RSVP Blog

Woops - sorry - I just realised this was a Book to movie Blog. So wrong entry here.

Posted by: stephen54 at September 16, 2008 9:39 PM

Well I'm not into the book to movie thing, but as a history buff, a lot of history can be a dry read.

Some fiction authors however can tell the story, such as Len Deighton with "Bomber" and "Goodbye Mickey Mouse" and Derek Robinson's "Piece of Cake".

Having said that "The Devils Virtuosos": German Generals at war, is a good read, if you like that type of thing. WW2 History.

It has one of the best closing sentences I have read. From memory "They had the fortune not to have to live in the World they would have created if they had won".

Well maybe Moby Dick had had something better, again quoting from memory

"It was the devious - cruising "Rachael", that in her retracing search after her missing children only found another orphan".

For something completely different "Parkinson's Law".

Or for everything you need to know about politics "Animal Farm" and "1984" by George Orwell.

BTW It don't think Anne Rices "Sleeping Beauty" series was badly written, the fact it was well written may have increased its offence, always a good thing in my (ahem) book. Maybe silly, maybe not to everyones taste but so what?

Next someone will say Ayn Rand was a bad writer. Ya and again so what?

I have tried to read "Lolita" but it just seemed to me that Vladimir Nabokov was just showing off what a "smart arse" he was.

Posted by: stephen54 at September 16, 2008 9:37 PM

Oops, I meant the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Thanks for posting the reply!

Posted by: peregrino02 at September 10, 2008 11:00 PM

If you mean the eastern subs of Sydney, try a library. There is one at Eastgardens library (Botany Council) that meets on the third Friday of the month.

Posted by: kidsdigme at September 7, 2008 11:26 PM

Anyone know of any book clubs for us "older folk" in the eastern suburbs?

Posted by: peregrino02 at September 7, 2008 10:21 PM

Yes, my most loved character was definitely portrayed by a most insufferable actor! Bridget Jones is a funny, gorgeous, self-deprecating, stylish but paranoid woman and was turned into a frumpy, squishy, insufferable character by Renee Zellweger. I was devastated. Thank goodness for Colin Firth (sigh) who redeemed the movie for me. Both of his Mr Darcys were better than the book's versions.

I recently saw To Kill a Mockingbird and didn't think it had anywhere near the power and emotion as the novel. I do love Gregory Peck though.

Off the top of my head, the only movies I can think of that were better than the book was The Client with the unparalleled Susan Sarandon, and the divine BBC's Pride and Prejudice (although, Jane Austen is awfully difficult to beat - maybe we need to call it a tie).

Posted by: nikkiblueeyes at September 5, 2008 12:31 PM

@ Willow
I agree about people talking through movies, I hate when that happens.

I just found that the revised ending made the whole movie seem rather pointless... but i'm not going to rant about it here.

Certainly the Harry Potter books have provided some interesting challenges. Of course they had to be pruned or the finished movies would be ten hours long. But I found particularly with Goblet of Fire that they lost a lot of their soul when large chunks of backstory were removed.

I'll be interested to see how they go splitting Deathly Hallows into two films.

Posted by: moniquen at September 5, 2008 11:59 AM

Moniquen, I agree about the Horse Whisperer. Plus my best friend talked through the movie which I find really irritating. Now I only go to films with her if I've already seen it before :)

Posted by: willow29 at September 4, 2008 11:20 AM

In book to movie conversions I always thought the worst was 'The Horse Whisperer' with Kristin Scott Thomas and Robert Redford. I enjoyed the book so I was bitterly disappointed when I went and saw the movie.
The best I think was Into the Wild, Emile Hirsch did a great job with the character.

I just finished reading Twilight, which is coming out in December. I'm not sure i'd go and see this movie, although it was humorous to return to the time when you were sixteen and every little thing was the end of the world.

Someone mentioned Janet Evanovich and there was a plan a few years ago to make One for the Money into a film with Sandra Bullock as the lead but it got shelved which is a shame, But it's still fun to sit down and nominate who you would choose to play Ranger and Morelli...

Posted by: moniquen at September 4, 2008 11:12 AM

I've just finished reading the 'Tales of the Otori' series, and have heard that they are making "Across the Nightingale Floor' into a movie. Will be very interesting to see how that turns out.

Posted by: bigfella333 at September 4, 2008 8:03 AM

I like RL Stine, but Christopher Pike is good as well...

I am reading Kathy Reichs new novel, Devil Bones, its good, as usual. Janet Evanovich is also good, just for a comedic value..

Thats all I can think about at the moment..

Posted by: inca007 at September 3, 2008 9:05 AM

I quite like the new Goosebumps HorrorLand series. I started enjoying the original books as a kid and I haven't stopped enjoying them since.

Not only does the new series contain some great plotlines, but it also features some of the veteran monsters and villans from the early days (as well as some new ones).

Another great thing about the series is that part of the book is set in the ultimate horror theme park, HorrorLand (one of my favourite locations from the original series).

But the best thing is that all the characters from the books interact with each other during the HorrorLand parts. I think it's kind of exciting to see characters from the classic series coming together for the first time.

There are going to be 12 books in the series and 4 have been released.

They are:

Revenge of the Living Dummy*
Creep from the Deep*
Monster Blood For Breakfast*
The Scream of the Haunted Mask

The next 4 upcoming titles are:

Dr. Manic Vs Robby Schwaltcz
Who's Your Mummy?
My Friends Call Me Monster
Say Cheese and Die Screaming

I've already purchased the first four books from the US. and I enjoyed them very much. R L Stine has still got it.

*Now availible in Australia

Posted by: sodor22 at August 28, 2008 5:04 PM

American Psycho is am amazing book! The film itself is great but if you want to truly understand Patrick Bateman in all his mental instability then this is for you! The book expresses what the film cannot - i.e. a whole chapter is dedicated to the latest Genisis album at the time giving Patrick's analysis of each track of the cassette. It's a hard chapter to get through but really does show more of his character. A recommendation for sure!!

Posted by: flang at August 27, 2008 4:41 PM

I'd have to say, PS. I love you by Ceilia Ahern, better for the book until the movie came along...I think Hilary Swank should have been replaced by Jennifer Garner

Posted by: graffixfix8ion at August 25, 2008 6:55 PM

Rustiknight and Jen.....
Rusty, you have to see the film version of Papillon it really is as Jen says.....
Dustin Hoffman was fantastic in it.
I haven't seen it for many years nor read the book since about the same age as you Jen, but still recall being enthralled by it.....Do yourself a favour Rusty, l doubt you will be disappointed...............K

Posted by: auntykaz at August 25, 2008 1:25 PM

Friday night I saw Tennesee Williams "Cat on a hot tin roof" at the Playhouse in Melbourne. Maggie and Big Daddy's portrayal was gritty and raw, Brick's got better as the play continued. It was intensely dramatic with the dissection of the characters vulnerabilities. There was also some very good sarcastic humour. I would recommed it to all. I have previously seen the movie with Liz Taylor and Paul Newman but found my experience of the play was better, more memorable.

Posted by: egernia at August 25, 2008 12:29 PM

I've rarely seen a good movie conversion of a book. Well, although they may have been good, they didn't match my own interpretation, so it didn't really feel like the same story. I have a tendency to read long, multi book series that don't really translate well to film however.

--I think i've collected rather too many books since moving to melbourne, I keep needing to buy new bookshelves!

