Novels-to-Movies

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"If you saw the movie first, the novel might seem
a drag." Tell me about it! I remember being absolutely mesmerized by Ben-Hur and his celluloid escapades in my childhood. And so, when I got hold of the Lew Wallace's opus (calf-bound vellum copy, no less) I was all set to read up a storm. But alas! The written lines were so positively insipid that it seemed as though Charlton Heston and William Wyler had paid a greater tribute to our hero than Mr.Wallace himself.
On the other hand, watching "The Man in the Iron Mask" hardly satisfied my appetite for swash-buckling adventure despite the considerable box-office clout of all its stars (even the suspiciously effeminate Leonardo). The movie was simply no match for Dumas's masterpiece.
And I was as engrossed by Peter O'Toole do his stuff in 'Lawrence of Arabia' as I was while turning the pages of "Seven Pillars of Wisdom", the real Lawrence's memoirs.
As for the others:
Silence of the Lambs: Better Movie
Hannibal: Book rules!
River runs through it: Book wins.
Emma: Book (despite Ms.Paltrow's excellent effort)
Pride and Prejudice: Book (despite my mania for Colin Firth)
One flew over the cuckoo's nest: Movie (Jack was too good)
To kill a Mocking Bird: Hmmm.Tough one.
Little Women: The Book.

This list could go on and on. But to spare myself the effort and spare you the grief, I'll just say that this book-to-movie transition can only be as good as who's making the movie and who's in it. (Imagine Joel Schumacher trying to remake Ben-Hur with Mark Wahlberg in the lead).
So all those Potter and Tolkien fans out there, keep your fingers crossed.

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Topclone, the "Iron Mask" is a shame of a movie. Full of holes, and definitley not well visualized. By itself, it a !@$@% movie.

David, I disagree that the characters don't get to show in a movie. Indian movies employ dialogues to move the plot, while Hollywood emplys dialogues to reflect the character (Thanks: Rajiv Menon). Yeah, they can't do it as good as in a book, true.

Hanzel, I think it'll be interesting to watch 'Coma' and 'The Great Train Robbery', where Crichton is a director. Have ya?

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I believe it iz tru dat novels provide more imagination for the story than the film but sometimes watchin da movie first can b quite that much beta>.. as it is easier 2 understand who everyone iz..wen relating to the film to kill a mocking bird i believe it woz easier to understand, and more enjoyable to c characters come to life on screen!

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It's very simple. Novels are not movies and visa-versa. Movies are BASED on novels, thus they are not the novel directly. For example. Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire" or "Queen of the Dammed" They both do not follow the book exactly, but are there own adaptation. As a writer, I can honestly say that movies, though can't express emotion like novels can, convey it in a differnt way, with music and so forth.
We also have to consider various peoples attempts to portray a novel as a movie, and readers imagination and patience to read books...
It is difficult to compare both movies and novels to each other because they are so different.
Basically, it depends on peoples opinions.

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My question is that I will like to know if the novel The Bluest Eye has a film, and if you guys have it.

Thank you

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What public domain novel or novels would make a great film? (That haven't been filmed already)

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hey...i've read all your comments and they are all quiet enjoyable. To my amusement all the books you talked about are books that my classmates from grade 11 english class chose to read and watch the video to be able to compare them in an essay format. I do not know much about them myself but now i am really excited to hear their presentations about the books and their adaptations to the movies. Yet, im still wondering about the book i chose and since you seem the right people to ask (sounding so smart and all) i am going to ask you. What do you personally think of the great novel, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess? I do believe that the novel is better than the movie, although the movie is quiet good by itself and very detailed. thx and ciao!

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Misery the movie says it all. The book was superb.

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picturization is always commercial,so see movie for entertainment and not for a true version of novel.Bapsi Sidhwa's Ice Candy Man has been made in to a film in the same way-The Earth 1947 .

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I was wondering. I read this really awesome book by Fern Michaels. The name of the book is called "Captive Splendors" I was wondering if ANYONE--ANYONE at all could tell me where I can find the movie that was made from this novel. My e-main is big_swole_19_70515@yahoo.com I would really appreciate any help anyone can give me.
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