Worst book to movie adaptation

Discussion in 'Entertainment' started by Lyrical, Sep 26, 2015.

  1. ToBeInspired

    ToBeInspired Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2013
    Messages:
    336
    Likes Received:
    186
    Location:
    Asheville
    Eragon. Anytime you try to shove a 1k+ book into a minimal amount of movie time you're setting yourself up for failure. For starting to write those books at fifteen and finishing at the age he did, I was impressed. The movie was TERRIBLE.

    I'm a huge Frank Herbert fan and have even read the spinoffs his relative worked on. I think Dune is one of my favorite movies. That and The Crow.

    Now... Dacre Stoker on the other hand killed Bram Stoker's book with his sequel. I almost burned the book.
     
  2. Mckk

    Mckk Member Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2010
    Messages:
    6,541
    Likes Received:
    4,776
    @Lyrical - I agree with you that the 2nd and 3rd HG movies were way better. I rather loved the 3rd one actually - lots of character development and drama in an action/dystopian setting, which is right up my alley :D I liked Jennifer Lawrence, but no one else :(

    Oh Maze Runner - I haven't seen the film because I read the book already, and the book kinda sucked. It needed so much editing... and my word was the writing plain. Pity because I thought the premise had potential. Have you seen Maze Runner's Honest Trailer? :D

    Although yeah, watching the film first would get you the best of both worlds. I can only imagine how I'd have foamed at the mouth if I'd read All You Need is Kill before I watched the Hollywood adaptation Edge of Tomorrow. The Japanese, as usual, had lots of depth in their story. The Americans, as per usual, turned it into an action comedy that barely made sense. It was a fun blockbuster, but utterly forgettable. The manga, combined with the beautiful artwork, was amazing.
     
  3. Lyrical

    Lyrical Frumious Bandersnatch

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2015
    Messages:
    385
    Likes Received:
    262
    I have definitely come to appreciate Jennifer Lawrence since the first movie! She was wonderful in the second and third. I have repented of my previous outrage at their casting choice. For her. I still think Peeta lacks a bit, but we've all grown so used to Josh that I am unable to imagine anyone else.

    I love the Honest Trailers! The Maze Runner one was wonderfully funny and accurate, as usual. I agree that the writing seriously lacks. So...random/strange story. About two years ago, I was in Barnes and Noble looking for a book (now I can't remember which) and there was an author sitting alone at a table with an empty rope queue stretched out in front of him. He was just sitting there drumming his fingers on the table. I barely glanced at him. I didn't recognize the name. As I was walking out, I saw the advertisement for his signing at the front and saw that he was the author of the Maze Runner. "Sad," I thought. "Isn't his book about to be a movie?"

    Now I wish I'd spoken to him. He isn't a great writer, it's true. But he is published! Haha I should have talked to him for that reason alone.

    Is Edge of Tomorrow the one they inexplicably renamed Live, Die, Repeat a few weeks after it came out? I liked the movie...but I didn't love the ending.
     
  4. Lyrical

    Lyrical Frumious Bandersnatch

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2015
    Messages:
    385
    Likes Received:
    262
    Oh! I forgot. The Giver. That one was made to resemble more recent YA dystopian novels...but the book was much more subtle. That movie was sigh-worthy.
     
  5. Tenderiser

    Tenderiser Not a man or BayView

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2015
    Messages:
    7,471
    Likes Received:
    10,216
    Location:
    London, UK
    Another Animorphs fan here. I didn't see the adaptation, which I'm now very glad about.

    If TV series count then I'm going to have to nominate the recent Hannibal. Not bad in themselves but the Hannibal in them is so so wrong. I can't reconcile the actor's portrayal of him with the Hannibal in the books.
     
    Lyrical likes this.
  6. Australis

    Australis Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2015
    Messages:
    146
    Likes Received:
    27
    This is what I instantly thought about when I read the title. Only, I'm sorry you had to watch the second one.

    Yep.
     
  7. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    How anybody could diss 'The Little House on The Prairie' is frankly beyond me. Very reactionary and completely unnecessary. How about the 'Banana Splits?' I bet she never even read it.
     
    jannert likes this.
  8. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire
    Captain Corelli's Mandolin was a tragic episode. Long time ago now - but Nicholas Cage with his banjo destroyed everything really. Also...well, we might argue about 'Clockwork Orange?' That's always fun, taking the high ground with some movie bore, say how the book is better. Thinking on...

    Tintin.
     
  9. cutecat22

    cutecat22 The Strange One Contributor

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2014
    Messages:
    2,780
    Likes Received:
    1,424
    Location:
    England
    Jurassic Park.

    The book is better by a mile!
     
    Sack-a-Doo! likes this.
  10. No-Name Slob

    No-Name Slob Member Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2015
    Messages:
    1,272
    Likes Received:
    984
    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    Gatsby was 'effing awful. I didn't expect Baz Luhrmann to stay completely on-book and I have liked a lot of stuff he's done, but he seriously screwed that one. F. Scott Fitzgerald was rolling over in his grave, I imagine.
     
