6 Phenomenal Books That Were Turned Into Terrible Movies
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Date: 2020-07-14
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Comments and reviews: 9
blackpeter70
Alex Garland's brilliant, assured first novel, The Beach. This was a great opportunity for Fox to make something truly original and memorable. Well, it's memorable alright, but for all the wrong reasons. Where to start? The casting. Anyone who's read the book (and loved it) was sure to be aghast when news came from Hollywood that Leonardo DiCaprio would play the lead role which, in the novel, is a British backpacker. Given that this film was directed by Danny Boyle, and adapted by his regular scribe, John Hodge, I thought that, naturally, Ewan MacGregor was a shoo-in for the lead. Alas, no, and probably the only bit of casting they got right was Robert Carlyle. I won't go on, it depresses me no end. And what was that bollocks with the video game? Such a wasted opportunity. Any chance of a bloody reboot?
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Alex Garland's brilliant, assured first novel, The Beach. This was a great opportunity for Fox to make something truly original and memorable. Well, it's memorable alright, but for all the wrong reasons. Where to start? The casting. Anyone who's read the book (and loved it) was sure to be aghast when news came from Hollywood that Leonardo DiCaprio would play the lead role which, in the novel, is a British backpacker. Given that this film was directed by Danny Boyle, and adapted by his regular scribe, John Hodge, I thought that, naturally, Ewan MacGregor was a shoo-in for the lead. Alas, no, and probably the only bit of casting they got right was Robert Carlyle. I won't go on, it depresses me no end. And what was that bollocks with the video game? Such a wasted opportunity. Any chance of a bloody reboot?
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Kyle
Ive never understood how it can be this hard to make a good movie out of a book. The material is literally already made for you. Its like managing to screw up a pre-made frozen pizza, it shouldnt be this difficult. Films like Eragon and Percy Jackson are even worse though because similar films have been done before to great acclaim. Eragon couldve been the next Lord of the Rings, and Percy Jackson couldve been the next Harry Potter. But instead of following the blueprint those franchises laid out, the studios decided to ignore the majority of the source material and make their own story. And that is whats unforgivable to me. If you want to tell your own story, TELL YOUR OWN STORY. If you want to tell the Authors story, TELL THE AUTHORS STORY! Dont take the authors story and turn it into your own story!
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Ive never understood how it can be this hard to make a good movie out of a book. The material is literally already made for you. Its like managing to screw up a pre-made frozen pizza, it shouldnt be this difficult. Films like Eragon and Percy Jackson are even worse though because similar films have been done before to great acclaim. Eragon couldve been the next Lord of the Rings, and Percy Jackson couldve been the next Harry Potter. But instead of following the blueprint those franchises laid out, the studios decided to ignore the majority of the source material and make their own story. And that is whats unforgivable to me. If you want to tell your own story, TELL YOUR OWN STORY. If you want to tell the Authors story, TELL THE AUTHORS STORY! Dont take the authors story and turn it into your own story!
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John
'The Dark Tower' should've been made into a TV programme like 'The Game Of Thrones', widescope cinematic, violent, horror, dramatic.
Each 'The Dark Tower' book should've been made like their own seprate TV episode and season, even the main title theme (song) should be different for each episode book as well, and a very good cast and crew.
Maybe that might of worked, instead of making it into a one movie that did'nt cut it (but worth a try.
l know it would've been too expensive to make and most probably take too long to make (produce, but then again, maybe 'The Dark Tower' is only a book that should only be read like a book and should've been left on the bookshelf and not mess with it and made into a movie.
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'The Dark Tower' should've been made into a TV programme like 'The Game Of Thrones', widescope cinematic, violent, horror, dramatic.
Each 'The Dark Tower' book should've been made like their own seprate TV episode and season, even the main title theme (song) should be different for each episode book as well, and a very good cast and crew.
Maybe that might of worked, instead of making it into a one movie that did'nt cut it (but worth a try.
l know it would've been too expensive to make and most probably take too long to make (produce, but then again, maybe 'The Dark Tower' is only a book that should only be read like a book and should've been left on the bookshelf and not mess with it and made into a movie.
