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Post by RepairmanJack on Dec 14, 2004 9:14:51 GMT -5
What does everyone think is the best movie based on a book? This has always been a sore point for me because I always like the book more than the movie. There is nothing worse than just loving a book and then going to see the movie and have it turn out to be terrible. Or even if the movie is ok I hate when the director and/or screenwriters make major changes from the book. Why bother to make a movie of a novel if you are just going to change it??? I understand cuts have to be made and some changes are necessary to keep the narrative flow, but keep the movie true to the basic plot at least.
That said I would have to say the Lord of the Rings movies by Peter Jackson have to rate way up there for me as a book adaptation. Yes, he made some changes, but he kept true to Tolkien's vision.
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Jzero
Elephant Talker
Oh the flower pot that sits so still...
Posts: 149
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Post by Jzero on Dec 14, 2004 22:24:57 GMT -5
Winnie the Pooh!!!!
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Post by Shutter Girl on Dec 15, 2004 8:24:24 GMT -5
Boy this is tough! I would say I really enjoy the Harry Potter movies. I think they do an excellent job of depicting Hogwarts and I like the actors they've chosen. IMO, Michael Gambon plays a better Dumbledoor than Richard Harris, but I love Gambon anyway. There are plenty of lousy adaptations. John Irving didn't want anything to do with the production of his book A Prayer for Owen Meany and they ended up calling it Simon Birch because of it.
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Post by MaxQuad on Dec 23, 2004 22:14:12 GMT -5
What does everyone think is the best movie based on a book? The Godfather is pretty incredible - it is so much more than the book. MQ
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Post by Shutter Girl on Dec 24, 2004 10:43:46 GMT -5
The Godfather is pretty incredible - it is so much more than the book. MQ Funny you say that because Puzo's last book, Omerta, received terrible reviews. Maybe Coppola saw somthing in The Godfather that he could interpret better on celluloid.
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Post by Shutter Girl on Dec 24, 2004 11:03:09 GMT -5
Whilst surfing last night I discovered that the film adaption of Arthur Golden's incredible novel Memoirs of a Geisha is underway after years of delays.
The film stars the gorgeous Zhang Ziyi (of Crouching Tiger and Hero fame) as Sayuri, a young woman who is given up by her family to be raised as a Geisha in pre-World War Japan. The book is incredibly graphic in the descriptions of the life of a geisha and of the scenic surroundings. Sayuri lives through humiliation and treachery on the part of competing geishas while trying to search for her long lost younger sister. Golden takes on Sayuri's voice to tell us of the pain, discovery and pressures of Japanese society during this time. It's unbelievable to believe whilst reading this novel that a man wrote it --- he truly makes you believe he's Sayuri.
The cast of the film is rounded out by Michelle Yeoh (also of Crouching Tiger and several martial arts films) who portrays Sayuri's Geisha mentor and by Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai and the upcoming Batman movie) as the man Sayuri longs for. The filming started in September in Sacramento and San Fran and they'll be moving to Japan for the final shots. If they're faithful to the novel we're sure to be in for a visual treat with natual wonders and ancient temples abounding.
If you haven't read the book I highly recommend you do --- it's a glimpse into an intriguing secret world that faded away like the last cherry blossom in June.
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Post by RepairmanJack on Dec 26, 2004 11:11:39 GMT -5
I am looking forward to seeing this movie ;D
I agree that the book was excellent. An interesting glimpse into a misunderstood part of Japanese society.
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