# Books that became Movies--- Your Fav?



## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

I am wondering what everyones favorite book was that also became a movie, or vice versa. If you have a favorite movie that you found out was also a book? 

What was your favorite book/movie duo and why 

Also which did you enjoy more the book or the movie version?

Did the movie live up to your book standards??


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)




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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

My favorite book into movie...The Thornbirds. I love a great love story with a lot of tragedy and history along with it. Whenever the movie is on I watch it....also one of the few books I reread every few years.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

A couple of Stephen King Novellas turned out excellently:

The Shawshank Redemption

and The Body aka Stand by Me.


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## WalterK (Mar 2, 2009)

A few favorites (in some cases I prefer the literature, some the film, and some are ties)...

Edit: BTW, these are listed on the basis of being favorite films.

*The English Patient* - Watched the film earlier today (for about the 50th time) and it remains an all time favorite. I think the film is a splendid adaptation of Michael Ondaatje's wonderful novel.

*2001: A Space Odyssey* - Still my number one film of all time. Doesn't count as derived from a novel however. I forget the details but I believe the film and novel were constructed in parallel, if I recall correctly.

*Blade Runner* - Normally I prefer the book to the film, but in this case Ridley's Scott's visualization of the environment simply overpowers Dick's novel ( _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_ )- at least in terms of my level of enjoyment. Rutger Hauer's performance doesn't hurt either in terms of elevating the film.

*Black Hawk Down* - Excellent novel by Mark Bowden. The accomplishment of the filmed version is its ability to communicate the chaos of the battlefield environment while remaining coherent in terms of its storytelling.

*The Shawshank Redemption* - Based upon the novella _Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption_ in the anthology *Different Seasons*. Love the book by King, but the film's use of Morgan Freeman's narrative is masterful and adds an entirely new level to the film vs. the novella.

I love the film version of *To Kill a Mockingbird* but never having read the novel I can make no comparison.

- Walter.


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

These are such good ones! 
Alot of these I didn't even know were books before the movies! 

I hope more people comment with there favorites!


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## WalterK (Mar 2, 2009)

Some more...

*Dune* - I love Lynch's take on Frank Herbert's novel. Love both works but the novel is more complete and squeaks by Lynch's work in my estimation.

*A Clockwork Orange* - Kubrick's ability to turn Alex into a protagonist is the key to this wonderful film. Another novel I've always meant to read based on my affinity for the derived film.

*The Shining* - I am a huge Kubrick fan ( just listed another film  ) but King's work is superior, IMHO. I first read *The Shining* mostly at night while living alone in the dead of winter in Colorado. Kind of made an impression upon me. 

- Walter...


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## JimJ (Mar 3, 2009)

WalterK said:


> Some more...
> 
> *Dune* - I love Lynch's take on Frank Herbert's novel. Love both works but the novel is more complete and squeaks by Lynch's work in my estimation.
> 
> ...


I was going to say The Shining also, great book. I also loved the Kubrick film but agree that the book is better. However, I think the Kubrick film is much better than the mini-series even though the mini-series was more faithful to the book.


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## NessaBug (Jan 5, 2009)

*Memoirs of a Geisha* I love, love, LOVE the book, but I am so glad I saw the movie first. It really helped when I was reading about obis and kimonos and different hairstyles and makeup for different level geisha.

*The Color Purple* I like both. It's hard to compare the two because the book is written as letters or journal entries and the movie is the telling of all those pieces.

Both are books I loved so much I hugged them after I read the last page. I find it much harder to do that with my Ken Doll without it getting all spazzy because I hit 12 different buttons.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

The Princess Bride

The movie is entirely different from the book, but it stands on its own as an excellent movie.  Reiner stayed true to the story, but eliminated the author's notes.  

On the other hand, the author's notes added a great deal to the book.

I'll second To Kill a Mockingbird.  I saw the movie first, and when I read the book, I could see Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch.  Wonderful.  

I just recently watched The Good Earth.  Not entirely faithful to the book, but a good adaptation nonetheless.


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## AnelaBelladonna (Apr 8, 2009)

Lord of the Rings.  I can't tell you how many times I have seen all 3 movies.  

Coal Miner's Daughter.  Excellent movie adapted from Loretta Lynn's memoir.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)




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## louiseb (Mar 2, 2009)

(no image in the kindle store)

When my husband died 10 years ago I watched this movie and for some reason, maybe it was magical enough to take me out of my reality, it made me feel better. I started watching it whenever I was down, so have seen it A LOT.  Also whenever I hear the music used in it it makes me smile.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

AnelaBelladonna said:


> Lord of the Rings. I can't tell you how many times I have seen all 3 movies.