  11. Nicoel

    Nicoel Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2015
    Messages:
    474
    Likes Received:
    343
    You know Netflix is doing an adaptation now, right? I'm so excited!
     
  12. Aaron Smith

    Aaron Smith Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2013
    Messages:
    1,508
    Likes Received:
    1,641
    I was not aware.
     
  13. Sack-a-Doo!

    Sack-a-Doo! Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2015
    Messages:
    2,403
    Likes Received:
    1,647
    Location:
    [unspecified]
    I have to agree. In the movie, letting the grandfather get away with unleashing dinosaurs like that destroyed the message inherent in the book.

    On another note...

    I believe it was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (or maybe it was The Sting) in which the book was complete crap compared to the movie. But to be fair, the book was a novelization back when such things weren't taken very seriously.
     
  14. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 21, 2009
    Messages:
    9,502
    Likes Received:
    9,758
    Location:
    England
    Well if you are, I am.

    Danny Boyle's adaptation of Alex Garland's brilliant The Beach, is excellent.
     
    Kit Carruthers likes this.
  15. Chinspinner

    Chinspinner Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2011
    Messages:
    1,901
    Likes Received:
    1,023
    Location:
    London, now Auckland
    Even that computer game scene? I love Danny Boyle, but all his movies have a cringy moment eg.; 28 days later- the humanity zombie equivalence head beating at the army base; Sunshine- the strangely supernatural burnt captain; Trainspotting- the middle-class, artsy, pretentious take on lower class drug use. I do enjoy his films though.
     
  16. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 21, 2009
    Messages:
    9,502
    Likes Received:
    9,758
    Location:
    England
    It's been a while. Remind me.
     
  17. Chinspinner

    Chinspinner Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2011
    Messages:
    1,901
    Likes Received:
    1,023
    Location:
    London, now Auckland
    I tried to find it on Youtube, but could only find a silly version where someone had superimposed an actual computer game interface over it (or maybe that was actually in the movie... can't remember). There is a scene where DiCrapio isn't shouting to portray emotion (which is a first), but is instead running through the jungle, and it is this absurd computer game pastiche; an allegory that clubs you over the head without any subtlety whatsoever.
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2015
  18. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    May 21, 2009
    Messages:
    9,502
    Likes Received:
    9,758
    Location:
    England
    Ooh, yes. I remember the scene. I think all films have their flaws, but overall I thought it captured the book perfectly.

    I do wonder how it would have turned out if Ewen McGregor had played the lead as originally planned.
     
  19. Chinspinner

    Chinspinner Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2011
    Messages:
    1,901
    Likes Received:
    1,023
    Location:
    London, now Auckland
    Ewen McGregor is fantastic, he even survived Lucas' awful script and direction relatively unscathed, which is commendable.
     
  20. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

    Joined:
    May 8, 2012
    Messages:
    808
    Likes Received:
    349
    Location:
    Missouri
    Oh! The Dresden Files tv show.
    On its own, it was an okay show, for the Sci Fi Channel (as I believe it was still called then), but if you've ever read the books, it was like a slap in the face.
     
  21. Mckk

    Mckk Member Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2010
    Messages:
    6,541
    Likes Received:
    4,776
    @Lyrical - Live, Die, Repeat? It does sound like it could be the same, yes, but I've not heard that title before. As for The Giver - wasn't interested in the film 'cause I thought the book was awful lol. Excellent premise, like Maze Runner, but the writing was sorely lacking! It was just so damn bland!
     
  22. cutecat22

    cutecat22 The Strange One Contributor

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2014
    Messages:
    2,780
    Likes Received:
    1,424
    Location:
    England
    Before I go any further, I have to admit to not yet reading the Hunger Games. I started the first one but really couldn't get into it but my son loved them all.

    But, although I didn't love or hate the film (more a 'meh') the thing I didn't like about it, was the lack of dialogue. There were too many quiet bits. Now, it could have been quiet contemplation - or bits where there was lots of narrative in the book, but I found those bits quite boring.

    Maybe I should've stuck it out with the book? I may go back and give it another go.
     
  23. KaTrian

    KaTrian A foolish little beast. Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2013
    Messages:
    6,764
    Likes Received:
    5,393
    Location:
    Funland
    The Hobbit films. As a kid, I really liked the book, and even though the same magic hasn't grabbed me as an adult, the movies intrigued me. But everything was horrible. So much ugly CGI. None of the magic of the book. I didn't like the actors, stuff happened that wasn't even in the book, and it was just too long and unorganic and overblown and trying too hard. Boo :(
     
  24. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

    Joined:
    May 8, 2012
    Messages:
    808
    Likes Received:
    349
    Location:
    Missouri
    I've only seen the first hobbit movie, but it was alright. How they managed to stretch the shortest book in the series into three full movies, I don't know.
     
    Lyrical and Mckk like this.
  25. js58

    js58 Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2015
    Messages:
    34
    Likes Received:
    8
    World War Z.

    The film was a huge disappointment for me, it was nothing like the book. It would have worked so much better as a mini-series.
     
    Lyrical likes this.

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice