All-Time Favorite Book-to-Movie Adaptations (1 Viewer)

[KarmaPolice]

The Tom Perrotta adaptations I've seen have been top notch - Election, Little Children, and of course The Leftovers (S1 was the main tie-in to the book). I haven't seen or read Mrs. Fletcher.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Another I actually prefer the movie of is The Sweet Hereafter. Children of Men is another book I didn't click with as much as the movie, and I think others have posted Fight Club and American Psycho.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Jaws

The book was a very good read......but I actually liked the movie even more. It is a classic.

The book had some really key differences too from the movie adaption. And since the book is over 40 years old I am going to tell you one of them

Brody’s wife sleeps with Hooper. So Brody did not bring Hooper up in the cage knowing this and of course he was eaten. Pretty awesome LOL.

Another perfect example. Besides the Brody stuff, it was smart on Spielberg's part to keep them on the ocean once they are out. If I remember correctly in the book they go out and come back a few times.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Misery

I liked the book - LOVED the movie. They nailed this one. Many of his other books are complete flops on screen.

Last one I will repost about. The book was bogged down by the book-within-a-book thing for me.

 

[Bogart]

Misery

I liked the book - LOVED the movie. They nailed this one. Many of his other books are complete flops on screen.

Oddly, it's the books that are just "good" (Misery, The Green Mile, Shawshank, The Shining, Carrie) that seem to make the best movies.

He wrote a short story as Richard Bachman entitled "Rage." I really, really wish that didn't turn into a real life movie but I am always compelled to mention it because, pre-Columbine before we knew much about school shooters, the short story is eerily realistic and well-written.

I have always wanted to see The Long Walk made into a movie. Always pictured an Outsiders type ensemble cast of young actors and just let them cook. But honestly not sure how it would play on the screen today.

 

[SWC]

norman mcleans a river runs through it for me take that to the riverbank bromigos

 

[Ilov80s]

I haven't read the books so I didn't rank them but I have to imagine The Wizard of Oz and Willy Wonka were pretty damn good adaptations.

 

[Eephus]

I haven't read the books so I didn't rank them but I have to imagine The Wizard of Oz and Willy Wonka were pretty damn good adaptations.

IIRC, the books didn't have any songs

 

[Ilov80s]

I haven't read the books so I didn't rank them but I have to imagine The Wizard of Oz and Willy Wonka were pretty damn good adaptations.

IIRC, the books didn't have any songs

The dance numbers in the books must have been pretty awkward then.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Godfather taint bad but my fav is:

Book by James Elroy

Turned into

THIS
masterpiece film.

Really good reaction to this film.
------------------------------
LA Confidential reaction

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I have always wanted to see The Long Walk made into a movie. Always pictured an Outsiders type ensemble cast of young actors and just let them cook. But honestly not sure how it would play on the screen today.

I've always wondered why this movie hasn't been made. This is not an obscure piece of work -- it seems to be fairly well-known at least among older readers and almost universally liked. Some indie filmmaker could do something cool with this on a small budget. It doesn't need an all-star cast or a huge FX budget.

 

[playin4beer]

I have always wanted to see The Long Walk made into a movie. Always pictured an Outsiders type ensemble cast of young actors and just let them cook. But honestly not sure how it would play on the screen today.

I've always wondered why this movie hasn't been made. This is not an obscure piece of work -- it seems to be fairly well-known at least among older readers and almost universally liked. Some indie filmmaker could do something cool with this on a small budget. It doesn't need an all-star cast or a huge FX budget.

I've said this for years.. would LOVE to see it made into a movie.. It was Hunger Games before Hunger Games...

 

[Dan Lambskin]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

 

[Bogart]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

My son ADORES the movie, which has me asking all kinds of questions. After hearing the initial comments from King himself, others, and trying to figure out how they made it PG-13, I just stayed away from the film.

 

[dickey moe]

Blade Runner (took a small liberty on this one)
/thread

Good call. The film was phenominally better than DADOES.

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

Something I realized a few years back: Movie adaptations of books weren't made for people who already read the book. Invariably, you end up disappointed because they left something out -- it is impossible to adapt a 300-page novel into a two-hour movie -- or the movie destroys the mental image you already had of the story and its characters. Try reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest now, and even with the multiple references to McMurphy's curly red hair, you're still picturing Nicholson.