How could I forget LotR? Yes, large chunks were missing, but what Jackson kept, he didn't mess with. Every time TNT does a marathon, I pull out my DVD's and watch them straight through. One of these days, I will get the EE.

I watched the first movie, didn't understand it, and then read The Hobbit and the trilogy. I watched the movie again and was totally captivated.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I think the two that stand out for me both for the quality in each medium and how they moved me are _Catch 22_ and _Slaughterhouse-Five_ (maybe because each has a two-word title with the second word being a number?  ). Each novel was written in a non-linear fashion which would seem at first blush to be very difficult to translate into a 2-hour film, yet I thought each movie adaptation was accomplished very well and in accordance with the theme and spirit of its source.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

I don't know if a mini-series counts as a movie, but wow both the book and the shows are outstanding and the series is spot on with the book, not only that the soundtrack is great too.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

NogDog said:


> I think the two that stand out for me both for the quality in each medium and how they moved me are _Catch 22_ and _Slaughterhouse-Five_ (maybe because each has a two-word title with the second word being a number?  ). Each novel was written in a non-linear fashion which would seem at first blush to be very difficult to translate into a 2-hour film, yet I thought each movie adaptation was accomplished very well and in accordance with the theme and spirit of its source.


Agree with you on Catch 22, I've only read Slaugterhouse Five, didn't realize there was a movie, went to netflix and found I can watch it streaming. I'll have to watch it tonight.


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## Shadowraven (May 7, 2009)

WalterK said:


> *The Shawshank Redemption* - Based upon the novella _Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption_ in the anthology *Different Seasons*. Love the book by King, but the film's use of Morgan Freeman's narrative is masterful and adds an entirely new level to the film vs. the novella.


This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Probably #3 behind American Beauty and Fight Club. When I had a film as lit class for a few years this was the ONLY text that I screened the film before the students started reading the text. I love the text, but agree that the narrative and voice-over in the film is masterful. I distinctly prefer that the film keeps Andy's methods unrevealed until the very end, whereas the novella has Red say in the beginning something to the effect of "this is what Andy did... now let me tell you HOW he did it." The movie expertly uses suspense to keep the viewer guessing what's going on.



louiseb said:


> Practical Magic - When my husband died 10 years ago I watched this movie and for some reason, maybe it was magical enough to take me out of my reality, it made me feel better. I started watching it whenever I was down, so have seen it A LOT.  Also whenever I hear the music used in it it makes me smile.


This book/movie made me an Alice Hoffman fan. I've picked up a few of hers since then and ALWAYS notice her new books in the bookstore (which I find myself still going to and browsing even though I have a kindle). None of them compare to Practical Magic though. Maybe it's because I was just out of high school at that time and my mom and I were recovering our relationship and bonding? Who knows... but I too ADORE the music in the movie and every time I hear it I think of the events in the film and all the emotions connected to them. Pretty cool.


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## Mollyb52 (Jan 4, 2009)

I loved both book and movie. The movie was visually beautiful.


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## Cowgirl (Nov 1, 2008)

Mollyb52 said:


> I loved both book and movie. The movie was visually beautiful.


That would be my 2nd choice.....


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Here is an instance where I actually liked the movie more than the book (well, novella, short story)...


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Then we have the case of "movie and short story that share only a name"....


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

Here's a good one that I caught DH watching just today:


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I set TiVo to record that while I watch the baseball game. . . . .


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## WalterK (Mar 2, 2009)

Great choice on *The Natural*, Leslie. Really a wonderful film.

- Walter.


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## Sweety18 (Feb 14, 2009)

*Lord Of The Rings*, of course


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## raccemup (Feb 19, 2009)

I agree with the Shining.. both book and movie being excellent but I did like the book a bit more. 

I recently read Slumdog Millionaire (Q&A by Vikas Swarup) after I saw the movie.  They are completely different except for the game show premise but I really enjoyed them each as individual works.  

I also just saw The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and it was a haunting movie.  I am going to read the book next as I imagine the emotional depth and character development will be far greater in the book. 

I LOVED The Kite Runner book and the movie was ok but again, a lot of the emotional depth and introspection was lost so as usual, the book was better for me.  

