I'll start this off with a couple of my own:
Best - Although it's kind of cheating (since it was technically a mini-series), Band of Brothers ranks up there as one of the best movies from a book. Granted, it took ten hours worth of footage to do it, but they did an incredible job of putting that on screen and not leaving anything out.
Honorable mention - Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. In all honesty, it's probably the only movie I've ever seen that came from a book where you actually need to see the movie to understand some of what is going on, as well as vice versa.
Worst - I made it all the way through the abomination known as Syrianna before I found out that it was supposed to be a film adaptation of the book See No Evil by Robert Baer. I read that book not more than six months before seeing the movie, and had absolutely no idea they were connected until the credits rolled. The book was an excellent series of adventures experienced by the author in his twenty-plus year CIA career. The movie was... George Clooney wanking.
Honorable mention - Anything by Michael Crichton. I really enjoy his books, but his movies just plain suck (with the possible exception of Jurassic Park). They always completely miss the cool factor of his books, which is usually some kind of revolutionary technological gizmo or invention. While the movies end up being Demi Moore in a bra trying to rape Michael Douglas. Riiiight.
Your thoughts are not only needed, but necessary if you are to avoid being killed by a Ninja.
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31 comments:
Funny Blog Comment:
"mmmm-mmmm, thats good crazy"
I saw this the other day on Ace, I think, and I still chuckle. The phrase has so many applications..
Hey, that's not a book or a movie! HA.
Yet, I'm sure it will now become a part of my regular vocabulary.
I only look at books with lots of pictures, so I can't contribute. Sorry.
Didn't they make a Dr. Seuss movie?
How could I forget? I actually had blacked it out.
That would go under the "worst" book to film translation.
You mean 'Cat in The Hat' with Mike Meyers... it was beyond 'worst', a downright horrible abomination... and I only made it thru the first 20 minutes.
Shogun - Good stuff, but maybe not really a movie.
Schindler's List - Also very good
Shawshank and the Body - Best adaptation of S. King books
The Horblower stuff on A&E - also maybe not really a movie, but as well done as could be given the subject matter.
Oooh, Shawshank and Shindlers List, both good calls. Hornblower I am not familiar with. Is that a porno set at band camp?
I'm a big fan of the book, "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" The movie was really good too.
It's really too bad that Malcolm ain't around right now to get people to join the Republican party... When asked what a black person could do to fight oppression he said: "Join the NRA" Now that's my type of civil rights leader!!
Plus, correct me if I'm wrong, didn't he start speaking out against some of the hypocrisy in Islam towards the end of his life?
Then that crazy wacko had him killed. What is that guys name... Farakhan! Louis Farakhan. Finally remembered. The guy that says a space ship came down and told him to organize a million-man march. Wow. Good stuff.
I've always been a bibliophile... if the book came first, I'd usually hate the movie because I didn't think it was true to the original story.. so I generally hate book/movies. However, my 2 favorite of all time are Bridges of Madison County and The Prince of Tides, because they were so faithful to the soul of the original story. The only time I've liked the movied version better than a book - The First Wives Club - they changed A LOT to make that movie palatable to a mainstream audience.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0767014812/103-2546733-6430207?v=glance
4.5 out of 5 stars, good stuff.
Muse - about 98% of the time I totally agree with you. The book is way better. Every once in a while though...
As far as those movies you mentioned, uhh, I haven't seen any of them. Must not have been any explosions or car chases in them. Ha.
Greg..
"Bridges of Madison County" is considered by many to be the final part of the trilogy which consists of: "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly", "Unforgiven", and finally "Bridges..." Just think of it as a western, which takes place in the mid-west. Clint Eastwood at his best.
As for "Prince of Tides". Good sports movie. Lots of football, mixed in with some male v. male and male vs. female wrestling with participants of all ages. Worth seeing. Plus the woman we will not mention here is in it...
Pick up both these classic guy movies up at your local blockbuster...
Oh, ok. Then I'll definately pick those up. Does "Bridges" have the cool Ennion Moriccone soundtrack, too?
And thank you for not mentioning her name her. My blog site is set on "explode" if it is ever written here. I would have to change all my settings and stuff.
Sorry, that should be "Ennio Morricone." I spell poorly whenever I'm awake. Otherwise I'm pretty good.
Greg,
You've done posts on movies that were inspirational/meaningful and best/worst book to movie transition.. how 'bout movies that are indy/not quite mainstreamt that have been enjoyed?
Muse - Not a bad idea, only problem is I really haven't had that many responses on this one, so I can't imagine that many people would comment on indie movies. Well, besides me, you, and el Jeffe. And mine and his would mostly involve some type of crazy kung fu. Ha.
I will definately keep it in mind for the future, though.
On the good side- The Passion of the Christ. I went to that one expecting very little and was totally blown away.
On the bad side- The Hollywood adaptaion of the autobiography that I will someday write, as it is impossible to portray on film the life of Jonathan Scott (third person used on purpose)
By the way, the maintenance man in my appartment complex calls me "Sgt. Scott" and salutes me when he sees me. I think I'm getting a complex.
Scotty - Ya know, I hadn't even thought of "Passion". Good call.
Who would play you in a movie of your life? What a challenging role! Imagine the difficulty in learning all the complexity that is Jonathan Scott. I don't think it can be done.
seriously??? I don't check in for a couple of days and there isn't a new random thought or a third photo of the Knight Rider? Are you slipping in your old age?
I am "very" disappointed.
Don't tell me that homework got in the way???
Partially homework, partially Olympic hockey, and partially the fact that fewer people read during the weekends. It's a science thing.
I don't want to be killed by a ninja so I will comment.......
I actually thought The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe was pretty good, keep in mind I have a 7yr old daughter that I took to see it. But it wasn't bad.
Flame on.....
J.
I liked that movie, if only because it kind of made *me* feel like a 7 year old. As opposed to a six year old, which is how I normally feel.
twisted,
Know how I know you are gay????
J.
Because you feel that everyone who is smarter, faster, and better looking than you is gay?
the pink panties were my first clue
J.
or maybe because you had not one but two post with pictures of David Hasselhoff....
J.
The Marisa Miller pic outweighed both of those. And if you don't think it did, then you may want to question some things about your life. Just sayin'.
Ok, brokeback.....
J.
Does anyone else hear crickets
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