Have you ever read a book, loved it, re-read, loved it again, and still wanted something more? For me, that something else is a movie adaptation of the book. Whether a movie lives up to its expectations is one thing, but I for one always imagine the characters in a book and want to see them depicted on the silver screen. It's something if Hollywood gets even close to your own version. The hype when you see the trailer of your favourite book, the wonder of whether it'll have so and so scene, whether it can live up to the book, is something to look forward to. Of course, many times it's a let down, but then sometimes it's not and after all, everyone is looking for that one time it thrills.
On this page I will feature some of the books that I think SHOULD be made into movies, should be made into BETTER movies, or otherwise good book based movies of which we never tire!
Books that SHOULD be made into movies:
Click on any title below to see my take on the movie.
The King's General
Child of Awe
The Emily Series
A Georgette Heyer romance
Cotillion
Eight Cousins and Rose Blooms
Should be made into BETTER movies:
Agatha Christie's novels
We have a LOT of Agatha Christie going around with series and movies galore, but one thing I can't stand is how everyone always changes the plot! Leave the thing alone. Her plot has no holes in it, why would anyone want to change it? And adding Miss Marple to a novel in which she doesn't appear (Agatha Christie's Marple)?! A big no, no! I don't even like Miss Marple in the novels - she's not a character that really sells the whole detective thing - and then to ruin the novels in which the whole attraction is the lack of a detective.....It takes someone who truly doesn't understand Christie's mystery novels to make a mistake like that.
Above photos are screen shots from the tv series Agatha Christie's Marple and Agatha Christie's Poirot.
Can never have enough movies on these books:
Merlin is a light drama version of the legend with many differences from the original. The main difference is that Merlin and Arthur are contemporaries with Merlin acting as Arthur's servant. Magic is banned in Camelot due to the law passed by Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father, and Merlin's magical abilities remain unknown to Arthur.
King Arthur
I liked this movie which starred Clive Owen as Arthur and Kiera Knightley as Guinevere. Nevertheless it didn't follow the legend and the traditional love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot is only hinted at. It was good, but only as a dark ages war movie - not an Arthurian legend.
4. Greek myths
Who doesn't love stories about Greek gods and goddesses with some Titans thrown in? I know I do, and I'm always ready to watch another movie based on a Greek myth. Below are my favourite adaptations of the various myths:
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
This show aired from 1995-1999 starring Kevin Sorbo as Hercules. It is set in Greece and follows the various adventures of Hercules who travels along with his friend Iolaus. Stripped of his immortality by the Queen of the gods Hera, Hercules must bear with her emnity and when his wife and children are killed, he sets out on a journey. The show contains a lot of slapstick humour with many crossovers with the similar show;
Troy
A film based on Homer's Iliad detailing the Trojan War.
Immortals
An upcoming film on the Greek myth of Theseus who is chosen by the gods to defeat the tyrant King Hyperion.
5. The Three Musketeers
While both the films on this novel by Alexandre Dumas were not well received, the movies are still enjoyable and can be considered light entertainment. The 2011 film has some fresh acting and good sword-fighting sequences.
Some GREAT book based movies that should never be touched
The Count of Monte Cristo
The 2002 film starring Guy Pearce and Dagmara Dominczyk was well received. Needless to say, I loved it!
On this page I will feature some of the books that I think SHOULD be made into movies, should be made into BETTER movies, or otherwise good book based movies of which we never tire!
Books that SHOULD be made into movies:
Click on any title below to see my take on the movie.
The King's General
Child of Awe
The Emily Series
A Georgette Heyer romance
Cotillion
Eight Cousins and Rose Blooms
Should be made into BETTER movies:
 |
| Who better to play Anne? |
The Anne Series
Because, come on, the movie wasn't that good. Maybe it's because it was made so long ago and it doesn't have that polished look so many films now have. Whatever the reason, I'm not a fan, and The Anne Series deserves to be made into a great film - and preferably not with the same actress as child and adult! I think Molly Quinn from Castle would be perfect as the adult Anne Shirley.
Agatha Christie's novels
We have a LOT of Agatha Christie going around with series and movies galore, but one thing I can't stand is how everyone always changes the plot! Leave the thing alone. Her plot has no holes in it, why would anyone want to change it? And adding Miss Marple to a novel in which she doesn't appear (Agatha Christie's Marple)?! A big no, no! I don't even like Miss Marple in the novels - she's not a character that really sells the whole detective thing - and then to ruin the novels in which the whole attraction is the lack of a detective.....It takes someone who truly doesn't understand Christie's mystery novels to make a mistake like that.