Posted by: nightfalltech at August 21, 2008 12:55 PM

Regarding "The Lovely Bones", it is being made as we speak and I hope they do it justice.
Same for "Shantaram", apparently Brad Pitt bought the book rights and hope they don't make a "pigs knickers" out of it like they did with "The City of Joy"

Posted by: peregrino02 at August 19, 2008 6:31 PM

Jen, I agree - the film was great.

Posted by: willow29 at August 19, 2008 9:13 AM

Hey Rustiknight. Haven't seen your posts much lately. I felt the same when I read those books too. Think I was about 16 and remember being on holidays with my family in Metung.

Please watch the film though. It really is fantastic. Is one of my favourites. Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman - Wow! I think the film does the book justice.

I'm sure you would not be disappointed in any way.

Jen

Posted by: jenniferhi at August 19, 2008 8:42 AM

Many years ago I read Papillon and the sequel Banco and remember not being able to put it down. I recently found my dog eared old copies and re-read them, enjoying the books just as much, maybe more, than I did first time round. Never had the courage to see the movie however lest it spoilt the books as I am sure it would have.

Posted by: rustiknight at August 19, 2008 7:59 AM

cherie,

I don't know if it's snobbery, there aren't all that many of us that learn Elvish... mind you when I was in my late teens i learnt to write in the Rune language of "The Hobbit",,, but I was just a tad younger then :-)

However, I believe that science fiction writers tend to create their worlds so vividly, we create strong pictures in our minds. Often movies cannot live up to these images. I didn't really like the LOTR movies,

but visually they brought Tolkien's worlds very much to life for me.

Posted by: qualitygal1 at August 18, 2008 8:53 PM

I think there's an element of intellectual snobbery associated with writers like Tolkien- like the people who actually learn to speak Tolkien's Elvish.... So the devotees watch the films and pick out every tiny detail that isn't "Authentic" and then say "See- Nobody understands LOTR like I do!". I suspect sci-fi readers in general (and I'm one of them!) get a little carried away by their vision of the universes as depicted by their favorite writers and so feel personally betrayed when things are missed in the translation to the screen. I would LOVE to see 'Stranger in a Strange Land' or 'Friday' done as a movie ('Bring on the Robert Heinlein', I say!!)... but I would rather just re-read my tattered copies of the novels than be disappointed by the film!!

Posted by: cherie63 at August 17, 2008 7:11 AM

Cherie63: I agree, Jackson would be a great candidate for directing another attempt on Dune, however I remember seeing the reactions of these die-hard lord of the rings fans when the first film came out and they weren't terribly impressed, in the grand scheme of things however, they were in the minority of people who saw the films. It is almost as though Jackson has made the Lord of the Rings more accessible to people, and therefore done a more effective job of sharing the story with people than Tolkein had originaly. I feel that Dune may suffer from the same thing, being less accessible to people in written form, and not unlike Lord of the Rings, is a difficult book to read. After all, if a book with a great message is writtten in such a way that it is accessible to only few, is it really worth writing? (And by the same token, why is it that often, when people use simple, accessible language like newspapers, they waste words on ridiculous and unimportant errata?)

Posted by: volsung84 at August 15, 2008 7:59 PM

Maybe it's time for for someone like Peter Jackson to have a go at the 'Dune' novels... after the fabulous job he did with LOTR ( I didn't like either of the Tolkien books I tried reading and I STILL loved the movies!). I don't know why science or speculative fiction so often ends up not translating well to the big screen.... Just look at "Battlefield Earth" - definitely a candidate for 'Turkey of the Century' .
I would have to say though, that the movie version of "Blade Runner" was a winner for me when it first came out, and it still stands up well to the test of time. I guess there are exceptions that prove every rule... for every 'Blade Runner' there are a lot of 'Starship Troopers'!

Posted by: cherie63 at August 14, 2008 11:51 PM

Re Dune - the Movie
(didn't see the miniseries) - what were they thinking????

The books were so real, so intense and the movie was so dense --- totally inaccessable

Posted by: qualitygal1 at August 14, 2008 7:43 PM

My second attempt to submit a post tonight ...

I would love to see some of JD Robb's "...In Death" series made into movie/s. I can picture Demi Moore as Eve, and Mel Gibson as Roarke.

Posted by: geminipom at August 13, 2008 4:52 PM

Hi volsung84 I agree with you I have read all the dune series old and new and the films and miniseries were no where near the intensity of the books. Frank certainly for saw how things would be played out in the late 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries. He books seem to be in part prophetic in their story lines.

Posted by: patc111960 at August 13, 2008 4:46 PM

Dune, Frank Herbert. I think that although it has been put to the screen twice, both films still fail to capture the politically charged subtext that follows through the story. Now, in the present, people are painfully aware of the nature of wars for resources, and how they function, it is apparent that Herbert saw how we would all fight for our share of the 'pie'. The 1984 film and the 2000 television miniseries still fail to capture this element the way that Herbert had written it. The kind of drama in the novel seems almost impossible to translate to film, and it seems as though no matter how hard anyone tries, the medium of film seems to turn Dune into something purely science fiction, where in reality the book is so much closer to our time than we may realise.

Posted by: volsung84 at August 13, 2008 12:06 AM

I don't remember, have we discussed the colour purple? I saw the movie many years ago and liked it. Recently read the book with a book club. The others found the way Celie talked very hard to understand. For me, I heard Whoopi Golderg's voice whispering in my ear and taking me on the intense and uplifting journey that was the book

Posted by: qualitygal1 at August 12, 2008 11:36 PM

Oh aunty kaz you are the FIRST person to say what I thought about The Riders, such a suspenseful book. waiting for the dénouement, waiting, waiting, and nothing!!!!!!!!

Posted by: qualitygal1 at August 12, 2008 11:24 PM

As long as they don't make "The Riders" by Tim Winton into a movie....Spent the whole book waiting for something to happen...and it didn't!

I would love to see "The Shell Seekers" made into a movie, By Rosamunde Pilcher.
A lovely gentle romantic book.
OOhh look l've gone all gooey!.............K

Posted by: auntykaz at August 12, 2008 10:27 PM

I would love to see "Cloudstreet" done as a movie/mini series.... as long as there aren't any B grade imported American actors spoiling it....
Actually.... any of Tim Winton's books would be wonderful- he's a very visual writer. fabulous Australian stories set in an authentically Australian landscape.
As for "Life of Pi" I would be having nightmares about it being mutilated by Disney/Pixar.....

Posted by: cherie63 at August 12, 2008 6:55 PM

Mensrea thanks for list!
Re Life of Pi I can see them really making a hash of that. Imagine the Hollywood version of the animals, especially the tiger, in the boat. No room for metaphysical tigers there i think. it would probably end up like the kid's film Madagascar with evil penguins hijacking the boat. (My niece's fave.)...J

Posted by: curiousandcreative at August 12, 2008 11:33 AM

Okay, it's favourite books to be made into movies; books that already have been adapted to movies with lacklustre results [Three Men In A Boat, Anonymous Rex etc] cannot be nominated. Here's my top 3:

1. A Confederacy of Dunces [see my posts below cf. untimely death of Will Ferrell]
2. The Catcher In the Rye
3. Red Harvest

In related book-to-movie news, I'm surprised they haven't knocked up a Life of Pi one already...

