It seems that more and more classics of literature as well as new works are being turned into movies these days; the measure of success in the modern world of publishing often has to do with the 'movie option.' So, is the book always better than the movie? What are some of your favorite adaptations, and which ones were terrible? Which were good movies but bad books? Also, can a movie version help us get a better, supplementary understanding of a book (like Cliff notes you can watch)?
Posted by tlaughbaum at January 23, 2006 09:45 AMMaybe because reading has always been somewhat difficult for me (focus issues), I've always enjoyed reading books after I've seen filmed versions. I find this particularly helpful with Shakespeare. Some film adaptations that I liked, though they went different directions than the books, were The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules by Irving, The English Patient, The Lord of the Rings, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Ran. That's just a few. A couple that really sort of cheesed me were Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and The Bonfire of the Vanities. Had I seen those first, I might never have read the books.
of course, don't ever just watch the movie if you're supposed to have read the book for class. I got burned on that once and it was embarassing.
Oh, by the way, it's my birthday today! was that pathetic or what?
Posted by: jim at January 23, 2006 02:22 PMOh, well, by the way, happy birthday silly!
Posted by: MM at January 23, 2006 04:49 PMWhat Monica said (i.e., Happy Birthday Jim!).
This is an interesting thread, and I look forward to seeing how you all respond. Re. Jim's list, I love Ran and Garp, like LOTR (some things work really well, others bother me), have issues with The English Patient. One problem with a lot of film adaptations of novels is that they end up being reductive. One particular example -- on film love almost always equals sex. Actually, art or creativity on film also equals sex. Hmmm. Maybe EVERYTHING on film equals sex. Why is this? Is it just because film is visual and so it has to translate everything internal (thoughts, emotions) into something external (bodies, action)? Or is it just the Hollywood pressure for T&A? Either way, it's fairly stupid. Love is a lot more than sex, and art has very little to do with sex. Has anyone ever seen a good movie about a writer, or painter, or other creative artist? I really enjoy "Shakespeare in Love," but it's based on a silly premise -- that what's interesting about Shakespeare is not that he wrote many of the greatest plays ever written, but that he was burned up by his rivalry with Marlowe and he had a frustrated affair with a woman who inspired all his female characters. The truth -- writing is BORING. You sit at a desk, thinking, writing or typing. Period. And inspiration? Shakespeare's heroines mostly come from other books, not women he was sleeping with. How do you film that?
Posted by: HH at January 23, 2006 05:40 PM
One of my favorite books is True Grit by Charles Portis. It's also a classic John Wayne movie. I don't like the film nearly as well, although the scene with the snakes is even scarier on film. Also, I like what Spielberg did with Alice Walker's The Color Purple--although the depth of emotion in that film can also be credited to Quincy Jones' musical scores and great actors like Goldberg. One movie that really disappointed me was Oprah Winfrey's adaptation of Morrison's Beloved. I'm sure all of us who loved the novel can commiserate.
Posted by: Sarah at January 23, 2006 07:20 PMAlthough it was a mish mash of the two books, I loooooved Disney's Alice in Wonderland. I'm also a big fan of Fight Club, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (even though there were a lot of liberties taken with it), Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? (not sure if that counts), and The Shining (even though mostly every other Stephen King story sucks when put to film, Jack saved this one).
Nic
Posted by: Nic at January 23, 2006 07:57 PMYeah, and it's that beautiful, quiet, toe curling, get it right the first time, sans sweat glands sex which only really happens, what, about every other time in real life. And where are the love vignettes in real life? Can you imagine all that cute, meaningful reductive seductive, happy-go-lucky, stuff happening? Okay, enough about Tarantino films.
Posted by: Jim at January 23, 2006 08:43 PMAnd to answer the other question. I did like Amadeus. And the film about Dorothy Parker was pretty cool. And I saw one about Gauguin that I vaguely recall that I liked. And possibly Tom and Viv was good and that one about C.S. Lewis, but theyre apparently not that memorable at the moment. So maybe I should just be quiet. So, I'll go with Amadeus, which was a bit of a romp and likely from a skewed premise as well, with the whole Salieri thing. So the answer is a definite maybe.
Posted by: Jim at January 23, 2006 08:52 PMI have to say that one of my all- time favorite movies is Adaptation. I'm sure not everyone loved it, but I thought the Kaufman angst storyline was interesting in its relation with the book he was adapting, The Orchid Thief. I read the book after I saw the movie and I think imagining it in Meryl Streep's voice made it that much more enjoyable for me.
Also, I just saw Memoirs of a Geisha, and I thought it was a beautiful representation of an excellent book. Wonderboys was a great movie, I liked Fear and Loathing, The English Patient, The Remains of the Day...
