Great books that failed as Movies

[Swatguy]

I'm not a great reader of books (I stay in the word and the net mostly) but I am fortunate to have a scribe in the family that reads ferociously. He often pushes to me what he believes I would enjoy and sometimes I read it. It comes to mind, the title of this thread.

Often times I have read a great book the movie makers ruin in their transitions.

So number one failure in recent memory is "Blindside". I resisted to watch the movie before I read the book and I'm glad. Trust me, FORGET THE MOVIE.

Do read the book, it is great.

[coachx]

I thought Blindside was a very good movie and others must have too since it got rave reviews. Did Sandra Bullock not win awards for her performance ?

I know Jessica Roberts is kicking herself, to this day, for turning down that part.

[Swatguy]

I thought Blindside was a very good movie and others must have too since it got rave reviews. Did Sandra Bullock not win awards for her performance ?

I know Jessica Roberts is kicking herself, to this day, for turning down that part.

The movie pales next to the book. Again, after reading the book, the movie is weak. I could tell the book but it would not give it justice from a telling. Only a fair assessment would come from someone that read and watched the story.

[lethalweapon3]

Bonfire of the Vanities (Tom Wolfe) jumps out as a classic case. For Atlanta fans out there, I think I heard somewhere recently that A Man in Full is being worked on as a film project. Hope they tread carefully.

Striptease (Carl Hiaasen) was pretty bad. Seems like Demi Moore knows how to mess up a perfectly good book (Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter).

~lw3

[capstone21]

Probably the best adapation of a book was 'Lonesome Dove' but maybe that was because it was a mini-series instead of just a movie

[AHF]

Probably the best adapation of a book was 'Lonesome Dove' but maybe that was because it was a mini-series instead of just a movie

I prefer "The Princess Bride." Excellent book and the movie is a delight.

Plenty of other good and bad translations as well. For good, some are: Fight Club, Lord of the Rings, Stand By Me, A Clockwork Orange, The Wizard of Oz, The Godfather, etc.

Terrible: The Scarlett Letter, Queen of the Damned (much worse than the bad Interview adaptation), Bonfire of the Vanities, any Asimov adaptation (Bicentenial Man, I Robot, etc.), How The Grinch Stole Christmas (live version), The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy , Hannibal, etc.

[Swatguy]

On the good side, I have the Godfather and Malcolm X. The Godfather is probably the best Read AND movie I've seen. Malcolm X was a good read but BETTER Movie.

Continuing the bad side:

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas and Trick Baby. Both were very good reads but fell far short in it's movies.

[jy23]

wait no mention of Harry Potter? lol

[niremetal]

If you want an example of how a bad book can be made into an even worse movie...Battlefield: Earth.

[frosgrim]

If you want an example of how a bad book can be made into an even worse movie...Battlefield: Earth.

That was a truly awful movie, one of the worst ever. :bad:

The Rice Vampire movies were awful as well.

[capstone21]

If you want an example of how a bad book can be made into an even worse movie...Battlefield: Earth.

I still want my money back for that waste of time...

The name is cool 'Battlefield: Earth' but that is it

[AHF]

wait no mention of Harry Potter? lol

I don't think those are terrible movies. They vary in quality and aren't oscar quality or anything, but on the whole they are solid movies - unlike the other movies in this thread.

As for L Ron Hubbard books they are definitely not my favorite science fiction, but I haven't been willing to read Battlefield: Earth.

[Swatguy]

On the good side, I have the Godfather and Malcolm X. The Godfather is probably the best Read AND movie I've seen. Malcolm X was a good read but BETTER Movie.

Continuing the bad side:

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas and Trick Baby. Both were very good reads but fell far short in it's movies.

To amplify my feelings on "the Godfather", The movie is my favorite. Every frame of the movie is special. That said, the book is much better.

[capstone21]

, Stand By Me

I wouldn't really consider Stand By Me an adaption of the Body but more of a here is the idea and here is a reinterpretation. Sorta like Bourne Identity. Great book and the idea was used for a great movie but the movie is almost a completely different stroy

[DJlaysitup]

Probably the best adapation of a book was 'Lonesome Dove' but maybe that was because it was a mini-series instead of just a movie

Agreed Cap....I think the key is the added length (time) they had to include so much of the story...plus it was very well done and had some great actors in it.

I remember reading on a similar topic where folks were complaining about "Starship Soldiers/Starship Troopers"...nearly all were very disapointed in the movie. Since I hadn't read the book I viewed the movie as a comical satire on our militaristic society - with a bunch of cool special effects (and of course some eye candy - Denise Richards in her prime).

"So...you some sort of big fat smart bug"

"Rico...I need a Seargent...you're it until you get killed or I find somebody better"

[AHF]

I wouldn't really consider Stand By Me an adaption of the Body but more of a here is the idea and here is a reinterpretation. Sorta like Bourne Identity. Great book and the idea was used for a great movie but the movie is almost a completely different stroy

That is fair, but if you are going to blast some movies for reinterpreting the source in a way that makes it worse for the wear I think you should recognize that they did an excellent spin on the Body in making Stand By Me. I'm definitely someone who enjoys Stephen King as an author but his movies rarely translate as well. We'll see if Peter Jackson takes on the Dark Tower for his next big project! :D

[dms269]

I'm not a fan of any of the John Grisham books that have been made into movies.

[Dsinner]

I prefer "The Princess Bride." Excellent book and the movie is a delight.

Plenty of other good and bad translations as well. For good, some are: Fight Club, Lord of the Rings, Stand By Me, A Clockwork Orange, The Wizard of Oz, The Godfather, etc.

Terrible: The Scarlett Letter, Queen of the Damned (much worse than the bad Interview adaptation), Bonfire of the Vanities, any Asimov adaptation (Bicentenial Man, I Robot, etc.), How The Grinch Stole Christmas (live version), The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy , Hannibal, etc.

I agree with all of it except HItchiker's Guide. That movie was fantastic. Sam Rockwell and Mos Def's performances were brilliant.

On the good side, I have the Godfather and Malcolm X. The Godfather is probably the best Read AND movie I've seen. Malcolm X was a good read but BETTER Movie.

Continuing the bad side:

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas and Trick Baby. Both were very good reads but fell far short in it's movies.

Fear and Loathing is one of my top 5 movies ever. Depp was spot on and Del Torro should have won an award. Book was great (I love Hunter's works) but the movie was even better. One of the few times I'll ever say that about a movie. Not hating though cause you've nailed everything else.

Of Mice and Men was another great read and great movie as well (the one with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich).

That is fair, but if you are going to blast some movies for reinterpreting the source in a way that makes it worse for the wear I think you should recognize that they did an excellent spin on the Body in making Stand By Me. I'm definitely someone who enjoys Stephen King as an author but his movies rarely translate as well. We'll see if Peter Jackson takes on the Dark Tower for his next big project! :D

I agree. I love King but his movies usually make the straight to DVD list. I hate that Comcast killed his latest project. That one should have been interesting.

Edited August 8, 2011 by Dsinner

[AHF]

Of Mice and Men was another great read and great movie as well (the one with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich).

I haven't seen that one. I enjoyed the book and like Malkovich and Sinise in most roles so I should probably put that in my netlfix queue sometime.

[AHawks89]

The Kite Runner :training: