I am on the fence about this. Sometimes they do an amazing job at least in my opinion, and sometimes they destroy the story.
I have a favorite romance book, and several years ago when I had returned to the States I discovered that it had been made into a movie, I hunted it down and eagerly watched it. Much to my horror the only thing that was the same was the beginning, the names of the characters and where they moved to. From that point on the story was nothing like the book, granted the name had been changed and it said that it was based on this book, however I was so let down.
On the other hand I loved the book Carolina Moon by Nora Roberts and was so happy with the way that movie turned out. It was exactly as I had imagined it to be.
I have since been rather wary about watching movies that have come from books, however I do have to say that Hollywood has gotten better about making the movies as much like the book as possible.
How about you? Is there a book that was made into a movie that disappointed you, or made you happy with the way it turned out? Leave a post telling us about it and be entered to win 1 of 4 $20 gift certificates to Borders.
Books Made Into Movies I enjoyed – Pride and Prejudice (both the 1995 and 2005 versions), Little Women (1994 version), Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potter (1,2 and 6 are the best so far), The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.
one recent movie i did NOT like was the 2007 version of Mansfield Park. OMG totally miscast and just ruined the entire thing. Fanny does NOT run around and have her hair down all the time.
Do you have a favorite book that was made into a movie?
Nora Roberts all these books were make into movies.
Blue Smoke
Carolina Moon
Montana Sky
Angel Falls
I was happy with the way thy turned out.
I was seriously disappointed in Twilight but I really enjoyed the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorite movies.
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me. A movie that disappointed me was the Tenth Circle on Lifetime.
lizzi0915 at aol dot com
Technically, I saw The Hours before reading the book, but I fell in love with the movie and of course had to see what the book was like. Turns out the book was awful. Badly written and just terrible. The Hours remains my favorite movie. I think that might be the only example of a movie made from a book that I like better than the book.
amandagignac[at]gmail[dot]com
A wonderfuly giveaway, please enter me! (When does it end?)
I actually overall enjoyed the movie Pride & Prejudice with Kiera Knightley, but thought Kiera Knightly wasn't perfect for her role. And the actor who portrayed Mr Darcy should've been a teensy bit more handsome, or more virile.. he lacked appeal for me.
marieburton2004 at yahoo dot com
I adored Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women (along with the two sequels) growing up, and when I saw the movie with Katherine Hepburn it made me want to re-read the novel again, it was a great movie. The one with Winona Ryder was okay, but the Hepburn could never be beat.
Most of the time, I am also wary if I hear of a book being made into a movie, but I honestly can't think of one that was truly a flop. Although, I have always heard the saying "the book was better".. multiple times.
I loved Pride and Prejudice as well, but the BBC version. I also loved Lonesome Dove.
One big disappointment was The Golden Compass – I had such high hopes.
Thanks for the giveaway!
ang_vaughan [at] yahoo [dot] com
I was happy with how the Lord of the Rings trilogy turned out.
One that disappointed me was Memoirs of a Geisha.
-Rylie
bcanyon at hotmail dot com
I was also disappointing in Twilight!! They really didn't do a good job showing all the love and passion that the book has. To me it turned out to be just another vampire movie. I hope New Moon is better.
I loved the movie version of The Namesake. I thought it was so well done.
I'm kind of a book snob, so I really get bugged about movies done wrong. I could go on and on with a list I don't love, so I won't
Thanks for the giveaway.
s.mickelson at gmail dot com
I'm another LotR fan, I love adding in little facts about a scene that I remembered from the book to my husband.
One that I thought was god awful was Beowulf.
Curious about Twilight, though the guy they got to play Edward looks.. diseased or something, and not in the "I'm a Vampire" way either.
Have a good one!
(lpmccann (at) gmail.com)
I have to agree that Pride and Prejudice, both versions, were very well done. Emma was also very well done.
My father in law is a LotR nut, so when he was happy with movies we all were.
I teach literature so I was supper excited about Beowulf and re-read the story. I thought that they did a great job with the latest version (Ray Winston as Beowulf). When Grendels mother spoke in olde english my husband told me that I was probably the only person in the theatre to excited about that, and it's accuracy.