Posted by: mensrea at August 11, 2008 11:26 PM

Does anyone have a book they'd LIKE to see turned into a movie? Let's say Hollywood didn't massacre it, and someone excellent made it with actors not just stars??
I like to see The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold but such a moving and harrowing book would be pretty difficult to transform to film.
For fun I'd like to see Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels on film, especially if I could help cast it.
Any other suggestions?...J

Posted by: curiousandcreative at August 11, 2008 9:18 PM

Stand By Me, a passable Stephen King makeover, l thought. And l think that is his only one that was decent.
Misery was far too like the book for me, as in a boring adaptation, even though Kathy Bates won a Best Actress Oscar for it. I think. Well she won it for something and l l'm pretty sure that was it.

I don't mind some oft the writings of Dean Koontz, either, a bit spooky at times, but a reasonable read.

I watched I am Legend, last night, and was quite surprised to find l enjoyed it . I shouldn't watch scarey movies at night by myself, l watch them through my fingers!
Well l thought it was scarey anyway!.................K

Posted by: auntykaz at August 11, 2008 7:43 PM

Wether the book or the film adapted from it appeals to you most .. has a lot to do with how you imagine or visualise the character as you read. The film after all is somone elses view of what the author had in mind.
I have often been disapointed in charcters that I had a totally different view of till I saw them on film.
I still feel Hobbit should have been made to film before the Trilogy Lord Of The rings. I enjoyed watching all 3 movies ..and for the most part the characters were pretty much as Tolkien portayed them but in the end I felt it was becoming one battle scene too many and too little focus on the characters .. but then there was a lot more in those pages than could be crammed into any movie.
Like Faraday , I believe any movie shared then discussed over coffee or dinner afterwards is a good movie!

Posted by: waternymph47 at August 11, 2008 6:28 PM

peregrino02 August 10, 2008 10:37 PM
Song to the siren was written and recorded by Tim Buckley in the late 60's. Many artists have covered it.
Cheers Marcus

Posted by: laughsandtalks at August 11, 2008 12:40 AM

I saw "Stand By Me" some years ago and was very impressed. Haven't read the story though. Generally, I don't like King's writing: e.g. had "The Stand" recommended to me, nice story but terrible writing. But his short stories seemed better. I should probably look at some of his other stuff, e.g. Shawshank, and The Body as you suggest Rose14.

As for the Shining. I'd tend to think anything Kubrick touched he would have transformed. A true translation rather than adaptation.

Posted by: hopefool at August 10, 2008 11:42 PM

Saw the film "Candy" a few years ago now and have just read the book which is brilliantly written. So, now I have to get the film out on DVD and compare while the book is still fresh in my mind.
Loved the opening song in "Candy", it's "Song To The Siren", a Tom Waits song but sung by Paula Arundel

Posted by: peregrino02 at August 10, 2008 10:37 PM

Hi all - just joining in so I hope I'm not covering well-trodden ground here, but something urgently needs to be said.

Movies based on writing by Stephen King should be restricted to dramas. Under no circumstances should any of his horror novels be brought to the screen unless directed by Kubrick, which could be difficult nowadays for obvious reasons (I refer of course to the very cool, 'The Shining'). All other attempts have fallen well short of the mark.

The "straight" narratives, however, translate beautifully to the screen.

For your consideration:

1. Stand By Me (based on the novella, 'the Body') - gorgeous film.

2. The Shawshank Redemption (or 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption')

Both films based on short novels; both following the originals very closely. I say the guy's under-rated as a writer.

I admit, I don't like his recent work (hey, he could publish his laundry list at this point) - but he's churned out some pretty good yarns over the years and he knows his stuff.

Whilst I will say that books are "always" better than films for all the obvious reasons, I will say that two big exceptions for me are:

'Jurassic Park' (I really don't like Crichton's writing at all - good ideas, bad writing - and it was a fun, visually spectacular film)

and 'Schindler's List'. Better on film I say.

And lastly - (how many topics can she squeeze into one post ladies and gentlemen?!) can I please recommend to anyone who saw Awakenings and enjoyed it: READ THE BOOK. It's absolutely extraordinary.

Posted by: rose14 at August 10, 2008 9:13 PM

Apart from the scenery in Lord Of The Rings, I cannot think of a film which was better than the book. The characters in the book - you imagine them in your mind but the films never portray them as you would like.
So much has to be left out in a film which is always a great disappointment.
Still, going to the films with someone, then out to dinner or a coffee is a great way to spend the evening.

Posted by: faraday1 at August 10, 2008 7:10 PM

Best film adaptions I've seen of the books: "Room with a View" and "Death in Venice".

The worst: "Less than Zero" and "The Rules of Attraction".

"Another Country" was pretty silly but if you want to see Colin Firth when he was very young - about twenty - take a look.

Posted by: willowslip at August 10, 2008 4:09 PM

*laughing* ... I had forgotten about Anne Rice's attempts at S&M erotic lit..... Thank you for reminding me, Mensrea & Willow29. I read most of the first Sleeping Beauty (not that she does much sleeping AFTER her awakening...) book, but was laughing so hard that I gave up before the end... Even good writers like Thomas Harris and Anne Rice will churn out complete rubbish for money (what other reason could they have had?) Hard to believe that the same writer could produce "Cry to Heaven" (the really good) was also whipping up (excuse the pun) "Exit to Eden" (the really bad- and that's the book, not the even worse film version!) and "Sleeping Beauty" (not only really ugly, but ridiculous into the bargain... and she obviously has some unresolved issues with horses and bridles too... ) Cheers!

Posted by: cherie63 at August 9, 2008 10:59 PM

The Kite Runner was one of my best reads of 2006 . The flim did not really capture the essence that the book portrayed of Kabul and Afghanistan and the rich culture and history of the Afghanies...A book couldnt put down was The Book Thief. and try reading The Road for the dialogue beween a Father and his young son as they travel to suvrive through destroyed landscapes. after the world they live in has fallen apart. h

Posted by: browneyedbeauty06 at August 9, 2008 8:43 PM

I saw Kiterunner also Indi and while the scenery was splendid at times the storyline was for me very shallow. It almost became fairytale at times and didn't have depth. I enjoyed the film but really didnt feel anything at all.

Posted by: iaminperth at August 9, 2008 11:52 AM

Recently saw the movie Kite Runner which I enjoyed but thought it only represented a brief summary of the book. I wished the depth and complexity of the backgound culture and character development had been included, something the book conveyed brilliantly in what was, I believe, Hosseini's first book.

Posted by: indilady1 at August 9, 2008 10:43 AM

Loved the book called The Firm by John Grisham,But what a waste the movie was with Tom Cruise.

Posted by: nicefellow44 at August 8, 2008 6:58 PM

"The biggest surprise with Harris' series was not only how terrible Hannibal, the movie was, the book was just simply crap & you could tell that the only reason why it was written was because he was under contract to do so!!
Posted by: matthew44 at August 2, 2008 10:24 PM"

Actually, I really enjoyed the book but the movie was lame and left out MAJOR parts of the story.

Posted by: woodnwine at August 8, 2008 10:58 AM

I have never seen a movie that came anywhere close to how I imagined the book....that is the beauty of reading...it is left to our own imagination and interpretation....mind you, it is nice to watch a movie and see how it was interpreted/portrayed by someone else's imagination. I doubt the original authors would agree with me though!
Cheers,
B.

Posted by: bm1960 at August 7, 2008 11:08 PM

To: capriciousimp

Agree Lord of the Rings was just a shadow of the book. But still the movie was an excellent adaptation. I know at the moment The Hobbit is supposed to be in the works. I didn't like the Hobbit, too childish after Rings. But then I decided to read it to my young children and discovered that the seeming childish structure was designed to be read aloud ... then you realise the hypnotic rhythm, almost musical. Rings is supposed to have the same sort of effect but I have never read it aloud to find out. That cannot translate into film.