I really can't think of one instance where the movie version was better than the book for me.  Some have come close, but never better.


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## NessaBug (Jan 5, 2009)

A peek of Brad made me remember "Legends of the Fall." One of my all-time favorite movies and a guaranteed cry, but the novella was eh.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

I had to read the book and listen to it as an audio book before I steeled myself to go see the movie. They were both excellent.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

For me, it's the Harry Potter books. I think the movie versions were terrific, given how much cutting they had to do with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th installments.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> For me, it's the Harry Potter books. I think the movie versions were terrific, given how much cutting they had to do with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th installments.


They've cut all but two of the flashback scenes in HBP. Shell cottage looks pretty neat.


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## Debra Purdy Kong (Apr 1, 2009)

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> They've cut all but two of the flashback scenes in HBP. Shell cottage looks pretty neat.


I can't wait to see what they do with the final book!


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Debra Purdy Kong said:


> I can't wait to see what they do with the final book!


Dobby is in Part 1 and Part 2. Since I'm reading it again (#5 I think), I'll see if I can figure out where they are going to break it.


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## maebeMeri (May 13, 2009)

I hope they do DH justice! I wonder where they'll break it too. I think I'll also do a re-read soon. I had to take a long break after it, it just about did me in.

I have to third the *To Kill a Mockingbird* choice, both were excellent.

A couple more faves of mine that I can think of right now: 
*The Silence of the Lambs*, both.
*Red Dragon* to *Manhunter* (I prefer the Billy Petersen/Michael Mann version to the Edward Norton remake)
Thomas Harris, to me, is a perfect case of 'be careful what you wish for'...after waiting for over 10yrs for the sequel to TSOTL, Hannibal (both) was such a let down. I'm just hoping for the best with Dan Brown 

Oh, here's one...of my least faves...better make that "most hated" conversions ever: *Flowers in the Attic* (and not that the book was any great masterpiece, it was just one of those "did you read it?" type of books that were all the rage during my childhood. But yikes! The travesty of that movie...it's still a stain on my memory over 20yrs later!! lol If you've never seen it, oh how I wish I were you!!


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

It's probably a bit of a cheat since a miniseries allows so much more time, but since Thorn Birds was mentioned (and that's another favorite)....
 
I read Lonesome Dove and was amazed at how closely the series followed it. Now some of the "sequels", not so much...especially the first one, which they just totally made up.

Also loved
 
and the sequel to that one (War and Remembrance) - sure wish Herman Wouk's books were available on Kindle...


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Meemo said:


>


Oops. I just posted this on the other books=movies thread.


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## Mollyb52 (Jan 4, 2009)

Leslie said:


> Then we have the case of "movie and short story that share only a name"....


Ain't that the truth!


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

The Shining; loved both, book better.
The Lord of the Rings; loved both!
The Godfather; loved the book... movie OK
The Body/Stand by Me; loved them both.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Oops. I just posted this on the other books=movies thread.


Too funny! I thought when I saw this you didn't like it - different strokes& all that - then I read your post & saw that you DID like it (and amended my post to clarify that I liked it too). But I've seen a few book/movie combos that made it to both threads. 

I had to stop mid-post, but wanted to ditto To Kill a Mockingbird.

And on a side note - one of the rare times I liked a movie better than the book - Bridges of Madison County. Never got what the appeal was of that book, so I'm not sure why I watched the movie - maybe I caught it on cable. But while I didn't love it either, I enjoyed it much more than the book. And while I could never get into The Natural as a novel, it's one of my all-time favorite movies.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Meemo said:


> Too funny! I thought when I saw this you didn't like it - different strokes& all that - then I read your post & saw that you DID like it (and amended my post to clarify that I liked it too).


I'm having a senior moment. Are they duplicated threads or did I miss something?


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Jeff said:


> I'm having a senior moment. Are they duplicated threads or did I miss something?


Got a little confused myself. They are semi-duplicated. This one is faves only. The other one is your fave or not.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Thank you. I went looking for the other thread but got distracted.


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## RangerXenos (Mar 18, 2009)

I loved both the movies and books of both Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.  I never thought anyone would be able to film the LotR books, Peter Jackson did an amazing job.


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## dfwillia (Jan 10, 2009)

Here is an oldie but goodie...and there is a Kindle edition. Ahhhh... Clark Gable as Rhet Butler (Guess I am showing my age!)


