Page to screen: best book adaptations
Movies which do a great job at adapting books I've read. Some are even better than the source material.
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14 titles
- DirectorLuchino ViscontiStarsBurt LancasterAlain DelonClaudia CardinaleThe Prince of Salina, a noble aristocrat of impeccable integrity, tries to preserve his family and class amid the tumultuous social upheavals of 1860s Sicily.One of the greatest books ever written in the Italian language becomes a stylish, masterful, bittersweet period piece about the end of an era. Burt Lancaster is fantastic as the Sicilian prince.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsKeith CarradineHarvey KeitelAlbert FinneyFrance, 1801. Due to a minor perceived slight, mild-mannered Lieutenant d'Hubert is forced into a duel with hot-headed irrational Lieutenant Feraud. The disagreement ultimately results in scores of duels spanning several years.Scott's underrated gem is a perfect adaptation of Conrad's short novel.
- DirectorJames IvoryStarsAnthony HopkinsEmma ThompsonVanessa RedgraveSet in the early 20th century, class distinctions and troubled relations affect the relationship between two families and the ownership of a cherished British estate known as Howards End.An almost word for word adaptation of Forster's book about the relationships between people of different classes in early 20th century London. Great actors beautifully capture the delicate complexity of the characters.
- DirectorVictor FlemingKing VidorStarsJudy GarlandFrank MorganRay BolgerYoung Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their Kansas farm to the magical Land of Oz, and embark on a quest with three new friends to see the Wizard, who can return her to her home and fulfill the others' wishes.Bright, droll and pleasant, it brings Baum's world to life.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.An unfaithful adaptation which actually captures well both the atmosphere and some of the major themes of Dick's dystopian classic. Darker and tighter than the book.
- DirectorSydney PollackStarsRobert RedfordFaye DunawayCliff RobertsonA bookish CIA researcher in Manhattan finds all his co-workers dead, and must outwit those responsible until he figures out who he can really trust.Mostly close to the book, except for the ending, which is much better. A fairly conventional conclusion is turned into something truly memorable.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.Another one which improves upon the original. Surprisingly, conflict between characters has been reduced, by making Hooper a nice guy instead of a creep. It works.
- DirectorCurtis HansonStarsKevin SpaceyRussell CroweGuy PearceAs corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.Very efficient streamlining and more likable - but still fairly ambiguous! - characters for one of the best noirs of the late Nineties.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenOrlando BloomA meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.Yeah, I like most of the changes in this one. Replacing Glorfindel with Arwen is exactly one of those things you must do in adaptations; likewise cutting Tom Bombadil - which would have killed the pacing. Characters are efficiently introduced and sharply defined; the whole labyrinthine story is made clear without forced exposition. A more sympathetic Boromir is also a nice touch.
- DirectorFrançois TruffautStarsOskar WernerJulie ChristieCyril CusackIn an oppressive future, a fireman whose duty is to destroy all books begins to question his task.Excellent acting (Oskar Werner IS Montag) and a memorable ending. It does capture the essence of the book perfectly.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMartin SheenMarlon BrandoRobert DuvallA U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.An adaptation which completely alters the setting, and yet is masterful and effective.
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsNoah HathawayBarret OliverTami StronachA troubled boy dives into a wondrous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book.It was impossible to adapt Ende's book faithfully, so this movie by Petersen just focuses on its first half or so. Imaginative and full of atmosphere.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsSam NeillLaura DernJeff GoldblumA pragmatic paleontologist touring an almost complete theme park on an island in Central America is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park's cloned dinosaurs to run loose.Faithful adaptation, great blockbuster.
- DirectorAng LeeStarsSuraj SharmaIrrfan KhanAdil HussainA young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger.Very close to the source material.