What is the best adaptation of a book to a movie?

[hazelk]

Mystic River was very good.

-- Thu May 23, 2013 6:51 am --

Mystic River

[Bighuey]

Altho not that great of a movie, The Great Gatsby was almost word for word to the book. Maybe thats why it wasnt that good. The book was good, but some things that make a great book dont come across very well in a movie. Lord of the Rings was like that, one of the greatest books ever written, but if they made the movie exactly like the book I think it would be a long and boring bomb.

[AliceRose]

To Kill a Mockingbird was a fantastic adaptation. A lot of people may disagree, but I think the Lord of the Rings was one of the better ones. It cut out a lot of the bits that weren't incredibly relevant to the main plotline so it never dragged or felt boring. In fact, I think I enjoyed the movie better than the books!

[DATo]

To Kill a Mockingbird was a fantastic adaptation. A lot of people may disagree, but I think the Lord of the Rings was one of the better ones. It cut out a lot of the bits that weren't incredibly relevant to the main plotline so it never dragged or felt boring. In fact, I think I enjoyed the movie better than the books!

Hi AliceRose,

I agree with you on both counts. Though Mockingbird left out some things that were in the book I still thought the film was the best of any book-to-film adaptation that I have ever seen. Also, I totally agree with you that much of what Peter Jackson left out of Lord Of The Rings was not necessary to the fundamental story. I mentioned in another thread that in the book the Hobbits had another battle waiting for them when they returned to the Shire but after the epic battle at Minas Tirith any new battle scenes would have been quite anti-climactic. I liked the way the last movie - Return Of The King - ended very much. Every time you thought it was over Jackson put in just a little bit more. Personally I don't think Jackson wanted the movie to end *LOL*. Now maybe you'll think I'm nuts but I actually LOVED watching the CREDITS at the end with those artist renderings of the characters against the backdrop of the song Into The West sung by Annie Lennox. And how appropriate that the last thing we see in those credits - the last "character" - was The Ring. I thought that was poetic beyond words. A character, and perhaps a veiled moral to the story as well.

This may take you back .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIu2RddZHvk (watch full screen).

[missg]

By far I would have to say "The Great Gatsby" the new 2013 version with Leonardo DiCaprio this was his best film yet!!!

[BooksNJoy]

One of my favorite adaptation is "the tomb of Ligeia" from the short story by Allan Poe.

[AliceRose]

To Kill a Mockingbird was a fantastic adaptation. A lot of people may disagree, but I think the Lord of the Rings was one of the better ones. It cut out a lot of the bits that weren't incredibly relevant to the main plotline so it never dragged or felt boring. In fact, I think I enjoyed the movie better than the books!

Hi AliceRose,

I agree with you on both counts. Though Mockingbird left out some things that were in the book I still thought the film was the best of any book-to-film adaptation that I have ever seen. Also, I totally agree with you that much of what Peter Jackson left out of Lord Of The Rings was not necessary to the fundamental story. I mentioned in another thread that in the book the Hobbits had another battle waiting for them when they returned to the Shire but after the epic battle at Minas Tirith any new battle scenes would have been quite anti-climactic. I liked the way the last movie - Return Of The King - ended very much. Every time you thought it was over Jackson put in just a little bit more. Personally I don't think Jackson wanted the movie to end *LOL*. Now maybe you'll think I'm nuts but I actually LOVED watching the CREDITS at the end with those artist renderings of the characters against the backdrop of the song Into The West sung by Annie Lennox. And how appropriate that the last thing we see in those credits - the last "character" - was The Ring. I thought that was poetic beyond words. A character, and perhaps a veiled moral to the story as well.

This may take you back .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIu2RddZHvk (watch full screen).

I agree absolutely! I know there were a lot of Tolkien fans who were disappointed with the movies, but I honestly think if Peter Jackson had included every single song from the books I just wouldn't have been able to stay interested! Characters such as Tom Bombadil, for instance, while enjoyable to read about, didn't really contribute anything necessary to the main plot, so I can understand why they were left out.

