A good book can ruin a decent movie - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T13:40:29Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:155597?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A155615&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThe movie "Relic". I read the…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-10-18:537324:Comment:1632962008-10-18T22:18:03.582ZLisa Hillmanhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/LisaHillman
The movie "Relic". I read the book after seeing this and found that like most movies it isn't true to the book with slight plot changes and an emphasis on different characters. The same goes for the TV show "Bones". While I love both the show and the books, the main character is portrayed differently in both. I understand that they do this to get better viewing but it is still disappointing. I have found that most Stephen King books translate to the screen really well.
The movie "Relic". I read the book after seeing this and found that like most movies it isn't true to the book with slight plot changes and an emphasis on different characters. The same goes for the TV show "Bones". While I love both the show and the books, the main character is portrayed differently in both. I understand that they do this to get better viewing but it is still disappointing. I have found that most Stephen King books translate to the screen really well. I have to confess after only…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-09-20:537324:Comment:1605412008-09-20T12:38:05.950ZNick Lawlesshttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/nickmor71
I have to confess after only reading the subject line of this thread, I started thinking of the many times I've had a paperback in my back pocket as I walked into a movie. I tend to read before the lights go down and lately it seems I'm hooked into the book and trying to <u>continue</u> reading in the darkness, not really caring about the movie anymore!
I have to confess after only reading the subject line of this thread, I started thinking of the many times I've had a paperback in my back pocket as I walked into a movie. I tend to read before the lights go down and lately it seems I'm hooked into the book and trying to <u>continue</u> reading in the darkness, not really caring about the movie anymore! Should it not be the other wa…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-09-09:537324:Comment:1593792008-09-09T19:44:45.812ZAyohttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Evedallas
Should it not be the other way round? I have never been to see a film that was based on a book without reading the book first of all. As far as I am concerned it means that I am not disappointed. Wasn't it J W Egan that said "never judge a book by its movie"?
Should it not be the other way round? I have never been to see a film that was based on a book without reading the book first of all. As far as I am concerned it means that I am not disappointed. Wasn't it J W Egan that said "never judge a book by its movie"? I can't think of any movies o…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-28:537324:Comment:1576852008-08-28T19:46:06.735ZLydia Sadlerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/LydiaSadler
I can't think of any movies offhand. I usually try to read the book first, so I can critique the movie. This may not be fair, but it's what I do. Also I have found some new authors by looking for the message :" based on a book by..." and then I can either trash the movie or the book. As a rule, the book is usually better, but I agree with your choices.
I can't think of any movies offhand. I usually try to read the book first, so I can critique the movie. This may not be fair, but it's what I do. Also I have found some new authors by looking for the message :" based on a book by..." and then I can either trash the movie or the book. As a rule, the book is usually better, but I agree with your choices. Sometimes a lousy book makes…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-25:537324:Comment:1572972008-08-25T14:48:55.215ZPaul McGoranhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PaulMcGoran
Sometimes a lousy book makes for a great movie. When it does, you have to give the screenwriter a lot of the credit. A great piece of film noir is Born to Kill, directed by Robert Wise and starring Lawrence Tierney and Claire Trevor. It came out in 1947 and was based on a 1942 novel by James Gunn titled Deadlier Than the Male. The film was tough, tight and well-acted. The book, alas, was a mess. Once in while it pays to skip the book and watch the movie.
