Disclaimer: This post may contain
SPOILERS.
READ WITH CAUTION.
This could be a whole different blog, so I've decided to narrow it down to a few books into films that I've read and seen. Of course I've seen more, but these are just the ones I picked to talk about. I was quite flustered to write this post because there are so many different books turned films. But I'm sure there are plenty of other blogs, reviews and more about this topic that you can also read as well.
The following is strictly my opinions and should be taken as that, not as facts. This is my take on books and films being an avid reading, film major and future screenwriter.
Where to begin??? I guess first I want to say, I consider it a hobby of mine to read books and then watch their films. Last year I spent it mostly reading books so that I could watch the films after. I do appreciate the different interpretations between books and their film equivalents. Sometimes they get it just right and other times it's a complete miss. Horrendous even. I compare a lot while watching the film. Sometimes that can be a bad thing and sometimes it can be a good thing. It's a good thing for me when the film and book are similar or when I end up loving both versions even when they're different. It's a bad thing when I start pointing out how that wasn't in the book or how they totally skipped this and they changed EVERYTHING. That's when I ruin a good film for myself or I see that the film interpretation wasn't what it could've been.
In no particular order, here are some books I've read and the films they turned into that I watched.
Fight Club: by Chuck Palahnuik was a great book. The film was great too; Edward Norton and Brad Pitt were
phenomenal. And David Fincher never fails as a director. But I have to say that
Fight Club the book was better because I never saw the ending coming. My mind was
B-L-O-W-N at the end of the book. I was so surprised. Although the ending of book and film were somewhat different, I wasn't totally surprised at the ending of the film. It ended with a really nice quote and I wasn't "upset" that things were different. I liked it. Whether you want to read the book first or watch the film is up to you. Either way I think you'll be surprised.
American Psycho: by Bret Easton Ellis was an
AMAZING book. It took me about five, six years to read the book though; I ended up seeing the film first, not even
knowing it was a book. It was through the power of Tumblr that I found out
American Psycho was not only a film, but a book and a book first. The two versions were very much different from each other. There was a lot stuff taken out for the film. I'm guessing because of all the gore, sex and murder. In one scene, Patrick Bateman uses a bottle of hairspray while he's having sex to you know... Needless to say that got cut out. In the book he also kills a lot more animals. Patrick Batmen as a character in the film and book were very similar. The arrogant nature, the attitude, the clothing, lifestyle, very similar. But once again, I have to say I really loved the book better. Mostly because no detail was overlooked.
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis is the best
American Psycho. Although, hats off to Mary Harron for writing
and directing the film version and not holding back so much that it got an NC-17 rating. And Christian Bale, there are no words. You are my favorite actor. I recommend you read the book first.
Less Than Zero: by Bret Easton Ellis was another amazing book. The film on the other hand was not so amazing. They (the production studio) very much rushed the production of this film because of the raising fame Ellis was getting through this book (as it was his first novel). As a result, to me, the film was
alright. Once again book and film were very similar; although things that were unclear to me in the book had some light shed on them in the film. I don't really have a lot to say about this film because I didn't like it. I'm picking the book over the film again because Ellis is an extraordinary writer and the film just could not compare. I'm also going to recommend that you read the book first before seeing the film.
The Informers: by Bret Easton Ellis was confusing and funny as I said before in a previous
post. But the film, the film was HORRIBLE. Absolutely horrendous. I feel bad because Ellis wrote it along with Nicholas Jarecki, who I've never heard of before or after
The Informers. Maybe it was the director or the writing in conjunction with the horrible acting and actors they picked that made
The Informers such a bad film. I followed the connection with the characters a little better than in the book, but there was nothing really holding me down to finish this film except the fact that I never don't finish films, no matter how bad they are. The book and film were
very different; there were vampires in the book that got cut out of the film. Probably because even more people wouldn't have seen the film if vampires were in it. I'm picking the book over the film purely because the book was way funnier and the acting
SUCKED. I recommend you read the book and
skip the film.
The Rules of Attraction: by Bret Easton Ellis is my favorite Ellis novel.
The Rules of Attraction directed by Roger Avery was a hit and miss for me. There were times when I really liked how he interpreted the script and how the actors portrayed it. But then, there were times where I thought the acting was so over done and looked so forced and faked. The casting wasn't so accurate for me; the actors
alright. They could've spent a little more time thinking about the look of each character. Ian Somerhalder was not a convincing Paul Denton (but ONCE he had a redeeming moment) and Shannyn Sossamon was a
bad Lauren Hynde. James Van Der Beek as Sean Bateman was
lovely though. I'd love to see who
didn't get the role of the main characters (Paul, Lauren and Sean). I think the minor roles were casted perfectly, actually. What I really liked about
The Rules of Attraction (2002) was how the different points of view was shown through each character. I loved how it was done in the book and in the film. The technique was just well executed. For the most part Avery stuck to the book; he only changed Lauren's character mostly. I wasn't too fond of that. My favorite part of the film had to be how they showed the chapter of Victor talking about travelling through Europe. The usage of pictures, time lapses and narration was brillant! Overall, this film could've been better, but the soundtrack is something to write home about. Read the novel first then watch the film.