The ones that have been successful are exceptions that prove the rule: Shawshank was a 150-page novella. The LOTR trilogy was told across three movies (and even then, I found myself annoyed that they left out the final confrontation with Saruman in the Shire). Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining and Misery all benefitted from lights-out performances by the lead actors.

What I have found, especially for books that I read when I was younger, is that a good adaptation can drive home the central point of a novel more effectively. In addition to Shawshank, the movie version of The Cider House Rules did that really well.

But mostly, movies are adapted because millions more people will sit down and watch a two-hour movie than will ever pick up the book.

 

[Gally]

Invariably, you end up disappointed because they left something out

I realized this when I watched The Client. It was the first of the Grisham books that I read before the movie and for the first half of the movie all I was doing was comparing them and it ruined the movie. Once I made myself forget about the book and just took the movie as a movie it was much better.

Because of this I just don't read anymore. I am waiting for the movie.....hahahhaaa

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

Invariably, you end up disappointed because they left something out

I realized this when I watched The Client. It was the first of the Grisham books that I read before the movie and for the first half of the movie all I was doing was comparing them and it ruined the movie. Once I made myself forget about the book and just took the movie as a movie it was much better.

Because of this I just don't read anymore. I am waiting for the movie.....hahahhaaa

There's a Jim Gaffigan line about how people always say the book was better, and he responds, "You know what I liked about the movie? It was shorter."

 

[Zow]

Something I realized a few years back: Movie adaptations of books weren't made for people who already read the book. Invariably, you end up disappointed because they left something out -- it is impossible to adapt a 300-page novel into a two-hour movie -- or the movie destroys the mental image you already had of the story and its characters. Try reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest now, and even with the multiple references to McMurphy's curly red hair, you're still picturing Nicholson.

The ones that have been successful are exceptions that prove the rule: Shawshank was a 150-page novella. The LOTR trilogy was told across three movies (and even then, I found myself annoyed that they left out the final confrontation with Saruman in the Shire). Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining and Misery all benefitted from lights-out performances by the lead actors.

What I have found, especially for books that I read when I was younger, is that a good adaptation can drive home the central point of a novel more effectively. In addition to Shawshank, the movie version of The Cider House Rules did that really well.

But mostly, movies are adapted because millions more people will sit down and watch a two-hour movie than will ever pick up the book.

This is a good point. I've stayed away from the "It" movie just because there's no way to do an over 1k pages of a very detailed book justice. And, you know, the child orgy stuff.

 

[Eephus]

A ten episode streaming show should be better suited for adapting a novel than the typical two-hour movie. The format does bring some other challenges like ending episodes with a cliffhanger.

I started the Clooney Catch 22 during the pandemic but got bored with it. Other series like The Man in the High Castle and High Fidelity used the characters of the source material to go off in other directions.

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

Something I realized a few years back: Movie adaptations of books weren't made for people who already read the book. Invariably, you end up disappointed because they left something out -- it is impossible to adapt a 300-page novel into a two-hour movie -- or the movie destroys the mental image you already had of the story and its characters. Try reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest now, and even with the multiple references to McMurphy's curly red hair, you're still picturing Nicholson.

The ones that have been successful are exceptions that prove the rule: Shawshank was a 150-page novella. The LOTR trilogy was told across three movies (and even then, I found myself annoyed that they left out the final confrontation with Saruman in the Shire). Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining and Misery all benefitted from lights-out performances by the lead actors.

What I have found, especially for books that I read when I was younger, is that a good adaptation can drive home the central point of a novel more effectively. In addition to Shawshank, the movie version of The Cider House Rules did that really well.

But mostly, movies are adapted because millions more people will sit down and watch a two-hour movie than will ever pick up the book.

This is a good point. I've stayed away from the "It" movie just because there's no way to do an over 1k pages of a very detailed book justice. And, you know, the child orgy stuff.

Didn’t see the movie, but I heard they took that out.

Then again, King should have taken it out of the novel, too.

Speaking of King, the all-time “no #^%@#* way they could film this” scene was in Pet Sematary, when the 3 y.o. kid comes back from the dead and tells the old guy that his wife was a slut who used to let his best friend sodomize her, then closes with “She’s burning in hell. I saw her there.” Any director who even contemplated letting a child actor read those lines would get arrested

 

[kupcho1]

Trainspotting. I haven't read the book so I can't comment on the "adaptation" part, but the film slaps.

