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 Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:55 pm
I thought I'd start a new thread for us to discuss some of our favourite movies based on books, but since most readers agree that movies based on books rarely turn out as good as the movie, maybe we should just discuss some of our favourite movies? I'm really not sure...
So, what are some of the movies based on books that you think did work out for the better?
Also, what is your opinion about this whole art form? Most screenwriters clearly do a good business of adapting books, and they should get credit for trying to maintain the sense of the original, but then why, oh why, am I so often disappointed?
I think in many cases, to be able to watch the film as a work of art on its own is important. If the screenwriter depends too much on the original fan base of the novel, then he will get into trouble. I found this for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
One film that I think actually did do the form justice was The Green Mile. Such a good movie!
So add on with some of your favourites and not-so-favourites...I'd like to hear what you think of the whole issue!?!
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Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:26 pm
Whenever I read a book I see it as a movie inside my head (its why I like descriptive writters) so when alot of them come out as a movie It's different to the way I see it in my head and they usually miss key elements in the movie. Harry Potter is a good example of it. There is so much more in the books then whats in the movies. I understand why but it still makes the books better biggrin . One book I am looking forward to seeing as a series is Traci Hardings books. I can't remember which book she is turning into a series but it doesn't really matter because they are all awesome lol.
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Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 5:35 pm
I liked the green mile, Of mice and men wasn't half bad if not kinda cheesy though, and In the heat of the night was just cool but not as cool as the book as it hides less with the wording. As for one that really comes to mind when somebody says good adapted movie I say The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.
It was the tale of a deaf mute man who moved away from town to be closer to his brother (or was it cousin?) who was admitted into a sanitorium for bieng a "man child." The movie was very emotional and very well made but I tried to read the book after but found the language to be quite gross to put it lightly. The writing style also suffered greatly from what seemed to be from a writer who had the english skills of a young child but would still wow you at times with her use of literary devices. It's an oprah book club selection but I suggest you watch the movie nomatter what. It was one of the few things that got me to cry even though I've only actually cried maybe 6 times in my 19 year life, two of those times were emotion driven the rest came from very unfortunate injuries and after surgury procedures.
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:12 am
So, now that Eragon is out, I am incredibly disappointed to read the reviews. It apparently is terrible, and I have decided to wait for it to come out on DVD to see it. Has anyone seen it, and do they want to persuade me to spend the 30 dollars for a movie trip with friends? What do you think?
I hate it when I look forward to something so much, and then it ends up being disappointing. I have been waiting all fall for this movie!
I agree with you about Mice and Men, J. I love that movie too; Gary Sinese and John Malkovich both did a perfect job. I will have to look out for The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. I've never even heard of it before. It sounds really good.
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Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:31 pm
I haven't seen it or read the book but... have the reviewers? Was the movie in the genre that they enjoy watching? Did any of them enjoy reading the book? So much depends on their personal preferences. Re-read the reviews and see how many of them refer to the book and if there is any indication that they read/enjoyed the book. There have been movies that got really bad reviews that I loved and vice versa.
If I had to give an answer though it would be yes. Even if you find yourself dissapointed you can always console yourself with a pina colada and commiserate/console yourself with good company and turn it into a great time out anyway biggrin
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Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 8:27 am
I havn't per say seen the movie but given the trailer and other snipets here and there, it seems Eragon the movie is geared for younger audiences. That, coupled with the fact that all book to movie translations leave much discarded, I would say the fans of the book would be most dissapointed by the movie.
I would say that $30 is too much of a gamble but then again I am on minumum wage and am the one in control of whatever fun things I want to do. Besides, the dvd shouldn't take too long to come out unless of course they shaft us by putting it exclusivly on HD DVD or Blu-ray disc. Then the additional cost to see the movie at home would far outweigh seeing it in theaters.
Now for my brutal opinion on Eragon as a whole. Paolini, for this book, is at times a long winded writer, making unecissary literary devices clog an otherwise somewhat flowing read. A good book for those attracted to the writing of Harry Potter books but would make others yearning for more. Also, before you slam me for this review, take not that I had in fact struggled to read Eragon and can only muster trudging through it parts at a time. usually by a two chapter incriment that has me yet to finish.
I promise that I will do a far more concise review of Eragon when I'm through with it, as I am sure that I am not doing it justice by bieng unable to establish an opinion based on the entire book.
