In believing that a film of a book never dies it justice?

[ohdearwhatdoidonow]

Am about to stop watching films of the books I've read!

I particularly hated the film version of "my Sisters Keeper" and more recently "One Day"

Now "We need to talk about Kevin" was one of my favourite books from the last 10 yrs. AIBU in avoiding the film like the plague?

About A Boy v good as film and book.

High Fidelity good but didn't it have Catherine Zeta Jones in and she was crap? Or am I mixing it up with something else?

Nothing has yet surpassed the original Radio 4 adaptation of the Hitchkikers Guide.

The Outsiders was a great film which did the book justice.

Agree with the previously mentioned adaptation of Persuasion - truly sympathetic to the book and a fantastic cast.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day - great adaptation of a wonderful book.

I Captured the Castle - with Bill Nighy as the bonkers dad.

Just watched the film version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - absolutely gorgeous adaptation. Tweaked a few details but kept the atmosphere and feel of the book beautifully. Gary Oldman excellent, along with Benedict Cumberbatch and most of the cast really.

And I liked the LOTR films, am looking forward to the Hobbit.

Was furious when they remade "The Little White Horse" - they completely ruined it. Grrr.

A few years back they did some good TV versions of Mary Wesley's novels.

I would love to see a really good adaptation of a Barbara Pym.

Flowers in the attic was truly terrible, one of the worst adaptations ever.

And I know what you mean re Tom cruise in the jack reacher role. The one that I really can't stand is Morgan freeman playing cross NO NO NO MO
NO. And who is that man playing John Sampson, he looks like a big cuddly teddy bear, not a bad ass at all.

And I can't even bear to watch the show based on the books about Jane rizolli and maura isles. Grrrrrrrrrrrr

LOTR films are a darn sight better than the books, simply because they're over in a few hours.

The Golden Compass is better than Northern Lights because it's a shit book, but the bear in the film is fab.

Other than that, I don't think I've seen a film of a book that is better than the book.

BackforGood- I second The Outsiders!

Just watched War Horse- without reading the book would've been great...having read the book was just good- follows the book very loosely and I'm very glad my 8 year old was too young to watch it- he would have been so frustrated!

Memoirs of a Geisha was a good adaptation although they could've taken it further in parts.

I've just remembered this, though, which was pretty wonderful. Peter Pan

I felt the film of To Kill A Mockingbird captured the mood of the book brilliantly, but generally agree that a lot of adaptations aren't up to scratch.

I used to read an awful lot, but in the last 5 years or so my habits and lifestyle have changed a lot and I can't/don't now. So, have to love the adaptations. Anyone mentioned Game of Thrones? DH has the books and I would love to read them but won't be able to. The series was fantastic.

'The Third Man' - the book is a fairly forgetable thriller written by Graham Greene (as he himself acknowledged)

The film is a Masterpiece.

The film changes the ending and gives it more depth and of course there is Orson Wells.

Birdy
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.

Great books, adaptions for film but still great.

In my head I have vin diesel in the jack reacher role as he fits the profile brilliantly, Tom cruise will just be shite ..

YANBU

Even the best film adaptations can't do books justice.
I always get annoyed about things that are missing in the film.

And my imagination is usually better than any film.

Unless the leading actor is... well... worth it, of course. ;-)

Children of Men is one of my favourite books, I loved the issues it raised surrounding the elderly(particularly the Quickening), the disabled, suppression of humans by humans. I thought the film was rubbish, it lost the brave political stance it took of a dystopic future in favour of action.

Agree with One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and The Third Man, both brilliant adaptations.

I've always loved The Sparrow, its so much more than a sci-fi book. Apparently Brad Pitt has bought the film rights with a view to him playing Sandoz, the Jesuit priest. I really can't see how this one is going to be translated to the big screen and not sure if I could watch!

WetAugust: Nothing has yet surpassed the original Radio 4 adaptation of the Hitchkikers Guide.

That's because it was written for the radio, the books came afterwards, not the other way around.

I agree with a lot of comments here, some films are disappointing, some are an improvement. I agree that High Fidelity was a good film despite being changed from the book. My least favourite adaptation has to be The Postman with Kevin Costner, though. A good book, lousy film.

Agree with other posters about Tom Cruise being a shite Jack Reacher. I'd also pictured Vin Diesel in the role.

When I first heard it was to be Tom Cruise I was gutted and said there's no way I'll watch it but I love the books and was looking forward to the film so I think I will bite the bullet and watch it.

In general films made of books are a horrific abomination.

I have two exceptions: Lord of the rings, and one flew over the cuckook's nest.

I suppose it it helped with LOTR though that Vigo Mortenson (Arragorn) is simply HOT. Jack Nicholson was excellent though in One Flew over the cuckoo's nest, when you read the book, it's like the part was made for him.

stellanova The Dark is Rising made me sooooo angry. I love the books and they completely and utterly trashed it for no good reason. Don't watch!

No idea about Jack Reacher, but everyone said Tom Cruise would be shit as the Vampire Lestat (including Anne Rice, very loudly) and in the end he was great.

Really bad TV adaptation on at the moment is Call the Midwife.

I have also read a book of the film - film came first and the book came second. The book was really crap. Two hour longs films are not meant to be translated into book form. IMO that works even less than books into films.

I loved the Time Traveller's Wife book but the film is awful, really disappointing. Same as PS I Love You, the casting was horrendous - Gerrard Butler ruins the film.

Chocolat was another bad film, the film makes no sense - it Priest changes to a Mayor in the film, the story then doesn't make sense!!

A Room with a View is the notable exception.