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Original poster

What great books have been overlooked for adaptation into movies?

26 replies

joshhollowayspieceofass · 20/02/2009 18:30

I'd love to see a movie of The Catcher In The Rye, but apparently J.D. Salinger has always refused to sell the rights.

What else are we missing out on - assuming a brilliant adaptation is acheived...

OP posts:
Twims · 20/02/2009 18:31

I was just about to say Catcher when I clicked on the thread.

funnypeculiar · 20/02/2009 18:33

I'd love to see Michael Ondatje's Skin of a (the?) Lion - am surprised post English Patient than no-one has tried to do it

FuriousGeorge · 20/02/2009 22:08

The Alienist-Caleb Carr.I'm surprised no one has made a film of this.

Jaquelinehyde · 20/02/2009 22:09

The far away tree books

cornsilk · 20/02/2009 22:09

Children's book but I think Kensuke's Kingdom would make a great film.
I'd love to see a decent adaptation of Wuthering Heights.

chegirl · 20/02/2009 22:24

I would love to see 'The Lovely Bones' made into a film. I think I read somewhere that the rights had been bought up years ago. Mind you I dont think I would be able to watch it now.

Our spoons came from woolworths by Barbara Comyns would make a fab film - all British and beautifully shot with lots of scenes of post war London. Cant see it happening though.

funnypeculiar · 20/02/2009 22:53

Lovely Bones is on it's way, chegirl www.imdb.com/title/tt0380510/

Evenstar · 21/02/2009 19:05

I was chatting to a friend this afternoon and we were saying Barbara Erskine's books would make good films, the special effects would be brilliant with the ghostly goings on.

chegirl · 21/02/2009 19:17

Wow thanks for that funnyP!

Jux · 21/02/2009 19:21

A White Merc with Fins would be great as a film.

So would a lot of Iain M Banks.

TBH I think Salinger is right; a film would spoil the book, but it'll happen sometime anyway. Makes me think of Gormenghast which was done soooo badly it almost made me cry!

cornsilk · 21/02/2009 19:21

oooh Marl Wahlberg's in it. Saw him in 'The Happening' the other night and he was fab.

sausagenmash · 21/02/2009 19:39

RE: Iain Banks - remember seeing a good adaptation of The Crow Road a few years ago - Joseph McFadden, Peter Capaldi and loads of others who I can picture but not name. Think The Wasp Factory would make VERY interesting watching..

Am I right in thinking that they are doing 'The Time Travellers Wife'?

Original poster
joshhollowayspieceofass · 24/02/2009 16:08

I think Gus Van Sant could do Catcher...am thinking of My Own Private Idaho - if he could capture some of that atmosphere.

OP posts:
Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 06/03/2009 14:10

Oh, I think Mark Haddon would be brilliant, espeically A Spot of Bother.
The Shadow of the Wind would be good.

What are the general thoughts on The Lasdies Detective Agency coming to the tv?

roseability · 10/03/2009 20:37

Crime and Punishment

fleximum · 10/03/2009 20:39

Any of Christopher Brookmyer books. Some of the violence is a little graphic but very clever and I think would work well as a film

PlumpRumpSoggyBaps · 10/03/2009 20:42

I agree with Evenstar re Barbara Erskine.

And for me, although perhaps not a 'great' book (or series of books)- Cross Stitch/Dragonfly in Amber etc by Diana Gabaldon.

But then, they would probably ruin my idea of her Scottish hero.

philopastry · 10/03/2009 20:52

The Secret History (Donna Tartt) would make a fabulous film. Anthony Hopkins could play the enigmatic but sinister Julian...

MorrisZapp · 12/03/2009 12:21

The more I like a book, the less I want it to be made into a film. So many times I've been disappointed!

Atonement (the film) was superb imo but usually the Hollywood treatment strips away the soul of good books and makes them glossy, superficial and commercial.

One of my favourite writers is Elinor Lipman, and a film came out recently of one of her books 'Then She Found Me'. After reading how they'd butchered the plot and cast gorgeous actors as the dowdy leads, I decided I just didn't want to see it.

Having said that, I do want to see Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day, which looks like a classy production.

I'd be happier if they made my fave books into telly series featuring British actors.

haggisaggis · 12/03/2009 12:26

Fleximum - whenever I read "One fine day in the middle of the night" I think it would make a fantastic film! WOuld need subtitles for teh American market though.

MadBadandDangerousToKnow · 14/03/2009 22:51

Just wanted to say thank you to chegirl for mentioning Our Spoons Came From Woolworths. I found it in a charity shop this week and am loving it!

UnquietDad · 16/03/2009 12:42

Amazed nobody has done "London Fields". At the time I thought Timothy Spall for Keith Talent, Nigel Havers for Guy Clinch, Joanne Whalley for Nicola Six and Dustin Hoffman as Samson Young. These days, I'd struggle to think who to cast. Rupert Penry-Jones as Guy, perhaps, and Gina Bellman as Nicola?...

mumnosbest · 10/05/2009 00:40

The Mayfair Witches - Anne Rice and Odd Thomas but only if they're not made into cheesey horrors

mumnosbest · 10/05/2009 00:41

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

JeffVadar · 11/05/2009 14:27

I think C.J. Sansom's Shardlake books would be good films. I thought I heard a rumour that Kenneth Brannagh was interested in them.

Also, having just read When will there be Good News I think that the Jackson Brodie books would adapt well for TV. I see David Morrisey as Jackson, and Daniela Nardini as Louise Monroe...