A-List: Movies Based on Books
By Josh Spiegel
May 14, 2009
BoxOfficeProphets.com
These days, when a movie is based on a popular book, such as last fall's Twilight or this week's big release, Angels & Demons, a major discussion all about whether the film or book is more superior will go forth. Some times, this discussion can help some people forget that the movie adapation, with or without the source material, is forgettable, if not execrable (Robert Langdon and Edward Cullen fans, unleash your pitchforks!). Films based on books often have to walk the tightrope of remaining relatively true to the source material while also trying to move past the written word.
A great example of how to both fail and succeed at this is the Harry Potter film series. Though I believe each film in the series improves on its predecessor, it's hard for me to ignore that the first two films, helmed by Chris Columbus, are...well, bad. The second film is admittedly better (mostly thanks to the cheerfully over-the-top performance from Kenneth Branagh), but both movies are too faithful to the book series. This faithfulness occurred because the filmmakers were too worried about the rabid fan base being angered by characters or storylines being left on the cutting room floor. Yet, by the time the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, was released, no one complained when characters like Nearly Headless Nick didn't show up, not only because such characters were superfluous to the main action, but because most audiences had long since accepted and embraced the reality that the movie version of Harry Potter should be different, if only slightly, from the written version.
Some of the best movies based on books (including some that will appear on this A-List) are not word-for-word adaptations of their source and all have, in some small way, improved on what was put down on the page. Though even the best film adaptation of a book may not satisfy every reader (especially since the imagination's version of a book may always be better than whatever's filmed), these films are brilliant as adaptations and by their own. Right now, there's only one rule for this list (and it may reflect badly on me, but here goes): if it's not a book I've read, it doesn't go on the list. I can't say the film version of The Godfather is better than the book if I haven't read it, so fair warning. With that in mind, here's the A-List's look at the best movies based on books.
The Shawshank Redemption
True, this is, and has been for a long time, my favorite film of all time, but this 1994 drama is a fantastic story, even more so when you compare it with its source material. One of only a few truly non-horror films to be adapted from the work of horror master Stephen King, The Shawshank Redemption is based on a novella called Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. And you thought the movie's title was a bit wordy. Of course, any fan of the film knows exactly why Miss Hayworth shows up in the novella's title (though it does kind of give a major plot point away). The movie is the story of Andy Dufresne, a man convicted of double murder and sentenced to two life sentences in Shawshank Prison. He befriends a group of other convicts, chiefly Red (Morgan Freeman), the film's narrator. As their friendship grows, Andy becomes more outspoken and butts heads with the prison warden (Bob Gunton, currently on TV's 24), even thinking of escape, one way or the other. The biggest change (or the one that may shock most people who haven't read the novella) in the film, written and directed by Frank Darabont, is that Red is no longer a wise Irishman; he's a wise black man. Of course, the movie makes a quick nod to the original heritage of the character when Freeman's character explains his nickname: "Maybe it's because I'm Irish." More than that, Darabont cuts down heavily on the narration Red provides, as surprising as it may seem. Much of the novella is from Red's voice and gets a bit heavy at times. In general, Darabont's done a great job of making the novella work as a grueling prison drama with a little bit of hope at the end of the tunnel. Not only that, but he managed to make Stephen King's name no longer synonymous with scares, even if Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption isn't his most-read work.
