Books that were made into movies, for better or worse (Dreamworks, animation)
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The books were really good. I find the irony and sarcasm brilliant. Despite Jim Carrey being perfect for the villain's role, the movie was really disappointing. I can't understand what went wrong.
I hated the ending of The Shining movie. First Dick (Scatman) gets axed (he lived in the book) and that whole maze thing was awful compared to the book ending with the topiary going amok.
While King's short stories have made great films, none of his novels have, IMO. Even Misery, where there was a part of the book that was absolutely horrifying got watered down in the 'clubbing' sequence.
I don't know who owns the rights to Carl Hiaasen's work, but I do hope they do a better job than the toad who made Strip Tease. Ruined that one. Thankfully Elmore Leonard has fared better with Bandits, Get Shorty, Mr. Majestyk.
My first thought when seeing this question is The Great Santini, Robert Duval's Colonel and father far surpassed what I imagined.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BeerGeek40
Charlie Wilson's War
Please comment if it's worth my time to rent these movies.
As opposed to watching back to back NCIS reruns, sure it is worth it. It is better than James Bond, The Living Daylights when you start to think about current world politics.
The Hobbit would have been a bit better if they left the characters that weren't in it out of it. Tauriel was a good addition, though, even if she wasn't in the book.
There's a term in the movie industry that escapes me now....it has to do with keeping jet airplanes out of the scene where dinosaurs are roaming....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
Could the term you are thinking of be "continuity"? There is a continuity director who is supposed to make sure glasses are filled correctly for each scene, cigarettes are not out, relit, out again, etc
JAWS. One of the greatest American movies ever made. The books is actually pretty bad. By the end of the movie, I was cheering. By the end of the book, I wanted the shark to win.
THE GODFATHER. Perhaps the greatest American movie ever made. The book is … meh.
FORREST GUMP. The movie is okay. I don’t see it as the classic many people do. But the book was downright terrible.
BLADE RUNNER. My favorite movie. The novella was a boring, meandering, confusing mess.
PSYCHO. The book is actually really good on this one. But the movie is an undisputed masterpiece.
STAND BY ME. Again, not a bad novella. I liked it. But the movie improved on it and is now seen (rightly so) as a classic.
JURASSIC PARK. Book is okay. Movie is great.
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL. One of the best movies of the 1990s. One of the best crime movies ever made. Some people think James Ellroy is a great writer. I am not one of them.
JACKIE BROWN. Book ain’t half-bad. The movie is great. Another classic from the 1990s.
CASINO ROYALE. The best Bond film. I have never been able to get into the Bond novels.
2010: The Year We Make Contact. Peter Hyams took Clarke’s lackluster sequel to an over-rated book and turned it into a great science fiction adventure.
APOCALYPSE NOW. It’s better than Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. At least the theatrical cut is. APOCALYPSE NOW is one of the few movies where the Director’s Cut actually ruins the movie.
MINORITY REPORT. Great science fiction action romp. The book … I don’t know what that was.
THE SECRET OR ROAN INISH. The book is a charming little story. The movie is a beautiful classic.
This list could probably be pages long, but these were the first that leaped to my mind.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Good movies. Classic books.
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. Probably the greatest American novel of the past twenty years. The movie was good but failed to capture some of the deeper points of the book.
GAME OF THRONES. I enjoy the TV show. There are parts where I think they improved on the books. But all in all the books are better in terms of character depth and grand scope.
WATERSHIP DOWN. The movie gets an A for effort, a C for execution. The book is a classic.
THE GIRL IN A SWING. The book is really good, if really disturbing. The movie is boring.
TRUE GRIT. I like both movies quite a lot. But the book is better.
Nearly every movie based on a Stephen King story. Nine times out of ten the book was superior.
DRACULA. One of the greatest horror stories ever written. It’s been in print for over a hundred years. It has been interpreted for film and TV dozens of times. Not a single attempt to actually film the book.
HARRY POTTER. The movies were fun. The books are great.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. I love the movie. It’s actually very faithful to the book in most respects. But there is a lot more in the book that never made it to the screen, or it would have been a 6 hour movie.
This list could probably be pages long, but these were the first that leaped to my mind.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Good movies. Classic books.
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. Probably the greatest American novel of the past twenty years. The movie was good but failed to capture some of the deeper points of the book.
GAME OF THRONES. I enjoy the TV show. There are parts where I think they improved on the books. But all in all the books are better in terms of character depth and grand scope.
WATERSHIP DOWN. The movie gets an A for effort, a C for execution. The book is a classic.
THE GIRL IN A SWING. The book is really good, if really disturbing. The movie is boring.
TRUE GRIT. I like both movies quite a lot. But the book is better.
Nearly every movie based on a Stephen King story. Nine times out of ten the book was superior.
DRACULA. One of the greatest horror stories ever written. It’s been in print for over a hundred years. It has been interpreted for film and TV dozens of times. Not a single attempt to actually film the book.
HARRY POTTER. The movies were fun. The books are great.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. I love the movie. It’s actually very faithful to the book in most respects. But there is a lot more in the book that never made it to the screen, or it would have been a 6 hour movie.
THE OUTSIDERS. Ditto.
I can't believe you left the book/movie Beaches off your list. Just kidding
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