What Is Your Favorite Film Adaptation?

Jun 04, 2010 | No Comments

One thing that I love next to reading and writing is film.  From the good to the bad, and yes to be punny and honest, even the ugly.  One common trend you’ll see that I write against a lot over on MyRemoteRadio.com is film re-makes.  However there is one type of film that often is forgotten about, or not praised as much as it should be.  That is the adapted film.

Sure there is a category in it for the Oscars, and sure the films are usually far superior to films that have been written for the screen.  However, why do the novels never get as much recognition as the films?  Why is the author of the book not talked about as much as the director of the film?

If anything, film adaptations are excellent because if you have a hard time creating a visual image in your mind’s eye, this gives you one to work off of.  Also, it can create incredible conversation amongst friends, poking holes in the plot, noticing things left out that we wish we could see.

Most recently “Precious” was an adapted film that everyone was talking about, however I didn’t really like this one as much as others.  I’ve put together a quick list of some of my favorite adaptations, but I want to hear yours as well!

Clockwork Orange

With the use of some incredibly psychedelic sets and costumes, along with phenomenal casting, Stanley Kubrick really bought Anthony Burgess’ novel to life.  He kept faithful to the novel, even having dialogue coming verbatim from the pages of the book.  The only glaring difference between the two is the fact that in the novel Alex is 14, and in the film he is noticeably older.  This is an understandable change though.

The English slag being kept in the film is still a lingo used by cult film watchers to this very day!

The Shining

Plain and simple, this is a masterpiece.  Not only is this based on one of Stephen King’s most successful novels, this film really has a life of it’s own.  With heavy differences from the book (the biggest being that the twins play no more a role, other than furthering Grady’s character development) this film has really held up through the test of time, unlike the Mick Garris mini-series.

According to trivia, Stanley Kubrick used to call Stephen King at 3 in the morning and ask him questions like, “Do you believe in God?  Do you believe in hell?”  He was also notorious for putting the actors through hundreds of takes of one scene causing Shelley Duvall’s hair to fall out and bringing Scatman Crothers to tears.

Requiem For A Dream

Not only is this one of the most difficult books I’ve ever read, next to “I Know This Much Is True”, but it is also one of those films that I’m in love with, but never watch.  Both the cast and crew went to pretty extreme measures to really capture the reality of drug addiction.  Jared Leto befriended many heroine addicts in research, and Darren Aronofsky attended several sex parties like the one Big Tim throws at the end of the film.

They were also lucky enough to be able to bring Hubert Selby Jr. on set and read directly from the book before they would shoot the scenes.  This helped Ellen Burstyn perform, quite possibly one of the most heart wrenching scenes in cinema, as she told her addict son Harry about how lonely it is to grow old, and to only have a dream so far out of reach to look forward too everyday.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The most exciting film and book in the Harry Potter series in my opinion.  As Harry enters his third year at Hogwarts, and his third teacher for the Dark Arts, we are introduced to the more nefarious side of the wizarding world when the Dementors make their first appearance, and we find out exactly what Azkaban is, and what they do to prisoners.

Alfonzo Curan did a marvelous job not only with leaning more toward the darker tone that the novel set, but also to keep a fast paced directing style, that always kept the viewers excited to see what would happen next.  His vision of the werewolf was also one adaptation I found incredibly creative.

Lord Of The Rings – Fellowship Of The Ring

Whether you’re watching the theatrical, or the extended versions, Fellowship of the Ring is one of the most faithful adaptations to a novel I’ve ever seen.  The set design was spot on, and minimal yet incredible use of visual effects allowed us to really become submerged in Middle Earth…and nobody misses Tom Bombadil!

Trainspotting

Irvine Welsh is a very under appreciated Scottish novelist, that has written one of the most entertaining books that turned into an awesome film that most every college kid watches on loop for at least a year.  This also launched the career of Ewan McGregor and director Danny Boyle.

High Fidelity

High Fidelity wasn’t a huge deal when it released, but now, with the miracle of word of mouth advertising, Netflix, and the big named stars that are in it everyone knows it.  Jokes about Evil Dead 2, Kathleen Turner Overdrive, and a phenomenal selection of music all revolving around the one thing everyone has in common, feelings of inadequacy after a failed relationship, make this movie an instant favorite.

There are so many other amazing adaptations out there.  I personally think that Stanley Kubrick was the adaptation king.  They don’t advertise a lot of his movies were based off of novels, I mean it’s kind of hard to believe that a film like “Full Metal Jacket” was based off a book of short stories called “The Short Timers” isn’t it?

What is your favorite adaptation?

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