REWTK - Book to Moofie.

[Roger Explosion]

Hey PSB.
Due to Super Aids, I've spent the best part of this week in bed or on the couch. With trusty Kindle at hand, I've smashed through more than a book or two. Among them was Brett Easton Ellis' American Psycho. As soon as I polished it off, I popped in the movie purely to see how it holds up back to back with the source material. Despite not showing any of the gore of the book (seriously, you could not get that film released) I was amazed to see it utterly nailed the tone and themes of the source material.
This got me thinking.
What film adaptations have you been happy with and why?
Which ones made you want to write angry letters to the local community paper? (as a comic enthusiast, I've been kicked in the balls many, many times. Fuck you Punisher movies).

[Daise]

Shawshank Redemption, and Kubrick's The Shining. Can't really say I've been 100% happy with any other adaptation.

Edit: the ones that piss me off are the ones that get edited for Hollywood. My Sister's Keeper is one that truly made me rage.

[Roger Explosion]

Go on.........

[mekon]

Cuckoo's Nest was a slightly different adaptation but enjoyed, Shining and Clockwork Orange.

Best adaptation I can think of Fight Club
Not so pleased but bearable Easton Ellis was Less Than Zero

[Captain Starfish]

Although the Bourne movies bear about as much resemblance to "their" books as a cockatoo does to, say, Jupiter; I still enjoyed both immensely. No need to rage, very quickly and easily accepted that it was going to be different and had a ball. Normally I get the shits on but, hey, this time it was still good fun.

[devolved]

Midnight Express had a whole other possible movie where the actual movie ended - in the flick he just kinda walks out of the prison and thats it.

[Brute]

Although the Bourne movies bear about as much resemblance to "their" books as a cockatoo does to, say, Jupiter; I still enjoyed both immensely. No need to rage, very quickly and easily accepted that it was going to be different and had a ball. Normally I get the shits on but, hey, this time it was still good fun.

The Bourne movies (Mat Damon) pissed me off royally, I'm a big fan of the books.
The original movie with Richard Chamberlain and Jacyln Smith on the other hand was a winner.

[Kryzaach]

Judge Dredd

Words cannot express the extent to which that movie provided me ample cause to visit unrelenting lapidation upon all parties involved.


I did really like Starship Troopers, however, even though it seems the creators read a largely different book to me.

[gunn parker]

I have both read and seen American Psycho, I read the book years before the movie came out and after watching the movie felt it was a lame version.
I read the book and I remember it having an effect on me for weeks, while I was reading it and for a time after I had finished.
The movie though while good, when I walked out of the theatre it was all over.

[Roger Explosion]

Although the the violent parts of the book were pretty intense, I felt the social commentary and general piss taking of vapid consumerism were the stronger themes of the book. The film put those things on the screen beautifully.
I guess there is a hardcore gore porn waiting to be made out of it, but I feel that lingering on the killings would distract from the main ideas too much.

[Trashed]

As far as Brett Easton Ellis books go, I thought the movie version of American Psycho was ok, but missed the mark for me. It suffered from not being able to show the extreme violence. I don't think it should've been attempted.

I have to differ with Mekon. I thought Less than Zero was complete and utter shite, completely missed the ideas of the book and got turned into some sort of watery love story. Yuk!

The Rules of Attraction is IMO the best of the Ellis adaptations. It really captured the love triangle, and the debauchery of american uni life really well.

As for other adaptations, I think The English Patient was done well. The book can be quite difficult to follow as it switches between the present and dreams. Also, Atonement had a great movie version, and as others have said, The Shining and Fight Club.

Truely dreadful adaptations would include A Scanner Darkly (way to not act Keanu), and Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy (how could you turn something so funny into something so crap?).

[g0zer]

irobot

i cannot get into asimov's writing style imho the movie was waaay better than the book



^that single scene is my all time favourite movie scene, the expression on her face is priceless

[thatguy]

Got pissed off with how they totally left out the ending of I am legend in the movie, fucking ruined it!!! Not going to include any spoilers in case anyone was planning on reading it.

[Fastgirl]

Asterix. The voices were ALL WRONG!!

Mind you, the voices in my head are often wrong. Correlatation? Perhaps.

Sahara. Book was bought into ill repute by the movie. Ugh. Matthew Machonahganahahey was suitably gorgeous but all wrong for the part. Sorry matthew, I shall still use you in my fantasies sweety. And the guy as his sidekick should have been drowned. Wrong Wrong Wrong! I doubt another Clive Cussler book will be done which is a shame( I hope Im wrong) cos the books are all gems.

[Trashed]

Got pissed off with how they totally left out the ending of I am legend in the movie, fucking ruined it!!! Not going to include any spoilers in case anyone was planning on reading it.

Yes! I forgot about that one. I am Legend is an absolutely brilliant book, and the movie completely missed the point, didn't even come close.

[jbb]

- Heart of Darkness, the movie was just like the book; confusing as all hell! Although it was my highest graded paper I did for TEE..
- Lord of the Rings wasn't too bad either

- imho most SciFi flicks suck in comparison to the book

[Professor Redfern]

There is only one true contender for the worst book to Movie of all time and that is Avenger.




This is simply one of the greatest books of all time, if you want manliest man ever then read this book, Its skips back and forth through a hard arses CIA all round Jason bourne killers life mixing stories from his past in with his current arse kicking adventures, and you sort of wonder why the whole time.

In the end though it just plain and simple is like Viagra if you like Bourne sort of shit. Once I literally almost made love to another man in broad daylight while discussing how good this book was. Of course some people will hate it, in which case you will get no man love from me.

I always wanted to see Brad pit or some such hard arse play the role, the thing is the Protag is about 50 so hard to find a decent star, couldnt see Clooney being hard enough. It needs to be an awesome movie. it would easily be as good as Bourne.

In the end though some jackass made this fucking movie and changed the plot and changed the location and I couldnt even watch it. Major major fail.

It went straight to TV.

[CitizenD]

A surprisingly good adaption of late is Game of Thrones from HBO based on George Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series. The first season just finished and I was pretty impressed by their efforts. Excellent cast including Sean Bean and his uncanny knack of dying horrible deaths and Lena Headey (Sarah Connor Chronicles) and her uncanny knack of being hot as all hell.

Funnily enough I wasn't a big fan of the books (not a big fan of the fantasy genre) but I've gone back to re-read them now after the show.

[Fastgirl]

A surprisingly good adaption of late is Game of Thrones from HBO based on George Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series. The first season just finished and I was pretty impressed by their efforts. Excellent cast including Sean Bean and his uncanny knack of dying horrible deaths and Lena Headey (Sarah Connor Chronicles) and her uncanny knack of being hot as all hell.

Funnily enough I wasn't a big fan of the books (not a big fan of the fantasy genre) but I've gone back to re-read them now after the show.

hold the phone...where the fuck you been Princess?

[chew]

Unhappy = Dune
Reasonable (until the ending) = First Blood
Winner = Lord of the Rings