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## RJ Keller (Mar 9, 2009)

Ron Maxwell did an *awesome  * job adapting Michael Shaara's "The Killer Angels" to the screen with "Gettysburg." I only wish he'd done as well with "Gods & Generals." I guess you can't have everything.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Got a little confused myself. They are semi-duplicated. This one is faves only. The other one is your fave or not.


That's what confused me - I forgot the vice versa part of that other thread (of course I liked the books AND the miniseries).


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

rjkeller said:


> Ron Maxwell did an *awesome  * job adapting Michael Shaara's "The Killer Angels" to the screen with "Gettysburg." I only wish he'd done as well with "Gods & Generals." I guess you can't have everything.


Very true - great book, great movie. Both had me in tears in parts. (And I rarely cry when reading - movies, I cry all the time.) Gods & Generals is available on Kindle, it's a shame that The Killer Angels isn't.


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## Britt (Feb 8, 2009)

Harry Potter, of course 
Girl, Interrupted
Memoirs of a Geisha

Books > movies!


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## NessaBug (Jan 5, 2009)

Just remembered "Shop Girl." I loved both.


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## MikeD (Nov 5, 2008)

Angela said:


> ...The Godfather; loved the book... movie OK...


Obviously a matter of personal taste, but I found "The Godfather" to be one of the very, very few movies that I thought was actually better than the book.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

MikeD said:


> Obviously a matter of personal taste, but I found "The Godfather" to be one of the very, very few movies that I thought was actually better than the book.


Yogi Berra made the phrase "the same only different" famous and he could have been speaking of _The Godfather_ when he said it. To me, both the book and the film adaptations (with the possible exception of the last) are works of art. Although I can't say that they's my favorite movies, I can say that I watch them every few years and never consider it wasted time.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

MikeD said:


> Obviously a matter of personal taste, but I found "The Godfather" to be one of the very, very few movies that I thought was actually better than the book.


I only read the book once and barely remember it, but I've seen GF I&II dozens of times. I love both of them.

Here's another one where I really enjoyed both the book and the movie.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Here's one I am looking forward to. The movie is getting pretty good early reviews. Ang Lee is at the Cannes Film Festival. I believe the movie will be shown there, but is not in competition.


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## danfan (Apr 17, 2009)

It's funny how some mentioned here as faves are mentioned by other people on the other thread as hated, and vice versa

Amongst my favorites:

Lord of the Rings - watched all of them a dozen times. My favorite films ever.
Harry Potter (amongst my faves and my most hated)
The Mist, Shawshank Redemption, The Body/Stand By Me, Misery (Stephen King)

I'm sure there are more but that's all I can think of right now.


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## askenase13 (Mar 1, 2009)

Love this thread.  As a lifelong book lover, I always say that the book is better than the movie.  Now, having got that out of the way, I'll list a few (not previously listed) where I think the movie was better-
1)  Field of Dreams (from Shoeless Joe by Kinsella),  The movie is a miracle.  I watch it again and again.
2)  Somewhere in Time (original title of the book is Bid Time Return but now on Kindle as Somewhere in Time).  I fell in love with Jane Seymour just like Christopher Reeve did.
3)  North and South (John Jakes)  Books were excellent, but the extended mini-series is a favorite.
4)  Fail Safe.  The original black and white film is so intense! (Henry Fonda)


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

askenase13 said:


> Love this thread. As a lifelong book lover, I always say that the book is better than the movie. Now, having got that out of the way, I'll list a few (not previously listed) where I think the movie was better-
> 1) Field of Dreams (from Shoeless Joe by Kinsella), The movie is a miracle. I watch it again and again.
> 2) Somewhere in Time (original title of the book is Bid Time Return but now on Kindle as Somewhere in Time). I fell in love with Jane Seymour just like Christopher Reeve did.
> 3) North and South (John Jakes) Books were excellent, but the extended mini-series is a favorite.
> 4) Fail Safe. The original black and white film is so intense! (Henry Fonda)


1 and 4 are two of my favorite movies, but I've never read the books. I'm not even sure I want to read them as I'd constantly be thinking of the movies while doing so.