Posted by: hopefool at August 7, 2008 8:42 PM

Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter - good as they were - failed to capture the books; the atmosphere of the books is darker and more complicated. The Golden Compass film had a groovy art nouveau feel that wasn't in the books. Tipping The Velvet (TV) distilled Sarah Water's novel beautifully. My favourite is a BBC children's afternoon TV version of Neil Gaiman's book, Neverwhere. The production values are terrible but the script is tight.

Posted by: capriciousimp at August 7, 2008 5:55 PM

Ah yes, Anne Rice's "Sleeping Beauty" trilogy. It's basically really, really poorly written erotica, and she managed to stretch the filthy, misguided smut out over 3 books. The critical reviews of it are more amusing than the source material [cf. Mark Twain's review of "Last of the Mohicans"], and are well worth tracking down online. Internet reviewer Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw had a particualrly memorable one, if I recall correctly..

Posted by: mensrea at August 7, 2008 5:29 PM

Ive only read one Anne Rice book and it certainly was not religious! A "friend" sent it to me. To say it was suggestive is a massive understatement. Its a very erotic rendition of the traditional folktale as the Prince awakens Beauty with sexual initiation, rather than with a simple kiss. He then leads her his father's kingdom where she and other neighbouring royalty are subjected to sexual slavery. If a film were to be made of it, it would definately be R-rated.

Posted by: willow29 at August 7, 2008 10:00 AM

The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris both movie and book, both are awesome and give complementary views of the same story, that and perfectly casted, who could go wrong with jodie foster and anthony hopkins in the same film..

The biggest surprise with Harris' series was not only how terrible Hannibal, the movie was, the book was just simply crap & you could tell that the only reason why it was written was because he was under contract to do so!!

Posted by: matthew44 at August 2, 2008 10:24 PM

cherie63, Definitely agree with you on Anne Rice books, I haven't read one that I didn't like, which is...well almost all of them (not really into christian literature). It still amazes me how much they could disservice not one but two of her books, interview with the vampire and queen of the damned, such a travesty, both could have been done SOOO much better!!!

Posted by: matthew44 at August 2, 2008 9:53 PM

Almost any book is better than the movie and if you see the movie after you read the book ... such a let down. I read the Hobbit then the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy and I think they should have done that with the movies too as "The Hobbit" set up the whole trilogy.
For me going to a movie is as much about sharing an evening's entertainment with someone special... discussing the movie together after, over coffee or supper.
Since there are always way too many re runs on TV .. a good book is a must have for me ... something to help me nod off to sleep at night! (In the absence of something better to do)

Posted by: waternymph47 at August 2, 2008 8:01 PM

I really loved "Interview With The Vampire".(Well,all of Anne Rice's books actually)... then they made the movie version with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt...Aaarrrggghhh... What were they thinking????? Not to mention that, in the books, Lestat is over 6ft tall and we all know Tom is knee high to a grasshopper....

Posted by: cherie63 at August 2, 2008 5:41 AM

southernlooker - yes! The Princess Bride was fabulously transformed to film. That one's a classic.
I agree with woodnwine too - books are places of escape, emotion, and learning, with places to see, people to meet all unwound in your imagination. It's hard to beat that in a film (or even real life sometimes).
Can you tell I was an English teacher?? Arrgh! Sorry.

Posted by: curiousandcreative at August 1, 2008 9:25 PM

woodwine - re Colin Firth - I wish :-}

it doesn't stop me thinking he is hunky - that's what imagination is for

Posted by: qualitygal1 at August 1, 2008 7:21 PM

woodwine - re Colin Firth - I wish :-}

it doesn't stop me thinking he is hunky - that's what imagination is for

Posted by: qualitygal1 at August 1, 2008 7:21 PM

Posted by: woodnwine at August 1, 2008 11:45 AM

Woody you old grouch! Come on, tell uncle Troy all about it haha.

Posted by: southernlooker at July 31, 2008 10:56 PM

Yeah, great movie, I have it on dvd, watch it every year and really enjoy it. They did a get together of all the actors, sort of where are they now. They mostly look great except for the hero who is just a mess.

No one has mentioned First Blood...great movie, Sly is such a great actor hehe.

Troy

Posted by: troyohboy at August 1, 2008 12:27 PM

qualitygal - and you personally know what Colin Firth is like as a person?

Posted by: woodnwine at August 1, 2008 11:45 AM

I liked Mandy Patinkin in Sesame Street's "Elmo in Grouchland" :-)

Posted by: egernia at August 1, 2008 9:15 AM

Has anyone mentioned The Princess Bride?...a brilliant movie which completely held its own compared to the book...or should I say...'the good version' book. A brilliant cast and Mandy Patinkin will never be forgotten for his...'You killed my father...prepare to die!"

Posted by: southernlooker at July 31, 2008 10:56 PM

Colin Firth as anything grrrrrrr - even as the gay possible father in Mama Mia, total hunkiness

;-}

Posted by: qualitygal1 at July 31, 2008 8:13 PM

I've decided to actually talk about books or a change. I liked Grapes of Wrath although I found it to be a slow read with the dialogue having a particular American accent.

I also liked Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut which was featured on the First Tuesday Book Club on the ABC. I was looking forward to the part about the aliens that resembled toilet brushes, but was a little bit disappointed with that bit.

Posted by: astrawberry at July 31, 2008 2:18 PM

gabbs854 - but didn't you also see that in the movie? I did.

Posted by: woodnwine at July 31, 2008 11:05 AM

So true WnW! When I was a young teen, I devoured Mills and Boon books (under the bedclothes with a torch) and I was convinced that there was "only one" for everyone. When my my first mate (out of 2) met me, I was 15, with the same beliefs - we were inseparable for years until we were given permission to marry when I was 18.

On the eve of my wedding, my best friend asked "do you really want to marry him?" and I said 'but he really loves me, so he must be "the one". If I dont marry him, no-one else will love me". I really believed that at 18!

Posted by: willow29 at July 31, 2008 10:55 AM

Of course the book was better. Who hasn't read a wonderful book about relationships or love only to find out the reality wasn't nearly as good as the book?

Posted by: woodnwine at July 31, 2008 10:26 AM

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Burgakov...it should never have been touched.

Posted by: ssshhh at July 30, 2008 2:58 PM

Hi willow29
What a shame about AD. I rarely missed Parkinson - except for that one.

Posted by: astrawberry at July 30, 2008 1:11 PM

I loved the book memoirs of a geisha, the movie did it some justice, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I do not like it when they change a character completely, you envision what the character looks like and they are so wrong in the movie, wrong looks, character, even voice sometimes.

Posted by: ausroo at July 30, 2008 11:25 AM

Hi Astrawberry: I loved the Jonathon Creek series. He's so quick witted and clever; sexy in a funny sort of way.

Unfortunately I saw an interview with Alan Davies on Parkinson and was very disappointed in the real person. AD is nothing like Jonathon Creek :(

Posted by: willow29 at July 30, 2008 9:04 AM

Storm Boy was a good film and a great book. I thought it was well done.
The Thrity Nine Steps was also made into a brilliant film. Now i am showing i am a middle aged person remembering that book from school.

