Movies based on books - a good thing or not?

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Notty
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Movies based on books - a good thing or not?

Post by Notty »

Am I the only person in the whole entire world who does not like movies based on books? I love, getting into books, and find I'm always disappointed in the movie because a) they leave out characters or b) they change things to suit themselves.

Whatcha think?
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StephenKingman
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Post by StephenKingman »

Surely there is at least one movie based on a book that you like? I agree that there have been many many poor movies based on books but there are also plenty of classics, maybe you have to search harder. :D
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Fran
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Post by Fran »

The title of the thread says it all 'Movies based on books' .... most movies are broadly based on the book, they are not, nor do they purport to be an actual filming of the book as such.
Apart from anything else directors have to edit because of time restrictions and because film is a totally different story telling format.
That said the book normally outstrips the film IMO.
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Mairin
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Post by Mairin »

Interview with the vampire... the book was so boring and getting to watch a Brad Pitt with long hair isn't half bad either!!!
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Post by Browsers »

Notty:

Oddly enough, I've worked in both the film & book industries. What little I've learned about movies/books can be summed up in a few tips:

1. Movies based on PLAYS or written by playwrights are generally good
2. Movies that are totally different than the book (like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest") are more often good than not
3. Virtually all movies are bad, so don't worry too much if you can't find a good one.
4. Bad movies can be the most fun to watch...and since most movies are bad, they're still fun even if they're brainless entertainment developed for the junior-high mentality.
5. In general, stick with books.

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BookReviewer
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Post by BookReviewer »

Browsers wrote:Notty:

Oddly enough, I've worked in both the film & book industries. What little I've learned about movies/books can be summed up in a few tips:

1. Movies based on PLAYS or written by playwrights are generally good
2. Movies that are totally different than the book (like "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest") are more often good than not
3. Virtually all movies are bad, so don't worry too much if you can't find a good one.
4. Bad movies can be the most fun to watch...and since most movies are bad, they're still fun even if they're brainless entertainment developed for the junior-high mentality.
5. In general, stick with books.

Scott Givens
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So you're going to tell me a movie like 'Good Will Hunting' are bad?
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Shadowpapoose
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Post by Shadowpapoose »

Usually I agree that I don't like most movies based on books...the trick is to not read it right before you see the movie, it's only going to piss you off!

The exceptions to the rule are the LOTR series and Stardust...I actually liked Stardust the movie better than Stardust the book, which is saying a lot because I LOVE Neil Gaiman
dansgoldilocks
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Post by dansgoldilocks »

Depends on both the movie and the book. Some are done really well. Off the top of my head, Where The Heart Is and Fried Green Tomatoes are both excellent movies and excellent books. I generally enjoy Stephen King books when they are made into movies, although typically they tend to be longer, so there's more room to stay with the book and therefore be a better movie.

Sometimes I do like the book better, but I have also had instances where I preferred the movie to the book.

It really just all depends on how it's done. Straying from the book isn't bad so long as it's done right. Making a movie by the same name, calling it "based on" and then it having absolutely nothing to do with the book whatsoever...tends to turn me off.
Libramar.net
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Post by Libramar.net »

It's general practice that the movie is much worse than the book is. No one can feel the content like the Author does.

IMHO.
Edana
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Post by Edana »

I'm not keen on movies based on books, so if I've read an amazing book and a relating movie is released, I won't watch it. I read the critic reviews instead. Then again I've watched a movie and just had to find the book it was based on... like the animation Howls Moving Castle. The movie led me to Diana Wynne Jones and she is a great writer.
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Shadowpapoose
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Post by Shadowpapoose »

Edana wrote:I'm not keen on movies based on books, so if I've read an amazing book and a relating movie is released, I won't watch it. I read the critic reviews instead. Then again I've watched a movie and just had to find the book it was based on... like the animation Howls Moving Castle. The movie led me to Diana Wynne Jones and she is a great writer.
I did the same thing, I just finished reading both of her Howl's books and I loved them!
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B-fly
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Post by B-fly »

I liked the mini-series Pride and Prejudice from 1995. I enjoyed them a lot. It's rare case but some movies based om books are good.
bobjuck
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Post by bobjuck »

For me it depends on the order, if i read the book first, i will watch the film, but if i saw the film first, well, i don't think i will read the book. Well, i just can't read so many words to find a reault i've already known.
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Post by Fran »

bobjuck wrote:For me it depends on the order, if i read the book first, i will watch the film, but if i saw the film first, well, i don't think i will read the book. Well, i just can't read so many words to find a reault i've already known.
Agree with you bobjuck ... generally I prefer to have the book read first and then watch the movie. But I always approach the movie on the basis that it's one persons interpretation of the book ... maybe not my interpretation but equally valid. But being human it does annoy me when a director seems to produce a film that bears no relation to what I envisaged when I read the book & I hate when they turn brilliant gritty characters into poor imitations & this tends to happen a lot with female characters!
Zooy
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Post by Zooy »

It really depends on the book. Some films are quite accurate in their portrayal but if they go really offbase it just leaves me feeling... disappointed.

Bridge to Terabithia may be my favourite book to movie.
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