I haven't had much time to watch movies lately...been working hard at a few things. The t.v. is staying off for now, but I was thinking about the many films I watch that are based on books that I love. So I thought it would be fun to rank my five favourite novel to film adaptations.
#5 - Harry Potter numbers one through...what movie are we on now? - Okay, so I'm a sucker for Harry and his pals. Ever since the first movie released to theaters, I’ve been hooked. I love the story, love the characters and the actors who play them. I think that a school of witches is super cool!
#4 - The Talented Mr. Ripley - I loved this novel, loved cheering for Tom, even if his is a psychopath. As for the movie, I thought that the cast did the characters justice and brought to life the eerie feel of the novel perfectly.
#3 - Blood and Chocolate- Okay, so I know that this version is not really that closely related to the novel on which it is based, but I do enjoy watching it now and again. The book, I have to admit, is better but as a stand-alone the movie is good too. And come on…it’s about werewolves, people, werewolves!
#2 - Pride and Prejudice (both the A&E version with yummy Colin Firth and the newer version with Keira Knightley) Both movie adaptations are favourites of mine for different reasons. Colin Firth, of course, is the main reason for trudging through the six hour A&E version. As well, I found this version really captures the humour of Austen's novel. The newer version, although I vowed to hate it when it came out, is one that I can watch again and again (and not just because it is considerably shorter than the other). It really plays up the love story between Mr.Darcy and Elizabeth well and the cinematography is quite good.
#1 – Interview with a Vampire- Now I know that the movie is different from the novel but even still, it is one of my favourites of all time. From the actors (which I know delightfully surprised many people at the time the movie was released) to the costumes and setting, the movie brings to life a lot of the things I love about Anne Rice’s vampire world.
Although nothing can truly replace reading the book and sometimes the novel is much, much better than the movie, when I need a quick fix of a few beloved characters I turn to these films to satisfy myself.
What about you all? Do you have a top five list for favourite novels to films?
I'll throw a few of my favorites: We Were Soldiers, Black Hawk Down, Blade Runner, Last of the Mohicans, Silence of the Lands, and The Shining.
ReplyDeleteHmmm (trying to go for ones that haven't been mentioned already)...
ReplyDeleteLords of the Rings 1-3: I liked the books, but Tolkien's voice made the stories drag for me. The movies still had the story, but lacked the slowness. LOVED those movies.
The Count of Monte Cristo: Loved the book. Loved the movie. The movie removed a little bit of the confusion by focusing the story a bit more, but the parts it left out I didn't really miss
The Wizard of Oz: The movie will always be magical to me. I recently read the book and didn't feel anything for it at all. I wanted to love it, I just didn't.
Jurassic Park: Love them for different reasons. The minimalized math in the movie made it a lot more fun, and hey, dinosaurs rock.
Practical Magic: I remember liking, but not loving the book. The movie is a guilty pleasure of mine.
Oh, I love Practical Magic...the movie more than the book!
ReplyDeleteI agree with a lot of the ones already mentioned: Silence of the Lambs, Harry Potter, Interview With the Vampire, and LOTR. I'll add Hannibel Rising, The Green Mile, Hearts in Atlantis, To Kill A Mockingbird, and the original Haunting of Hill House.
ReplyDeleteThey rarely do a good job on Stephen King novels. I was totally disgusted with what they did with The Shining. I love Jack Nicholson, but he was totally wrong for that role. And while I loved the Blade Runner movie . . . I hated that they changed the ending.
ReplyDeleteCarrie was good, but I think the best Stephen King adaptation was Misery.
The Harry Potter movies have been almost too close to the books! Brilliantly executed, but almost word for word exactly the same. Of course, they're for children and children LOVE that, so ... good job!
The LOTR trilogy of films is probably the best book adaptation ever! In fact, it's so good, I prefer the movies to the books these days. Bad me.
DBR