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## danfan (Apr 17, 2009)

Oh I missed _I am Legend_, although I hesitate because although I really really liked the film, and I loved the book, they are totally different. Really, the only thing in common is the name of the lead character and that he's hunted and locked up in his house. Everything else is different but the time between watching and reading was great enough that I could separate them and enjoy each for their own merits.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

askenase13 said:


> Love this thread. As a lifelong book lover, I always say that the book is better than the movie. Now, having got that out of the way, I'll list a few (not previously listed) where I think the movie was better-
> 1) Field of Dreams (from Shoeless Joe by Kinsella), The movie is a miracle. I watch it again and again.
> 2) Somewhere in Time (original title of the book is Bid Time Return but now on Kindle as Somewhere in Time). I fell in love with Jane Seymour just like Christopher Reeve did.
> 3) North and South (John Jakes) Books were excellent, but the extended mini-series is a favorite.
> 4) Fail Safe. The original black and white film is so intense! (Henry Fonda)


I watch (1) every time I catch it , no matter where it is in the movie. And cry every time at the end...
Love (2) as well, and it always makes me think of my dad because he so loved that soundtrack.
My girls and I have had marathons of (3) - I especially remember a big blizzard in N Va - 1996? - when we hunkered down & watched them all. And I loved the books as well.
I read (4) and saw the movie when it was on TV way back when, I think, but can't remember that much about either aside from the bare bones of the plot. But since we have 1-3 in common, I should see if the movie is on Netflix!


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## Kevis Hendrickson (Feb 28, 2009)

Easily one of my favorite tales of all time. But I absolutely loved watching Sean Connery as the Green Knight in Sword of The Valiant.

But if I had to pick one film that I enjoyed even more than the book, it has to be Micheal Mann's The Last of the Mohicans. Sheer cinematic splendor and my favorite film of all time!


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## maebeMeri (May 13, 2009)

Can't believe I forgot this one: The Outsiders! Love the book and the movie. Bummed that there isn't a Kindle version yet.    

"Stay Gold, Ponyboy."


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Has anyone mentioned _Sense and Sensibility_? Emma Thompson did a great job on the screenplay and Ang Lee brought it to beautiful life.

Then there's _Pride and Prejudice_. I'm talking about the version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Beautifully done. The newer version with Keira Knightly was a travesty.


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## Aravis60 (Feb 18, 2009)

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Then there's _Pride and Prejudice_. I'm talking about the version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Beautifully done.


That's my favorite. I watch it every time that I'm sick (that's when I actually have enough time to watch the whole thing).


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> Has anyone mentioned _Sense and Sensibility_? Emma Thompson did a great job on the screenplay and Ang Lee brought it to beautiful life.


It was mentioned elsewhere in reference to Alan Rickman's versatility but the overall quality of the movie has not. In my opinion is was flawless. Emma Thompson's gulping attempt to suppress tears chokes me up every time, even though I know it's coming.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Meemo said:


> I watch (1) every time I catch it , no matter where it is in the movie. And cry every time at the end...
> ...


Being a macho man, I never cry during movies. But there is an amazing coincidence that every time I watch that movie, I always get something in my eyes that makes them water somewhere around the line, "Hey, Dad...wanna have a catch?"


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Aravis60 said:


> That's my favorite. I watch it every time that I'm sick (that's when I actually have enough time to watch the whole thing).


When I don't have time I just watch the second half.



Jeff said:


> It was mentioned elsewhere in reference to Alan Rickman's versatility but the overall quality of the movie has not. In my opinion is was flawless. Emma Thompson's gulping attempt to suppress tears chokes me up every time, even though I know it's coming.


I missed an Alan Rickman reference? Now my day is all shot to pieces. Yes, he's very versatile. Has anyone seen _The Search for John Gissing_? He is hilarious in that movie. Okay, this isn't an Alan Rickman thread, so I'll get off my soap box.

I know what you mean about that scene with Emma. It gets me every time. She's another very versatile talent. From Eleanor Dashwood to Nanny McPhee.


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## Britt (Feb 8, 2009)

Oh, and I almost forgot... I Am Legend.

Great book, AWFUL movie.

IMO.

But I think the reason I hated the movie so much is because it was so untrue to the book. If I had seen the movie before reading the book, I might have liked it. *shrug*


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

With regard to _I Am Legend_, you have three different fill adaptations to choose from, though there's no guarantee that any of them will satisfy you. (I have a certain nostalgic preference for "The Omega Man.")


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

NogDog said:


> Being a macho man, I never cry during movies.


