices?

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Great idea Brad!

How about the Sharpe series - based on the fictitious Characters in Bernard Cornwell's books, Brad?

I think that the World-wide success of both the novels - and the TV series and films they spawned are just magnificent. They certainly triggered off much deeper reading of some of the various Battles for me. jb

 

[Shiloh]

Forest Gump Movie was excellent book was awful.

Lonesome Dove Movie went right by the book and they were both great.

Starship Trooper One of my favorite Books.... Movie was just plain bad.

I Robot a ground breaking concept that still is way ahead of its time Movie was ok, TV show Nearly Human is a much better exploration of the concept although I don't know if it has any connection to the book

I am Legend book is just plain excellent Movie was not, Omega man was better but didn't follow the book very much.

 

[theBaron]

Great idea Brad!

How about the Sharpe series - based on the fictitious Characters in Bernard Cornwell's books, Brad?

I think that the World-wide success of both the novels - and the TV series and films they spawned are just magnificent. They certainly triggered off much deeper reading of some of the various Battles for me. jb

Good call, John, and I agree, I think the series captures the stories very well.

Prost!
Brad

 

[theBaron]

...Starship Trooper One of my favorite Books.... Movie was just plain bad.

Ah, yes, thanks, I had quite forgotten "Starship Trooper", and I agree, the movie changed the story completely. They lost all of Heinlein's discussion about liberty, duty and responsibility, and organizing a society. I called it "Space: 90210". I did think Denise Richards was hot, though

Prost!
Brad

 

[Combat]

"The Shining" - Stephen King reportedly hated the Stanely Kubrick movie, but it is a classic. The book is entertaining as well. I think there was some type of ego clash between Kubrick and King because the differences are not that great. You could do an entire thread on King books made into movies.

"Nobody's Fool" - Paul Newman was great in this movie based on the equally good Richard Russo book. Great cast with Bruce Willis and Jessica Tandy. Newman also had a role in the HBO mini-series of Russo's "Empire Falls." Another entertaining book/movie.

"There Will be Blood" - the movie was great, the Upton Sinclair book awful. Very little of the movie is taken from the book. My recollection is that in the book the Daniel Day-Lewis character is a sympathetic figure!

"The Great Gatsby" - the book is a classic. I enjoyed Robert Redford's version but haven't seen the more recent remake.

"The Road" - not a fan of the book. The movie was a grim classic.

"1984" - Another grim one with John Hurt. The movie captures most of the book's high points.

 

[theBaron]

"The Shining" - Stephen King reportedly hated the Stanely Kubrick movie, but it is a classic. The book is entertaining as well. I think there was some type of ego clash between Kubrick and King because the differences are not that great. You could do an entire thread on King books made into movies.

Another one I hadn't thought of, but I agree, I really liked the movie, better than the book, actually.

Another Kubrick film from a book is "A Clockwork Orange". It's a product of it's era, perhaps, in some of the cinematography, but I enjoy the film and the novel equally. I think the film preserves the themes. And I thoroughly enjoyed Malcom McDowell as Alex. Also, little bit of BBC miniseries trivia, the Chief Guard in the prison was played by Michael Bates, who played Ludendorff in "Fall of Eagles".

Prost!
Brad

 

[lancer]

Huge fan of the movie versions of both The Road and 1984. Liked the books but the movie visuals are just so dark in mood that I enjoy them more than the books.
My favorite book, Frank Herbert's Dune, has been made into a movie a couple of times. It has proved extraordinarily difficult to put on screen. The first version by David Lynch, had some interesting visuals and the story was somewhat followed but the it ultimately failed. The book is in 3 parts and the movie was mostly part 1 with parts 2 and 3 just squashed in. It was not a very good movie on any level. The second version was a made-for-tv production that actually was closer to the book than Lynch's version and was, if I remember correctly, done in 3 parts, like the book. It was not a great movie but was closer to the book and more interesting than Lynch's version. -- Al

 

[Jack]

Huge fan of Pride and Prejudice - the book and mini series. The two best known movie adaptations - 1940 with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier and the 2005 with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen fall well short. Knightley tried hard but played Elizabeth Bennett like a pouting teenager and the Garson version tampered with the story in an almost heretical manner. The mini series from 1995 was just superb. Television at its very best.

