Hello! I’m Christelle and I am an intern here at BookSparksPR. I am thrilled to be working with Crystal (and crew) as well as all of the fabulous authors she works with. I will be taking over the Thursday Must List – now the Friday Must List and doing some other fun posts, too. Follow me on Twitter for some fun Friday Must List, book- and intern-related tweets.
The Friday Must List
There are few things I love more than watching a favorite book jump off the pages and onto the big screen. Seeing a perfectly casted actor breathe life into a novel’s leading character can be like seeing the ocean for the first time. We’re excited that BookSparksPR client Allison Winn Scotch (who is busy promoting her new book The One That I Want) is having her bestseller Time of My Life adapted into a movie soon. We’ll keep you posted on the latest, including which actors come onboard for the lead roles of Henry and Jack. We also love that Emily Giffin is keeping fans updated on her book, Something Borrowed, being made into a movie starring Kate Hudson.
All this book-to-movie talk got me thinking about what I think the best (and worst) movies based on books are so here’s my must list for books made into movies.
The Best
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks… Is there really any need for explanation? The book and the movie can make me cry every time and they both make me question “Why can’t I have that?” anytime a relationship is in the toilet. Two telling signs of a great love story.
Atonement by Ian McEwan – I have a sort of backwards feeling about this combo. Usually a book can give so much more than a movie, but in this case the theatrical visuals are so breathtaking I am not sure anyone can put into words what Hollywood did with a camera.
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen – This is one of my favorites in both categories… life in a mental hospital from the perspective of a patient; you can’t make this stuff up. And she didn’t, the true story element just makes this double treat a little tastier.
The Worst
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare – The attempt to blend modern day themes with Shakespearean vernacular sounds uber-creative, but just comes off weird and corny most of the time. Apparently, not everything Leo Dicaprio touches turns to gold.
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown – I admit I was as hooked into the book as the next person, but it would have taken a holy miracle to keep me awake through that movie.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne – Am I truly supposed to believe that a woman who starred in Striptease is capable of pulling off the role of Hester Prynne gracefully? Love you Demi…but you’re no Puritan.
More to love (or hate)!
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane – This thriller just came out on DVD and although I went straight for the movie and skipped the book, but I could definitely see myself going back and reading it.
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks – This movie just hit stores and bottom line I’m never disappointed with his books or movies. Sparks had me at A Walk to Remember and I’ve never looked back.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen – This book is not only at the top of my reading list it is also in the early production stages. Add to the fact that it stars everyone’s favorite dirty-pretty boy Rob Pattinson and my all time favorite actress Reese Witherspoon… I see a midnight showing in my future!!
What are your favorite movies based on books?
I love the Notebook too… and The Time Traveler’s Wife…I thought they did a great job turning that fantastic book into a movie.
Welcome Christelle!
Great post. Looking forward to your intern rants & raves!
Shutter Island was HORRIBLE. I went to bed. Maybe the book is better because the concept is really cool. Very Fight Club- esque.
I am also a HUGE Notebook lover- book and movie. Love it. Love it. Love it.
Lisa
“Where the Heart is” by Billie Letts is even better as a movie. It’s my favorite!
I agree about “The Notebook.”
Christelle,
Your list made me want to run out and see a movie; something I have not done in an while. My least favorite movie adaptation is the Bourne Identity. I love that big fat book. The only thing that the book and the movie have in common is that the lead character has amnesia… something I wish that I had after seeing it. I even went back and read the book… to sorta clear my mind…
Oh those are GOOD ones. I also loved Where the Heart is (great book and great movie with Natalie Portman!) and I was just thinking about The Bourne books because there is a new one out. Cathy- good call! I love those books and Matt Damon is awesome in those movies. I watch them again and again.
Christelle:
Your writing style is exceptional and I too feel like watching a movie after reading your “post”. In fact, I think I might watch No Country For Old Men tonight, although I have not read the book. One of my favorite book to movie combos is Sea Biscuit.
Now I’m no longer sure of what my favorites are with these other ideas. Where the Heart Is and Fight Club are definitely in my top 10!! And also, as silly as it may seem, How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carrey is my all time no questions asked favorite holdiay flick!
Gone with the Wind is both a movie and book that I love. I can still remember, even though 60 years have passed, walking around the house with the book in my hand, not wanting to put it down for any reason. When I saw the movie I fell in love with Rhett Butler and loved the historical aspect of both the book and the movie. The Civil War came to life. I now have the movie in my DVD collection. Both gave me hours of joy.
Gone with the Wind holds a special place in my heart. My grandpa, who I love with all my heart, gave me that movie and the book Scarlet when I was younger. He told me when he first saw the movie in theaters he accidently left at intermission because he thought the movie was over and missed the classic “Frankly Scarlet I don’t give a damn” moment.
I’ll tell you about a book-to-movie combo I’m afraid to see–The Road! The book was deeply disturbing, mostly because the post-apocalyptic scenario it describes is probably how that time period, should we have the misfortune to reach it, would look. It is masterfully written, and the idea of seeing a movie that presents the story visually gives me chills up my spine!
Your internship sounds amazing. I think my girlfriend has read all of these books!