Posted by: patc111960 at July 29, 2008 7:09 PM

I found the film "The White Masai" just fascinating and visually beautiful......a true story about a Swiss woman who marries a Samburu warrior and lives in Kenya with him, has his child. What a culture shock, and what a brave woman. Reading the book is on my list of things to do next. I think the book will fill in alot of details the movie omitted..........

Posted by: graceandcharm at July 29, 2008 7:04 PM

I saw Lars and the Real Girl last night. I hadn't wanted to see it but was glad when I did. I thought it was a good social comment about supporting each other and the decisions we make. I'm interested in other comments about this movie.

As for Hugh Grant and Colin Firth in Bridget Jones' Diary: how true it can be about how right Mr Wrong can be and how wrong Mr Right can seem at the time. It takes time to find out these things about what you [ I ] want.

What can I say? They're both cute, but I still prefer Alan Davies who is a UK comedian and was in the ABC series about the man who lived in the windmill. What was that called? Ah yes, Jonathan Creek. Anyway I think he's a bit hot.

And, how can life be bad when we can record Shaun of the Dead that was on TV on Saturday night. Life is good ...

Posted by: astrawberry at July 29, 2008 3:26 PM

iaminperth

I agree. That was a great film and Richard Dreyfuss was brilliantt; a highly underated actor, I think.

Posted by: egernia at July 29, 2008 11:23 AM

A memorable film for me was Mr. Holland's Opus - never read the book but the film was great. It's pouring in downtown WA an have to brave the cold - ooooooh., no heating and then no air con when in the office - aren't we just the lucky state.

Posted by: iaminperth at July 29, 2008 9:27 AM

gabbs854 - I loved that film Into the Wild - it was one of the most thought provoking films I'd seen for years. Perhaps I ought to read the book to get a better idea of the reality, as I know it was about a real person. You've got me quite intrigued to do that now - thanks.

Posted by: malsie at July 29, 2008 8:56 AM

The very worst film adaptation I've ever seen was Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow - beautiful, atmospheric, thriller/mystery, and the film was a total travesty of poor camera work, uneven sound and Gabriel Byrne being a pretty boy in a role that had been a rugged, somewhat weather beaten and quite complex character in the book. Very unconvincing on all levels.

Posted by: asimplegift at July 28, 2008 10:38 PM

Got to love books made into movies, especially if done right. Have to agree LOTR was a good transition to screen, same with Tom Clancy books. As for the worst, anyone heard of Battlefield Earth, a scifi movie that didnt even scratch the surface of an awesome book.

Posted by: howdyuall at July 28, 2008 9:31 PM

.....Hugh Grant does NOTHING for me.....

Give me a MAN!!!! Val Kilmer,Vince Vaughn and Vince D'Onforio(from Law and order)...hmmm...yummy!!!

GABBS..........I loved the film too........all he needed to do was ring to at least tell his family where he was.

Posted by: musicteacher at July 28, 2008 8:15 PM

Ah, Malsie, now you are talking.....
Hugh Grant, the quintessential foppish English Gent, Loved him as the bumbling Will Thacker in "Notting Hill.
And he got the girl!!......................K

Posted by: auntykaz at July 28, 2008 6:41 PM

Colin Firth...it's all in the eyes, methinks. He has sexy, smouldering eyes and, oh,his voice...William Mc Ginnes isn't bad either as Mr D...no Kaz, not Mr Dalek.
Loved him in Seachange but then again that other guy in that show had it too...sex appeal without the need for stunning looks.

Posted by: oohlala1 at July 28, 2008 6:29 PM

I recently saw movie Into the Wild. Directed by Sean Penn, who I love, I thought it was fabulous. About this beautiful, free, idealistic young man. THEN I READ THE BOOK. Reality strikes. This was an arrogant, thoughtless young man who left his family and died for nothing. What a difference a book MAKES!!!!!

Posted by: gabbs854 at July 28, 2008 6:20 PM

I recently saw movie Into the Wild. Directed by Sean Penn, who I love, I thought it was fabulous. About this beautiful, free, idealistic young man. THEN I READ THE BOOK. Reality strikes. This was an arrogant, thoughtless young man who left his family and died for nothing. What a difference a book MAKES!!!!!

Posted by: gabbs854 at July 28, 2008 6:18 PM

willow29, I don't know if I've actually ever watched him in anything other than trailers for films, but saw him interviewed him once - I think it was his personality that really did it for me (a bit like Hugh Grant who I'd never thought much of until I saw him interviewed).
Can't make any further comment about the "D" word - don't want to give Kaz nightmares :)

Posted by: malsie at July 28, 2008 6:00 PM

Guys, daleks...lets not go there please........K

Posted by: auntykaz at July 28, 2008 5:19 PM

"catch me if you can" by Frank Abagnale Jr.

They made it into a movie featuring Tom Hanks but it just wasn't as good as the book. If you have seen the movie but haven't read the book; make sure you go and read it.

Posted by: christochips at July 28, 2008 5:14 PM

Greg, l think l will nominate myself as head of the Colin Firth appreciation society we have here.......

And taken2it has impeccable taste might l say.....

As l had said in an earlier post, his last line in Bridget Jones' diary does it for me....Won't reiterate, you will have to go back and check....Any man who can play both Mr Darcys Fitzwilliam and Mark as he did can pop his boots under my bed too!...And anything else he cares to...

Although l find that Matthew McFadyen played Fitzwilliam Darcy as a smouldering firecracker, just dying to rip Miss Bennett's corsetry off and ravish her delightfully.....

Yes, we girls are suckers for the romatic male lead.................K

Posted by: auntykaz at July 28, 2008 4:51 PM

I think the old Dr Who series was so good because even though they used tin foil and the insides of toilet paper rolls, there was so much left to the imagination, which made it more "real".

Malsie: Yes, Hugh Jackman is lovely too! I admit I loved him in Oklahoma. (the admission is seeing Oklahoma, hehe).

Posted by: willow29 at July 28, 2008 4:45 PM

musicteacher - yes, the daleks were terrifying to me and a lot of people I know who were kids at the time they were around. The chilling sound of "exterminate, exterminate" is still lodged in my memory...
the inventors were pretty clever - managed to plug into a really fearful concept.

Yes, Colin Firth is okay - but I'd rather have Hugh Jackman any day. He's just seems like such an incredibly nice and "real" sort of bloke - apart from being devastatingly gorgeous, of course.

Posted by: malsie at July 28, 2008 4:05 PM

MT, OK we add your name to the Colin Firth appreciation club.

Are there any other blogesses who feel the same way about this bloke?

My grandmother had a quaint experssion for whenever she saw some guy she fancied. She say "He can tuck his slippers under my bed any old time" I have to admist that even at 89 she had good taste.
rgds grego

Posted by: grego7 at July 28, 2008 3:56 PM

Willow........I can't watch Dr Who....stems from my childhood....scared me too much.those damn Daleks....but I LOVED lost in Space...

GREGO.........Colin Firth does nothing for you..well,I guess that's good news.

I'll tell you what it is and you can ask your partner if she agrees...Sometimes a woman can see a man and just KNOWS he will be good in bed........we just know!!!

Posted by: musicteacher at July 28, 2008 2:07 PM

MT: Unless they're like David Tennant in Dr Who. Whatawitty alien!

Posted by: willow29 at July 28, 2008 1:35 PM

another book which I thought was great..scared the poo out of me....was "Communion"....and after that Astronaut "coming out" last week with the "Aliens are real" stuff(did you see those photos?).....well,I just hope they don't visit me.....Aliens among us would not surprise me.....would explain the behaviour of a LOT of people!!