A Series Of Unfortunate Events: by Lemony Snicket is the
greatest book series I've ever had the
absolute pleasure to read. The books and film WAY different. I wrote a little bit about my film experience
here. This has to be the worst interpretation I've seen of a children's book not counting
Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat (2003) because to me that film never even happened. I haven't seen
A Series Of Unfortunate Events (2004) in eight years, but still there's a bad taste in my mouth. I hated how the first three books were all compiled into one film so of course vital information had to be cut out or squeezed in. And the way it ended put me off completely. I couldn't believe it! Back then when I saw it, I was so into the film adaptation of books being one in the same. But honestly, I know I just wanted it to be like how the Harry Potter series was presented: One film per book. I'm really glad the film series did not continue. I don't know if I could've bared it. Read the series, then reread the series then tell your friend to read and reread the series with them and then
SKIP the film.
Nineteen Eighty-Four: by George Orwell was one of the most intense books I read before I discovered Bret Easton Ellis. On the other hand the film was horrible! There was less action and suspense. I felt like there was
no reason for any of the characters to fear the authority like in the novel. I also found everything so obvious. I don't know why. Maybe it was because I read the book or maybe it was because everything was so predictable. I don't think I even realized Nineteen Eighty-Four was a film. I read it because of Tumblr and I think a Google search led me to discover it was turned into a film. And it came out in 1984, how original. I also felt like it had a happy ending where in the book it was a sort of uncomfortable ending.
WHATEVER YOU DO, SKIP THIS FILM. Reading the book by George Orwell should be enough.
It's Kind Of A Funny Story: by Ned Vizzini was such a lovely book! I really enjoyed it! It's a must read. I actually liked the characters in the book better than in the film. Craig wasn't as helpless in the novel as he was in the film. The film was pretty good; decent. Despite the fact that a lot of things were changed,
It's Kind Of A Funny Story (2010) has a special place in my heart. I loved the cast and the scene when they all sing
Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie
still gives me chills. Read the book first then watch the film. You'll love both; I haven't met anyone who didn't.
A Clockwork Orange: by Anthony Burgess was an excellent book! I loved the narration and Alex's made up language. Whether the book was better or the film was better, I can't tell. I loved them both! I thought the film had a very good balance of elements from the book and then some new elements. I especially loved the interpretations of the book in the film. It's a pretty intense book (for lack of a better word) and the way the situations were portrayed was well executed. I watched the film first by some random act, then I found out it was a book read it and then ended up watching the film again. The film was a bit more clear than the novel to me; I followed the film a bit better. But both the film and book are perfect. Read and watch both; you won't regret it!
Catch-22: by Joseph Heller took me forever, FOREVER to read, but I finished it and I liked it, even though somethings were unclear. The movie was just as good! I think it was even funnier than the book. I watched the film over a year ago so all the details aren't crystal clear, but I remember either really liking the ending or just it sticking with me because it might have been different than the ending of the novel. Chronologically, somethings happen differently than in the book, but I didn't mind. This is a classic novel and you should read it. But whether you read the book or watch the film first, it won't make much of a difference.
What to Expect When You're Expecting: by Heidi Murkoff I think they're running out of book to turn into films. Skip it. I'm skipping it; mostly because it looks so stupid, but also because I haven't read the book because I have no need to read the book.
The Perks of Being A Wallflower: by Stephen Chobsky is Coming Soon and I'm excited to see what happens! After reading The Perks of Being A Wallflower and talking about it with friends I found out what Aunt Helen really did to Charlie and I'm wondering if they'll keep that in the film. Chobsky wrote and directed the film so we'll see if it comes out excellent, hit/miss or just plain bad. Read the book then go see the film! I anticipate I'll like the book better because I'm not really feeling who they casted. I only like Mae Whitman, Emma Waston and Paul Rudd; everyone else is questionable especially that walking skeleton, Ezra Miller.
I'm also going to read Choke by Chuck Palahnuik and watch the film.
Sidenote: I heard that The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger couldn't be turned into a film because Salinger had it written in some kind of binding contract that forbade it. I think it was valid until he died, which was two year ago. If this is true, I wouldn't be surprised if someone is now writing that screenplay (I only wish it was me). I only hope that if someone is developing The Catcher in the Rye into a film, they take it in a different direction than the obvious interpretation that everyone has.
With my career I want to adapt novels into films along with making original films. There's just so many books I've read and I visualize them and I think they'd look amazing as a film. Books like
Chloe Does Yale by Natalie Krinsky,
How To Be Popular and
Pants on Fire (both) by Meg Cabot. I aslo wouldn't mind writing my own book and turning that into a film, like Stephen Chobsky or Bret Easton Ellis.
Personally, I want to see
Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis turned into a really good horror/suspense film.
