LAist: Books to Film: When Your Favorite Novel Becomes a Terrible Movie

guest

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 07:55:39 -0800

Phillip Seymour Hoffman would make a most excellent Ignatius. But who for Momma Reilly?

guest

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 17:48:47 -0800

What about children's books turned into horrible movies? Ella Enchanted is one of my favorite books ever, but the movie is completely off. I mean, giant supermodels? The elves turned into lawyer-wannabes? The removal of the main antagonists in favor of a cliche 'be your own special snowflake' storyline? Frankly, the casting in that movie was fine. It was the screenwriters who should've been shot. See also: Bridge to Terabithia, The Littles, The Borrowers, Stuart Little(decent movie, but so not the book)

Scaramouche

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 17:28:44 -0800

To the person who has neither read nor seen "A Passage to India": I have done both, and the movie is even more boring than the book.

Jerald Brewer

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:45:05 -0800

Arthur C. Clarke's CHILDHOOD'S END is a short novel (180+ pages) that would blow just any other sci-fi movie ever made off the map. THE WHITE HOTEL would be pretty cool to see on the big screen too.

isbac

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:51:00 -0800

I wonder if I am the only person who laments the loss of Chris Farley, becaude if he could have played Ignatius Reilly it would have been the best move of career.

Suzanne

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:01:51 -0800

Crackity

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:47:59 -0800

Speaking of Ridley Scott, he's making Blood Meridian. Which is the Number One Spot for Movies That Should Not Be Made Into Films list. I almost feel dread over seeing it. As for A Confederacy of Dunces, Will Ferrel and Drew Barrymore are the two actors in the history of everything that should NOT be chosen to fill those parts (Barrymore I'm guessing as Myrna?).

eris

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:41:58 -0800

Easily, easily, I'm most worried about the Will Smith-ing of I Am Legend. Lean, mean, powerful, and dark mid-century Richard Matheson tale, beware! Vincent Price cheese, sure. Charlton Heston in The Omega Man, yes please. Will Smith in New York, even with Ridley Scott involved, hell no. Worst casting of the year. Makes I, Robot seem like a decent idea.

ablebravo

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:34:59 -0800

I ran across this link in the IMDB and was motivated enough to speak out on the subject. I've been a major fan of Arthur C. Clarke since I read the novelization of 2001. I had seen and enjoyed (but didn't understand) the film several times before I finally read the darn book several years after the film came out. By sheer luck, the next Clarke book I read was RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA and by the time I finished that one, I was hooked on Clarke for life. Now, 20 plus years later, there is not a word- either fiction or nonfiction- which Clarke has published that I have not read and my opinion of the man hasn't changed. I keep hearing about a film version of RAMA in the works and I find myself alternating between joy and depression at the prospect of that book making it to the big screen. I am so worried that Hollywood will s**t all over the storyline and ruin the incredible scope and chemistry which Clarke gave the book. I'm almost wishing that it just won't be done so it won't be ruined. My main worry is that the screenwriter will try to combine elements and/or characters from the 3 (unspeakably inferior) sequels into one film and utterly destroy the magic which made RAMA such a joy to read, and re-read, and re-re-reread.

Elysiane

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:57:40 -0800

I agree with the concerns about The Golden Compass, although I think the cast is fairly good. I think that Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig will be able to pull off the complex relationship required, so I'm not too worried about them. However, I keep hearing talk of Eva Green's character of the witch as if she were the major character of the novel and that is worrisome. I just wonder how much they have built her part up for the film. What has me most worried is the forthcoming version of The Dark is Rising. If Will is not cast correctly, this will be terrible! I don't even see the need to make this into a film. Don't children have imaginations anymore?

mike

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 10:40:27 -0800

"I like to think,that if Douglad Adams had not died,it wouldn't have been so "Disneyfied"..." From what I've heard, most of the "disneyfied" details that people complained about most came from Adams before he died. Apparently as he got older he thought the book was too dark and cynical and wanted more of a happy ending. Ironically, that's one case where the movie may have been better if the author had been LESS involved.

Lex

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:11:15 -0800

David, Northern Lights was always named the Golden Compass in America. Just thought you should know.

Darren seeley

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 04:56:14 -0800

I would still like to see, one of these days, a real good adaptation of a Dean Koontz novel (theatrically) without being botched, sliced to bits in an editing room, and left to die an ugly death. "Icebound" comes to mind for me rather quickly, as does "Dragon Tears". I'd also like to see an adaptation of F Paul Wilson's "The Select", Fred Sabrehagen's "Empire Of The East", and "Against All Odds" by Chuck Norris. Yes, you heard me right...a Chuck Norris biopic. Why not? Everyone else seems to get one...

Stacy

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 04:14:28 -0800

I was introduced to Jean Auel's Clan Of The Cave Bear novel in high school, and it quickly became one of my favorites. I've read it many, many times over the years. I beg anyone who sees this comment to NEVER see the horrible movie adaptation. It is one of the worst movies ever made. Just read the book. It's language and detailed descriptions of caveman life, plus herbal and animal lore is breathtaking.

Danrice56

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 04:14:21 -0800

i'm tired of seeing this gushing fawning over Chuck Palahniuk. He thinks of good ideas but the execution is amateurish and reads like the unfinished product of an adult education creative writing class. He's the poor man's J.G. Ballard.

David

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 02:58:14 -0800

At the moment i'm concerned about the adaptation of Phillip Pullman's Northern Lights. You know it's going to go horribly wrong when they feel the need to change the title. And the fact that it's massive story on a huge scale and is being directed by Chris Weitz (American Pie, About A Boy). He's fine at what he does but i don't think he can pull this off. On top of that, they're still taking all mentions of Christianity and God out of it. Not a big deal in the first one but a massive deal in the second and third.

bunny

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 02:22:12 -0800

When it was announced that The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was being made into a major motion picture,I was elated,because it was one of my all time favorite book series. Yet,when teh movie was released,it was total crap!!!! I like to think,that if Douglad Adams had not died,it wouldn't have been so "Disneyfied"...

Julia

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 09:41:30 -0800

I understand that Eat Pray Love is going to be made with Julia Roberts. I like Julia, a lot. She's very entertaining. But I was not so excited about her being in this movie from this book. If a big name is needed, why not Kate Winslet? Sorry Jules, I just don't feel you in it. Hey, maybe you'll surprise me.

erik Liekoski

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:43:15 -0800

Geek Love. Crispin Glover as the eel-boy.