Am I being unreasonable to think if you make a film of a book...

[vvviola]

.... you should actually use the story of the book?!

I just watched Child 44. They ruined it. Took away the whole central premise of the book.

I should know better by now, I don't think I've ever been impressed with the film version of a book except maybe To Kill a Mockingbird

[LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary]

We need to talk about Kevin was a great book but only ok film. Imho.

[Hobbes8]

Has anyone read What Maisie Knew? I watched the film last night and really enjoyed it, but it seemed so modern I can't imagine what the book, set in something like 1895, was like. Also the film had such an understated performance from the child actress. I want to read it but don't want to ruin the film for me!

[TheMotherOfHellbeasts]

The Thirteenth Warrior was better than Eaters of the Dead IMHO, I liked the book but loved the film.

[RJnomaaaaaargh]

Interview with the vampire.

Even worse than the teeny tiny Tom cruise as jack reacher - the teeny tiny not very attractive dark haired Tom cruise as the talk blonde magnetically handsome vampire lestat.

Complete travesty.

[UnderTheGreenwoodTree]

Sazzle, I share your feelings on the Go Between exactly.I did it for A level, and fell in love with the book and film, in fact, I watched the film just recently and it hasn't lost it's magic. I can't see the BBC drama doing a good job in comparison to a film that so stands the test of time.

[HarrietSchulenberg]

My 8 year old ds and I were discussing How To Train Your Dragon today. We both agreed that Toothless is much better in the book, as are all the other characters. The films, though enjoyable enough, are not a patch on the books.

[Junosmum]

Atonement. I thought the film much better. The book language was too flowery and the film ending, though the same premise was better delivered.

[0x530x610x750x630x79]

I always feel films of books or autobiographies should have to have a rating for example
Shares the same name as the book...
The characters are the same sex, same age, and same character as in the book.
A person of this name actually existed.
This person did one thing shown in the film.
This film is actually a fair and true representation of the persons life.

[Charley50]

To the PP who mentioned 'that was then, this is now,' I luuurrrvvveed that book soooooo much as a teenager.. didn't see the film so irrelevant to the thread

[0x530x610x750x630x79]

My 8 year old ds and I were discussing How To Train Your Dragon today. We both agreed that Toothless is much better in the book, as are all the other characters. The films, though enjoyable enough, are not a patch on the books.

I think of them as 2 separate things, soo completely different.

[Junosmum]

Oh, and snubbly, Gerard butler is Scottish. Has a naturally mild Scottish accent. But I agree that p.s I love you was a shit film.

[Machakos]

Bridget Jones:Edge of Reason. Hated what they did with the ending of the film. In the book she has this really poignant conversation with her mum, in the film running around the law offices.

[Sidge]

Some of my favourite book to film adaptations are some of the Stephen King ones - The Shining, The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption. All were brilliant books and brilliant films.

But don't get me started on the sacrilegious travesty that was Jack Reacher...

[SouthWestmom]

It's a long time since once I read the great Gatsby but I saw the film and absolutely loved it. It really worked for me.

[Bolograph]

There's a pretty well-worked theory that good films are made from "bad" books (because they are about plot and dialogue, which is the heart of a screenplay) but rarely from literary books (because they are about writing and character, which isn't). If you're reading a book for more than "what happens next" it is about the prose, which you can't film, and if you're watching a film for more than "what happens next" it's about the cinematography and editing, which is hard to write about. They're fundamentally different mediums.

So Casablanca adapts a bad play, Bladerunner adapts a terrible short story, Don't Look Now adapts a mediocre short story, the Shawshank Redemption adapts a hack novel and The Day of the Jackal adapts an airport thriller and all are (in their different ways) great films. Adaptations of literary novels? Well, the estate of David Foster Wallace isn't taking bids on Infinite Jest any time soon.

[NobodyLivesHere]

YY to Tiny Tom as Jack Reacher.

Also World War Z...that gives me the rage.

[Sazzle41]

UnderTheGreenwoodTree you have impeccable taste. I did the Go Between at A level too, been obsessed by it ever since. I hadnt realised Michel LeGrand did the soundtrack til i youtubed it. (But he did Summer of 42's which is also another stunning film true to the book, so not surprised). The music really adds to the feeling of impending doom.

Sean Bean in the previous Lady Chatterley years ago was a way better BBC adaptation. The French film version i caught by accident flicking channels one night is also really good and er, very full frontal re Mellors ...i nearly spat my tea out!

Agree teeny tiny Tom as tall, blonde, bisexual Lestat was grim to the others who have posted re Interview with the Vampire. Bugger the book where he falls in love with a dying gay man who refuses to let Lestat make him immortal so they can be together forever, so posing interesting questions about mortality vs immortality. Lets go for gore and garish costumes over plot and make it a cartoon travesty hey?

[BoyFromTheBigBadCity]

I hate the Bridget Jones films. They have none of the charm of the books, for me. I won't watch the second film since so much of the second book is about Bridget interviewing Colin Firth.

I haven't seen atonement, but am a bit curious - all but the army scenes seemed more cinematic than literary (if I make sense and am not too poncy).

[Nectarines]

The Beach is a brilliant book. I've read it over and over again. The film though... Dreadful!!

[EmpressKnowsWhereHerTowelIs]

It was a while ago now but the VI Warshawski film... The only word was travesty.

[SortedForOlivesAndFizz]

I was annoyed to find the film of the Woman In Black changed the ending and other details. Why mess about with the original?

[EmpressKnowsWhereHerTowelIs]

I think the only way is to not go near the film if you liked the book.