Keeping a stiff upper lip seems to have become more difficult as I've gotten older, or maybe the movie makers have gotten better at tearjerkers. Teaching little boys that men don't cry is a dirty trick but I suppose there must be a good reason for it.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Jeff said:


> Keeping a stiff upper lip seems to have become more difficult as I've gotten older, or maybe the movie makers have gotten better at tearjerkers. Teaching little boys that men don't cry is a dirty trick but I suppose there must be a good reason for it.


I went on a triple date to see West Side Story. All the guys were crying at the end. Okay, more like sniffling and choking it back, but they were definitely emotionally involved.


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## danfan (Apr 17, 2009)

Jeff said:


> Keeping a stiff upper lip seems to have become more difficult as I've gotten older, or maybe the movie makers have gotten better at tearjerkers. Teaching little boys that men don't cry is a dirty trick but I suppose there must be a good reason for it.


That's a shame, IMO. Nothing worse than trying to hold in the tears, although sometimes I try because as soon as something remotely sad comes on, my kids stare into my face: "Mom, are you crying yet?" The recent one was *Marley & Me* (oh, another book to movie) but even the kids cried at that one so I was able to let go and weep buckets.


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## danfan (Apr 17, 2009)

Has anyone mentioned *The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe *? I loved the recent adaptations. Gave me goosebumps in parts.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

_Pride and Prejudice_ is among my top five favorite books, and the A&E mini-series with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle is my favorite book made into a movie. I, like several others who posted earlier, find the time to watch the 5-hour masterpiece whenver I need a Mr. Darcy fix. The Kiera Knightley version left me wanting to watch the mini-series, as things happened so quickly in the newer movie that I kept asking myself how they got there that quickly. I LOVE the way the mini-series took the time to let the feelings build.

Other book-to-movie combinations that I like a lot are _Sense and Sensibility_, _Emma_, _Jaws_, _The Godfather_, _Jurassic Park_, _Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil_, and _The Prince of Tides_. (There are, of course, many others that were good, but these are among my favorites.)


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

danfan said:


> That's a shame, IMO. Nothing worse than trying to hold in the tears, although sometimes I try because as soon as something remotely sad comes on, my kids stare into my face: "Mom, are you crying yet?"


My daughter does that to me, too. My son never seemed to care if I cried.

L


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Cindy416 said:


> _Pride and Prejudice_ is among my top five favorite books, and the A&E mini-series with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle is my favorite book made into a movie. I, like several others who posted earlier, find the time to watch the 5-hour masterpiece whenver I need a Mr. Darcy fix. The Kiera Knightley version left me wanting to watch the mini-series, as things happened so quickly in the newer movie that I kept asking myself how they got there that quickly. I LOVE the way the mini-series took the time to let the feelings build.


There were a lot more problems with the new version than just it's length. I'll just mention Mr. & Mrs. Bennet. Ick. Donald Sutherland looked and acted like a slob. Whoever played the mother looked more drunk than hypochondriac. Alison Stedman, on the other hand, portrayed Mrs. Bennet perfectly.

For an even worse adaptation, watch the 1940 version with Olivier and Greer Garson. Or rather, don't watch it without a large bottle of antacids beside you. They tried to make Elizabeth into Scarlett O'Hara, including the costumes. The way she flounced around, I expected her to say fiddle-dee-dee at any moment.



> Other book-to-movie combinations that I like a lot are _Sense and Sensibility_, _Emma_, _Jaws_, _The Godfather_, _Jurassic Park_, _Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil_, and _The Prince of Tides_. (There are, of course, many others that were good, but these are among my favorites.)


Which version of Emma? I saw the one with Gwyneth Paltrow. I liked it better than the book, and that's saying something since I like Austen's work.

I refused to watch the Godfather movies becuase I loved the book so much that I didn't want to be horribly disappointed. Several years ago, my daughter made me sit down and watch the first movie. She threatened to tie me to the chair and tape my eyes open. So, I watched it. Not only wasn't I disappointed, but I watched all three movies that same afternoon. The third had nothing to do with the book at all, and wasn't that great, but I still enjoyed it.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Gertie Kindle 'Turn to Page 390' said:


> There were a lot more problems with the new version than just it's length. I'll just mention Mr. & Mrs. Bennet. Ick. Donald Sutherland looked and acted like a slob. Whoever played the mother looked more drunk than hypochondriac. Alison Stedman, on the other hand, portrayed Mrs. Bennet perfectly.
> 
> For an even worse adaptation, watch the 1940 version with Olivier and Greer Garson. Or rather, don't watch it without a large bottle of antacids beside you. They tried to make Elizabeth into Scarlett O'Hara, including the costumes. The way she flounced around, I expected her to say fiddle-dee-dee at any moment.
> 
> ...


