quade 3 #26 September 8, 2009 QuoteThe other side is when the movie veers away from the book(s) and is not in synch with the books. Case in point, True Blood TV series of the Sookie Stackhouse/Charleen Harris books. There are characters and scenes/plots in the TV version that are no where to be found in the book(s). And TV series are yet another completely different medium! In television, due to the economics, you'll find the vast majority of screen time taken up with people talking about how they feel about a situation rather than showing you sweeping vistas. Most, not all, TV can really just be listened to rather than watched. It's radio drama with pictures. Oh sure there are sets and whatnot, but compare the importance of dialog in TV to the importance of dialog in movies. Now, I know less than nothing about the TV series or the books of True Blood. Never watched or read and don't really plan to. But my guess is that if they're introducing characters not in the original books, then they're in at least season 2 or 3. There are a number of reasons for that; the writers need to feel as if they "own" something and network suits feel that new material has to be constantly added so that it stays fresh. TV is pretty much all about character development. They have a lot of time to fill and if they add in just a couple of tidbits each week about the quirks of the character it keeps it fresh and interesting. Over the course of the series (hopefully at lest 100 episodes) the audience knows quite a bit about the characters. That's simply not possible in a movie. There just isn't the time.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
madhatter 0 #27 September 8, 2009 QuoteSo, based upon Garrys' post, which films have you seen that stand up against the books on which they are based? None come to my mind so far, I must say..... Took the words right off my keyboard!A VERY MERRY UNBIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! D.S # 125 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeJD 0 #28 September 8, 2009 Out of interest, have you read any of Eric Van Lustbader's Bourne books? If so, are they anything like the original Ludlum ones - or do they in turn seem to be influenced by the movies? Always strikes me as strange when another author picks up a series of novels, especially when they try to work in the same style as the original writer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #29 September 8, 2009 Moby Dick... the one made in the 50's ,, 1956, to be exact... Richard Basehart as Ishmael... A great variety of colorful and distinct characters, from Pip, to Starbuck, to Queequeg,,, even to the smaller parts, such as the Orson Welles' preacher character, and Elijah, the sad, cowering dock prophet. BUT the Enormity of Ahab,,,, the compexity of that man, as portrayed by the GREAT Gregory Peck...(.for which the Best Actor Oscar was won...) had a huge and strong impact on me, an 8 year old kid, watching the maginificent TECHNICOLOR world, of the open oceans... Moby Dick.... himself... or maybe HERself.... "The White Whale" !!!,,, was an accomplishment beyond the industry standards of the day... soooo that's MY choice... I had read,,,, ( struggled with ) the book, before see the film, but had not finished it,,, as i was a KID and it was a "grown-up" book.. so the movie really grabbed me.. I have it on a shelf, right here,, in a VHS Sleeve..jt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #30 September 8, 2009 Quote On the other hand, some very successful movies have been based on books that were considered 'unfilmable', by taking big liberties with the text. The English Patient is one example. Trainspotting springs to mind as being another one like that. I was reading the book and knew that a movie was in the works (but hadn't yet been released) and I recall thinking "How the hell are they going to turn this into a movie?" Each has its own great qualities, but they're also very different animals. I was able to appreciate both equally."There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 1 #31 September 8, 2009 I was impressed with the Lord of the Rings movies. Those were some of my favorite books, and I didn't think they could possibly do justice with a movie, but they did pretty damn good. Lonesome Dove was OK too. Not quite as good, but pretty good. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #32 September 8, 2009 QuoteBUT the Enormity of Ahab,,,, the compexity of that man, as portrayed by the GREAT Gregory Peck...(.for which the Best Actor Oscar was won...) had a huge and strong impact on me, an 8 year old kid, watching the maginificent TECHNICOLOR world, of the open oceans... Which is an interesting thing. At 8 years old, did you realize the story wasn't about a man trying to harpoon a whale?quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usedtajump 1 #33 September 8, 2009 I knew it couldn't be just about a guy trying to shank a whale simply because it was required reading in the ninth grade. The older I get the less I care who I piss off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #34 September 8, 2009 QuoteOut of interest, have you read any of Eric Van Lustbader's Bourne books? If so, are they anything like the original Ludlum ones - or do they in turn seem to be influenced by the movies? Lustbader's Bourne book is crap and compared to Ludlum's books they are lower than whale crap....IMO of course. I don't think you can even start to compare the two authors work, it would be like comparing Michaelangelo's work to a 3rd grade art student's work. I can only assume that Lustbader's work was influenced by the movies but I can say that both (the book and movies) rank high on the very bad list."