TOP TEN BOOKS I'D LIKE TO SEE MADE INTO MOVIES
I almost never see a wonderful book made into a wonderful movie.
I hesitate, then, to condemn a great book
to new life as a bad movie.
I'm afraid I have to say that
I'd rather keep my wonderful books
as wonderful books.
My short answer is none.
How about you?
Are there movies you would, bravely,
have made from your favorite books?
^ Such a good answer LOL. I guess when we all answer, we mean with the imaginary perfect script, actors and directors..
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes, so true. Movies rarely make a good substitute for a book. My top ten books-to-movies list is a purely hypothetical in-a-perfect-world sort of list.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean! I am always afraid that the movie adaptation would never live up to my expectations.
ReplyDeleteThe best movies of books are always the ones that play in our heads as we read them.
ReplyDeleteWhew, Bibliophile. I'm writing that down. Very true.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand the trepidation but just as I am a book buff I am also a film buff, so to me the only thing better than a book is the perfect film based on a book. I have to agree with Bibliophile though, as much as I may love some film adaptations, my imaginings of the characters and the gaps the author left out are always superior!
ReplyDeleteVery funny! I tend to agree but to name just one, I thought that Remains of the Day was a good film version of a brilliant book.
ReplyDeleteMy top ten list of books I'd like to see made into films is up on my blog.
great answer. If they can't do it right they should just leave it alone.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad that 'being made into a movie' is the highest compliment our culture now gives to a book. Why should that be something worthy of Oscars? No one would ever give a literary award to the novelization of a movie. Few people even bother to read books based on movies.
ReplyDeleteI am the same way Deb! I don't mind my favorite books being made into movies but they can never live up to our imaginations or standards.
ReplyDeleteThere have been some good adaptations though:
ReplyDeleteJaws
Lolita
The Shining
The Grapes of Wrath
Rebecca
...just to name a few.
I think Hollywood is out of ideas because everything is being made into a movie now. I just saw the trailer for Judy Moody :)
I agree :) But I did make a list of books I think would do OK. Unfortunatley movies will keep coming from books because screen writers seldom have an original idea :) Kaye—the road goes ever ever on
ReplyDeleteThat's a great answer, Deb, especially since so many directors don't really do the books justice. :) Well done on an honest answer.
ReplyDeleteI almost chose none as well. But, I decided to list a few with the stipulation that the movie had to be done right. :)
ReplyDeleteHa :'). I agree, a lot of the time book to movie adaptations fail at bringing the story to life. My list was an ideal world list :)
ReplyDeleteI love what Bibliophile's comment as well.
I'm with you on this one, most films dumb down a good book to make it accessible to all and by reducing it to the lowest common denominater, destroyed, or turn it into a completely different tale, for example changing endings to make the happy or to tidy up loose ends from books that were meant to end on a question.
ReplyDeleteInteresting answer! You're absolutely right, there aren't many good movies based on amazing books. I did love LotR though, it was awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog! Always great to see you! :)
You are so right. The movie never lives up to my expectations and is never as good as I imagined. Good point!
ReplyDeleteIt's true! There are very few books that have not been ruined by their movies, yet I always hope...
ReplyDeleteI like your answer! I've seen movies and have been very disappointed because I loved the book so much!!
ReplyDeleteI was having trouble with my list thinking this exact same thing! But I really did enjoy The Green Mile and despite hating Something Borrowed, the movie version looks really cute and funny. Plus I love the actors. I find that if you aren't a fan of the book, it becomes much easier to be a fan of the movie.
ReplyDeleteI love your answer. You are absolutely right. And on top of a wonderful book being turned into a mediocre movie at best, you will have all those people who read the book AFTER seeing the movie and complain that the book didn't follow the movie. That drives me insane!
ReplyDeleteI should have read your editorial here before I created my very lame list because you speak for me. I was think thing the same thing that I rarely like movies made from books. I think I'll go back and add a statement about that while still keeping up my extremely pathetic list.
ReplyDeleteAnd, by the way, yes do dust off your Cutting for Stone book and read it. It is a treasure. I love it.
ReplyDeleteYes, so true! I guess I just hope for the best when my favorite books are translated to film. Sometimes a movie will motivate someone to read the book after and that's a good thing anyway.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. If any of my choices were not done to my expectations, I'd be disappointed. By the way, The Help is being made. It comes out this year.
ReplyDeleteVery well written! I took the risk and put down some book titles but really great answer!
ReplyDeleteWell, the question did say, "In a perfect world" lol! So you could have picked one that you knew would turn out perfect.
ReplyDeleteI agree though, movies are never as good as the books!
I know I am often disappointed with movies based on books....but I live in hope each time I see a new one that it will do the book justice!
ReplyDeleteI love your answer, but I have to say that one of the movies that I've most enjoyed is Harry Potter, I think they really try to incorporate every important aspect of the books into the movies.
ReplyDeleteThere has been some bad ones however...
Thanks for stopping by!
Wow! A simple, straight-forward answer.
ReplyDeletethanks for stopping by! It's true, my imagination is invariably better than the book. I think they've done a pretty good on harry potter, and especially Peter Jackson with LOTR. They can't always add everything, though, and sometimes my most favorite parts are skipped.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand what you mean!
ReplyDeleteSo true. I can only think of one or two books ever made into a movie that had the same punch that the book did.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind them being made into movies if I've already read the book. I hate reading the book after I've seen the movie, though.
ReplyDeleteI want to see Paradise Dogs (Man Martin) made into a movie. I laughed so much reading the book, I would love to see the whole thing on the screen!