I think all the Harry Potter movies were pretty close to the book and that made me happy. Unhappy? Hmmm, can't think of any except to agree with Rylie about Memoirs of a Geisha…I loved the book so much but not the movie
I must say that Forrest Gump seemed like a much better movie to me then the book, as did Under the Tuscan Sun. Usually books are better then movies, but those are two exceptions in my mind. I have enjoyed all the Harry Potter movies and the Lord of the Ring movies as well.
marielay@gmail.com
The Time Travelers Wife!
and
Twilight!
holly.kay.lee(at)gmail.com
Really liked how Last of the Mohican's movie turned out.
caity_mack(at)yahoo(dot)com
I really like books that are based on movies because I see them as different things. Sometimes the movie is better…sometimes the book is better.
Like the Harry Potter books. they are fun to watch and I don't mind the differences and if I do, it's not a huge deal. I'll alwaysss love the book better.
-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com
Eragon was absolutely the worst movie from a book I have ever seen! It's like they didn't even read it. Makes me mad just thinking about it!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
holdenj my son would agree with you on that. However he loves both stories.
Well I actually saw the movies before reading the books, but I LOVED The notebook and The time traveler's wife. I cry in both movies!
I really liked Julie & Julia (even more than the book, but that could be because I saw the movie first).
I love the original Willy Wonka movie, I thought it did a great job of incorporating the magical feel of the book, but can't stand the remake with Johnny Depp.
akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com
The only enjoyable movie that comes to mind is The Notebook, which I saw before reading the book. Any other movies just tend to disappoint because there are always parts that I loved that are never portrayed quite the way I imagined them!!
I am another one for team Lord Of The Rings. Simply breathtaking!
lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com
I liked Forrest Gump more than the book.
I also liked the movie version of the Notebook.
Otherwise I usually like the book better.
runningmatey at hotmail dot com
I really liked the way Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter books turned out. The last Pride and Prejudice was good too.
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Usually I am not happy with movie versions but an exception would be Pride and Prejudice. I love the BBC version starring Colin Firth. I thought it was excellent.
cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
I was not happy with PS I Love You the movie–the characters in the book had more depth and real emotion.
On the other hand, I enjoyed the movie version of Julie & Julia better than the book! The book had a much more negative tone to it, but the movie left me feeling lighter. Plus,I enjoyed the fact that the movie was able to give more history of Julia.
*smiles*
Kim
Ooooo … Pride and Prejudice was awesome, Keira Knightly and all. It is one of my favorite book to movie adaptations of all times. That and Charlotte's Web.
tehashley(at)yahoo(dot)com
I actually think the movie of Stardust (a book by Neil Gaiman ) was better then the book. I know thats rare but I feel that the movie took just the right parts from the book while the book drudged on a little. Honorable mention goes to The Notebook which was pretty good though it didnt capture the true beauty of the book it was still very touching and sweet.
As for movies that were not as good as the book there are tons. The Other Boleyn Girl, Memoirs of a Geisha, Wuthering Heights and Twilight all come to mind.
I loved Northern Lights by Nora Roberts which was made into a Lifetime movie in April.
I hated Rosehill which was based on Julie Garwood's For the Roses.
Well, i enjoyed how well the Night Watch was turned into movie!
acrisalves AT gmail DOT com
Randi, that was the book that I was talking about in the blog. In fact I refuse to even acknowledge the movie.
The one movie that's better than its book for me is Silence of the Lambs. I also really like Ghost World and thing it's the best comic adaptation ever made. I also love Carol Reed's The Third Man, based on the Graham Greene novel.
I preferred the movie "About Scmidt" with Jack Nicholson to the book. I thought the book dragged in spots and was tedious and boring in others. The movie was funny, smart, sad, pathetic and so much more!
I though the movie The Great Santini and the book were both great. The movie was almost exactly the book. That's pretty rare!
I was very disappointed by the movie version of the Constant Gardener. There were significant changes in the movie that really changed it. And still the book was better!
Aimala02@yahoo.com
I liked the Blood and Chocolate movie seperate from the book but when I was reading the book it was so easy to see it as a movie…I really wish they'd would make a movie that stuck with the book.
book.splotATgmailDOTcom