This week’s geek is all about movies:
So what are some of your favorite movie adaptations of books? Include trailers or scenes from Youtube if you’d like.
Also along with that question, or instead of that question, what book or series would you like to see be made into a movie or movies? Tell us why you think it or they would work as a movie. If the book already has a book trailer, include that, to help make your point.
I decided, on the spur of the moment, to get my family’s opinions on this. This is what they came up with.
Best movie adaptation:
Hubby: The Right Stuff
Fellowship of the Ring (not the whole trilogy; he really didn’t like the other two that much)
Ciderhouse Rules
M: The Princess Bride
C: Matilda
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (debate: which version is better?)
Me: Little Women (I happen to like the Susan Sarandon version, and I know that in many circles, this is heresy)
Room with a View
(I couldn’t find a trailer, so here’s a scene)
Sense and Sensibility
What should be made into a movie:
Hubby: Wrinkle in Time, the Prydian books (the Disney movie of The Black Cauldron doesn’t count), Phantom Tollbooth, Prayer for Owen Meany — some of his favorite books, they’re interesting stories, and if well-done, they’d be great movies.
Me: Graceling — because the heroine is fantastic, and I’d love to see a visual representation of the world
Austenland — because I think it’d be a fun romantic comedy.
M: Blue Sword (actually, any Robin McKinley book… alas, they will never be made) — because it’s really a fabulous book
C: the Sisters Grimm books — because she LOVES the books. While I was reading them outloud, she’d spend hours casting them
There you have it: my family’s opinions on the best movie adaptations. What are yours?
The Book Nut 
One of my favorite book to movie adaptations is Cold Comfort Farm- I saw the movie first, and when I read the book, I was amazed at how close they were (both really fun!)
I'm wondering if you have seen the movie “Simon Birch”? It's based on A Prayer for Owen Meany. I saw the movie before I read the book and liked it very much, and would be interested in what you thought of the adaptation.
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I haven't seen Cold Comfort Farm, Sarah. I should.
And yes, Russell mentioned Simon Birch, but he said that it's NOT Owen Meany, and that it's a horrible adaptation, and that it doesn't count. (I haven't seen it.)
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I'd like to see A Wrinkle in Time made into a movie too.
I liked A Prayer for Owen Meany better than Simon Birch too, but I don't think I felt as strongly about it as Russell. Then again, I saw the movie first, so that could be why.
As for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I think I have to vote for the Gene Wilder version. I love the weirdness of Johnny Depp's character, but I just don't think that was how Willy Wonka was intended.
I haven't ever seen The Right Stuff (I know, I know!), but I think Ed Harris made a nice transition from astronaut John Glenn to Flight Director Gene Kranz in Apollo 13. He was also in one of my picks for best book-to-movie adaptation, The Hours.
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The Phantom Tollbooth was made into a movie in 1970. It was one of those that switched from regular film into animation. I didn't care for it very much and today you can tell it is dated, it's very “groovy” LOL. The link to the trailer is:
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=221052
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I loved A room with a view and The Princess Bride. A great list. Happy Sunday!
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I actually think the movie version of The Princess Bride is better than the book.
I loved The Phantom Tollbooth as a kid. Whenever I see it mentioned I always get a wave of nostaglia. I'll have to read the book and watch the film again.
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I didn't see Simon Birch, because I didn't want to ruin my memories of the book. Such a great book and I really didn't think they'd be able to do it justice, which I heard they didn't.
I forgot all about A Room With A View. What a wonderful movie.
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I also love that version of Little Women! I actually read the book right before it came out. I just saw Room with a View for the first time last week, and I really liked the adaptation. =) I also agree that A Wrinkle in Time would make a great movie–I'm surprised nobody's jumped at the chance yet. =)
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I liked Simon Birch. Saw it both before and after reading the book and it is different, but I still liked it. The book is better, tho.
You chose my favorite version of Little Women, too. I need to read more and watch more movies, too. Terribly uneducated, I am.
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