Best Movie Adapted from a Novel

1. 60

   tristaprezposted 16 years ago

   We know there are a lot of stinkers out there that were adapted from novels, but I'd like to find out what you think are the best.
   
   My faves are:
   
   LA Confidential
   The Shining (Kubrick version!)
   Psycho (Hitchcock version)
   Roots
   The World According to Garp
   Shawshank Redemption
   A Clockwork Orange (my favorite movie of all time)
   The Wicker Man (original version)

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   1. 59

      lisafwg01posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      The adaptation of James Michener's "Centennial" into a TV mini-series in the late 70's will always be one of my favorites.

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2. 91

   Rochelle Frankposted 16 years ago

   My all time favorite is "Gone With the Wind".
   I am so old that I actually read the book before I saw the movie.  They left out a bit of subplot, but It was quite good at following the story.
   
   I'm not a big moviewatcher-- but I did see the original "Psycho" ( and being very young-- I hid my eyes through much of it.)
   
   Shawshank Redemption-- seen on TV twice, is a masterwork. Didn't read the book.

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   1. 60

      tristaprezposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      I read Gone with the Wind a few years ago, LOVED it!
      
      The story for Shawshank is actually in the collection "Different Seasons" by Stephen King. It's a great novel, 3 of the 4 stories in the book have been made into films. The original title for the Shawshank Redemption is "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption". Other stories that were made into films were "Apt Pupil", which starred Sir Ian McKellen; and "The Body", which was made into the excellent Stand by Me.
      
      

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   2. 74

      Eaglekiwiposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Shawshank Redemption was brilliant , my sons English class had to watch it at school and he talked about it for weeks!

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3. 60

   Great Carusoposted 16 years ago

   I like a recent one called "The Kite Runner". My wife liked the book better though!!

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   1. 79

      SweetiePieposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      The book is so good!  It was one of the best books I read, even though I cried quite a bit.  I have tried to watch the first part of the movie, but I just did not feel the same about it as I did the book.  I will try to watch the movie again though.

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4. 0

   jonaitisposted 16 years ago

   James M. Cain's books are great and made GREAT movies:
   Double Indemnity
   Mildred Pierce
   The Postman Always Rings Twice.
   
   Also Chandler's The Big Sleep (Bogart and Bacall!!)
   
   Oh yes, and JAWS!!!

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5. 59

   Cris Aposted 16 years ago

   I love Gone With the Wind, every page of the book was in the movie! I also absolutely adore  Sense and Sensibility, Like Water for Chocolate and The Color Purple

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   1. 91

      Rochelle Frankposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Not quite every page, but pretty close. Melanie had a child with Ashley in the book, as I recall.  Made the tension between Scarlett and Melanie even tighter-- but not necessary to the whole story.
      
      Sorry... I just happened to reply after 6 months, but I stand by my original nomination of GWTW.

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6. 66

   kpfingazposted 16 years ago

   Used to be a reader...not so much now. I liked Mario Puzo's The Godfather (novel). The movie is good but the book is better.

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7. 60

   Robin Marieposted 16 years ago

   To Kill a Mockingbird is a favorite of mine.
   
   And I like what they did with Interview with the Vampire.

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8. 68

   DJ Funktualposted 16 years ago

   Into The Wild

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9. 60

   Junksterposted 16 years ago

   Shawshank redemption is definitely up there for me, as well as The Green Mile, even though it's based on a short story.
   
   The Bourne movies are pretty good too.

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10. 54

    BeatsMeposted 16 years ago

    Bourne Supremacy.  Time Machine.

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11. 60

    Pete Maidaposted 15 years ago

    Lord of the Rings

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    1. 61

       curiozitiesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Indeed, they did an excellent job with the trilogy but it helps that we have the technology we do now as far as special effects are concerned.  I remember seeing the Lord of the Rings movie they did in the late 70's/early 80's, I think it was, and that was awful.

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       1. 69

          LennyPposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          I also agree with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. If I had to pick a best one out of the three I would go with The Two Towers.

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12. 57

    Dame Scribeposted 15 years ago

    Schindlers List
    Shawshank Redemption
    A Time to Kill
    Dune
    
    What can I say, lol

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    1. 61

       curiozitiesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       A Time to Kill is another good one.  the movie seemed to be reasonably faithful to the book.  Although I thought Ashley Judd's acting in that movie was kind of wooden and unemotional.  In her defense, she has gotten better since then. 
       
       Speaking of Ashley Judd, I know this is off-topic but... a cousin of mine was in the movie "High Crimes" with Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman.  he played the role of the "bad guy" Marine, the one who was accused by James Caviezel's character of slaughtering the poor Indians in Central America.

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13. 0

    fierycjposted 15 years ago

    300. Well, no one mentioned that graphic novels were excluded. Zack Snyder is the man! Almost the same dialogue and graphic quality with the comic. As for regular movies - The Green Mile. Stephen King kills me everytime.

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14. 93

    Susana Sposted 15 years ago

    My favourite book & film is "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest".
    
    Other good book to films I like were all written by Roald Dahl:
    
    Matilda
    James and the Giant Peach
    Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (both of them)
    
    Yes, I have children! I've must have watched each of these films over 50 times each.

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15. 80

    kerrygposted 15 years ago

    Several of Austen's books have been adapted very well onto the screen. My favorite is Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility, but I also really enjoyed the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle Pride and Prejudice and the Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow.

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16. 67

    Ivorwenposted 15 years ago

    The most accurate job of turning a book into a movie that I have ever seen was based on a trilogy that began with a book called "The Trees."  It was not a wonderful story, but it was very acurratly done.  When I came across it, I recognized the characters, and knew exactly what part of the story it was within the first two sentances I heard.

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17. 0

    Janettaposted 15 years ago

    So far the one I have found that followed the book the best was Ordinary People
    Follows the book pretty darn well.
    Both are excellent btw

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18. 54

    Shalini Kagalposted 15 years ago

    Yes, definitely Gone with the Wind would rate right on top for me too. Also loved The Colour Purple, Dr. Zhivago,Tess of the D'Urbervilles, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

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19. 0

    Greta Lieskeposted 15 years ago

    Just recently, the movie Choke did a pretty good job of re-creating Palahniuk's book. And I'm usually pretty disappointed with movie recreations.

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20. 73

    spiderpamposted 15 years ago

    300, Atonement, and hopefully  "Where the Wild Things are"

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