Books into movies
Which is better?
Are there any books where the movie is actually better than the book?
I’ve been pondering this question, as I know book readers often cite that a film has ‘ruined a great book’. As a reader myself, I feel this disappointment deeply, and I know there have been discussions here before about what makes a ‘good’ version of a book.
Does ‘good’ indicate that a film has stayed very close to the original story? Or is it ok to veer from the path and allow the movie version its own poetic license?
I recently wrote about the novel The L Shaped Room by Lynne Reid Banks, and some readers mentioned that they enjoyed the film version, though my research led me to discover that the author herself did not. She was unhappy that the screenwriters changed the storyline, which understandably disappointed her.
But there have been some rare occasions where I would argue that a film has better captured a story than the book.
Into the Wild, for example. This 2007 film, written, co-produced and directed by Sean Penn, and with a great soundtrack by Eddie Vedder, was one of the best films I have ever seen- no exaggeration! It was inspirational, life-affirming, and heartbreaking. But when I tried reading the book, a 1996 non-fiction exploration of the real-life Chris McCandless and his decision to walk away from his life in order to find meaning, I found I did not enjoy it, and actually abandoned reading it part way through.
There are countless other examples where I appreciate both the book and the film: Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love, for example, and Michael Cunningham’s The Hours, which had a stellar cast. And of course we have the BBC’s 1997 series of Pride and Prejudice which is, in my humble opinion, THE BEST version of Austen’s absolutely brilliant Regency novel!
I am now considering watching the new Netflix version of Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White, which I studied years ago for my undergraduate course in Literature, and which led me to wondering:
What are your best/worst film/book versions? Please share in the comments so that we know which ones to watch- and which to avoid! 😀
The film version of "To Kill A Mockingbird" had a more visceral effect on me than the book. Gregory Peck's pitch-perfect portrayal of Atticus Finch was key- I've never seen an actor who was better cast.
For me, the film version of "The Great Gatsby", with Leonardo de Caprio and the music by JayZ, and the fabulous Art Deco set, which brought it all to life for me. I found that when I read the book I did not like the characters, but in the film I warmed to them. I read the book again and still preferred the film.