I have read the book and Danny Boyle did a fantastic job. Helps that Welsh was in on the screenplay. Also, this is exactly what I was coming to post.

And shout out to @Zow for selecting me first overall. Figured it would have been bad form to select myself.

 

[HellToupee]

The Friends of Eddie Coyle

 

[TripItUp]

Best: Silence of the Lambs or Shawshank Redemption

Most Disappointing: The Foundation

Favorite: Villeneuve's Dune

2nd Favorite: Fincher's Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

3rd Favorite; Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Most Underrated: American Psycho

Most Overrated: The Godfather

 

[simsarge]

The Great Santini and The Lords of Discipline

 

[Snotbubbles]

the first 4 seasons Game of Thrones

The best TV ever made IMO. Just an amazing stretch of entertainment.

It's a shame they didn't wait for Martin to get a little further with the source material.

 

[Snotbubbles]

I have always wanted to see The Long Walk made into a movie. Always pictured an Outsiders type ensemble cast of young actors and just let them cook. But honestly not sure how it would play on the screen today.

I've always wondered why this movie hasn't been made. This is not an obscure piece of work -- it seems to be fairly well-known at least among older readers and almost universally liked. Some indie filmmaker could do something cool with this on a small budget. It doesn't need an all-star cast or a huge FX budget.

One of my favorites.

I was disappointed with how they butchered The Running Man. If they would have stuck to the source material, it would have been so much better.

 

[Snotbubbles]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan on it since this is my favorite King stuff. Imagine trying to do the Harry Potter series in an hour and 45 minutes. Hard pass.

 

[Eephus]

Most Overrated: The Godfather

It's been a very long time since I read Puzo's book but the movie took his soapy potboiler and elevated it to enduring American mythology.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan on it since this is my favorite King stuff. Imagine trying to do the Harry Potter series in an hour and 45 minutes. Hard pass.

Sounds like there is going to be a series or something by Mike Flanagan, hopefully it’s good

 

[Snotbubbles]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan on it since this is my favorite King stuff. Imagine trying to do the Harry Potter series in an hour and 45 minutes. Hard pass.

Sounds like there is going to be a series or something by Mike Flanagan, hopefully it’s good

I always pictured Roland as a young Clint Eastwood.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Another great adaptation that exceeds the printed page.
LINK - This small novella.
Was turned into this masterpiece movie.
LINK

 

[Dan Lambskin]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan on it since this is my favorite King stuff. Imagine trying to do the Harry Potter series in an hour and 45 minutes. Hard pass.

Sounds like there is going to be a series or something by Mike Flanagan, hopefully it’s good

I always pictured Roland as a young Clint Eastwood.

Pretty sure everyone did. Did he put that description out there or did everyone just come to that conclusion?

 

[Snotbubbles]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan on it since this is my favorite King stuff. Imagine trying to do the Harry Potter series in an hour and 45 minutes. Hard pass.

Sounds like there is going to be a series or something by Mike Flanagan, hopefully it’s good

I always pictured Roland as a young Clint Eastwood.

Pretty sure everyone did. Did he put that description out there or did everyone just come to that conclusion?

I want to say in the Dark Tower book there were pictures, though it's probably been 20 years since I picked up a book. I've listened to this story on audiobooks quite a few times now.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan on it since this is my favorite King stuff. Imagine trying to do the Harry Potter series in an hour and 45 minutes. Hard pass.

Sounds like there is going to be a series or something by Mike Flanagan, hopefully it’s good

I always pictured Roland as a young Clint Eastwood.

Pretty sure everyone did. Did he put that description out there or did everyone just come to that conclusion?

I want to say in the Dark Tower book there were pictures, though it's probably been 20 years since I picked up a book. I've listened to this story on audiobooks quite a few times now.

Yeah I believe there are renderings. I still have the books, never did read Wind Through the Keyhole

Started the comic series too but never finished it. I should look for that online. Going to the comic store was just too weird of an experience

 

[shuke]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan on it since this is my favorite King stuff. Imagine trying to do the Harry Potter series in an hour and 45 minutes. Hard pass.

Sounds like there is going to be a series or something by Mike Flanagan, hopefully it’s good

I always pictured Roland as a young Clint Eastwood.

