There are tons, now that I think of it. - Harmonia - Films/DVD Asylum

Films/DVD Asylum

Movies from comedy to drama to your favorite Hollyweird Star.

There are tons, now that I think of it.

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In Reply to: In honor of HHGTTG: Best book/film adaptations? posted by jbmcb on May 4, 2005 at 09:08:03:

There are scores of good movies derived from books, novellas and short stories. (I hate GWTW with a passion but I admit it's a classic.) It often seems like the reverse is true...I wish I had $10 for every time I've said "the book was much better than the movie", lol.
OTOH, some movies, like The Godfather I & II and Rosemary's Baby, are superior to their sources. I suspect that Murnau's masterpiece Sunrise has aged a lot better than the book it's based on.
Some obvious, successful literary adaptations would include:
To Kill A Mockingbird
Far From The Madding Crowd
All Quiet On The Western Front
Sense & Sensibility (Ang Lee)
The Last Picture Show
Goodfellas
Age Of Innocence
Great Expectations (Lean)
Sideways
Bridge On The River Kwai
Apocalypse Now
Red Beard (Kurosawa)
Roshomon
Magnificent Ambersons
Touch Of Evil
The Manchurian Candidate (original)
Don't Look Now (Roeg)
The Innocents
Atlantic City
The Player
Fearless (Weir)
Thieves Like Us
Angels & Insects
Remains Of The Day
The Go Between
A Room With A View...

...which leads to...several directors who notably excell from page to screen...
Kubrick: The Killing, Dr. Strangelove (yes, it was a book first), 2001, Clockwork Organge, Barry Lyndon, The Shining and (arguably) Eyes Wide Shut.
Hitchcock: 39 Steps, Secret Agent, The Wrong Man, Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel, Strangers On A Train, Rope, Psycho, The Birds, To Catch A Thief, Spellbound, Vertigo, Frenzy
John Houston: The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure Of Sierre Madre, The Asphalt Jungle, The African Queen, Fat City, Wise Blood, The Man Who Would Be King, Prizzi's Honor, The Dead
Children's/family classics: The Little Princess, James & The Giant Peach, The Iron Giant, Whale Rider, Harry Potter & The Prinsoner of Azkaban (the first two HPs, directed by hack Chris Columbus, fall far short of Cuaron's delightful film).
Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror: Blade Runner, Andromeda Strain, The Thing (Hawks), The Haunting ummm must be more...
Crime/Noir/Suspense:
LA Confidential
The Grifters
Reversal of Fortune
Silence of the Lambs )
Double Indemnity
The Big Sleep
The Postman Always Always Rings Twice
Sweet Smell Of Success
Out Of The Past
This barely scratches the surface...

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - In honor of HHGTTG: Best book/film adaptations? - jbmcb 09:08:03 05/04/05 (11)

There are tons, now that I think of it. - Harmonia 00:04:11 05/05/05 (0)

Brideshead Revisited . . . nearly page for page. * - mr grits 13:15:56 05/04/05 (1)

Absolutely brilliant!! (nt) - Beethoven 15:57:30 05/08/05 (0)

Re: Agree - rico 12:06:59 05/04/05 (4)

Someone else has seen The Claim? - Harmonia 17:16:06 05/04/05 (3)

Re: Someone else has seen The Claim? - rico 09:13:55 05/05/05 (2)

I like director Michael WInterbottom. - Harmonia 10:18:02 05/05/05 (1)

Re: I like director Michael WInterbottom. - jackrandom 09:45:20 05/06/05 (0)

Re: No Lord of the Rings? - Jeff Starrs 09:21:26 05/04/05 (2)

Abandoned the books into vol 1; did not care for the movies... - EBerlin 14:22:58 05/05/05 (0)

Almost forgot :) - jbmcb 21:30:18 05/04/05 (0)

Follow Ups

There are tons, now that I think of it. - Harmonia 00:04:11 05/05/05 (0)

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