January "Books Made Into Movies" Genre Discussion

[Heidi M Simone]

Happy New Year everyone!!

As some of you may recall, we had a tie between two monthly genres back in November - picture books and books to movie. We discussed picture books, and now it's time to explore books that have been made into movies!

This genre doesn't need much explanation. Basically, read any book that has been made into a movie.

Here are some discussion points to get our conversation going:

• What book did you end up reading?
• What is your rating of the book and why?
• What genre(s) did this book fall under?
• Why do you think this book was made into a movie?
• Would you recommend the book?

Other fun questions:

• Have you watched a movie adaptation of the book?
• Was there something you preferred the movie over the book?
• Was there a scene that was cut from the book that you wished would have made it into the movie?

Here's to a great start to the New Year!

[Sammy Rose]

I always love seeing what adaptations come from book to movie. I have not yet found one movie that I preferred over the book. To me, there is nothing like the author's original story and style, the descriptions that only words can provide and so often the movies lack that flare the book carries. Some books I have already read that were made into film or TV movie/series include: "It", "The Tommyknockers", "The Langoliers", "The Mist", "Dreamcatcher", "Thinner", "The Shining", "Carrie", "Under the Dome", "Bag of Bones", "The Lawnmower Man", "Apt Pupil", "The Dead Zone", "Secret Window", "The Stand", "The Green Mile", "The Running Man", "Children of the Corn", "Pet Cemetery", "Firestarter", "Dolores Claiborne", "Stand by Me", "The Shawshank Redemption", "Cujo", "Misery", all books to movie or TV originally by Stephen King, "Divergent Series" by Veronica Roth, "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green, ""Intensity", "Watchers", by Dean Koontz, and I know there are more I can't remember at the moment. I did enjoy watching the adaptations, some much more then others, but the original story written by the author has always been better then the movie.

[fergie]

I love how well, and how many of, Philip K Dick's short stories and novels translate into movies. I could never get totally into his books, because I really don't like his writing style, but I so love his ideas, so movie and TV adaptations of his stuff is always good. Even so, the film still always loses something. Bladerunner lost some of the little bits of humour, and way too much of the electric animals!

[SPasciuti]

I've only read one book to move so far this month, but I imagine I might read more so perhaps I'll come back here at some point to answer the questions again.

So, I read The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. I'd give it 4 out of 4 stars, partially because the characters are incredibly well developed but also because I'm just utterly fascinated with the world he's built. The way that everyone ends up getting attacked is both terrifying and wonderfully creative. I'm pretty sure this book is in the YA dystopian genre. Apparently it's also science fiction, which I didn't know until I'd looked it up just now.

I'm pretty sure the book was merely popular enough to get a producer's attention, which I'm grateful for because I did enjoy the movie as well even if the book was better. I'd definitely recommend this book. Everything about it was gripping and interesting. Ironically, I can't really think of any specific scene from the book that I wished had been in the movie...rather I just wish the movie hadn't been so rushed.

[Alice Heritage]

Hi, great topic!

I have read The Lord of the Rings and seen the films, and the Harry Potter series and seen a few of the films, or parts. It works best for me if I accept that a film can never be quite the same as a book because some things just don't work on screen. The casting for Harry Potter was good, especially with Maggie Smith and Julie Walters. The Lord of the Rings is visually impressive, but the portrayal of the love story between Aragorn and Arwen is cheesey.