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"The Firm"; the movie adaptation zinged a long way too fast and didn't even seem to be any where near as suspenseful as the book; I thought I was watching something more of a satire than I was a suspense/thriller.
The best movie that was as good as the book.."The lion, the Witch, and the wardrobe". Fantastic adaptation!
The absolute worst movie based on a book.."Phantoms" By Dean Koontz. The book was outstanding and scary as hell, the movie proved that Jesus died in vain..
My favorite author, John Irving, has a mixed bag when it comes to film adaptations of his books. The World According To Garp was pretty good, not as good as the book. The Hotel New Hampshire was terrible. The Cider House Rules is probably the best of the lot, being as how Irving wrote the screenplay himself, although obviously he had to leave a lot out or else it would be a 6 hour movie. I've never seen The Door On The Floor, and I refuse to see Simon Birch (based on A Prayer for Owen Meany) out of sheer principle. There is simply no way that any movie could do that book justice.
Another book which seems to be unfilmable is the graphic novel Watchmen. I thought the movie was okay considering how much they had to leave out (again, it would be a 6 hour movie) and the fact that it was directed by Zach Snyder. Who never should have been allowed anywhere near Superman or Batman.
I've never read the book, but I absolutely loved Simon Birch! Maybe it will live up to your expectations.
"To Kill a Mockingbird"--the movie was great, it's only failing is that it could not contain all that the book contained. It would be great if done as a Netflix miniseries...with the same cast. The book was sublime. There were sentences I'd stop and re-read just because they were such a pleasure to read.
"Bladerunner"--the book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" was fascinating, but requires a Philip K Dick aficionado to appreciate. The movie wasn't quite the same story...but it was a story Dick might have written, as long as Deckard is known to actually be human. If Deckard is not human, it's not Dick's story. Both were good, but in different ways.
"Hunt for Red October"--the movie was much more tightly paced. The book was bloated, although enjoyable to military lore aficionados.
Last edited by Ralph_Kirk; 07-12-2017 at 11:15 AM..
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.
Yup.
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THE GODFATHER. Perhaps the greatest American movie ever made. The book is … meh.
Yup.
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FORREST GUMP. The movie is okay. I don’t see it as the classic many people do. But the book was downright terrible.
Yup
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BLADE RUNNER. My favorite movie. The novella was a boring, meandering, confusing mess.
Gotta like Dick to like the book. The movie was mostly a different story, but was one Dick might have written as long as Deckard is human.
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PSYCHO. The book is actually really good on this one. But the movie is an undisputed masterpiece.
Yep
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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.
Yup
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JURASSIC PARK. Book is okay. Movie is great.
Yup
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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.
Yup
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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.
Yup
And yep.
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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.
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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.
Yup. But include "Bladerunner" as an example of the director's cut ruining the movie.
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MINORITY REPORT. Great science fiction action romp. The book … I don’t know what that was.
Gotta like Dick to like the book. Interesting how many Dick stories have been turned into movies. How does his rate compare to Stephen King's?
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THE SECRET OR ROAN INISH. The book is a charming little story. The movie is a beautiful classic.
The movie was mostly a different story, but was one Dick might have written as long as Deckard is human.
P.K. Dick was a fantastic idea man and did a lot to revolutionize science fiction away from astronauts square-jawed space adventurers. But I have just never been able to get in to his prose. I find it turgid and his characters completely unsympathetic. But you're right: Many of his stories have been turned in to good or even great movies.
And yes, Deckard is a human. Ridley Scott's continued attempt to retcon that otherwise are brainless gimmickry.
The Cider House Rules is probably the best of the lot, being as how Irving wrote the screenplay himself, although obviously he had to leave a lot out or else it would be a 6 hour movie.
I absolutely adored the book, it's one of the most heartwarming and bittersweet novels I've ever read, the story is such a homerun in terms of the showcase of humanity - both the good and the bad sides to it, and I absolutely adored how well-rounded the main characters are, especially the doctor and Homer.
However I was really not ok with how many characters were cut for the film. Melony had such significant impact on Homer, but she was nowhere to be seen. I turned the movie off after I realised that she was merged with that other girl from the orphanage.
I genuinely think that it would be far more well-suited for a mini-series. The things I love the most about this novel is the details; a film just can't do it justice.
Back to topic, I'm usually disappointed by the film adaptations of books I like, but I would say that Gone with the Wind is pretty successful. I wish it didn't leave out some of the characters, but Vivien Leigh as Scarlett more than made up to it.
I'm also a huge fan of Harry Potter, and given the size of the books I think the movies are decent enough. I enjoyed the cast for the most part, at least.
I can't really digest any of the Anna Karenina adaptations because they all focus on Anna way too much and I prefer Levin.
P.K. Dick was a fantastic idea man and did a lot to revolutionize science fiction away from astronauts square-jawed space adventurers. But I have just never been able to get in to his prose. I find it turgid and his characters completely unsympathetic. But you're right: Many of his stories have been turned in to good or even great movies.
And yes, Deckard is a human. Ridley Scott's continued attempt to retcon that otherwise are brainless gimmickry.
I've never read the book, but I absolutely loved Simon Birch! Maybe it will live up to your expectations.
Please read the book one day.
When you do you will see that no movie can do it justice.
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