Comments on: Books to movies, a checklist http://books.lohudblogs.com/2007/08/06/books-to-movies-a-checklist/ About books, writers and, of course, readers Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:58:25 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Richard Stanley http://books.lohudblogs.com/2007/08/06/books-to-movies-a-checklist/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Richard Stanley Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:31:15 +0000 http://books.lohudblogs.com/2007/08/06/books-to-movies-a-checklist/#comment-22 I remember the Robin Williams film version of The World According to Garp getting pretty solid reviews and even winning awards for best adaptation of a novel. I thought it was a pretty poor adaptation. Glenn Close was not well cast as Garp's mother and several themes from the novel were just randomly thrown in, completely taking away their meaning. I felt similarly dissapointed by the film version of Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho. But I know people who haven't read the book who loved the movie. So maybe that shows something. You rarely will enjoy a film adaptation if you are constantly comparing it to the book. Ironically, I felt the Da Vinci Code movie (aside from Tom Hanks's awful acting and a shaky screenplay) played out on-screen quite well. I remember the Robin Williams film version of The World According to Garp getting pretty solid reviews and even winning awards for best adaptation of a novel. I thought it was a pretty poor adaptation. Glenn Close was not well cast as Garp’s mother and several themes from the novel were just randomly thrown in, completely taking away their meaning.

I felt similarly dissapointed by the film version of Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho. But I know people who haven’t read the book who loved the movie. So maybe that shows something. You rarely will enjoy a film adaptation if you are constantly comparing it to the book.
Ironically, I felt the Da Vinci Code movie (aside from Tom Hanks’s awful acting and a shaky screenplay) played out on-screen quite well.

]]> By: Steve C. http://books.lohudblogs.com/2007/08/06/books-to-movies-a-checklist/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Steve C. Tue, 07 Aug 2007 12:58:03 +0000 http://books.lohudblogs.com/2007/08/06/books-to-movies-a-checklist/#comment-18 Funny you mention King. I only know a handful of movies that kept true to the books, to a point. The Running Man was a travesty, I think it would have been far better if they kept to the original story. Nancy Drew , I didnt bother seeing as it appeared to have thoroughly ruined the character. I understand that directors will take dramatic license and make certain changes for the screen but in many books there are crucial turning points in the book that shouldnt be changed. Whn I see such a change and it feels wrong, The movie has lost apeal to me. Funny you mention King. I only know a handful of movies that kept true to the books, to a point. The Running Man was a travesty, I think it would have been far better if they kept to the original story.

Nancy Drew , I didnt bother seeing as it appeared to have thoroughly ruined the character.

I understand that directors will take dramatic license and make certain changes for the screen but in many books there are crucial turning points in the book that shouldnt be changed. Whn I see such a change and it feels wrong, The movie has lost apeal to me.

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