Posted by: musicteacher at July 28, 2008 1:11 PM

GREGO:
"...Kiss me..in Milkwood Dicky..........oh give me a penny quickly"..I can still remember the tune from the audio version...........also........"Cowardly,cowardly custard,give Dicky a Penny,"(DICKY)"give me a penny...I haven't got any."
CHILDREN: "Put him in the river,up to his liver.quick quick dirty Dick,beat him on bum with a rhubarb stick!!!(some of the words may be wrong).

Posted by: musicteacher at July 28, 2008 1:05 PM

Kaz, Willow and Taken2it,

What is it about this Colin Firth bloke and you ladies. He does not attract me at all but last Friday night Taken2it was in a swoon.

Musicteacher, glad someone else likes Under Milkwood. My father had an original set of LPs and I still remember listerning to them with fascination.

I came across a VHS a few years ago and bought it. I like the film although agree the radio play is better. Unfortunately, 2nd sister grabbed the records after old man's funeral and wont even let us take a copy.
rgds grego

Posted by: grego7 at July 28, 2008 12:30 PM

Many of Stephen King's novels have been turned in to movies.
The Green Mile was a great series of books and I thought the movie was excellent. Tom Hanks did a great job in the lead role.
My first ever encounter with anything Stephen King was way way back when I saw the movie "Christine". It left a lasting impression and is still one of my favourites.
I'm currently reading his novel 'The Dark Half' in between knitting myself a scarf :-)

Posted by: egernia at July 28, 2008 11:21 AM

"Under Milkwood"..............originally a radio play......preferred it to film version.

"The Thorn Birds"....loved the book.hated the mini series.mainly due to the casting..an American as the Australian Matriarch....Barbara Stanwyk.and worst of all...Richard Chamberlain.yuk..........as the priest.........that's film politics for you!

"Beloved"....great book.......Oprah produced and starred in the film.......I recommend the book!

Posted by: musicteacher at July 27, 2008 10:06 PM

ahem............Salzburg..not Salzberg

Posted by: musicteacher at July 27, 2008 8:48 PM

Mea Culpa, mensrea. As soon as I hit 'Post' I knew it should have read Austria. As I was watching SBS and the Tour de France at the time I was probably distracted by other scenery.

Posted by: guiltypleasure at July 27, 2008 5:34 PM

First of all, Salzberg, France? Whatever happened to Salzberg, Austria?

The worst book to film adaptation I've seen is Catch 22, though the recent adaptation of Eric Garcia's Casual Rex to the big screen was a by-the-numbers failure too (1. Cast a Baldwin in the main role 2. Adapt the 2nd book in the series but give it the 1st book's title 3. Avoid the main plot as much as possible)

The book to fim adaptation I'd like to see happen most would be A Confederacy of Dunces.. the production of it has been cursed for years, usually running out of money or having the main actors die. Right now Will Ferrell has apparently been slated to play the protagonist... hopefully either we'll get our film made or we'll finally be rid of Will Ferrell. Either would be a good result.

The most perfect film adapatation would probably be The Maltese Falcon because the book is basically written exactly like a movie anyway. Years later The Da Vinci code would somehow get all this horribly, horribly wrong...

But nevermind the book to film adaptations, who here remembers the books they used to write based upon the MOVIES? They always had a picture of the movie poster on the cover and about 4 different authors. Now THOSE were awful...

Posted by: mensrea at July 27, 2008 4:16 PM

Bryce Courtney's "The Power Of One" is one of my all time favourite books, but I was very disappointed in the movie. I think they "glamourised" it and
lost some of the essence of the story.

I found "Bridget Jones's Diary" an amusing and lighthearted read. I also enjoyed the movie.

I am also a Harry Potter fan. We're all coming out of the woodwork! I've read all of the books, and seen all of the movies. Everything that happened on the screen was just how I imagined it while reading.the books

Posted by: geminipom at July 27, 2008 2:06 PM

A book they could never make a decent movie of would have to be Susskind's 'Perfume', simply for a movie's inability to transcribe scent onto the screen.

A movie that was better than the book? 'The Godfather'. Brando's performance transcended anything Puzo could create.

Two books that I would be wary of watching any screen version of would be 'The God of Small Things' by Arandhati Roy and the Jamie and Claire 'Outlander' series by Diana Gabaldon. When I think of the character Jamie Fraser, I imagine Hollywood doing a huge injustice to the story.

Musicteacher, anyone looking for Vienna when they watch Sound of Music (based on the decidely un-musical memoir of Maria Von Trapp) will be disappointed. It was filmed in Salzburg, France.

Posted by: guiltypleasure at July 26, 2008 7:17 PM

I thought that The Bone Collector was a good make from book to movie, well the movie scared me somewhat and l saw that before l read the book. I do like Denzel, and also liked him in Training Day, but prefer him as the good guy..............K

Posted by: auntykaz at July 26, 2008 5:52 PM

Oh my god, you cannot go past James Patterson if you're looking for book-to-movie-travesties. What they (Hollywood) did to "Kiss The Girls" was appalling! Aside from changing some of the most key elements of the story, the casting was completely off. I mean, Morgan Freeman is a terrific actor, but for that role... well, the lead character 'Alex Cross' is always described as being an "energetic and attractive black man in his early 40s" and to have a physique "like Mohammed Ali". Now I ask you, does that sound like Morgan Freeman????

THE BOOK WAS WAY BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: crazybydesign at July 26, 2008 3:33 PM

auntyK@10.15pm Friday:
I also enjoyed The Shell Seekers and like you, would probably view the film ( if ever made) for the same reason.
At the moment I'm reading a few Kathy Reichs novels,and feel they would come under the HORROR genre rather than Mystery.

Posted by: kurli at July 26, 2008 9:44 AM

47 actually Kurli.......
I read a book a few years ago called "The Shell Seekers" by Rosamunde Pilcher, a beautiful timeless English novel, and at times imagine who would play the lead roles.....If they did make it l would be interested to see it, if only to satisfy my curiosity........K

Posted by: auntykaz at July 25, 2008 10:15 PM

RE: The Good Doctor resting in peace, given the generally accepted theory is he blew his brains out the back of his head with a hand cannon, whether you believe in a hereafter or not, you could say he's resting in peace because his demons are no longer tormenting him.

For those interested, Depp is apparently also playing HST in another book-based movie, 'The Rum Diaries".

The Freaks wait with bated breath.

Posted by: rocknrollpartyguy at July 25, 2008 9:59 PM

jenniferhi at July 25, 2008 8:00 PM
Haha. You'll keep.
MS

Posted by: laughsandtalks at July 25, 2008 9:04 PM

Jenniferhi@6.05pm......like you ,I have never read the book,but I was really"taken" by the movie "Papillon".
Auntie kaz.....does that time mark you @ 51 years? Have recently met a 51 y.o. who had never seen the film "SoM" until I lent her a copy.............now she's au fait,and knows what our upcoming Review is based upon.............(quiet smile)
As for the rest of it: I still prefer to READ a book and visualise my own interpretation.
Neither Hollywood ,nor "the Poms" has ever co-incided with my re-creation of the written word...............
I rest my case!

Posted by: kurli at July 25, 2008 9:02 PM

I had forgotten Papillon, read that many years ago, by Henri Charriere is that right??I remember the book scaring me actually, in it cruelty l think l was a teenager when l read it.
The movie was also fantastic, Dustin Hoffman was brilliant in it.