The Princess Bride
Though the real book called "The Princess Bride" wasn't written by some mysterious author named S. Morgenstern, there is such a book, a magical fairy tale that tries to be a bit too hip for its time period. The book was also written by the screenwriter of the 1987 film adaptation, William Goldman. Goldman is a highly experienced screenwriter (having written Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, and many others), but his novel writing skills weren't so sharp when he published the book in the 1970s. Most of the movie, directed by Rob Reiner, is seen, word for word, in the book. However, you'd be surprised at how much Goldman took out for the screenplay, and though you may be unfamiliar with the source material, be glad he excised these passages. The book is couched around Goldman himself talking about his writing career, having read the book as a child; to be fair, this section is meant to be slyly fictional, but if you've already seen this classic swashbuckler about a beautiful princess, the dashing pirate who loves her, and the many quirky characters they meet along their journey to true love, you're probably not interested in hearing about William Goldman's fake childhood. Something else that's taken out of the story is back story; most of the characters, even the evil Prince Humperdinck, are given extensive backgrounds. Though it's interesting to see Inigo Montoya as a child, watching his father get killed and trying to fight back, hearing an actor like Mandy Patinkin talk about it as a memory is more emotional. In short, you should read The Princess Bride, but try to be patient as Goldman screws around in between the good stuff.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Many, many people know about how different this 1971 family film is from its source material, by the classic children's author Roald Dahl. Though Dahl is officially credited with writing the screenplay for the film, starring Gene Wilder in the title role, he was never happy with the final product, so much so that he didn't let the sequel to the book, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, become a film. Of course, only a few years ago, this book, which is actually called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, was remade as film of the same name as that book. It was directed by Tim Burton, it starred Johnny Depp, and I'm a big fan of it, especially considering that it's far more faithful to the book (though Willy Wonka's father never makes an appearance). So why does the original film show up here? In a way, Burton's film is better than this one, directed by Mel Stuart. The special effects are better, the kids are better, the songs are, if not catchy, accurate to the book's lyrics. And yet, there's something truly nostalgic for me with the 1971 version. Whether it's the brilliant performance from Wilder (his manic nature works best in the second-to-last scene, as he shouts down Charlie and his Grandpa Joe), the unforgettable songs sung by those pesky Oompa Loompas, or the random British humor thrown into the first 30 minutes of the film, I can't help loving this movie. If you want faithfulness, look elsewhere, but for an enduring classic that anyone can love, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is the film for you.
No Country For Old Men
The overall critical consensus when the 2007 crime thriller No Country For Old Men, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, was released was that the film was, top to bottom, the best film the Coens had ever made. What shocks me still is how perfectly they brought the bleak source material, a novel by Cormac McCarthy, to the screen without compromising anything. I'm going to delve very quickly into full spoiler territory here, so beware. If you're one of the people who got frustrated or angry when the lead character, Llewellyn Moss (Josh Brolin), got killed off-screen almost 30 minutes before the film ended, you can be mad at the Coens, but they only went off McCarthy's work. Almost everything from the book is exactly the same in the film. Not sure why the film has to end with Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) recounting the dreams he had one night? Again, this is not only in the novel, but it's the same way the movie ends. One major exception is a female character who ends up befriending Llewellyn in the latter section of the book before he gets killed; she doesn't show up in the film, but you don't miss her. If you haven't read McCarthy's novel, you're missing out on a great piece of work. Don't be surprised if you spend a bit of time marveling at how accurately the Coens used the material, to the point that a majority of the dialogue seems directly copied from the book. This is a case where faithfulness is important; I shudder at the thought of this film having been a cookie-cutter thriller where the good guy lives, the bad guy dies, and everyone ends up happy. Thankfully, the Coen brothers chose not to go down that route, delivering one of the finest films of the last decade.
Out of Sight
The 1998 crime thriller Out of Sight is an important touchstone in American cinema for a few reasons. First, this is the film that brought indie director Steven Soderbergh out into the spotlight and the mainstream of Hollywood. He'd been mostly associated with incredibly small movies that did very little business at the box office when he took the reins behind this adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel. Second, this is the movie that helped solidify George Clooney's status as a real movie star. To this point, Clooney was best known for his work on ER and his failed attempts to be a matinee idol (One Fine Day, anyone?). Out of Sight, from its opening scenes to the closing credits, changed that. The movie is the story of how Jack Foley (Clooney), a career criminal, ends up falling in love with a brusque U.S. Marshal named Karen Sisco (Jennifer Lopez, in her only great performance) while doing some jobs on the side. Out of Sight is filled with a great ensemble cast, from Steve Zahn to Albert Brooks to Michael Keaton, sharp dialogue from writer Scott Frank, and some slick moves from Soderbergh. One of the most memorable scenes in the film, deservedly so, is when Jack and Karen meet up in Detroit and end up making love; Soderbergh cuts between the couple having a drink in a hotel bar to them taking their clothes off and not once does the chemistry cool down. Clooney and Lopez are great together; the novel is one of Leonard's best. Though Frank did some heavy lifting to squeeze the story into a two-hour movie, the adaptation is perfect. Not only does every character get at least one good moment, but the main story never feels slow, confusing, or even choppy. Like the rest of the films on this list, Out of Sight is not only great to watch, but the source material is worth reading, too.