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Ten Best/Worst Book to Movie Adaptations
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, focuses on the top ten best/worst book to movie adaptations. I
decided to split the list in half and do my top five best movie adaptations and
my top five worst movie adaptations.
I will start with the top five WORST book to movie
adaptations:
- Twilight by Stephanie Meyer: Do I even need to say more? Two words: Kristen Stewart. My paperback copy of Twilight (I have two different copies that’s how much I love this book) is literally falling apart because I’ve read it so many times. I fell in love with this series and was so excited when it was being made into a movie. And then I saw the movie and I wanted to scream and cry and throw knives at the screen. The series has become a joke to everybody in the world now and it breaks my heart because the books are wonderful. I don’t care who knows it: I AM A TWILIGHT FAN.
- Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl: I just saw this movie last weekend. I missed it in theaters because it was literally in and out in less than a month. That should have tipped me off that it was going to suck. They cut out so much stuff from the book and even went so far as to cut out important characters like Marian, the librarian, and Boo Radley, the dog. What? These characters are vital to the books. Maybe not the dog, but still, I was pissed. The story was rushed and it made it look like Ethan and Lena were victims of insta-love which I didn’t think they were in the books, but it definitely made it seem that way in the movie. I was so disappointed.
- The Host by Stephanie Meyer: Why does the film industry insist on destroying Stephanie Meyer’s books??? Although for this one, I didn’t feel quite so bad about it since she was one of the freaking producers! I had high hopes when I found out how much involvement she had in the film and then I was crushed. The book is incredible. It’s not full of action, but the love story is so amazing that it didn’t matter to me. Then the movie turned it into this action-packed story that focused more on the humans rebelling against the aliens instead of the complex love story that Meyer created. Awful.
- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: Okay, I’ve read the play and it is one of the only works of Shakespeare that I actually understood. The movie (with Leonardo DiCaprio) was awful. It was such a modernized version of the play and I almost felt like it made a joke out of the tragic love story that Shakespeare told.
Okay, so I only came up with four… This was way
harder than I thought it would be!
Here are my top five BEST book to movie adaptations:
- Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien: These movies are breathtaking and captured the essence of the books perfectly. The pieces of the books they left out I didn’t miss. I don’t even know what else to say. Breathtaking, exciting, great casting. Peter Jackson (director) is a genius. Love these movies!
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: I was so worried last year when this movie was released. Too many books are destroyed by their movie counterparts, but I was so relieved and excited after I saw it. It was amazing. True to the book. Jennifer Lawrence was amazing as Katniss. I loved everything about it and can’t wait for the second one, Catching Fire, which is coming out November 22, 2013!
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: To be more specific, the one that came out in 2005 with Keira Knightley. I love this book and this movie was amazing. Mr. Darcey is so romantic and I am completely in love with him. (Yes, he’s one of those characters that I wish were real/actually think is real.)
- The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: Peter Jackson delivers again! This movie was awesome! I was a little worried when they announced that they would be splitting the book into three movies. I mean, The Hobbit is short than all three of the books in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but I got it as soon as I saw it. They are making sure that this movie is perfectly in line with the book. I swear they left no detail out. Amazing, blown away. Can’t wait for the second one, The Desolation of Smaug, which comes out December 13, 2013!
- Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis: I loved this movie and I love the book. I actually can’t remember if the movie aligns with the book since I read it so long ago and also saw the movie years ago, but I do remember that I loved them both!
So what do you guys think? Any that you disagree with? Or agree with? What are your picks? Leave a comment below!
I actually still haven't seen Beautiful Creatures, maybe because I know it will be so bad... Same with the Host, I never made it through the book but the movie looked iffy at best.
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten
Yeah, Beautiful Creatures was awful. Don't bother seeing it. The plot went so fast and skipped so many things that it made it feel ridiculous and unrealistic.
DeleteThe Host was really disappointing. I loved the book so much and was hopeful about the movie since Stephanie Meyer was one of the producers, but it was awful. Didn't follow the book at all.
Thanks for stopping by!
OMG! We have totally opposite tastes. Lol. Romeo and Juliet is one of my favs, but I forgot to include it on my list. I did hate Twilight though. We can agree on that. :-)
ReplyDeleteIf You have a sec please check out my top ten http://www.bookcrackercaroline.blogspot.com/2013/07/top-ten-tuesday-3.html
Oh no! Romeo and Juliet was just not for me, too modernized I guess.
DeleteI think everyone can agree on hating Twilight. Lol.
Thanks for stopping by! I will definitely go check out your list!
Great picks! Beautiful Creatures was not my cup of tea. I haven't read The Host or seen the movie yet.
ReplyDeleteMy recommendation: Read the book, don't see the movie. Or, if you really want to see the movie, see it first, then read the book so you're not disappointed.
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I have to agree! I had every single one of your "bests" on my list too. And some of those worsts were really awful.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we agree! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
DeleteThis a great list and I agree with your worst list. The Twilight movie sucked. With Beautiful Creatures, I really wanted to get into that series! Read the books, then watch the movie! But now, seeing all the negative comments the movie has received, I'm not sure? Would you recommend the books?
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think the books are worth checking out. I loved the 1st, 3rd, and 4th ones. The 2nd one had a mad case of second book syndrome and I barely got through it, but it was worth it for the last two books in the series.
DeleteHere are links to my reviews:
Beautiful Creatures
Beautiful Darkness
Beautiful Chaos
Beautiful Redemption
Thanks for stopping by my blog!
I made my husband watch Twilight with me, because it was soooooooo horrific I thought he might actually enjoy it. There's this one scene where Kristen Stewart is pouring ketchup on her plate, but she is such a bad actress she can't even pretend to pour ketchup, so she just kind of shakes it, limp wrist-ed, a few times. Now Neema mimics it every time he pours ketchup, and it makes us laugh every time, so I guess my point is that there is a small silver lining to Twilight. It gave us the ketchup bit.
ReplyDeleteHaha I didn't realize who you were and as I was reading this I thought it sounded really familiar. Then I realized it was you! Pretty sure you told me this story over one of our many "work-related" conversations. I miss you!
DeleteI also thought that the first Twilight would have been at least a little better with a different leading actress. I've never really cared much for her, honestly. I couldn't stand Beautiful Creatures the book and the trailer looked awful so I can't see myself ever willingly watching it. Catching Fire had better be just as amazing! Thanks for stopping by my TTT.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Twilight might have been better with a different leading actress, although I thought that the visual effects were really fake which contributed to how much it sucked.
DeleteSee, I really enjoyed Beautiful Creatures the book, which is why I hated the movie so much I think.
I have high hopes for Catching Fire! I also can't wait for City of Bones to come out!
No problem! Thanks for visiting my TTT as well!