Even some of my favorite authors are hit and miss in the movie world. For example, I liked The Age of Innocence, but The House of Mirth was a stinker. Without Lily Bart's interior thoughts, it's simply a bland soap opera. I'm a big Vonnegut fan, but I couldn't sit through Breakfast of Champions, though Mother Night was good.
I could go on forever because I'm a huge movie buff, but I'll just stick with these few examples...
Dr. Hamlin, as for your request for a good movie about an artist or writer, I really enjoyed Before Night Falls, about Cuban poet Reinaldo Arrenas. It's directed by Julian Schnabel, who directed Basquiat (also good), and after his performance I will always love Javier Bardem. It also features Johnny Depp as a cross-dresser, and how can you go wrong with that?
Posted by: Trish at January 23, 2006 09:09 PMOH, and Happy Birthday, Jim! I'll sing the birthday song to you nest time I see you, a la Marilyn Monroe!
Posted by: Trish at January 23, 2006 09:11 PMI thought Girl, Interrupted was pretty decent.
Or it coulda just been Angelina Jolie
that was probably it
Posted by: mm at January 23, 2006 10:40 PMdecent most certainly, but doesn't hold a candle to Susanna Kaysen's poetic depiction of life in a parallel universe. Plus, I felt bad for Rider--I mean she was she was the Kaysen character, but Jolie got the oscar...
Posted by: Sarah at January 23, 2006 10:47 PMWhat did Austen fans think of the recent Pride and Prejudice? Another excellent film based on a short story -- Brokeback Mountain. I wonder if short stories are easier to translate into film? With novel, you always have to omit so much. Anyone see Babette's Feast (story by Isak Dinesen)?
FYI: I believe the Campus Out Loud group is planning a trip to Columbus to see Brokeback Mountain. Perhaps we can make it an English Club joint venture... Let me know!
Posted by: Trish at January 24, 2006 09:43 AMTrish, I'm going to have to agree that you can't go wrong with Johnny Depp as a cross dresser. I haven't seen that movie, but he is hot (as far as guys go). And yeah, that Brokeback Mountain thing sounds like a good idea.
Oh, and just to be fair and mention a hot actress since I mentioned a hot actor, Helena Bonham Carter as Marla Singer in Fight Club was hot.
Posted by: Nic at January 24, 2006 11:42 AMI sure do know how to kill a thread
Posted by: Nic at January 25, 2006 07:31 PMHelena Bonham Carter is hot Nic.
Girl, Interupted was a great book, but I also liked the movie. I didn't expect them to be utterly similar, so that's probably why I wasn't disappointed.
I really don't have much to say about this topic. I stay away from movies based upon books because I don't want the book ruined.
Although, The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides was made into a spectacular film by Sofia Coppolla (Sp.?) It was eerie and beautiful and quite nearly what I envisioned in my mind as I read the book.
I haven't seen most of the movies mentioned here :(
Posted by: nic at January 26, 2006 05:49 PMWell, what are you waiting for? Your local library most likely has a decent collection of videos to start with, and some old releases at your video store can be as cheap as $1. I know for sure that you would like Before Night Falls (but good luck finding a copy around here). And you should definitely watch Adaptation, it's right up your alley.
Posted by: Trish at January 26, 2006 08:54 PMP.S. Nic, I think you didn't give King's movies enough credit. The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me were both good, not to mention Carrie and Cujo.
Posted by: Trish at January 26, 2006 09:02 PMOk, King's had a few winners (The Lawnmower Man, Christine, The Green Mile, The Dead Zone, and the ones you mentioned), but come on....Maximum Overdrive, Creepshow, Hearts In Atlanitis, The Langoliers...His bad movies are really really reeeeaaallllyyyy bad. Yeah, I know not all those are based on books, but that doesn't make them better.
Posted by: nic at January 27, 2006 01:16 PMThat's the point I made earlier about authors' adaptations being hit and miss. Don't forget that it's not the AUTHOR, it's the DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/ACTOR/DOLLYGRIP/CATERER/STYLIST/EVERYONEELSEWHOHASAHANDINTHEPRODUCTION that ruins it.
Posted by: Trish at January 27, 2006 01:55 PMI'm NOT a big King fan, but I think "Stand By Me," which is not very characteristic, was very good. I liked Shawshank, though it seemed a little sentimental (but sometimes I'm in the mood!).