Sometimes a lousy book makes for a great movie. When it does, you have to give the screenwriter a lot of the credit. A great piece of film noir is Born to Kill, directed by Robert Wise and starring Lawrence Tierney and Claire Trevor. It came out in 1947 and was based on a 1942 novel by James Gunn titled Deadlier Than the Male. The film was tough, tight and well-acted. The book, alas, was a mess. Once in while it pays to skip the book and watch the movie. Generally speaking, books are…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-24:537324:Comment:1571902008-08-24T11:51:11.666ZJaynehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Jayne
Generally speaking, books are more intriguing than their movies. However, I recently had the opposite problem: picked a book based on the not-terrible tv movie, and found the book a distinctly lesser vehicle. The author was a publishing industry insider and should have known better than to let some of those amateurish sentences and meandering subplots survive to the galley stage.<br />
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Another example: I gave up on Elizabeth George novels after a couple of unsuccessful attempts, but I don't mind the…
Generally speaking, books are more intriguing than their movies. However, I recently had the opposite problem: picked a book based on the not-terrible tv movie, and found the book a distinctly lesser vehicle. The author was a publishing industry insider and should have known better than to let some of those amateurish sentences and meandering subplots survive to the galley stage.<br />
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Another example: I gave up on Elizabeth George novels after a couple of unsuccessful attempts, but I don't mind the tv series (mainly because of Havers). If I read the book first, and…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-19:537324:Comment:1566542008-08-19T17:57:41.112ZPennybrookehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Pennybrooke
If I read the book first, and then see the movie, I tend to be critical. However, if I see the movie first, I can love the movie and the book as separate entities. <i>Jurassic Park</i> is an example of this, as is <i>Practical Magic</i>, and the first two Harry Potter movies. Ooh, and <i>Jackie Brown</i>. I have a harder time thinking of movie adaptations that I loathed, actually. I think I tend to block them out when they get too atrocious.
If I read the book first, and then see the movie, I tend to be critical. However, if I see the movie first, I can love the movie and the book as separate entities. <i>Jurassic Park</i> is an example of this, as is <i>Practical Magic</i>, and the first two Harry Potter movies. Ooh, and <i>Jackie Brown</i>. I have a harder time thinking of movie adaptations that I loathed, actually. I think I tend to block them out when they get too atrocious. I've seen a few movies that h…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-19:537324:Comment:1565452008-08-19T04:40:58.848ZPatrick Balesterhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PatrickBalester
I've seen a few movies that have inspired me to read the book, and in general, the books are usually better. But that's the nature of Holllywood...it's very hard to accurately portray a good book on film.<br />
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That doesn't take away from the movie, as far as I'm concerned. It just reflects the limitations of film.
I've seen a few movies that have inspired me to read the book, and in general, the books are usually better. But that's the nature of Holllywood...it's very hard to accurately portray a good book on film.<br />
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That doesn't take away from the movie, as far as I'm concerned. It just reflects the limitations of film. I must have been one of the f…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-14:537324:Comment:1557352008-08-14T18:33:12.950Zgraham ashworthhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/grahamashworth
I must have been one of the few people who read "the silence of the lambs"before I saw the movie.It was also one of the few films that stood up well to the original version,unlike just about everything by elmore leonard(with the excweption of jackie brown).Other great dissapointments for me,albeit in different genres,are just about every philip k.dick interpretations,and the myriad failures to transcribe the genius of the graphic novelist Alan Moore.Fingers crossed for the Watchmen.
I must have been one of the few people who read "the silence of the lambs"before I saw the movie.It was also one of the few films that stood up well to the original version,unlike just about everything by elmore leonard(with the excweption of jackie brown).Other great dissapointments for me,albeit in different genres,are just about every philip k.dick interpretations,and the myriad failures to transcribe the genius of the graphic novelist Alan Moore.Fingers crossed for the Watchmen. Stick, is the Burt Reynolds m…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2008-08-14:537324:Comment:1556972008-08-14T15:26:00.782ZJohn McFetridgehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JohnMcF
<i>Stick</i>, is the Burt Reynolds movie from the Elmore Leonard book. <i>Out of Sight</i> is the best adaptation of Elmore Leonard so far.<br />
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I liked <i>LA Confidential</i> a little less after I read the book - or really after I read the trilogy. It wasn't really the movie's fault, it's fine, but after all three books it's really just tip of the iceberg stuff.<br />
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I'd like to see more cable TV adaptations of books - mini-series, I guess I'm saying.<br />
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The older I get, the less interested I am in…
<i>Stick</i>, is the Burt Reynolds movie from the Elmore Leonard book. <i>Out of Sight</i> is the best adaptation of Elmore Leonard so far.<br />
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I liked <i>LA Confidential</i> a little less after I read the book - or really after I read the trilogy. It wasn't really the movie's fault, it's fine, but after all three books it's really just tip of the iceberg stuff.<br />
<br />
I'd like to see more cable TV adaptations of books - mini-series, I guess I'm saying.<br />
<br />
The older I get, the less interested I am in movies. It's probably just me....