I love Into the West, such a beautiful song. I have the Lord of the Rings extended edition DVDs, and I always feel really sad when the movies end and that song starts! I have never noticed the Ring at the end, though - I'll have to keep an eye next time I watch.

[Gannon]

I would have to say "Mockingbird" as well. "Bladerunner" and "Fight Club" are two brilliant adaptions as well.

[Bighuey]

One good adaptation was the 1954 version of Robinson Crusoe with Dan O'Herlihy. It was fairly faithful to the book and O'Herlihy was perfect for the part.

[MandiKenendy]

Normally I don't enjoy a film as much but there are a few I actually preferred:
The Talented Mr Ripley
Fight Club
Brokeback Mountain.

I also thought that the Green Mile was a brilliant adaptation and very close to the book. Also the first series of Game of Thrones which is practically word for word in some bits.

[AmandaT]

I really enjoyed the adaptation of "Memoirs of a Geisha." I thought it was very close to the book and captured the emotion of the story well.
I also agree that the BBC Pride and Prejudice was a very good adaptation, as was the old BBC adaptation of Jane Eyre starring Timothy Dalton.

[1_bookfan]

I really LOVED the adaptation of "The Notebook." It was really close I think to the book there were a few differences here and there but so far from the books that I have read that have been turned into movies I think that Is the one I liked the most.

[SmileyC]

I actually found the films of the Lord of the Films easier to watch than I did the book to read. I found that the books were too heavy on description and got a little dull in places. I found the films much more emotional and a lot more entertaining.

[deathsacademy]

To Kill a Mockingbird was a fantastic adaptation. A lot of people may disagree, but I think the Lord of the Rings was one of the better ones. It cut out a lot of the bits that weren't incredibly relevant to the main plotline so it never dragged or felt boring. In fact, I think I enjoyed the movie better than the books!

Hi AliceRose,

I agree with you on both counts. Though Mockingbird left out some things that were in the book I still thought the film was the best of any book-to-film adaptation that I have ever seen. Also, I totally agree with you that much of what Peter Jackson left out of Lord Of The Rings was not necessary to the fundamental story. I mentioned in another thread that in the book the Hobbits had another battle waiting for them when they returned to the Shire but after the epic battle at Minas Tirith any new battle scenes would have been quite anti-climactic. I liked the way the last movie - Return Of The King - ended very much. Every time you thought it was over Jackson put in just a little bit more. Personally I don't think Jackson wanted the movie to end *LOL*. Now maybe you'll think I'm nuts but I actually LOVED watching the CREDITS at the end with those artist renderings of the characters against the backdrop of the song Into The West sung by Annie Lennox. And how appropriate that the last thing we see in those credits - the last "character" - was The Ring. I thought that was poetic beyond words. A character, and perhaps a veiled moral to the story as well.

This may take you back .....

I agree absolutely! I know there were a lot of Tolkien fans who were disappointed with the movies, but I honestly think if Peter Jackson had included every single song from the books I just wouldn't have been able to stay interested! Characters such as Tom Bombadil, for instance, while enjoyable to read about, didn't really contribute anything necessary to the main plot, so I can understand why they were left out.

I love Into the West, such a beautiful song. I have the Lord of the Rings extended edition DVDs, and I always feel really sad when the movies end and that song starts! I have never noticed the Ring at the end, though - I'll have to keep an eye next time I watch.

You guys already stole my favorite two movie adaptations I was going to mention with LOTR and To Kill a Mockingbird, exceptional movies all of them.
However I must also say that I was pleasantly surprised with Perks of Being a Wallflower. I thought the acting was superb and the storyline captured the overall theme of the book. Also I recently saw the movie Flipped after reading the book. It wasn't earth shatteringly great, but it was well done and I felt like it was a great version of the story.

[Loveabull]

"Gone With the Wind"