So I decided to list the book-movies that I enjoyed a lot,
and get feedback from others on what they liked/disliked in the film industry
recently, and why.
THE LUCKY ONE
Book: I’m not a fan of Nicholas Sparks. I have read just one
of his books, and even though I liked it, I never bought another. Don’t ask me
why because I don’t know. I just didn’t. Imagine my surprise when the only book
of his I have ever read became a big screen movie-wonder. More on that later.
The book was nice. That’s how I’d describe it. Maybe that’s the reason why I didn’t
get another – it was simply nice. A good story (although nothing we’ve never
read before); likeable characters; strong male lead who’s solely created to
make women day-dream; enough love and action scenes to keep us turning the
pages. Did I fall in love with this book? No. But it was nice. If it was a man I’d
never call him again, though.
Movie: The film stole my heart in a way the book couldn’t. For
some reason, besides the obvious, it was visualized better. And do I have to
even point out that it was the movie that made Zac Efron officially legal to
fancy?
Book vs Movie: Ignore what I’ve just said because what I’m
going to say contradicts it entirely. I preferred the book. The story in it was
much more complicated, much more captivating and engaging. What was left from
it in the film was the title and the characters’ names. And Nicholas Sparks’
name. The movie was stripped down from everything that I liked about the book,
and to avoid spoilers I’m not going to say what exactly, but I was kind of
disappointed. Not by the film itself, like I said I loved it, but by the fact
that it was a completely different story. With Zac Efron in it *sigh*.
Book 1 Movie 1
TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE
Book: The book was amazing! It took me a while to get used
to it in a sense that it skips between view points, future, past and present
every few pages but once I got the hang of it, it drew me in. I loved it! It was
emotional, it was romantic, it kept me awake so many nights and made me miss so
many bus stops…
Movie: For some reason I didn’t like the film. It wasn’t the
story so much (they kept nearly every bit), it wasn’t the actors (I love Rachel
McAdams and Eric Bana a lot), it wasn’t the visualization… I don’t know what
went wrong but it couldn’t connect with me the way the book did.
Book vs Movie: Definitely the book. Reading it, you truly transport
to another time and place, just like the time-traveling character. With the
movie you are stuck in your chair looking at your watch.
Book 1 Movie 0
HUNGER GAMES
Book: The whole series is so good, it makes me not want to
be a writer anymore because I don’t feel I can ever produce something this
good. I don’t remember the last time I was so engaged in a story. Katniss is an
incredible character who can easily carry the weight of 3 books on her
shoulders. Both of her supporting male characters are strong too, although for
me Peeta has more charisma and charm than Gale. Suzanne Collins has truly
created an amazing world in her books which I’m sure will stay in the heart of
everybody who’s read it forever and in history as an all time young adult
classic.
Movie: So far we’ve seen the first part of the trilogy but I
think that’s enough to have an opinion on what’s to come. The film was awesome!
It followed the book to the letter. I was so afraid the they’d change it, make
it more wider-audience-friendly. But they didn’t and I think they made the
right choice. Does this have anything to do with the fact that Suzanne Collins
executive produced it? I don’t know. The only think that I felt a bit odd about
was Peeta. For some reason he didn’t fit with what I’d imagined. I can’t put my
finger on it, but the Peeta in my imagination was very different. Let’s hope he’ll
evolve in the next installment. You’d say that the characters portrayed on the
big screen usually don’t match the ones we’ve imagined while reading, but I’d
say that Katniss was exactly as I imagined her. Big applause for the film
makers.
Book vs Movie: Honestly, I couldn’t chose. And luckily I don’t
have to! Now that we have both and they are fantastic, we can easily enjoy them
both while waiting for the second film.
Book 1 Movie 1
TWILIGHT
Book: I read all 4 books right after the big craze started
and after I’d seen the first film which took quite a bit away from me. I already
had the characters shaped up for me, at least in appearance. I don’t know if I’d
read the books before I’d seen the movie I’d have imagined Edward differently. Probably.
But I do know that Robert Pattinson makes a great Edward. Nobody can stare
lovingly in Bella’s eyes longer than he does; nobody can have that torn, pained
expression on all the time and still look sexy; nobody can wear lipstick and
still make girls scream his name. OK, settle down, I’m kidding. I think he does
a good job as Edward. Having said that, Edward is not a very strong character. If
you take Bella away from him, he wouldn’t be able to stand on his own two feet.
He wouldn’t be able to carry the whole series himself. As for Bella, I find her
quite annoying. That is not such a bad thing because at least she IS something.
So many characters out there don’t have anything going for them – the reader
forgets them the moment they close the book. I must admit, I found the books
engaging but I still can’t pinpoint what is it exactly that makes them so
popular…
Movie: I loved the first movie. It was beautifully shot with
every detail in consideration. It was exactly as the book, which I think was
the wise thing to do since if it wasn’t, there would have been teen riots and
global chaos. The next movies weren’t so good. Let’s face it – they just weren’t!
They were following the books to the letter, that’s true, but sometimes that’s
not enough. I hated New Moon, tolerated Eclipse and managed to stay awake
during Breaking Dawn Part 1 (which is quite an achievement – I’m known for
falling asleep at the movies! And at the Formula 1 circuit. But that’s another
story). Let’s hope that Breaking Dawn Part 2 will be a good film and finish the
series with a full circle.
Book vs Movie: I’ll have to chose the books. Although I
loved the first film, the rest of them were not good enough. The books have an
atmosphere that wasn’t caught in the last 3 films. The first one caught it
perfectly and I think the biggest mistake the producers made was fire Catherine
Hardwicke who is a brilliant director and truly understood what the books were
about and why so many people loved them.
Book 4 Movie 1
SHOPAHOLIC
Books: I love all the Shopaholic books! They are so funny
and so sweet! I felt very uplifted after I’d read them and have always thought
they would make a great movie. Becky is such a lovingly irritating character
that I thought she’d be perfect for keeping the action going in a film. How
wrong was I…
Movie: It turned out – very! How is this possible? How can
you take a wonderful book, an amazing female lead, fully developed over several
books, and turn it into such a disaster? I don’t even remember what was so
horrible about that film, but I vividly remember cringing on more than one
occasion. No wonder nobody ordered a sequel…
Book vs Movie: The books, hands down.
Book 6 Movie 0
TRUE BLOOD
Book: Or 12. I started reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels
when season 3 was on TV. Again, I was
robbed of imagining what the characters would look like but when you’ve got
Alexander Skarsgard and Stephen Moyer in your head all the time, who’s
complaining? The books are very good – action packed to the brim. I managed to
read all 11 in a week or so, I literally couldn’t put them down.
Movie: True Blood must be one of my all time favourite TV
shows. I love everything about it. Even the fact that it doesn’t have anything
to do with the books! And I mean nothing. I know a lot of Sookie Stackhouse
books fans have been complaining about it, but the way I see it everybody wins.
You can read the books and watch the show and still enjoy both without any
spoilers! Should I remind you of Skarsgard and Moyer again? Naked? No? Thought
so.
Book vs Movie: I can never choose. They are both good in their
own right. Seriously, read the books if you like the show and the vice versa. They
have very little in common but are equally good.
Book 1 Movie 1
To sum up, the books have definitely won according to the
score. But, as much as I like reading and often prefer it to watching TV, I think
our lives are enriched by having films as well as books even if they tell the
same story, and sometimes because of it. So, which are your favourite books
turned into movies?
My favorite book-turned-into-a-movie is John Grisham's bestseller "The Client"!!! The movie is exactly what I had in mind when I read the book.
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