What is the best adaptation of a book to a movie?

[Shaina]

I would have to say the Green Mile and Holes are some of my favorite adaptations!

[Christinar81]

I think most of movies based on Jane Austen's books turned out well. For me most movies never live up to the book they are based on. Some movies absolutely butcher the storyline. One of my favorite books is The Host by Stephanie Meyer. The movie was HORRIBLE!!! If I had watched that movie first I would have never read the book. I think a lot of times they cut parts that are vital to the story just to keep the movie a shorter length. I would rather sit through a longer movie than to have it butchered.

[zeldas_lullaby]

Ooh, yeah... the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice was absolutely wonderful.

[Dave]

Someone posted about favorite Joseph Conrad books in the authors forum & I answered with The Duel. It was an excellent book & incidentally it was made into an excellent movie, with Keith Caradine & Harvey Keitel. The movie followed the book very closely, which many times doesn't happen...

[Ryan]

Ooh, yeah... the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice was absolutely wonderful.

That reminds me: the BBC adaptation of 'P&P' is absolutely wonderful. It stars Colin Firth as Mr Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth. You must check it out

[zeldas_lullaby]

Oh, I'm sorry, Ryan--that's actually the one I was referring to! And you're right--I really love it! I could sit and watch it all the time. Great cast, great script from the original book, great background music, great costuming, great everything!!

[Ryan]

Oh, I'm sorry, Ryan--that's actually the one I was referring to! And you're right--I really love it! I could sit and watch it all the time. Great cast, great script from the original book, great background music, great costuming, great everything!!

Completely agree. Absolutely wonderful! Every time I decide to watch one episode, I end up whizzing through them all. I can easily lose (or gain) a small portion of my day watching them without even realizing it

[zeldas_lullaby]

Oh, yes. And when that theater version came out shortly thereafter, with Donald Sutherland and Kiera Knightley, it was such a disappointment, like the horrid remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Me too, though; I could watch it endlessly.

[Ryan]

Oh, yes. And when that theater version came out shortly thereafter, with Donald Sutherland and Kiera Knightley, it was such a disappointment, like the horrid remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Me too, though; I could watch it endlessly.

Yes, yes, yes! Both were terrible. They completely removed the contextual significance of Austen's novel simply to make into a sloppy, one-dimensional romance. And as for the 'Charlie' remake ... I am lost for words

[zeldas_lullaby]

Word. I was mad. The local reviewer gave the Kiera Knightley/Donald Sutherland film a rave review, even saying that if you liked the miniseries version, then you'd like this new movie version. I was mad!

And Johnny Depp as Mr. Wonka? Puh-leeze. He'd have been much better cast as the Oompah-Loompahs. I only saw small clips of that remake, and I knew it was worthless; even if they had cast it differently, the script was downright awful. Poor Mr. Dahl.

Speaking of fine miniseries that are based on books, I used to always watch the aforementioned Pride and Prejudice one, The Stand by Stephen King, and The Thorn Birds. Three fabulous miniseries based on books! I haven't seen any of them in a long time, but I loved them.

-- September 2nd, 2015, 10:08 pm --

Oops! I said I was mad twice. Well, I really was!

[Ryan]

Word. I was mad. The local reviewer gave the Kiera Knightley/Donald Sutherland film a rave review, even saying that if you liked the miniseries version, then you'd like this new movie version. I was mad!

And Johnny Depp as Mr. Wonka? Puh-leeze. He'd have been much better cast as the Oompah-Loompahs. I only saw small clips of that remake, and I knew it was worthless; even if they had cast it differently, the script was downright awful. Poor Mr. Dahl.

Speaking of fine miniseries that are based on books, I used to always watch the aforementioned Pride and Prejudice one, The Stand by Stephen King, and The Thorn Birds. Three fabulous miniseries based on books! I haven't seen any of them in a long time, but I loved them.

-- September 2nd, 2015, 10:08 pm --

Oops! I said I was mad twice. Well, I really was!

I haven't seen the other two, but my mother was (and possibly still is) fond of 'The Thorn Birds'. And I heard good things about the King series

[zeldas_lullaby]

Ooh, you know, I thought of another one--there's a Jane Eyre miniseries that I really like. I don't know, though, who was in it; and it wasn't perfect--the script in part 2 kinda fell apart. The actors were really cute, though, which is a problem, of course, since Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester are supposed to be unattractive. That really never translates well to television, though!

[Ryan]

Ooh, you know, I thought of another one--there's a Jane Eyre miniseries that I really like. I don't know, though, who was in it; and it wasn't perfect--the script in part 2 kinda fell apart. The actors were really cute, though, which is a problem, of course, since Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester are supposed to be unattractive. That really never translates well to television, though!

Was it the BBC adaptation? It doesn't sound like it because the actors playing Jane and Rochester wouldn't generally be considered cute. Again, however, that's a good adaptation and worth checking out. The BBC also did a great adaptation of 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall' by Anne Bronte. Have you read that one?

[zeldas_lullaby]

Nope, I have not read it. Have you read Jane Eyre?

[Ryan]

Nope, I have not read it. Have you read Jane Eyre?

I have and I loved it. I've also read 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily and 'Agnes Grey' by Anne. I also have 'Villette' by Charlotte, but I haven't read it yet.