Marcus, what l meant by all just cars was that it seemed you were judging by what kind of car was driven...Maybe a mistake on my behalf, sorry dear......
Mine is a Toyota Echo, 3 door hatch, it may also be a low rater in the safety stakes. Would love to get a bright yellow SAAB Convertable, again, a low rater possibly, but a noice car......

Yes ladies, my fillum education is probably incomplete without viewing those movies, l will just take it as a blip on my educational radar...................K

Posted by: auntykaz at July 25, 2008 8:30 PM

Yes, well that's all very well, but still does not explain you actually saying "Rest in Peace". I think it was a slip-up and now you are back-tracking to try and make it funny. Jen

Posted by: jenniferhi at July 25, 2008 8:00 PM

jenniferhi at July 25, 2008 7:17 PM
Thats what I thought you meant by your observation-I like to be a little confounding sometimes. I enjoy gregorian chants and some muslim call to prayer music too as well as church architecture.
Hunter had his ashes fired from a cannon over his beloved Owl Farm.
Cheers Marcus

Posted by: laughsandtalks at July 25, 2008 7:49 PM

Marcus - I was referring to you making the comment RIP (Rest in peace) in that regard about anyone. Considering your beliefs and all. Would seem totally inappropriate coming from you with such a disbelief in a hereafter. To refer to anyone 'resting' implies a belief in there being a place to rest in. Jen

Posted by: jenniferhi at July 25, 2008 7:17 PM

Kaz. The Diahatsu's Charades that were sold here in a couple of guises didn't stack up to well in the different crash tests and on road apparentlyhad a high number of fatalities that may have been survivable in other cars. Not the vehicle for carrying 5 yo twins in. Which Toyota; they are not 'all just cars'? There is a web site devoted to the info if you want to have a look. The PDF it is on is about 80 pages long.

Agree with you on Papillon too Jen, great book and pretty good fillum. RIP is appropriate for Hunter, do you know that book or a bit about him?

Amber, did I detect you having retrospective compassion/morality concerns about the characters in a book? Haven't you heard of compassion fatigue?
Cheers Marcus

Posted by: laughsandtalks at July 25, 2008 6:49 PM

"The Shining" by Stanly Kubrick + Steven King

Suspense and Horror, well written and filmed.

REDRUM ! REDDDDDDRUUMMM !

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy !
[Smashing the door to bits with an axe]

Posted by: eatsrootsandleaves at July 25, 2008 6:43 PM

Hi Oldergent..Yul played the lead role in "The Brothers Karamazov"

Jen: never read the book but love the movie...Papillon.

Auntykaz...........You haven't seen the Sound of Music?.Will be a good introduction to your music lessons.....plus beautiful scenery of Vienna.

"The Jungle Book"..original Disney animation.....I got more out of it as an adult.

Posted by: musicteacher at July 25, 2008 6:29 PM

Oh Kaz - you don't know what you have missed in that list. There's some beauties there. I didn't see them as a kid either, but definitely in adult life.

A film and book I loved was Papillon. Read it as a teenager and then the film with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman - fabulous.

Jen

Posted by: jenniferhi at July 25, 2008 6:02 PM

RIP - That's an interesting turn of phrase for you Marcus. Hmmmm.

Jen

Posted by: jenniferhi at July 25, 2008 5:57 PM

Marcus, l doubt that Bridget Jones' Diary was ever intended to be more than fairy floss. Just your average chicky book. And fillum too. l mean, come on, it was never going to win a BAFTA or an Oscar.
Tis just a silly movie after all. They don't all have to be cerebral or even worth a second look. Although l am soooo with Willow29 on the Colin Firth thing......

And Oldergent, of course l wouldn't think the same thing about Yoda. Why would l??
He was in Star Wars for heaven's sake.......
Or was it Star Trek?? Something about space anyway.......

I also have never seen the following, nor read corresponding books, if they have them.....
Gone With The Wind.
The Sound of Music.
Any Star Wars.
The Wizard of Oz.
Casablanca.
Maybe l led a deprived childhood........

Marcus are Toyota's more acceptable???
Tis just a car after all................K

Posted by: auntykaz at July 25, 2008 5:08 PM

rocknrollpartyguy July 25, 2008 12:27 AM
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
What a full on book. I read it periodically. Yet to see the flick. Thanks for reminding me I must. Hunter S. Thompson. RIP

Posted by: laughsandtalks at July 25, 2008 11:32 AM

AuntyKaz :"Ah, yes, Mark Darcy, as played by Colin Firth... highly delectable" Agreed!

Posted by: willow29 at July 25, 2008 11:17 AM

Marcus yesterday @ 8:23 PM and OG, yes Margaret Mitchell was a brilliant writer.
Pity she never did a JK Rowling though. Would have made a fortune!
Although she did quite well out of the book and the movie, she could have done a lot better!
On thinking about it Scarlett actually had two children to two different husbands (she never cared for either of them, the children or the husbands!) before her daughter to Rhett Butler, the only child I think, that was included in the movie!

I can remember also someone trying to write a sequel to follow on with Rhett and Scarlett's lives, but it wasn't at all successful.
Sometimes things are better left to the imagination!

Posted by: amberlight58 at July 25, 2008 11:01 AM

"I couldn't possibly have you in the house for dinner I have the 2 little boys." The implication was a particularly unpleasant one. ...no Marcus, not necessarily. I never brought a man into my house when raising my children. Some women like to keep dating and family quite separate.

Posted by: oohlala1 at July 25, 2008 9:20 AM

LAT @7.32 - I have no idea where I got the nickname. The shotgun days were only when I was traveling around the back of beyond and living in Humpty Doo. I never needed to use it, thankfully. I bet Joanne Lees wishes she had one! Now I'm in "civilisation", I have no need for anything like that.

Posted by: willow29 at July 25, 2008 9:03 AM

tk4real@11.28 pm
Clap,clap. even with Cages performance, it was never going to match the book.

MT, give me a remake that would match the original, truly I have never watched one yet without comparing it, and left not wanting my money back. Poor old Yul (love his haircut) be interesting to see him back,lol(bet you would like to retract that post).

Amber @ 7.29pm bet not many would have known that about the son or even read the book. but as Marcus later said!

astrawberry @ 8.17pm.
Welcome, I have not seen your name posted before . Liked most of your profile, lol

Dont know about her private life but she has given me many hours of pleasure with her book and later with the movies. If genius is measured in money then she is surely a genius.

Kaz@ 9.31 pm
Tut tut, bet if Yoda played the same part you would not have thought the same, far less if he had said the same words, maybe why I liked the radio plays so much.

Cheers and goodnight
OG

Posted by: oldergent at July 25, 2008 12:43 AM

The reason I like "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" (the movie) so much is because it suits the book so well.

Few could have played Dr Gonzo like Johnny Depp did.

I guess the time spent in Thompson's basement payed off.

Posted by: rocknrollpartyguy at July 25, 2008 12:27 AM

I read Bridget Jones Dairy and didn't bother with the movie. I've yet to see a screen adaption better than the book and the book was fairy floss grade.
What did happen that was quite alarming was a rapid proliferation of Bridget clones on RSVP. There must be dozens if not hundreds that have come and gone and all I warrant expecting a Mr Darcy after having been overcome by the tosh expounded in the latter part of the book. The first part where chubbychick drinks, eats and smokes up and indiscriminately shags lots of blokes rings pretty true from life and RSVP. I have met 2 or 3 Bridget something or others here. I should have learnt from the first one who appeared to be wreaking revenge on men. She drove a Daihatsu Charade which is the most dangerous car in accidents sold in Australia, which should have clued me. I wrote her 40 emails and met her twice when she was enroute home from work. When via email I enquired about a proper date or perhaps dinner at her place she was aghast.
"I couldn't possibly have you in the house for dinner I have the 2 little boys." The implication was a particularly unpleasant one.