Pretty sure everyone did. Did he put that description out there or did everyone just come to that conclusion?

I think there were pictures of a tall man in a hat, and your mind probably immediately associated with Clint from his westerns.

 

[turnjose7]

A good idea for a companion thread would be "All-Time Worst Book-to-Movie Adaptations Other than Cloud Atlas."

The Dark Tower

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan on it since this is my favorite King stuff. Imagine trying to do the Harry Potter series in an hour and 45 minutes. Hard pass.

Sounds like there is going to be a series or something by Mike Flanagan, hopefully it’s good

I always pictured Roland as a young Clint Eastwood.

Pretty sure everyone did. Did he put that description out there or did everyone just come to that conclusion?

Stephen King has said that Roland was inspired by the Man With No Name which is probably why many picture him as Clint Eastwood. However, in the most specific description of Roland's appearance, from Song of Susannah, Roland is actually described as looking like Stephen King. Which to me was maybe the single most jarring moment in the series (which is saying something because while it is a fantastic series, there are a ton of moments that make you ask WTF was he thinking).

Anyway, I think this is a pretty good rendition of how the character could blend some of King's characteristics with the cowboy most of us picture: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/darktower/images/b/bf/Roland.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110328220830

 

[gianmarco]

The Cat in the Hat

Incredible job with the challenge of fitting all the material in just under 1.5 hours while keeping true to the book.

 

[Joe Schmo]

This is from the Mist movie:

https://imgur.com/a/ZZMWXIA/

I didnt read the books so this was my introduction to Roland.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

The Cat in the Hat

Incredible job with the challenge of fitting all the material in just under 1.5 hours while keeping true to the book.

Well said.

Along those lines, I really want someone like Disney to create a new classic rendition of Curious George. I am especially excited to see what actor gets chosen for the plum part of The Man In The Yellow Hat.

 

[The Future Champs]

Lots of good nominations in this thread; I'd like to add "A Clockwork Orange", which was a fabulous short novel that really didn't need any significant cuts to turn into a movie script.

 

[Eephus]

Along those lines, I really want someone like Disney to create a new classic rendition of Curious George. I am especially excited to see what actor gets chosen for the plum part of The Man In The Yellow Hat.

Casting call for all actors with extremely elongated heads

 

[Eephus]

Legends of the Fall is another novella that translated well to the screen.

 

[shuke]

Lots of good nominations in this thread; I'd like to add "A Clockwork Orange", which was a fabulous short novel that really didn't need any significant cuts to turn into a movie script.

Kubrick cut the entire ending of the book out. But I still love the movie.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I actually read American Psycho a few months ago -- I've seen the movie a decent number of times of course, but I had never read the book. It was much better, much funnier, but also much more violent than I had expected. I highly recommend it if you like the movie. It's especially fun to read it while putting yourself in the shoes of a Hollywood executive in the late 90s and trying to imagine how to turn this into a screenplay. I mean, Mary Harron absolutely nailed it, but it was a heavy lift.

 

[guru_007]

Lots of good nominations in this thread; I'd like to add "A Clockwork Orange", which was a fabulous short novel that really didn't need any significant cuts to turn into a movie script.

Kubrick cut the entire ending of the book out. But I still love the movie.

Well, this is not entirely true as there are two versions of the book. I'm pretty sure Burgess gave a full blessing to the movie version.
Anything Kubrick does, he does with extreme attention to detail.

 

[shuke]

Lots of good nominations in this thread; I'd like to add "A Clockwork Orange", which was a fabulous short novel that really didn't need any significant cuts to turn into a movie script.

Kubrick cut the entire ending of the book out. But I still love the movie.

Well, this is not entirely true as there are two versions of the book. I'm pretty sure Burgess gave a full blessing to the movie version.
Anything Kubrick does, he does with extreme attention to detail.

Fair enough, but the US version of the book removed the final chapter, so I'd say the full version is the original.

As for your second sentence, I'm sure Stephen King would like a word.

Regardless, I love Kubrick and the adaptations.

 

[The Future Champs]

Lots of good nominations in this thread; I'd like to add "A Clockwork Orange", which was a fabulous short novel that really didn't need any significant cuts to turn into a movie script.

Kubrick cut the entire ending of the book out. But I still love the movie.

Only just learned this yesterday, after reading the wiki on it. I must have read the American version.