I agree with all of your points, Gertie. There were, indeed, a number of other things that I disliked about the new P and P, the length being only one. The Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma is the one that I really like.

The third Godfather movie was, in my opinion, awful, but the first two were very good, with the first one being my favorite.

Isn't that the truth about the 1940's version of P and P? I couldn't even get through the first 30 minutes of it after I'd seen the 1995 mini-series.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Cindy416 said:


> I agree with all of your points, Gertie. There were, indeed, a number of other things that I disliked about the new P and P, the length being only one. The Gwyneth Paltrow version of Emma is the one that I really like.
> 
> The third Godfather movie was, in my opinion, awful, but the first two were very good, with the first one being my favorite.
> 
> Isn't that the truth about the 1940's version of P and P? I couldn't even get through the first 30 minutes of it after I'd seen the 1995 mini-series.


I actually liked the new Pride & Prejudice, but hadn't seen any of the others or read the book when I watched it. I have the Colin Firth edition on my Netflix list - a miniseries is almost always better just because of the additional time to tell the story. I also loved Sense & Sensibility, another one I'll always stop to watch when it's on TV. And Emma as well.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Meemo, I'll be waiting to hear from you after you've seen the 1995 mini-series. I hope you enjoy it!


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## TheAutomaton (May 20, 2009)

For me the situation where a movie was much better than the book is Forrest Gump. One of my favorite movies ever made and one of my least favorite books ever made.

No Country for Old Men (Cormac McCarthy)
The Road (same author) It's not out yet, but I'm sure it will be good.
Silence of the Lambs (by whoever)
Black Beauty (Anna Sewell) and the 1994 version of the movie starring Alan Cummings as the horse.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

I forgot to add _Silence of the Lambs_ (Thomas Harris) to my list of books-to-movies. (Conversely, one of my favorite books is _'Salem's Lot_ (Stephen King), but the movie was one of the cheesiest horror movies that I've ever seen.)


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## Britt (Feb 8, 2009)

NogDog said:


> With regard to _I Am Legend_, you have three different fill adaptations to choose from, though there's no guarantee that any of them will satisfy you. (I have a certain nostalgic preference for "The Omega Man.")


Wow, I didn't even know there was more than one! I was referring to the one with Will Smith.


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## bookfiend (Feb 22, 2009)

A kid's short story. A quick 1/2 hr. read. *CAUTION* may cause visual plumbing to leak

A more grown up version. Both very good. Watch it if you get the chance. Story of hope and determination.


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## Maxx (Feb 24, 2009)

I, too, usually like the book better than the movie. It seems though, that in mini-series form a book can be done really well. I agree with Lonesome Dove, The Thorn Birds and Pride and Prejudice. One regular length movie in which I loved the movie and thought the book was ok:


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Somebody mentioned the Kindle book The Mouse That Roared: A Novel in another thread, which reminded me of the movie. Both were very enjoyable.

They may be more pertinent to those of us who grew up during the height of the Cold War, but I think they should still be entertaining to those of the younger generation who are at least a bit politically and historically aware.


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## frojazz (Feb 10, 2009)




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## louiseb (Mar 2, 2009)

My favorite Stephen King movies


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

I just mentioned this one to Deb yesterday. She just finished the book and said it was very good but didn't realize there was a movie...the movie is excellent (I haven't read the book).



L


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Louisb:

You mentioned hree Stephen King movie favorites. Two of those are from Different Seasons (Shawshank and The Body - Stand By Me), but a thrid came from this vey same collection of Novellas. Apt Pupil. Might I recommend this collection as one of the finest examples of Uncle Stevie's writing.

http://www.amazon.com/Different-Seasons-Signet-Stephen-King/dp/0451167538

Edward C. Patterson


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## louiseb (Mar 2, 2009)

I have this one in DTB format, probably have almost all of his earlier classics. This one I would definitely rebuy on Kindle!


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## Edward C. Patterson (Mar 28, 2009)

Not on Kindle, and it's a shame. Pound for pound it's Kind's best work (except the last novella, which must have gotten by Tabitha's wonderfully keen eye).

Ed Patterson


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## Aravis60 (Feb 18, 2009)

I'm pretty sure that these have all already been mentioned, but I dearly love them all.
 (The Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle BBC version)


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