Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish
This week's theme? Top Ten Best/Worst Movie Adaptations
This week's theme is answered by Aeryn!
Best
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
This book was bloody and violent and just down right chilling. If you’ve seen the movie, you know that it’s also pretty gory. All in all, the Coen brothers did a good job of keeping to the book while creating a visually stunning and stick-with-you type film.
Atonement by Ian McEwan
I picked up this book fter the movie made my boyfriend (who's not a crier) cry. I could have been reading a written description of every scene in the movie, the detail is that close. My biggest complaint? The difference in endings. They both have their merits, however, so I can confidently put Atonement on my favorite fiction to film list.
Clous Atlas by David Mitchell
The stories that make up Cloud Atlas have their fists clenched tightly around my heart. Ultimately, the book was better - at least as far as characterization goes - but the plot pace worked better in the film adaptation. And the soundtrack is truly, truly lovely.
Ten Things I Hate About You / Taming of the Shrew by Shakespear
Play: Amazon + Good Reads
Movie: Amazon
I love, love, love Shakespeare re-tellings/re-settings. Titus, Rosencrantz and Guildenstren, even O (which was terrible). But Ten Things I Hate About You takes the cake. I could sit here and try to list all the things that make it great (and people would probably argue semantics), but I won't. Because, let's face it, it really boils down to one thing: Heath Ledger.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
My childhood was built around this movie. That's what happens when you have uptight parents and a child obsessed with equines. When I found this book on my father's bookshelf, however, it was an eye opener. The book only improves on the film, filling in the back story, building up characters, and all such things directors and animators like to cut.
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Amazon + Good Reads
Movie: Amazon
Oh. My. God. This movie was terrible. That is all.
The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice
Amazon + Good Reads
Movie: Amazon
I'm putting this on the list with hesitation, mostly because I really like the movie. I watch it far too often. But, when it comes to an adaptation, it sucks. No pun intended.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Amazon + Good Reads
Movie: Amazon
This movie could have been so good. They had a decent cast, plenty of money, not to mention phenomenal base material. Somehow, despite all that, Hollywood mucked it up. So bad that all those confused non-readers will never know what happened to Lyra. Or, you know, meet the other main character.
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Amazon + Good Reads
Movie: Amazon
To preface: I love this movie. But when compared side by side, Miyazaki cannot touch Jones' vision. If you saw the anime and were left with a plethora of questions - including, but not limited to: what just happened? - read the book. It makes so much more sense.
The Animorphs by K.A. Applegate
Amazon + Good Reads
I realize this is not a film. It's a TV show. I also realize that the books are not necessarily well written. But they changed my life. I firmly believe that The Animorphs made me the reader I am today. Without that, I probably wouldn't be half the person I like to believe that I am. So, when Nickelodeon totally killed what (to me) as the best 54 book long story line in a measly two seasons, I shed a few tears. Maybe one day when I'm rich and famous -psh- I'll fund a reboot.
Worst
Amazon + Good Reads
Movie: Amazon
Oh. My. God. This movie was terrible. That is all.
Amazon + Good Reads
Movie: Amazon
I'm putting this on the list with hesitation, mostly because I really like the movie. I watch it far too often. But, when it comes to an adaptation, it sucks. No pun intended.
Amazon + Good Reads
Movie: Amazon
This movie could have been so good. They had a decent cast, plenty of money, not to mention phenomenal base material. Somehow, despite all that, Hollywood mucked it up. So bad that all those confused non-readers will never know what happened to Lyra. Or, you know, meet the other main character.
Amazon + Good Reads
Movie: Amazon
To preface: I love this movie. But when compared side by side, Miyazaki cannot touch Jones' vision. If you saw the anime and were left with a plethora of questions - including, but not limited to: what just happened? - read the book. It makes so much more sense.
Amazon + Good Reads
I realize this is not a film. It's a TV show. I also realize that the books are not necessarily well written. But they changed my life. I firmly believe that The Animorphs made me the reader I am today. Without that, I probably wouldn't be half the person I like to believe that I am. So, when Nickelodeon totally killed what (to me) as the best 54 book long story line in a measly two seasons, I shed a few tears. Maybe one day when I'm rich and famous -psh- I'll fund a reboot.
Aeryn Dougan, reporting for duty. Too much? Probably. Either way, hello! I’m a native Illinois-ian, turned upstate New York-ian in the middle of her quarter life crisis. I’ve published one book thus far, Benajah’s Keeper, with several more up my sleeve. When I’m not writing or—let’s get real—working, I enjoy reading pretty much anything with romantic elements (but, admittedly, paranormal/fantasy is my favorite), making jewelry and art type things, dreaming, and playing with my two awesome cats, Leto and Ghanima.
You can catch me on my blog <benajah.blogspot.com>, on GoodReads <www.goodreads.com/author/show/
I totally was going to put the Golden Compass my worst too but I've only seen clips so I thought that wasn't fair. But I actually really like Howl's Movie Castle...that's not how I've would've made it but I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT
Alyssa here (Aeryn wrote the post) - both Aeryn and I loved the Howl's Moving Castle movie but thought that it fell short in the light of the book. Have you read the book? You should check it out!
DeleteI loved the book!
DeleteI'm glad you liked it =] Its interesting to see how different people think about book/film adaptations!
DeleteI loved both the movie and book version of Howls Moving Castle. But I agree that the movie, just didn't quite meet the awesomeness that is the book haha. Plus from what I remember there are a lot of things left out in the movie.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa here: I watched the movie first and, afterwards, remember coming out of it thinking, What the eff did I just watch?! I loooved it though!
Delete10 Things I Hate about you is on my list as well :) Great picks!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: http://www.bookythoughtsandme.com/top-ten-best-and-worst-book-to-movie-adaptation-experiences/
Yes to the Golden Compass! I loved the movie up until the end when I realized the movie wasn't going to have to ending that the book had. Sooooo disappointing.
ReplyDeleteHey guys! Thanks for all the comments! And don't get me wrong, I LOVE Howl's Moving Castle (it's most definitely on my list of "go to/comfort" movies), I just don't think it holds up well as an adaptation. As for the Golden Compass, I was so so so disappointed. Will was my favorite, and his relationship with Lyra is just so honest and naive (in the way children/young people are) that I think the world is really missing out on hearing that portion of the story--there's so much left to be told, bah!
ReplyDeleteAlso, this was so much fun! Thanks for letting me put my two cents in, Alyssa!
ReplyDeleteI just finished reading Cloud Atlas . . . looking forward to seeing the film now, I've seen so many (mixed) things about it!
ReplyDelete