There are so many great books that made bad movies that we have to wonder how excellent source material can be so different in cinematic form. Many readers have been incensed to see books that they love being turned into poor movies. It's often due to the books being drastically changed by cutting out sections and making changes to suit the movie format. Sometimes it's bad casting or directing. Here are some of the great books that made bad movies …
1 The Bonfire of the Vanities
Tom Wolfe's novel The Bonfire Of The Vanities was very successful in print, but is widely considered to be a major example of great books that made bad movies. Perhaps this was due to casting Tom Hanks and Bruce Willis, both then very popular. This shows that big names don't guarantee success.
2 The Great Gatsby
Anachronistic music can work in a movie - the songs of Queen and David Bowie songs in A Knight's Tale were flawlessly blended into the story. But using the likes of Florence & The Machine and Jay-Z in a 1920s-set story just didn't work. The Twenties is so much associated with jazz that it was a distraction from the story.
The movie of Eragon may not have been as widely derided as The Bonfire of the Vanities, but it certainly upset fans of the book, which is about a young man who raises a dragon. When you've greatly enjoyed a book, you have expectations of the movie, and this version just didn't deliver.
4 Gulliver's Travels
Updating a story or transposing characters to another setting can work; the updating of Sherlock Holmes in Elementary has been very popular. But not in this case. Jack Black just doesn't work for me as Gulliver. Check out the far superior TV adaptation with Ted Danson instead.
5 Queen of the Damned
Fans of fantasy and horror literature are some of the hardest people to please when it comes to making movie adaptations. Readers of Anne Rice's vampire novels seem to have been pleased overall with Interview with the Vampire, but much less so with Queen of the Damned. Perhaps the mistake here was to assume that the latter could replicate the success of the former.
6 The Golden Compass
Philip Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials is an excellent example of children's books that adults can enjoy. They're among the best books that I have ever read and a favourite on my bookshelf. The same cannot be said of the movie adaptation, which did not do justice to its source material.
7 The Cat in the Hat
Messing with the much-loved book by Dr. Seuss was a risky endeavor, and the movie was widely panned. Many viewers found Mike Myers badly miscast and completely irritating. If you can find someone who has a good word to say about this movie, do let us know …
8 The Saint
The 1930s/40s movie adaptations of The Saint with George Sanders were good. The later TV versions were enjoyable adventures. But the woeful attempt to remake it for an American audience makes you wonder why they didn't just make a standard action movie rather than adapting this classic.
Adapting books for cinema is something of a double-edged sword for movie makers. On the one hand, they get ready-made ideas to work with and a market for their movie. On the other hand, they risk alienating that audience if they get it wrong. Fans often feel a sense of ownership over a book, and have their own ideas of how it should be adapted. Too often, the result is not a critical or box-office success. Which books have you loved or hated the movie versions of?
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Comments
maryefield23 Yeah, I totally agree with this! #FiftyShades for example and there's still more. These books are better off in paper!
Triana So true
Morgan The Great Gatsby was an amazing movie and book. I agree that they should have made the car accident scene a bit more dramatic but all in all an amazing movie so please, no hate😊
Phoebe I\'m so nervous to see Enders\'s Game when it comes out for this very reason!😥
Denise I know what you're going through, Phoebe! I hope the movie does justice to the book. *fingers crossed*
Kyra Omg! I totally agree with you on eragon. I read the entire series and then watched the movie, and I was like ‘ UM........YOU PEOPLE HAVE NOT EVEN READ THIS BOOK!!
Denise @Kyra Bruce I can say the same thing to people who watched the Harry Potter movies but haven't read the books. Hehe
Mackenzie But I do agree with The Cat In The Hat, Eragon, and Gullivers travels. The others I can't say because I haven't seen them.
Mackenzie I actually liked the great Gatsby. I mean, Leonardo Dicaprio was pefect for his role! And they used the JZ music cuz he was one of the producers. I actually think they did it quite well.
Lilly @Mackenzie I totally agree
alexis I enjoyed many of the movies this article trashes. Its total bs
Denise @alexis Well, it doesn't have to be total BS, you know.... I'm sure there are many other people who do not agree with the author. But there are also many others who agree with her. It's really just a matter of personal taste.
Phoebe ☝I enjoyed the Cat in the Hat movie. Starring Mike Myers, Conrad and Sally. I thought it was quite funny and 😏actual calculated humor. (4 Star Review)����
Fatima Beautiful creatures and I am number four.
Sarah Ella Enchanted should be on this list. My favorite childhood book destroyed in movie form..😱
Lydia I love the cat in the hat!
Amanda Cat in the hat was so funny! 😹
Kristen I loved gatsby, read the book and saw the movie. I also believe the music helped convey the tone of the book. Jazz at an intimate or sad moment would make less sense.
Ashley I think Jim Carrey should have played the Cat in The Cat in the hat.
Diana I think it is even crazy to compare a book with a movie,it is two different things and no one can create a movie as good as book...i mean how long when the film should be?
Denise @Diana WhiteRabbit You've raised a great point. Fans sometimes need to be reminded of this. But I guess we just can't help but compare our favorite book to its movie adaptation, you know? :)
Abby I thought the Golden Compass movie was great!
Denise @Abby I haven't read the book yet, but I really enjoyed the movie! The movie made me want to pick up the book (which I already did).
tonayo I agree about the first percy jackson movie. Absolutely horrible.
Alyssa I agree about Eragon movie. I love the books and had a high expectation but they screwed it up. I was very disappointed.
Paden I thought the first Percy Jackson movie was absolutely horrid, hopefully the new one which just came out will be better...
Lamichelle I thought the great gatsby book was amazing. I really liked the modern spin. The movie was amazing!!!!
Daisy I love Ender's Game, but i'm not sure if i want to watch the movie... Thank u hollywood
Grace @Daisy I think that Enders game will be a great movie not only because they have a great director but the cast is amazing. Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley ext.
Denise @Daisy I also love Ender's Game. I'm scared that they will ruin the movie. Why are you not sure about watching the movie?
Christy Great gatzby was a boring book albeit a solid story as well as a classic, the movie wasn't bad- helped me understand the plot a bit more but I felt it was missing a soundtrack to fit the time period. Seriously jay-z?
Neecey @Christy Jo, Try the original movie with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow - far better in terms of time setting.And no silly out of place modern music.
Laurie What about twilight? The movies for the whole series I thought were awful and boring.
Cecile I thought Gatsby was fantastic! And every grade 12's dream cause it got pretty much all the symbolism perfect. I thought the music was a great choice. Cause it gave an old story a new feel, and helped younger people from this generation stay interested. What about Twilight? Or Speak? (Both have Kristen Stewart in it. Coincidence?) those were HORRIBLE adaptations.
Lamichelle @Cecile right the great gatsby book and movie (2013 spin) was amazing
SamPrender I though Cat in the Hat was very funny, it's a good movie for both children and adults with the humour
Zoze @SamPrender I agree, I love that movie!
SamPrender Marley and me
Madi *cough* Twilight *cough*
Denise @Madi Oh you.... Haha :P
Isabel I don't think Florence the Machine made Gatsby worse. I think she made it better. Then again, I am biased (I'm a HUGE fan), and I haven't seen the movie yet. Oh well, it's your opinion :)
Lizmulcahy The help was also a really good book I read it before I saw the movie and it didn't do it justice in my opinion :)