As we all know, one of the Ten Bookworm Commandments is: Thou shalt never be satisfied with a movie adaptation because THE BOOK IS ALWAYS BETTER.
Obviously, the prompter for this blog post (Kibby of The Dark Forest Co) just wanted to fling that match and watch the bookworm world burn. While standing there looking cool, backlit by the flames, walking away in slow motion. I approve, which is why I wrote this post defying one of the cardinal bookworm rules.
And . . . can I tell you this secret and be safe? Shhh. Come closer. *whispers* I actually like some movie adaptations better than I like their book source. *Ducks flying tomatoes* *evades screaming Goodreads mob*
Now that the mob is gone. Ahem. Here are the books which were turned into movies I adore. In some cases I love book and movie with the same amount of love (Stardust!) In others, I genuinely think the movie streamlined and visualized the story so much better (Jaws, Forrest Gump).
Stardust, Neil Gaiman
Both? Both. Both is good. Read the book and then go watch the movie because they’re equally amazing.
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
I list the movie over the book because my ovaries literally sat up and begged me to. They saw Toby Stephens in the 2006 BBC miniseries, and sploded. There’s nothing I can do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The Princess Bride, William Goldman
I have read the book, and the humor seems a bit overdone? I dunno, it seems forced in writing when it flows as a hilarious flood when spoken by the actors. It’s a decent book but . . . the worst sin is the book doesn’t have Cary Elwes in it *ovaries make a sad face*.
Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare
Because Emma fucking Thompson, that’s why. Also, Shakespeare English is tricksy to read and I honestly enjoy the mental break I get just *watching* the words, with accompanying expressions, rather than reading them.
Jaws, Peter Benchley
There are a lot of wacky, extraneous plotlines in the novel which TBH don’t add anything. At all. Do yourself a favor and just watch the movie. It’s a classic for a reason.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey
The casting is what makes me love the movie. Both book and movie can make me cry. Jack Nicholson IS McMurphy, but Louise Fletcher really sells a super difficult part and her contribution can’t be overlooked. And Will Sampson, as Chief, embodies the novel.
Misery, Stephen King
Casting again. Cathy Bates is so very good at being squirrel-poo levels of nutty. It’s also a really cinematic story to start with, so the movie only improves it. Stephen King nearly always translates well onto the big screen. He really does.
Forrest Gump, Winston Goom
The book, again, has lots of extra useless plotlines (Forrest goes into space? And gets stranded on cannibal island?? TF?) which really go nowhere and the book doesn’t have Tom Hanks. We can’t do this story without Tom Hanks.
Breaking Dawn part II, Stephenie Meyer
The pleasure of watching Aro, Jane, and Alec die horribly CANNOT BE OVERSTATED and it’s NOT IN THE BOOK. In the book that UberJerk Aro walks away from the big confrontation free as a pale, sickly, red-eyed, sadistic bird. All we get is reading about how Alice’s vision scared the leather trousers off him, which is nowhere near enough consequence for my bloodthirsty bookworm self. Seeing it in the movie [even though it’s deus ex machina’d at the end by being the fake vision] is WAY more satisfying.
I mostly don’t like move adaptations better, but there are exceptions to the rule. I thought the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Harry Potter movies were really well done.
Both excellent choices! The Lord of the Rings movies were what finally propelled me into reading the books. They just seemed so DENSE when I didn’t have faces in my mind to go with all the names. But after the movies it was so easy to fly through them 🙂
I like this image of me being a bad ass and lighting the world on fire! And I join you in the group of people who understand the book is not ALWAYS better. Huge case in point, is the Princess Bride. Dear lord, I loathe that book. LOATHE!
And now I need to go find this BBC miniseries of Wuthering Heights with Toby Stephens because I was NOT AWARE of it and I need it now. Because Stephens is broody perfection.
He’s just so attractive. I don’t even know why? Is it those grim, stern grooves next to that sexy mouth when he scowls? IDK I’m not even going to fight it. I’m just going to watch everything he’s in and sigh.
Ok, I had real thoughts, and then I read Toby Stephens’ name again, and now all I can think of is Black Sails and I’m a puddle of swoon 🙂
That man. Lord. My hormones just can’t fight against it, and I don’t generally even *like* bald on a guy!
Yessssssssss, Toby Stephens is particularly wonderful in Black Sails!