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Original poster

What films based on books did you have such high hopes for...

77 replies

Soubriquet · 27/09/2018 16:52

Only to find they let you down?

Now I know fms based on books never really live up to it but some just change things so much, you may as well have created a brand new film.

Mine is Miss Peregrines home for peculiar children

OP posts:
rhnireland · 27/09/2018 17:04

the Guernsey literary and potato or society. I was so disappointed by the film

AugustRose · 27/09/2018 17:05

I read Child 44 (harrowing but quite involved) and was looking forward to watching the film with Tom hardy but they changed the story around and the ending didn't work.

PlinkPlink · 27/09/2018 17:07

Harry Potter. I loved those books and I was so disappointed. They miss out whole characters.

Also The Da Vinci Code. Loved the books, couldn't put them down. Films were awful in comparison.

I've since given up having high hopes for book to film adaptations.

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Books
Howtodeal · 27/09/2018 17:07

The Golden Compass. Should never have been made!

CherryBlossom23 · 27/09/2018 17:09

The Time Traveller's Wife. I loved that book so much and really looked forward to the movie. So wish I hadn't bothered.

KatieMarieJ · 27/09/2018 17:09

My Sisters Keeper. Such a great book, such a poor film. They completely changed the ending and what was a beautifully written piece became insipid and playing to the lowest denominator.

Witchend · 27/09/2018 17:19

Little White Horse
The Dark is Rising

ILoveDaveGrohl · 27/09/2018 17:21

The hunger games
Divergent
The book thief (although I have a soft spot for the film as I love Geoffrey rush)

iklboo · 27/09/2018 17:24

The Black Dahlia
Jumper
Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children
The Golden Compass

oopslateagain · 27/09/2018 17:25

Any tv/film version of the Narnia books ever made. All shite. Ditto the James Bond films - the books are actually bloody good.

I generally try to see the film first if it's from a fairly recent book, that way I can enjoy the film without knowing what it's missing out or getting wrong. Of course then I read the book and I can't re-watch the film without picking it to bits.

I did quite like LOTR and The Hobbit even though they missed out chunks of the story.

PawneeParksDept · 27/09/2018 17:34

Ready Player One. Unnecessary changes and completely shite.

Guernsey etc. The book had a real joie de vivre to it and the film is just a bit depressing

Corelli. So much has been said about this that I don't need to

Miss Peregrine. See Ready Player One
and most adapts Burton has done particularly Charlie and Alice.

American Gods on Amazon

JackNamesThePlanets · 27/09/2018 17:35

The Dark Tower. So bad. So so bad even starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. How is that even possible?!

PawneeParksDept · 27/09/2018 17:36

Both His Dark Materials And Time Travelers Wife are being redone for TV, the former by the BBC and the latter by HBO I have high hopes for both

applesauce1 · 27/09/2018 17:40

Before I Go To Sleep
Poor casting. Too many changes.

Another vote for the Time Traveller's Wife and the Harry Potter series. The Dumbledore in the first film was so good and feel unreasonably resentful that death stole him from the world and he had to be replaced with Gambon, who is NOT my Dumbledore.

I quite like the newest adaptation of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I read the books as a young child, a young adult and an adult, so they have layers of meaning for me. The films meet my childhood expectations and imaginings. Not sure if that makes sense?

Mookie81 · 27/09/2018 17:41

The Golden Compass, The Dark Tower and The Snowman!

Catsandbootsandbootsandcats · 27/09/2018 17:43

The Dark Is Rising.

Not that I've ever watched it, it is banned in this house. Angry

I love the Harry Potter books, but weirdly see the films as a separate thing so generally put up with what is wrong and love the films also. I think it's because it would have been such a mammoth task to include everything that I forgive them.

Unlike The Dark is Rising. AngryAngry

Toddlerteaplease · 27/09/2018 17:44

Goodnight Mr Tom. Love the book but the film is awful.

JeffJarrett · 27/09/2018 17:46

Let the Right One In. It's one of my favourite books and they missed such a huge, integral part out of it. The American version was surprisingly better than the Swedish one, which was very highly rated. (Clearly none of them had read the book!)

PetraDelphiki · 27/09/2018 17:46

Enders game (have bee warned never to watch it...)

Ready player one is so far from the book it annoys me less. I will avoid dark is rising (didn’t know there was a film)...I love the books so would hate to spoil them!

Heuschrecke · 27/09/2018 17:53

The Pilot's Wife, by Anita Shreeve - great book, but was disappointed by the film.

iklboo · 27/09/2018 18:01

American Gods on Amazon

This in spades. It seemed to be just an excuse for (not in the book) soft porn sex scenes, unnecessarily padding out minor characters and missing huge important swathes. Ricky doo dah may look nice but he's NOT Shadow.

PawneeParksDept · 27/09/2018 18:05

Shite wasn't it @iklboo ? Woefully miscast on every role and just didn't FEEL like the book in any way. The show runners have been fired but it's too late to win me back

Amazon Originals with the exception of two standouts : Transparent And Mrs Maisel are by and large misfires

They are due to wreck Good Omens next

iklboo · 27/09/2018 18:06

@PawneeParksDept - yes I'll give Good Omens a go but if they mess it up I'll be Very Disappointed.

FrangipaniBlue · 27/09/2018 18:09

Every film I've ever watched where I read the book first!!!

candlefloozy · 27/09/2018 18:09

My sisters keeper. The book was superb. The film was not.