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Adam
I knew Hunger Games wasn't on this list, it was a surprisingly exciting series of movies. Well the third was lacking in action and slow though. But Mockingjay Part 2 made up for that! Except for the very ending! Hunger Games as a whole was the best series of YA books to be turned into films to date! Surprised Twilight was not on this list though! Something tells me Looper is connected corporately with New Line Cinema and Lionsgate who put out both those series!
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I knew Hunger Games wasn't on this list, it was a surprisingly exciting series of movies. Well the third was lacking in action and slow though. But Mockingjay Part 2 made up for that! Except for the very ending! Hunger Games as a whole was the best series of YA books to be turned into films to date! Surprised Twilight was not on this list though! Something tells me Looper is connected corporately with New Line Cinema and Lionsgate who put out both those series!
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Just
I'm a little surprised by the inclusion of eragon, TBH; my memory of the book is of a plot and characters that never really deviated from a very well worn formula i've long since tired of. There's only so much you can do in adaptation if the book's main distinguishing feature is that there are dragons, especially when i respond to the dragons less as amazing complex creatures and more as plot devices with wings.
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I'm a little surprised by the inclusion of eragon, TBH; my memory of the book is of a plot and characters that never really deviated from a very well worn formula i've long since tired of. There's only so much you can do in adaptation if the book's main distinguishing feature is that there are dragons, especially when i respond to the dragons less as amazing complex creatures and more as plot devices with wings.
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Yoonmi
How did Eragon make the list? It was a bad book. it basically was a Pern/LOTR rip off. I also once caught him boasting he was better than McCaffrey and Tolkien combined, reported it to a writer's forum, who thoroughly took him to town and then the post was taken down. but man, how can you call it good?
BTW, Seuss was a racist. and an antisemite, so yes, there are better Children's book authors.
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How did Eragon make the list? It was a bad book. it basically was a Pern/LOTR rip off. I also once caught him boasting he was better than McCaffrey and Tolkien combined, reported it to a writer's forum, who thoroughly took him to town and then the post was taken down. but man, how can you call it good?
BTW, Seuss was a racist. and an antisemite, so yes, there are better Children's book authors.
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Harley
I remembered reading The Giver and when my classmates and I had the book as our book report. There were many artists there and I cant believe it flopped even though I love Cameron Dallas and Taylor Swifts performance there. I even made a review saying it was nice. Hopefully the ones that are now going under viewing or rating would get a nice score like TFIOS or Harry Potter tho.
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I remembered reading The Giver and when my classmates and I had the book as our book report. There were many artists there and I cant believe it flopped even though I love Cameron Dallas and Taylor Swifts performance there. I even made a review saying it was nice. Hopefully the ones that are now going under viewing or rating would get a nice score like TFIOS or Harry Potter tho.
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mbear1
My pick for worst adaptation is the unwatchable, boring and badly-paced Prozac Nation.
The book was devastating in its emotional rawness and a grim exposition on the lost youth of generation x. I have no idea how very good actresses like Jessica Lange and Christina Ricci ended up in this awful film. I guess blame the writers and director.
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My pick for worst adaptation is the unwatchable, boring and badly-paced Prozac Nation.
The book was devastating in its emotional rawness and a grim exposition on the lost youth of generation x. I have no idea how very good actresses like Jessica Lange and Christina Ricci ended up in this awful film. I guess blame the writers and director.
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MsPatdfanatic
The Giver was a good movie though and as a writer who learned about adaptations and why books can't always translate smoothly from book to film it really let me give the movie more of a chance than I originally would have. The Giver was exceptionally beautiful and in this visual medium I think it delivered in that aspect.
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The Giver was a good movie though and as a writer who learned about adaptations and why books can't always translate smoothly from book to film it really let me give the movie more of a chance than I originally would have. The Giver was exceptionally beautiful and in this visual medium I think it delivered in that aspect.
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