Graeme Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 The Harry Potter expanded universe thread got me thinking about how much book-film adaptations often disappoint me. That series in particular became unwatchable for me because of the liberties they took with a lot of the plot, however there are other examples I can think of.The Jason Bourne films (whilst admittedly quite well executed) had next to fuck all to do with the books they were based on. I love those books, they'd have made fantastic films but now can't be adapted for at least another generation. Would it really have been that difficult or detrimental to have shown the source material a wee bit more respect?The "Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman (it wasn't even a fucking compass!)... Pretty much ruined any chances of His Dark Materials, one of the most inventive works of literary fiction over the last 20 years, getting any form of complete adaptation into film.I'm sure I could think of more given time. I can accept that adaptation is a necessary evil, and it can be done really well (see Lord of the Rings, or Game of Thrones), sometimes it can even improve upon the book (Jaws). But this is a thread for all those times you've been watching the film of a book you love and you've seen something and just thought "What the fuck were they even thinking!?"I can't be the only one, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 The ShiningI know the film is a classic, but what's based off the book? The character names, the hotel and the dad going crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacardimayne Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 The Shining I know the film is a classic, but what's based off the book? The character names, the hotel and the dad going crazy. Film and book are both masterpieces in their own way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsh327 Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I don't mind adaptations, but they should change the title when they make one. Terry Southern's books turned into films - Candy and Magic Christian - were embarrassments. Bonfire of the Vanities would have worked as an HBO miniseries, they could reboot that one and maybe it would be better. On The Road didn't work at all, I have way more faith in Big Sur being a much better movie. Scarlet Letter's another classic book where something went wrong. DaVinci Code. All the Dr Seuss books should have been left as cartoons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilyslovak Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 The Chronicles of Narnia were my favorite books growing up. The movies fuckin' butchered them. I was so disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 The Chronicles of Narnia were my favorite books growing up. The movies fuckin' butchered them. I was so disappointed.I didn't think they were that bad. Granted, I haven't read them in ages and was never a huge fan of Prince Caspian or Voyage of "The Dawn Treader". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NGOG Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Even LOTR and GOT deviate from their source materials (or certainly omit things a reader may deem includable), even though they are entertaining pieces.Rarely do you get a visual interpretation which does absolute justice to the writing. But I guess that applies to most final products either in Hollywood or TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 On the Road sort of wasn't what I wanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Moonraker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Len B'stard Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 On the Road sort of wasn't what I wanted.I refuse to watch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sturginho Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 MoonrakerYes, they should re-adapt moonraker with Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobodys_Fault Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 The "Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman (it wasn't even a fucking compass!)... Pretty much ruined any chances of His Dark Materials, one of the most inventive works of literary fiction over the last 20 years, getting any form of complete adaptation into film.This is the one I was going to say. I remember reading an interview with the director where he said making the film was a "terrible experience" because the studio ordered significant changes be made late in post-production. Apparently they felt the anti-religious themes would make the film financially unviable in the US so they pulled any and all references which is effectively tearing the heart from the source material.Sucks because that could have been an amazing trilogy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tater Totts Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Even LOTR and GOT deviate from their source materials (or certainly omit things a reader may deem includable), even though they are entertaining pieces.Rarely do you get a visual interpretation which does absolute justice to the writing. But I guess that applies to most final products either in Hollywood or TV.Incredibly difficult for both LOTR and GOT to not do that due to the sheer length of them, as adaptations though I think they have been done as well as they could. It will certainly be interesting to see how the later seasons of GOT are handled due to the massive changes that occur in the book.For me the Hobbit has to be up there, I know we've only had one film so far but it just felt so bloated, LOTR worked as the books were long and there was enough source material. The Hobbit on the other hand is a 300 page book they are stretching for money, while LOTR had to omit characters and subplots due to concerns over pacing and length, The Hobbit has made up entirely new characters and subplots to justify the three films. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GivenToFly Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Dune and Hitchhiker's Guide were both awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDRE Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Pet Semetary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NGOG Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Incredibly difficult for both LOTR and GOT to not do that due to the sheer length of them, as adaptations though I think they have been done as well as they could. It will certainly be interesting to see how the later seasons of GOT are handled due to the massive changes that occur in the book.It wasn't intended as a criticism. I don't expect either to fully capture the volumes of writing. I was actually defending that style of approach.That said, Rob's wife did not die at the Red Wedding... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Pet SemetaryGTFO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tater Totts Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Incredibly difficult for both LOTR and GOT to not do that due to the sheer length of them, as adaptations though I think they have been done as well as they could. It will certainly be interesting to see how the later seasons of GOT are handled due to the massive changes that occur in the book.It wasn't intended as a criticism. I don't expect either to fully capture the volumes of writing. I was actually defending that style of approach.That said, Rob's wife did not die at the Red Wedding...And that in the books Rob's wife in the show is someone completely different than in the books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NGOG Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 (edited) And that in the books Rob's wife in the show is someone completely different than in the books It's especially ludicrous because Catelyn shows an implicit understanding that Rob taking his wife would be tactically too risky. His wife stubbornly follows and Rob explicitly orders that she remain (heeding to the wishes of Catelyn).As an empathizer with the Stark cause it really annoys me that they portrayed the Starks as blindly walking into that fate, totally ignoring Catelyn's calcualation. They also eradicated Rob's heir in order to please people by fast-tracking to the personal crusade of Jon Snow. Edited September 13, 2013 by NGOG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDRE Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Pet SemetaryGTFOIt was rather cheesy and I don't like how they changed the ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tater Totts Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 And that in the books Rob's wife in the show is someone completely different than in the books It's especially ludicrous because Catelyn shows an implicit understanding that Rob taking his wife would be tactically too risky. His wife stubbornly follows and Rob explicitly orders that she remain (heeding to the wishes of Catelyn).As an empathizer with the Stark cause it really annoys me that they portrayed the Starks as blindly walking into that fate, totally ignoring Catelyn's calcualation. They also eradicated Rob's heir in order to please people by fast-tracking to the personal crusade of Jon Snow.I kind of felt they went down that route for the shock-factor more than anything which sucks, reading it unfold in the book was far more harrowing where as in the show having Rob and his wife kissing right there with Walder watching seemed stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Glow Inc. Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I am Legend...They could not betray the book more than they did with that piece of shit adaptation... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roush Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Queen Of The Damned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfierose Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 The Beach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusfunk Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Pet SemetaryGTFO It was rather cheesy and I don't like how they changed the ending.The ending wasn't that different was it? I haven't seen it in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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