What are some of the best adapted screenplays recently (books made into movies)?

[tokugawa]

One of my favorite authors in recent times has been Nick Hornby. I have read and have enjoyed almost of all of his novels. His best works are probably 'About A Boy' and 'High Fidelity'. By the way, both were made into IMHO pretty good movies; one starring Hugh Grant while the other one starred John Cusack. Which brings me to my question in this thread, 'What are some of the best adapted screenplays recently (books made into movies)?'

For me, it has to be 'About A Boy'. Everything from casting (Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Weisz, etc) to the writing (obviously they didn't include everything but they adapted enough to not take away from the book) to the music (Badly Drawn - Click: Silent Sigh), I thought was pretty right on. It's one of those movies that I could watch over and over again and not be tired of.

A close second to 'About A Boy' would have to be 'High Fidelity'. Again great casting with John Cusack, Jack Black, Lily Taylor, Catherine Zeta Jones, Tim Robbins, Todd Louiso and Iben Hjejle.

 

[Robert Upndown]

I thought Hunter Games was very good

 

[PlayfulAlex]

I really enjoyed Cold Mountain.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159365

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Mountain-Charles-Frazier/dp/1439560374

I saw the movie first though, and just had to read the book.

 

[HankQuinlan]

Winter's Bone, definitely.

Game of Thrones TV series.....

 

[Big Dog Striker]

Seabiscuit

" You don't throw a whole life away just because it's banged up a little bit! " :nod:

 

[wilde]

Not adopted recently but my all time fav:

 

[blazejowski]

Lord of the Rings.

The books were frigging BRUTAL to read, though....

 

[kso_wiz]

I think we could overthink this question a lot. Do you mean where the movie is superior to the book? Or most faithful to a book?

The movie that comes to my mind, that I think is superior to the book was Cool Hand Luke. The book had some religeous symbolism, but the movie improved on that. So many take aways from the movie, with the Gospel songs (Harry Dean Stanton singing just a closer walk with thee...

Plastic Jesus

The cinematography really conveys the heat and humidity of the delta (even tho it was filmed in Cali). The heat and cramped conditions of the 'box' ("two in the bush, one in the box").

Faithful renditions...I nominate two.

The Road - was a good, faithful rendition of the book.
Master and Commander - am conflicted about nominating this. On one hand, the book is nothing at all like Master and Command, the book. That was just 1 book out of a 19 book series. So instead they captured the flavor of the series, took a story from the author's catalog (not of the series), and enhanced it with new writings.

 

[ChappyM]

WTF would anyone read the book when their's a movie to watch instead? Come on, honesty is best policy.

 

[blazejowski]

I thought the hobbit was a good read.

The Hobbit was a good read, because it was geared for kids, and is paced well. The LOTR books had horrible pacing....

 

[HankQuinlan]

WTF would anyone read the book when their's a movie to watch instead? Come on, honesty is best policy.

You are trolling right? You honestly don't "get" that reading fiction is a rewarding and entertaining way to spend time? That being able to actively engage your imagination with that of another person and immerse yourself is somehow "work" or not fun? Watching movies is mostly a passive experience (except of course when it is a movie that requires you to actively think about what is being shown, and which is then subjected to complaints that viewers didn't understand it). Reading actually requires you to engage other parts of your brain and think. Some of us think enjoy that.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

One of my favorite authors in recent times has been Nick Hornby. I have read and have enjoyed almost of all of his novels. His best works are probably 'About A Boy' and 'High Fidelity'. By the way, both were made into IMHO pretty good movies; one starring Hugh Grant while the other one starred John Cusack. Which brings me to my question in this thread, 'What are some of the best adapted screenplays recently (books made into movies)?'

For me, it has to be 'About A Boy'. Everything from casting (Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Weisz, etc) to the writing (obviously they didn't include everything but they adapted enough to not take away from the book) to the music (Badly Drawn - Click: Silent Sigh), I thought was pretty right on. It's one of those movies that I could watch over and over again and not be tired of.

A close second to 'About A Boy' would have to be 'High Fidelity'. Again great casting with John Cusack, Jack Black, Lily Taylor, Catherine Zeta Jones, Tim Robbins, Todd Louiso and Iben Hjejle.

:thumb: Both great movies... A great translation from book to film can often take out all of the unnecessary like The Godfather and LA Confidential.

The Shawshank Redemption, Battle Royale, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Remains of the Day, and A Clockwork Orange would be on my list of best translations.

 

[Big Dog Striker]

 

[Big Dog Striker]

Pursuit of Happyness

" Pursuit of Happyness " was pretty inspiring. Waiting for Will Smith to finish the movie " Cooked " about the inspiring story of Celebrity Chef Jeff Henderson. The book was a good read a few years ago. From Jail to Foie Gras. :nod:

 

[Nathalie Lefebvre]

A Single Man is definitely one of my favorite adapted screenplays. Set in the early 1960's during the McCarthy period, this gay university professor suffers the loss of his long-term partner in a car crash. The director explores themes such as grief, health, fear of the 'unknown', love, friendship, and art. The filming technique is different, and I love the meaning garnered from how the director, Tom Ford, plays with light and colour. It is a slow paced, but incredibly beautiful movie.