Trish, you seem very down on film people. (Can a caterer really ruin a movie!? I suppose if the coffee is poisoned.) I'm not one to hesitate in criticizing stupid movies, adaptations or otherwise, but there are some great movies, some of them adapted from books, and some of them even better than the books. What about "Wizard of Oz"? Extremely dull book. "Night of the Hunter"? Good book but GREAT movie. I don't know the book (by John MacDonald) that "Cape Fear" was based on, but it's a good movie, and -- totally unusual -- I think the remake (Robert DeNiro as Nietzschean Uebermensch Psycho Sex Killer) is even better. I'd say Akira Kurosawa's adaptations of Shakespeare ("Throne of Blood" and "Ran") stand pretty much alongside (or just below) the originals -- though they're heavily adapted. Raymond Carver's stories are remarkable, but so is Robert Altman's film "Short Cuts," which is based on them. Anyone else know any films that improve on the book? I bet there are some we don't even realize, because the books have faded into obscurity. Try drawing up a list of your top ten films, then look them up on imdb.com and see if they're based on novels.
Posted by: HH at January 27, 2006 06:04 PMNo, I don't think a caterer can ruin a movie, I was just being silly. Although the talent can really get upset if their big bowl of imported blue M&Ms aren't provided and it can subsequently effect their performance.
I agree that some adaptations can be as good as or better than the book. Did you see Julie Taymor's version of Titus? I thought it was beautiful! The more I think about this thread the more I realize that I can't even come close to listing all of the movies I've seen that come from literature. I think more might (directly or indirectly) come from books than we realize. For instance, isn't Poe's The Purloined Letter the model for the modern detective story? And how many incarnations of Shakespeare's plays have there been?
P.S. I can't be down on film people because I originally wanted to be a film person. I had really wanted to go to a film school, and try my hand at directing or cinematography. I do however, have a low tolerance for filmmakers that butcher good stories- for every great movie, there are at least two dozen that stink ;)
Posted by: Trish at January 28, 2006 09:37 AMHow about a new twist on this thread? What are your top five films that are NOT based on books? I realize such lists are reductive and silly and irritating, but still . . . . I'll throw out five films that I think are must-sees:
1. Some Like It Hot.
2. American Beauty
3. The Seventh Seal
4. M
5. Truly, Madly, Deeply
A totally wonky list, but what do you think?
Posted by: HH at January 28, 2006 05:12 PMBoy, narrowing it down will be hard, so I will not hold myself to this list:
1- Taxi Driver/Raging Bull (I can't decide)
2- The Pianist
3- Elizabeth
4- The Straight Story
5- Schindler's List
I'm never good at top five lists...
Posted by: Trish at January 29, 2006 12:40 PMa list
1. casablanca
36. the fisher king
40. being john malkovich
27. m.p. & the holy grail
897. tango & cash (actually never saw it or it might be ranked lower)
I can't/won't order these
The Waking Life
The Meaning of Life
Chasing Amy
Orange County
Rob Roy
One more movie based on a book
The Princess Bride
Posted by: Nic at January 30, 2006 05:09 PMTop 5 movies not based on a book
1. 8 secounds (about a bull rider)
2. Indiana Jones Trilolgy
3.Shakespeare in Love
4. Chisum (John Wayne)
5. American Outlaw (its about Jesse James my favorite cowboy)
Top 5 based on a book
1. Pride and Prejudice (well lets just say all austens book to movie awsomeness)Emma, Mansfield Park etc...
2.Harry Potter #4
3.The Notebook (ok ok i know)
yeah I am going to stop there because i generally am not happy with the switch from book --> movie.
3.
1. Annie Hall
2. The Little Mermaid
3. Walk the Line
4. House of 1000 Corpses/ The Devils Rejects
5. Wild Things
My, what an eclectic collection. Boy Jesi, you DO have a thing for cowboys, and Sarah, I think that's a nice top-five glance into your intriguing, multi-faceted personality.
I'm itching to go to the video store.
7. the outlaw josie wales
9ish. the wild bunch
22. do the right thing
35. hannah and her sisters
2. raiders of the lost ark
foreign language
my life as a dog
cinema paradiso
amelie
ran
Foreign language, let's see...
Amelie
Ma Vie en Rose
The Edukators
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (does that count?
Delicatessen
OK. Here's another five foreign language films:
Babette's Feast
Jean de Florette/Manon des Sources (two parts of one story)
Mephisto
Fanny and Alexander
Amores Perros
How about animated films?
Bambi
Pinocchio (actually, all the Disney classics)
Toy Story
Chicken Run
Spirited Away
Animated...
The Secret of NIMH
Waking Life
The Incredibles
The Land Before Time (my favorite when I was a kid)
The Nihtmare Before Christmas
anything Wallace and Gromit
Foreign films
House of Flying Daggers
Drunken Master (NOT The Legend of Drunken Master, though that's good too)
City of Lost Children
Goodbye, Lenin
Ong Bak
Animated
Alice In Wonderland
Corpse Bride (mmmm....necrophilia)
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Transformers: The Movie
Sleeping Beauty
The kind of ridiculous question sci-fi, horror, etc. make possible -- does it count as necorophilia if the corpse is animated? Is sex with vampires necrophilia?
