Movies of Books.




 

Movies of Novels.

I have read both the Life of Pi, by Yann Martel and The Hobbit, so I will toddle off to the picture theatre to see their films. When I read the Life of Pi I found the Sixth Sense like twist at the end threw me out of a great fantasy into a unwelcome reality. But the more I reflect on that ending, the more I like it. I think knowledge of the ending will really affect the way I view the film. Whereas those who have not read the novel, if the film is true to it, will be in for a surprise at the end, that changes everything you have just watched.

The Hobbit

I loved the Lord of the Rings novels and movies. I also enjoyed reading The Hobbit, which is a much slighter novel than the LOR novels. I, like many, think it is absolutely ridiculous that a 278 page novel has been turned into three movies. Evidentially the first movie only covers the first six chapters of the novel. I will go and see the movie, but I don’t expect any great dramatic moments or insights into humanity. The Hobbit has been receiving mixed reviews, so I am not expecting much.

Vernon God Little.

Yesterday I read with astonishment and delight that Booker winner Vernon God Little, written by Australian DBC Peirre, is going to be made into a movie by Werner Herzog.  Such a movie would be very topical if it was released now as it is about a teenager who is accused of complicity in a high school massacre. The book is written from the teenager’s unreliable POV and is much more than just about the teenager’s involvement in the massacre. The novel rips into American consumerism and the American media. If the movie stays true to the novel, conservative Americans are going to absolutely hate it. It is a novel that has very much polarised readers, you either love it or loath it. I loved it.

Stephen King

I have recently read and enjoyed King’s The Dome and 11.22.63. As most of his novels end up being filmed I am hoping that both of them are turned into a mini-series.  The Dome is about a town trapped under a dome that suddenly appears one day. 11.22.63 is about a school teacher who goes back in time to stop the assassination of JFK.

Books I Would Like to See Made into Movies.

I reckon The Passage, by Justin Cronin, would make one wonderful  miniseries, think The Walking Dead, but instead of zombies, humanity has been destroyed by genetically engineered vampires. The sequel of The Passage, The Twelve has been in a lot of best of lists.

The Year of the Flood, by Margaret Atwood, about the world succumbing to a genetically engineered plague, would make a terrific movie. It would take a great script writer to adapt it though as the novel drifts back and forth in time and is told from two distinct viewpoints.

What novels would you love to see turned into a movie?

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