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #35 September 8, 2009 QuoteHaven't finished reading the book, but so far, the "Generation Kill" T.V. series is better than the book. Excellent show. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #36 September 8, 2009 Eragon was extremely dissapointing - Todays technology and . . . whatever - No budget -Paolini sold out too cheap. I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #37 September 8, 2009 Lord of the rings was superb. Pappilon. Herbie goes bannanas Shawshank redemption .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #38 September 8, 2009 Quote . Which is an interesting thing. At 8 years old, did you realize the story wasn't about a man trying to harpoon a whale? It wasn't?????? THAT is all i thought the movie was about... A whaling captain, who wanted the biggest and most unusual Catch.... And Peck played the man as a very believable, but disturbed, "abe Lincoln"... never even heard of "symbolism" till i got to high School.. and THEN,,,, all that peripheral interpretation took some of the magic away from the story... I really liked Queequeg.. " he's out sellin' his heads".....and when the bursar asks The Majestic Chieftan, to join the crew,,,, ( after a kick-ass,, audition toss of the harpoon ) and says, " make thy mark, for a one hundreth part, of the catch".. and Queequeg takes the ink pen and draws a fish !!!.. hahaha or when the first mate says,, "Dost thou go to Church, on Sunday'??and Ole' Q... spits bitterly and hoists his harpoon to demostrate his value...and deliver his resume' I took everything for Face value, especially movies...... in fact after seeing The Swiss Family Robinson,,, i figured,,, "anybody can ride an ostrich OR and elephant" !!! things were better then,,, simpler... jmy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #39 September 8, 2009 Quote The movies from Tom Clancy novels, Hunt For Red October Really? The only thing they had in common was that there were some Soviets and there were a couple of submarines. The book kicked ass. The movie is a favorite of mine, but the two are quite dissimilar. I agree with Without Remorse. The Rainbow Six book was very enjoyable too. Now if some Vince Flynn books would be made into movies, THAT would rock.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #40 September 9, 2009 Most of the John LeCarre books that were made into films. It is a long, long list. Easier to point people to IMDB.com. The Constant Gardner Russia House Little drummer girl The spy who came in from the cold Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeJD 0 #41 September 9, 2009 Quote Most, not all, TV can really just be listened to rather than watched. It's radio drama with pictures. Case in point - I have an early memory of coming home from school to find my mother listening to Peyton Place on the TV when the picture tube was broken temporarily. She seemed quite happy, and I don't think she missed a thing! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #42 September 9, 2009 Correction..... Re : Gregory Peck he earned the Oscar a few years later, for his work in, To Kill a MockingBird..1963 ( a tough film for it's time,, AND another good Book into Film candidate...) but NOT for the Ahab Role..... proving once again... just cause someone said it on the internet...,,,,doesn't always make it true..JT Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
raftman 12 #43 September 9, 2009 Flags of our Fathers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thedude325 0 #44 September 9, 2009 A Clockwork Orange Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
csubl 0 #45 September 9, 2009 I thought the movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was very well done, although I felt that the confrontation with Saruman in the Shire at the end of the last book should have been included in the film. Another book-to-movie project that I liked was "The Dark Wind", based on the Tony Hillerman book. Some technical snafus, supposedly because the film went straight to DVD, but I enjoyed it overall. Probably the worst example for me was "Fate is the Hunter". The movie had no resemblance to Ernest K. Gann's book. I remember reading about a film class, where the instructor would ask "What do we owe the author of the book", and the class was supposed to reply "Nothing!". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 1 #46 September 9, 2009 Quote A Clockwork Orange Oh yeah, that's a good one. But that's one where I saw the movie (several times) way before I read the book, so I don't know what I would have thought of the movie if I had read the book first. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pbwing 0 #47 September 9, 2009 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NewGuy2005 51 #48 September 10, 2009 I almost forgot: Jeeves & Wooster! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thedude325 0 #49 September 10, 2009 QuoteOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Watched that again yesterday! Nurse ratched is a bitch! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1969912 0 #50 September 10, 2009 The Fountainhead (1949) was really well done considering the enormity of the task. "Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ." -NickDG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