 

[marco55]

"The Shining" - Stephen King reportedly hated the Stanely Kubrick movie, but it is a classic. The book is entertaining as well. I think there was some type of ego clash between Kubrick and King because the differences are not that great. You could do an entire thread on King books made into movies.

"Nobody's Fool" - Paul Newman was great in this movie based on the equally good Richard Russo book. Great cast with Bruce Willis and Jessica Tandy. Newman also had a role in the HBO mini-series of Russo's "Empire Falls." Another entertaining book/movie.

"There Will be Blood" - the movie was great, the Upton Sinclair book awful. Very little of the movie is taken from the book. My recollection is that in the book the Daniel Day-Lewis character is a sympathetic figure!

"The Great Gatsby" - the book is a classic. I enjoyed Robert Redford's version but haven't seen the more recent remake.

"The Road" - not a fan of the book. The movie was a grim classic.

"1984" - Another grim one with John Hurt. The movie captures most of the book's high points.

I think Steven King's work is better in book.Most of the movies start off strong but disappoint at the end.The Shining was the exception.I think Salem's Lot was pretty good.Under the Dome has been pretty good but that hospital one was terrible.
Mark

 

[lancer]

As mentioned, many of King's works have been adapted to the screen but none so successfully as 'Different Seasons', a 1982 book that contained 4 short novellas. Three of the stories were made into movies, 2 with outstanding success and 1 less so. The 2 most famous are 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption', made into the 1994 movie The Shawshank Redemption, and 'The Body' which was the 1986 movie Stand By Me. These 2 were outstanding versions of the stories and very successful movies. Shawshank is one of my all-time favorite movies. The 3rd, and less successful movie, was adapted from the story 'Apt Pupil' as the 1998 movie Apt Pupil. This movie is noteworthy mainly for Ian Mckellen. Pretty good record for one book. -- Al

 

[Combat]

As mentioned, many of King's works have been adapted to the screen but none so successfully as 'Different Seasons', a 1982 book that contained 4 short novellas. Three of the stories were made into movies, 2 with outstanding success and 1 less so. The 2 most famous are 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption', made into the 1994 movie The Shawshank Redemption, and 'The Body' which was the 1986 movie Stand By Me. These 2 were outstanding versions of the stories and very successful movies. Shawshank is one of my all-time favorite movies. The 3rd, and less successful movie, was adapted from the story 'Apt Pupil' as the 1998 movie Apt Pupil. This movie is noteworthy mainly for Ian Mckellen. Pretty good record for one book. -- Al

"The Green Mile" is another very good King film. I also liked "Misery," "Dolores Claiborne" and "The Dead Zone." One that surprised me is "1408" with John Cusack. Better than I expected.

 

[lancer]

Thought of another favorite from the 1960's. Jack Hunter's novel of WW1 in the air, 'The Blue Max'. Made into a terrific movie starring George Peppard and Ursula Andress, it has some differences from the novel but it is very well done and is a classic of it's type. I have read all of Hunter's Bruno Stachel novels and The Blue Max was the first and best. -- Al

 

[theBaron]

Two other movies that succeed in capturing the content of their respective novels are "The Odessa File" and "The Day of the Jackal", the original, not the piece-of-crap remake. Even though some elements of the plots were cut in filming the stories, I enjoy watching the movies and reading the books equally.

Prost!
Brad

 

[lancer]

Two other movies that succeed in capturing the content of their respective novels are "The Odessa File" and "The Day of the Jackal", the original, not the piece-of-crap remake. Even though some elements of the plots were cut in filming the stories, I enjoy watching the movies and reading the books equally.

Prost!
Brad

Agree. Those are two good ones. Loved Fox as the Jackal. The books were great. -- Al