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Does it wind you up when you go to see a film adapted from a book and...

28 replies

NotmyELFtoday · 16/04/2009 20:55

... they have totally changed the story line?

I was reading something in the paper regarding My Sisters Keeper which is being made into a film. The film sounds very similar to the book until the quotes of:

"Author Jodi recently admitted fans of her book may be surprised because film producers had changed the ending for the big screen.

She said: 'Having the ending changed would certainly not have been my choice. I wrote the ending very intentionally because I wanted to leave the reader with a certain message. And changing that ending changes that message."

Why do they mess with a perfectly good ending?!

I dont think I've ever enjoyed a film made from a book (if I have read the book iyswim!)

OP posts:
thumbwitch · 16/04/2009 23:46

Really winds me up too, yes. That's why I mostly don't see films of books I have read, nor read books of films I have seen.

Some years ago there was a TV dramatisation of the book House of Cards, and at the end there was a bit of an enigma - a friend had the book so I asked to have a look at the ending and lo! It was utterly different! most off-pissing

Thunderduck · 17/04/2009 00:41

Yes it annoys me,though I hated the ending of MSK. I thought it was awful. Actually I hated the book.
Perhaps a change will be a good thing in this case, but it really shouldn't be done.

Original poster
NotmyELFtoday · 17/04/2009 12:57

I dont know what they have changed the ending to, perhaps a switch on the sisters, or a nice hollywood ending where everybody walks off to the sunset happy happy.

I hated it when people were saying "I'm SOOO like Brigit Jones" and having never read the book, couldn't understand the differences!

OP posts:
steamedtreaclesponge · 17/04/2009 13:01

I hate it too...

And don't get me started on bloody Bridget Jones! The books are so sharp and witty and the films completely missed the point and were rubbish to boot.

And I hate the fact that they made Renee Zellweger blubber up for the part when the whole point about Bridget Jones is that she thinks she's fat but actually isn't at all

grr

mayorquimby · 21/04/2009 14:23

see also "the beach"
completely write out one of the main characters and change one of the main driving points of the protagonists journey i.e. he doesn't get the girl.

Flamesparrow · 21/04/2009 14:53

they will have jollied up the end.

I hate them changing things too. As much as I enjoyed Shawshank, I still can't quite believe they opted for a black man to play Red.

southeastastra · 22/04/2009 08:25

please tell me the devil wears prada was a better book than the film.

TheHedgeWitchIsNAK · 22/04/2009 08:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Owls · 22/04/2009 08:29

Sea, the book was as pointless, banal and awful as the film don't fret.

Stayingsunnygirl · 22/04/2009 09:20

Same goes for 'The Dark Is Rising' - which the film makers managed to spoil completely - it was practically unrecognisable, what with changing the nationality of the main character and his family, doing away with more than half the plot, and adding stuff just so they could use some special effects.

I loved this series of books as a child, and still love them now, and was very cross at the film.

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 22/04/2009 09:22

They do it to fit to the 'Hollywood model'. Mainly because audiences prefer happy endings, which is a damn shame.

The worst adaptation I've seen recently was 'Perfume'. I adore the book and it was very brave to try to translate it to screen. They utterly failed.

JulesJules · 22/04/2009 09:26

Agree about 'The Dark is Rising' - I also loved these as a child (and can't wait until my dds are old enough to enjoy them too) and found the film virtually unwatchable - the pointless changes did not even make any sense.

slayerette · 22/04/2009 09:32

I haven't dared to watch The Dark is Rising yet because I loved the books so much and heard very bad things of the film. Similarly, am not sure about The Secret of Moonacre because The Little White Horse was one of my favourite reads as a child and I am too frightened to see what Hollywood will have done to it!

I will freely confess to never having managed to read all of Lord of the Rings but that seems to have been fairly well received even by die-hard Tolkein fans.

elle23 · 13/05/2009 00:28

I actually enjoyed My Sister's Keeper
I was shocked by the ending and DH saw the trailer for the film a few nights ago so I thought I wanted to go and see it, but knowing that the ending has been re-written is a big let down...Why can't they just leave things the way they are?

LittleWhiteWolf · 09/06/2009 20:47

I think Jodi Piccoult and her works deserve everything they get. I loved My Sisters Keeper because it was my first JP book and I was amazed by the skillful writing and twist at the end. I then read several other books of hers and was dismayed to realise Ms P follows a formulae that gets her lots of cash but sadly lots of undeserved credit for being a good writer.

Anyway. Yes, I, too hate it when plots are changed so drastically. I like to watch movies of books first (strangely) because I like to see someone elses interpretation of it before reading the actual story and making my own mind up. But then I am a bit of a theatre lover and that is essentially what theatre is about: taking a story and putting your own stamp on it with your own interpretation.

The most accurate book/film transition I have seen was The Green Mile, which was practically word perfect and wonderful!

nkf · 09/06/2009 20:49

I don't mind. In fact, I quite like to see what other people have made of a book I enjoyed. As for JP, I've never read her. The books look unappealing to me. So I'd mind even less if tehy changed one of her books.

TartanKnickers · 09/06/2009 20:58

The film adaptation on The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas was awful too.

nymphadora · 09/06/2009 21:05

don't get me started on Harry Potter....

paisleyleaf · 09/06/2009 21:08

And Trainspotting - with the film's positive 'moving on, going straight, choosing life' ending.

Golden Compass's ending annoyed me too....as it didn't quite even get to the end. And there was no sequel this year either.

I guess we've just com to accept that films will be different though. I do like to get a book read BEFORE I see the film.

cookielove · 09/06/2009 21:14

your right the green mile was so wonderfully written and so beautiful portrayed on screen. However the books for jurassic park of which there are only two and yet three films, the books are better. i do love them though

tori haydens books have also been made into movies and the books are better.

Not to ruin my sisters keeper for anyone, i cried at the end, and i can't see how the film will end without the same ending the book offers. Her book plain truth has also been made into a film, i think it was made for tv. i haven't seen it.

Confessions of a shopacholic, orignal callled the secret dreamworld of a shopacholic, the books are brilliant i've read them all, is the film just as good i seriously doubt it, but will rent it to see

lynniep · 22/06/2009 16:55

I watched 'the dark is rising' the other day. Whilst it has been many many (many) years since I read the series - I remember loving it. The film was very disappointing, dull, pointless even.

My favourite adaptation/one of my fave films is 'a room with a view'. Actually I read the forster book after I saw the film, and was very surprised at how closely they followed the book. I just love this film - its romantic and witty and the cast to me look like they really enjoyed filming it.

lilibet · 29/06/2009 23:11

Just back from My Sister's Keeper and if this thread hadn't existed I would have started it! My friend and I burst out laughing at one bit near the end as it was so different from the book.

Worst chagne of ending since Lord of the Rings film one!

crumpet · 29/06/2009 23:17

I hate it when films mess with fact - ehat was that one about the U Boat - the film turned it into a US mission not an English one. What was that about?

gallusbesom · 25/07/2009 17:50

[just to lower the tone] I am sure that they will bugger about with New Moon so there is lots of Edward all the way through it when the vast majority of the film is about Bella and Jacob

castlesintheair · 25/07/2009 17:53

Yes. Captain Correlli was completely ridiculous.