Posted by: HH at January 31, 2006 03:48 PMWell, I have dated people who seemed to suck the life right out of me, but I'm not sure that counts.
Posted by: Trish at January 31, 2006 03:52 PMDepends on your definition of animated.....
I don't see a difference between a live action corpse and a drawn (animated) one.
However, if you just mean that the corpse was able to move around then a skilled puppeteer might have a little ambiguity in your eyes.
Now if you mean animated like a zombie (which is kind of how it was in the movie).....ummmm....it's still disgusting so that should be enough.
Or something.
Posted by: nic at January 31, 2006 04:31 PMFair enough, Nic. Gross is gross.
How about a challenge? Top five films that include (somehow) college life?
Posted by: HH at January 31, 2006 05:26 PMWonder Boys
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Animal House
A Beautiful Mind
Educating Rita
Wonder Boys
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Animal House
A Beautiful Mind
Educating Rita
Animal House
A Beautiful Mind
Slackers
Orange County
Road Trip
That's right college is (mostly) fun and games and parties.
Posted by: nic at January 31, 2006 05:56 PMOk, this is getting harder...
A Beautiful Mind
Wonder Boys
PCU (has anyone else seen it?)
Animal House
Good Will Hunting
Dead Poet's Society
The Rules of Attraction (Thax, MM)
Loser
Mona Lisa Smile
Wonder Boys (yeah, guys, I like this one, too)
Interesting. Here are some from me.
The Browning Version (really school not college, but then so is Dead Poet's)
A Beautiful Mind
The Paper Chase
Shadowlands
Legally Blonde (well, OK, I thought it was fun)
How about another challenge? Five great love stories. Here are five from me.
Truly, Madly, Deeply (really, watch this)
Brokeback Mountain (this too)
On Golden Pond (not as sappy as you might think)
Ordinary People (a GREAT film, I think)
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Love Stories:
Amelie
Casablanca
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Graduate
The Princess Bride
Oh, I forgot Edward Scissorhands - it still makes me cry ;)
Posted by: Trish at February 1, 2006 02:30 PMCasablanca
Persuasion
Dr. Zhivago
Old Yeller
Mr. and Mrs. Bridge
The Butterfly Effect
Chasing Amy
40 First Dates
Wicker Park
SLC Punk
I think this is my favorite movie genre...
Walk the Line
Rent "I should tell you...I should tell you"
Splender in the Grass
Their Eyes were Watching God
A Street Car Named Desire "Stella!"
West Side Story
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Garden State
Sixteen Candles/Foot Loose/ Say Anything
Titanic
The Little Mermaid/ Mulan/ Lady and the Tramp
Love:
1. The Notebook
2. Shakespeare in Love
3. How To Loose A Guy in 10 Days ( i know its real deep...haah...but i just think its hillarious....)
4. Pure Country (Cheesy Cheesy with George strait.) haha cowboy movie haha....
5. Hope Floats
Based on EDU.
1. Dead Poets Society
2. Mona Lisa Smile
3. A beautiful mind
4. Finding Forester
5. Good Will Hunting
Comedy
1. Love Stinks (funniest thing in entire world)
2. How To Loose A guy in 10 days
3. Napoleon Dynomite (GOSHHHH--i love this because its acctually clean and funny! WOW!)
4. 50 First Dates
5. Big Daddy ( yeah im a sandler fan)
Action :
1. Indiana Jones:The Last Crusade
2.Indiana Jones: The Temple Of Doom
3. Air Force One
4.6 days 7 nights
5. The Pirates of the Carribian
Kids:
1. Follow that Bird
2. The Color of Friendship (disney channel original)
3. The Goonies
4. The Sandlot
5. All Harry Potter
Based on A real person:
1. The Whole Wide World
2. Angelas Ashes
3. American Outlaw (jesse James *sigh*)
4. Where the Heart is (think thats true?)
Drama
1. The Virgin Suicides
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Glory Road was good you should see that!
4. The Color of Friendship (only on TV. Disney)
WESTERNS!!!
1. Chisum
2. Shanghi Noon ( haha)
3. Red River
4. Tombstone
5. The Last of the mohicans
alright so now that y'all know that...im cool.
jesi
Westerns:
Brokeback Mountain (funny how it fits every list)
Unforgiven
Little Big Man
High Plains Drifter
My Darlin Clementine
Westerns (like all my lists, in no particular order)
1. Young Guns 1&2
2. A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
3. Back To The Future 3
4. City Slickers
5. Blazing Saddles
Just a triple more movies I really enjoyed
The Life of David Gale
Big Fish
Revolver
Westerns
The Wild Bunch
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Blazing Saddles
Unforgiven
High Plains Drifter