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Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 8:35 am
ladybrittania I will have to look out for The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. I've never even heard of it before. It sounds really good. The heart is a lonely hunter is an older film so it might be easier to find it via the library video section or someplace that still stocks movies from 1968. Of course it could be a dvd now...
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Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 2:53 pm
Hmmmm...thank you for the advice.
As for the whole HD and blue-ray issue... just remember beta and vhs...eventuallly the mainstream will win out, but it is incredibly annoying when a company like Sony tries to corner a market that they should realize that they absolutely can't! If they changed over everything to blue-ray now, I think many people wouldn't bother. The more generic the better, when it comes to these technologies, because otherwise they won't get the big market of people who just want to watch a movie.
I personally liked Eragon better than Eldest. I can see where your comment about Paolini injecting redundant literary techniques into the novel seems to come up in Eldest. I didn't find that so much in Eragon, simply because as I was learning about his new abilities, challenges and everything else in the world of this book, there was a lot of good plot to follow. In the second book there is more "theory" (for lack of better words) about magic, developing abilities, etc. It's pretty cool too, but in a different way, and I found that it had slow parts.
The movie does definitely seem geared for a younger audience, which is a let down too. I am still going to wait for the DVD, I think.
As for good movies from books - "The Return of the King" is on CBC tonight, and my mom hasn't seen it, so we are going to have a fun night watching that! Yay!
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Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 3:34 pm
ladybrittania Hmmmm...thank you for the advice. As for the whole HD and blue-ray issue... just remember beta and vhs...eventuallly the mainstream will win out, but it is incredibly annoying when a company like Sony tries to corner a market that they should realize that they absolutely can't! If they changed over everything to blue-ray now, I think many people wouldn't bother. The more generic the better, when it comes to these technologies, because otherwise they won't get the big market of people who just want to watch a movie. I personally liked Eragon better than Eldest. I can see where your comment about Paolini injecting redundant literary techniques into the novel seems to come up in Eldest. I didn't find that so much in Eragon, simply because as I was learning about his new abilities, challenges and everything else in the world of this book, there was a lot of good plot to follow. In the second book there is more "theory" (for lack of better words) about magic, developing abilities, etc. It's pretty cool too, but in a different way, and I found that it had slow parts. The movie does definitely seem geared for a younger audience, which is a let down too. I am still going to wait for the DVD, I think. As for good movies from books - "The Return of the King" is on CBC tonight, and my mom hasn't seen it, so we are going to have a fun night watching that! Yay! HD DVD will win based on cost alone. thier players are around $200 right now while a blu-ray costs about $600. And to be honest Sony hasn't really cornered a market with thier new disc technology as many brands such as Samsung and Pionier have made thier own players, readers, and writers. I think the only reason Sony did it was to help market thier PS3 to make it seem even more powerfull... Which it is but the technology is too new to be practical. This is ironic as disc mediums are nearing the end of thier life cycle since portable flash drives and incredibly small hard drives are becoming more sophisticated and cheaper. The most noteworthy example of this is with downloadable content. full music albums, computer software, as well as games are bieng sold off the internet to be directly downloaded to your computer or gaming console. Itunes is one such company as is Nintendo's virtual console for the Wii. I should probably stop now before I write a full essay. I'm supposed to be free from the shackles of school, not embracing it.
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Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:04 am
J-Machine This is ironic as disc mediums are nearing the end of thier life cycle since portable flash drives and incredibly small hard drives are becoming more sophisticated and cheaper. Such an excellent point - I guess eventually all our viewing systems (computer, tv, etc.) will just be wired up and we'll just download everything, like mass pay-per-view, per-play, per-experience. That's not so bad. It doesn't say much for people who like to collect things, I guess, but it is convenient.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 1:31 pm
I found a witty quote that suits this thread:
Having your book turned into a movie is like seeing your oxen turned into bouillon cubes.
~John LeCarre
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:46 pm
ladybrittania I found a witty quote that suits this thread: Having your book turned into a movie is like seeing your oxen turned into bouillon cubes.
~John LeCarreWow... Thats pretty much the industry in a nutshell eh? I also heard from my nurse today that Eragon was a good movie. Something for you to look forward to for that DVD release.
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Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:13 pm
Thank you for that little nugget of happiness 4laugh
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Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 6:43 am
Sometimes I find nuggets in my nose, but they don't look happy...
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Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:46 am
has anyone here seen pan's labrynth?
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Reply