The Clan of the Cave Bear
This film definitely needs a better version because the first was a disaster. I don't think that anybody actually imagines the characters in this novel as they are depicted in the book: with no speech. When a novel is set in Spain do we expect all the dialogue to be in Spanish? or if it were set in a foreign country portraying the royalty would we expect to watch the whole Hollywood film with subtitles? No. Then why do film makers insist on subjecting us to what we don't want? I would like to see a film with Ayla in prehistoric get-up no doubt - but make the language intelligible please. Create the atmosphere.
Can never have enough movies on these books:
1. Gone With the Wind
I know I'm going to get a lot of heat from this one, because I never liked the movie adaptation of Gone With the Wind. A lot of fans loved the portrayal of Rhett Butler as Clark Gable and in that area I agree absolutely. Clark Gable is what everyone imagines Rhett Butler to look like: the same height, the same ironically charming face, and the same physique - who could have done better?
Even though I loved the book more, the movie is still a classic. But I think it's time that a remake was made in a more modern version. It is time that Hollywood turned their attention towards Gone With the Wind once again.
2. Pride and Prejudice
Great films have been made on this novel as well as Jane Austen's less popular (though not any less good) novels. The 1995 version with Colin Firth was extremely popular, but I didn't enjoy the 2005 version with Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfayden; although Kiera Knightley and Matthew Macfayden looked the part - they didn't act it.
3. Arthurian Legend
The Arthurian Legend is one of the classics of English mythology. Magic, romance, knights in battle seeking the Holy Grail - what's not to love? Lots of different adaptations of the legend have appeared on television and in movies; lots, but not enough. Camelot, the 2011 tv drama series, is the most famous version of the legend on television, but I myself prefer Merlin, although it doesn't follow the legend closely. Below are some of the most famous movie and tv adaptations:
Camelot
Camelot is a 2011 tv series which aired for ten episodes. It traces the legend of Arthur and the various characters' desire for the throne. The series was for a mature audience and despite positive reviews it was later cancelled. The series was good, but I like this next one better;
Merlin
King Arthur
I liked this movie which starred Clive Owen as Arthur and Kiera Knightley as Guinevere. Nevertheless it didn't follow the legend and the traditional love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot is only hinted at. It was good, but only as a dark ages war movie - not an Arthurian legend.
4. Greek myths
Who doesn't love stories about Greek gods and goddesses with some Titans thrown in? I know I do, and I'm always ready to watch another movie based on a Greek myth. Below are my favourite adaptations of the various myths:
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Xena: Warrior Princess
A spin-off of the show Hercules: The Legendary Journey, this show introduces the same mythical gods and goddesses as in Hercules. Xena often replaces the traditional heroine of a story thereby changing the reality e.g. in the show, Xena plays Julius Caeser's love interest and also Cleopatra at one point. Although the show was entertaining, it didn't really live up to the myths and legend and the seriousness was lacking.
Troy
A film based on Homer's Iliad detailing the Trojan War.
Clash of the Titans
A 2010 remake on the Greek myth of Perseus.
Immortals
An upcoming film on the Greek myth of Theseus who is chosen by the gods to defeat the tyrant King Hyperion.
5. The Three Musketeers
While both the films on this novel by Alexandre Dumas were not well received, the movies are still enjoyable and can be considered light entertainment. The 2011 film has some fresh acting and good sword-fighting sequences.
Some GREAT book based movies that should never be touched
The Count of Monte Cristo
The 2002 film starring Guy Pearce and Dagmara Dominczyk was well received. Needless to say, I loved it!
The Lord of the Rings
This film does entire justice to all the books. It may not follow every single scene of the plot exactly, but it is one of the best book-to-movie adaptations that I have ever seen. In my opinion, it actually improves the book!
The Chronicles of Narnia
These films are somewhat better than the
novels, because they add much more action
than there is in the books. I especially liked
the most recent addition.
Matilda
I'll be adding more as soon as I read the books!
These films are somewhat better than the
novels, because they add much more action
than there is in the books. I especially liked
the most recent addition.
MatildaI'll be adding more as soon as I read the books!