Beware of Bridgets; the name adoption is diagnostic of a level of psychosis, self esteem issues combined with narcisism, substance abuse and romantic delusions as well as hopless choice of car.
Cheers Marcus

Posted by: laughsandtalks at July 24, 2008 10:43 PM

I have never read Briidget Jones' Diary, but loved the film...
Favorite scene ???

The last one, where Bridget and Mark Darcy finally lock lips.

After Bridget and Mark have finally kissed, they pull apart, and Bridget says to Mark, "wait a minute, nice boys don't kiss like that", to which Mark Darcy replies, "oh yes they f*****g do."
Ah, yes, Mark Darcy, as played by Colin Firth... highly delectable.....................K..

Posted by: auntykaz at July 24, 2008 9:31 PM

amberlite at July 24, 2008 7:29 PM
I've read GWTW 4 times. What a writer Margaret Mitchell was. They even did what only the Americans could and had a dude write a side act sequel on Rhett Butler.
The movie was not quite walk out bad, or in my case put another DVD on, but...
Cheers Marcus

Posted by: laughsandtalks at July 24, 2008 8:23 PM

I haven't seen any of the Harry Potter movies or read any of the books, but I saw 'J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life' on telly recently and thought that she seemed to be a decent sort of a person.

Posted by: astrawberry at July 24, 2008 8:17 PM

willow29 at July 24, 2008 10:02 AM
So why were you nicknamed Trigger?
You have regaled us here a couple of times with your fondness for shotties so it seems right...

Posted by: laughsandtalks at July 24, 2008 7:32 PM

I read "Gone with the Wind" 3 times when I was growing up.
I can remember finally going to see it at the cinema in the country town in north-western Victoria in my late teens/early twenties (was quite a big deal; some kind of anniversary, I can't really remember what though) and I was so disappointed.
Scarlett's son by her first husband was completely left out of the movie, which amazed me. Especially as her heartless relationship with him said a lot about the type of character she really was.

The movie was amazing and huge, but I wish I hadn't read the book first. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the movie much more.

Posted by: amberlight58 at July 24, 2008 7:29 PM

Egernia...........yep,totally agree.........the book was much better....and in my opinion."Angels and Demons" was an even better book than the DaVinci Code...

An old movie.....the "Brothers Karamazov" was fantastic

,but i feel it has to do more with the "casting"..........The book is difficult to read for most people.......but it is a great story that we can all relate too.

"Zorba the Greek"...fantastic in both genres,but again...Anthony Quinn played Zorba.

I hope that they remake this film.........I think Val Kilmer would be great in the lead role...Yul Bryner would be hard to beat!

Posted by: musicteacher at July 24, 2008 6:36 PM

Posted by: laughsandtalks at July 23, 2008 6:15 PM

Marcus, you are an absolute crack up!

Agree that the Dune movie was dreadful but how would you translate all into a movie?

Harry Potter movies are as good as the books which is much more simple as nothing happens in her books until the last three pages so pretty simple screenplay.

The amazing feat was that Lord of the Rings was able to be put on screen in any fashion without destroying it. Peter Jackson left lots and lots out but managed to maintain a wonderful storyline.

The wonderful thing about tiggers is tiggers are wonderful things, their tops are made out of rubber, their bottoms are made out of springs......a classic of literature haha

Troy

Posted by: troyohboy at July 24, 2008 11:22 AM

Marcus: I love Winne the Pooh too! I was nicknamed Tigger at high school, later changed to Trigger (nothing to do with firearms), which stuck through Uni.

Posted by: willow29 at July 24, 2008 10:02 AM

The Davinci Code book was a good piece of fiction but the movie was dreadful.
The movie adaptations of Bryce Courtney's books have been very good.

Posted by: egernia at July 24, 2008 9:31 AM

I agree with the comments on Harry Potter. These are probably my favourite book-to-movie adaptions. The movies so far have been very close to how I pictured the stories in the books, although as the books get longer you can start to see the trouble they've had editing the stories down to movie-length. My least favourite would have to be Captain Correlli's Mandolin. The book by Louis de Bernieres is absolutely magnificent, but the movie is horrendous. They turned it into a schloppy Hollywood-formula romance, which is so not what the book's about. If you haven't already, read the book, but forget the movie.

Posted by: tk4real at July 23, 2008 11:28 PM

The Great Gatsby, an iconic book of my teen years, as well as One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, we had to read both for HSC English and see the movies.
I loved both books and movies actually, maybe because Robert Redford played Jay Gatsby with what l then thought was a smouldering carelessness. Cuckoos Nest was a mind shaking movie to me, and Jack Nicholson was brilliant in it......
I agree Jewels, about the Harry Potter books, l thoroughly enjoyed the movies made to date, and admire that the imagination of JK Rowling has been well adhered to................
Marcus, did they ever make a movie of The Hite Report, l read that too years ago and found it very enlightening as a 17 year old.................K

Posted by: auntykaz at July 23, 2008 10:17 PM

Agree with patc111960 that Dune was a poor movie, but I think that is the case with all sci-fi based novels. The principle concepts within these books are lost on screen as they may not be obvious to the viewer, completely omitted due to time or budget constraints or believed to esoteric for the movie goer i.e 2001, Contact, I Robot etc etc. I'm sure this is also the case with non-sci-fi novels.

Posted by: mrlancelot at July 23, 2008 9:31 PM

I thought that the Dune movie was a poor interpretation of the Dune book by Frank Herbert. The movie did not show or interpret some important parts of the book in so much as parts that I thought were important to the story line were completely missed. I suppose it is all up to the way a story is converted to a screen play and I suppose how much money for the production and special effects that are in the film. I was disappointed that the film did not have the power of the book. I am glad there was no follow up for the other books.

Posted by: patc111960 at July 23, 2008 7:49 PM

ok you might think this trivial, but I have read all of the Harry Potter books, and the movies....surprisingly do follow the books...so i have loved both....jewels

Posted by: junebaby57 at July 23, 2008 7:41 PM

Marcus, "you very bad man".....

Posted by: thelynathdiary at July 23, 2008 7:09 PM

To Kill a Mockingbird has to be an all time favourite as was Gregory Peck...timeless classic gentleman.

Posted by: oohlala1 at July 23, 2008 7:03 PM

Boris Pastenak.. Doctor Zhivago.. F. Scott Fitzgerald.. The Great Gatsby..Harper Lee..To Kill a Mockingbird..

Posted by: naturalwoman08 at July 23, 2008 6:51 PM

Kinsey, the 2005? film about the seminal 40's American sex researcher Alfred Kinsey was the most underated movie of 2005.
While not exactly a book his major report on male American sexual habits was also fascinating.One film adaption of a series of books that did not go down so well was Winnie The Pooh. Love that Tigger and AA Milne.
Cheers Marcus

Posted by: laughsandtalks at July 23, 2008 6:15 PM

Three films I loved almost as much as I loved reading the books and they are: Snow Falling on Cedars, Prince of Tides and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Posted by: oohlala1 at July 23, 2008 4:19 PM