The book was so good, let’s make it a movie!
I’ve been following one of my chapter member’s recent success with her book being turned into a movie. If you haven’t heard about Jane Porter’s book Flirting with Forty, the movie version is in filming right now (Heather Locklear!) in Hawaii! More details on that can be found here.
It got me to thinking about the conversion of books to movies. Some of them are done okay. Some of them are terrible. And some are outstanding! In most instances I’ve rarely read the book that gets transformed into a movie (though I did read Flirting with Forty and LOVED it!). Jane’s said upfront the movie will be different from the book (which I’m guessing tends to be the case). So it’s all good, I’m expecting it. And I think she says it’s going to be a Holiday movie.
I know one of my favorite movies that once was a book, was Bridget Jones Diary. I saw the movie first, loved it, and when I went to pick up the book couldn’t get into it. Odd, I know.
I saw The Princess Diaries before I read the book(s), but loved the books when I picked them up later.
I read Message in a Bottle and hated it so much (wall banger, never kill my hero damn it) that I refused to see the movie. The Da Vinci Code, I loved the book, hated the movie.
So how about you? What movie do you love that started its life as a book?
April 14th, 2008 at 1:37 am
Jurassic Park and Lost World, I read them before I saw the movies. Let me just say as miraculous as Stephen Spielberg is, there is no way you can include all the cool stuff in those books in a movie.
I’m sure there are more but I’m tired and I’ll have to think about it. Hmmm
April 14th, 2008 at 1:44 am
Hi Dana! Oh you’re so right on that one! I actually DID read Jurassic Park first (it was so long ago, back in 9th grade English for a book report!). The movie was FANTASTIC!
April 14th, 2008 at 9:00 am
I felt the same way about the Princess Diaries. I loved both the book and the movie, even though they were so different.
My all time favorite book to movie, would have to be the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I am such a fantasy nerd!
Anna
April 14th, 2008 at 10:57 am
The Color Purple and Beloved.
April 14th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Anna, I never read the series (yes, bad me!) or Harry Potter! Am I in trouble for admitting that?
I loved the movies though.
April 14th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Emma, never seen or read them. Yes, I know that is bad of me.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Hmm well a book that I loved (The Firm) turned into a for crap movie (OMG don’t get me started on the ending). I felt the same way you did about Bridget J. In fact I tried to read the book first, hated it and quit and then didn’t want to see the movie cos of the book.
But I finally caved and I’m glad I did. I love that movie!
April 14th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Shelli - you have never seen The Color Purple?
Beloved I can understand because it was brutal. Seriously. So NOT a date movie.
With my mother’s permission I read The Color Purple when I was 14. I will never forget the first page. Ms. Walker let you know from the beginning what you were in for and dared you to take it.
You better not tell nobody but God. It’d kill your mammy.
Dear God,
I am fourteen years old. I am I have always been a good girl. Maybe you can give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me.
Last spring after little Lucious come I heard them fussing. He was pulling on her arm. She say It too soon, Fonso, I ain’t well. Finally he leave her alone. A week go by, he pulling on her arm again. She say Naw, I ain’t gonna. Can’t you see I’m already half dead. an all of these children.
She went to visit her sister doctor over Macon. Left me to see after the others. He never had a kine word to say to me. Just say You gonna do what your mammy wouldn’t.
I forgot one more of my favorites, Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.
April 14th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
The Hunt for Red October. I read the book first and it was outstanding. The movie was pretty darn good, too, except for the casting of Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:58 am
Ooh. Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy in the BBC “Pride and Prejudice” just rocked my world. He’s the reason I started reading Austen!
April 15th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Another vote for Lord Of The Rings.
That movie so rocked!
April 15th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Kate, I still need to see that one! I love Colin Firth! But I have yet to see that version. :)
Rob, good taste!
April 18th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Colin Firth simply smolders as Darcy. I keep trying to describe it to my students, but I don’t feel comfortable squealing “great eye sex!” in my teacher mode.