Movies that Are Actually (almost) as Good as the Book

[San]

For obvious reasons, movies never seem to be the same as the book. Are there any movies that you think make an acception?

Last week I saw Interview with a Vampire and I loved it. I'd always wanted to see it because when my brother was in elementry school he had a ski instructor whose sister was in that movie (which doesn't make sense because that would mean his sister is Kirsten Dunst :confused:) but I remember Oprah said it was really gross and she walked out so I'd always been too scared to see it. Anyway, I reserved the book from the library and am really excited to read it. I saw Queen of the Damned today and was a bit disappointed. Lestat didn't even seem like the same person, and it didn't even seem like the movie was based on the same book series. I suppose I'll find out if Interview with a Vampire was as good as the book when I read it this weekend, eh?

I also saw the Virgin Suicides recent ly after reading the book and thought they did a great job translating such a scattered novel into a movie. It really did a good job capturing what the book was about.

[jenbizagogo]

The Fellowship of The Ring and The Two Towers :smitten:
Of course the books are WAY better, but the movies are damn good!

[Dandelion]

Queen of the Damned was my favorite of that book series but the movie was most horrid.


Originally posted by San
...I saw Queen of the Damned today and was a bit disappointed. Lestat didn't even seem like the same person, and it didn't even seem like the movie was based on the same book series. I suppose I'll find out if Interview with a Vampire was as good as the book when I read it this weekend, eh?
...

[misanthropy]

Silence of the Lambs!

And I agree with Jen about the LOTR movies (even though I haven't seen TTT yet).

As far as Queen of the Damned... ick. What a horrible movie. I thought Aaliyah was good in it though (and she looked awesome).

[Adams]

I read the Vampire Chronicles up to Queen of the Damned. I got half way through that book before I put it down for too long and never picked it up again. I knew the Queen of the Damned movie sucked so I never bothered to see it. Interview with a Vampire is a great book and an awsome movie. Two thumbs up for both! :thumbsup: With that in mind the movie kind of simplied Lestat, i.e. made him a jerk. :p In the book he's a much more interesting character.

The Laramie Project (http://www.hbo.com/films/laramie/) is a play turned movie. I saw both and I've got to say the movie was way better than the play. I recommend skipping the $15 for the play and rent the movie 3 times. :laugh:

[Oatmeal Girl]

K-Pax.

[Addledtaisie]

Charlotte's Web!

And such a good little vegan movie too. :)

Oh! And I was going to go see a performance of The Laramie Project with my GSA, but the thing fell through. Glad to know I didn't miss too much - and even gladder to know there's a movie.

[herbi]

Oh dear! I must be the only one then...
I thought the movie of Interview With the Vampire was HORRIBLE!!!!! Tom Cruise was completely miscast, it was filmed before Brad Pitt learned how to act ("Don't make me do this I CANNOT!"), and there were so many other little quibbling problems I don't even know where to begin... the only redeeming qualities about that movie were Kirsten Dunst as Claudia-- a difficult role for a young actress, and I thought she did well-- and the fact that, well, it was about vampires, wasn't it? :)
Queen of the Damned, on the other hand, may have departed from the books quite a bit, but it was an enjoyable film to watch and Stuart Townsend makes a drop-dead gorgeous sexy Lestat! Mmmmm.......

[Lacykitten]

I loved both IWTV and Queen of the Damned... I have not admittedly read the latter's book part but I really loved the movie. Those who hated it because it differed so much did agree that, on it's own or with the first movie, it was alright, just not as a "from the book" kinda thing. :)

I do think that Stewart Townsend made a much much better Lestat. I haven't read Interview in YEARS so I forget a lot of it..

But the movies do take place years and years apart, it is possible that Lestat's demeanor did change quite a bit between the two movies.

Other movies.. hmm..

"Disturbing Behavoir" was really good and the book was very different, but also very good. I liked them both quite a bit. The book was "Perfect Little Angels."

Must think of more.. hm...

[queenofvan]

I agree with misanthropy - I read Silence of the Lambs a few years before the movie came out and was very impressed that they followed the plot through. Great movie! Great book!
Charlotte's Web - Kudos!
Also - Kujo and Dark Half(Steven King)
As for the Interview with a Vampire series - I thought interview was much better than the book (I'm not keen on Rice's "overdescriptive" style) I saw queen (it was okay-not great) but I never read the book

[its_a_gas]

I've read all 3 books in the Hannibal Lechter series (Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs, and Hannibal)

I also thought that Silence of the Lambs did the book justice.

Hannibal sucked poop.

I have mixed feelings about Red Dragon. It was without a doubt my favorite book out of the three - super creepy. Because I thought the book was so excellent, I wasn't expecting much from the movie. While I didn't think it was fantastic, I was actually pleasantly surprised. I was very disappointed in the ending though. I think it seemed a little too rushed. The ending in the book gave me some serious chills.

I have yet to see Manhunter, but I will eventually. I've heard great things about it.

[spacehippy]

Have any of you ever seen Being There starring Peter Sellers? When I saw that movie, my jaw was permanently dropped. It's about a gardener who knows nothing about the world other than TV that gets kicked out of his lifelong residence and by chance ends up a very influential figure in politics. I'm reading the book right now (by Jerry Kosinski) and it doesn't seem as good as the movie. It might be just that I saw the movie first...but Peter Sellers BECOMES Chance. So....I highly recommend this movie. :) I think it was Peter Sellers' last.

[Husky Corn Star]

The original black and white movie of 'All Quiet On The Western Front'

[misanthropy]

its_a_gas: Oh... I really didn't like Manhunter very much. I saw it years ago. I haven't seen "Red Dragon" yet. The book was awesome. Hannibal was... *ahem*... a bit sucky.

Spacehippy: I loved Being There! I've seen it so many times! At the end I always feel sort of weird after watching it. I can't explain why but the ending always makes me think (not just BECAUSE what happens at the very end and what he does). I guess because of everything... his personality, etc. Very hard for me to explain.

[Emiloid]

I think Stephen King's book "The Shining" was better than the movie, BUT: the movie is an excellent, top-notch film, while the book is only really good. Make sense?