TOP 5 BEST BOOK TO FILM ADAPTATIONS

What They’re Saying

FORREST GUMP (1994)

The Book: Winston

Groom’s 1986 novel follows

the adventures of the

titular character, from

shrimp-fishin’ to running

around the world.

The Movie:

Critics say ”A feel-good

biopic, Robert

Zemeckis’ Forrest Gump, ,

effortlessly portrayed by

Tom Hanks, as he makes

sense of the world around

him as he captured the

hearts of cinemagoers with

its sentimental-yet-

gripping look at a simple

Southern man”.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS (2011)

The Book: Emily

Brontë’s only novel, which

paints a dark, gloomy

portrait of love gone wild.

The Movie: Critics say

“Andrea Arnold goes

from Fish Tank to period

flick, making Brontë’s

material her own.

“

SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)

The Book: Rita Hayworth And

Shawshank Redemption, Stephen

King’s novella about Andy

Dufresne, a banker wrongfully

accused of murdering his wife.

The Movie : Critics say “From

box office disappointment to

phenomenal video success, Frank

Darabont’s beautifully crafted

adap has stood the test of time.”

BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY (2001)

The Book: A fictional diary

written by Helen Fielding about

the eternally signal Bridget.

The Movie : Critics say

“Feather-light comedy, with

Bridget brought to brilliantly

frumpy life by Renée Zellweger.

Backing her up is Hugh Grant

at his floppy-haired best as a

right rotter.”

T H E P R I M E O F M I S S J E A N B R O D I E ( 1 9 6 9 )

The Book: Muriel Spark’s

most celebrated work,

following the titular Miss

Brodie, a prim teacher who

leads her lessons with

stories about her life.

The Movie : Critics say

“The one that bagged

Maggie Smith her Oscar -

and deservedly so - for

playing Miss Jean Brodie.

Unforgettable.

“

TOP 5 WORST B OOK TO F ILM ADAPTATIONS

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE (2009)

The Adaptation: Audrey

Niffenegger's high concept

romcom gets turned into an

equally soppy vehicle for Rachel

McAdams and Eric Bana.

What They Got Most

Wrong: Critics say “Robert

Schwentke attempts to cram

Niffenegger’s book into a movie

that’s less than two hours long,

meaning all the secondary

characters are nothing more than

cyphers.”

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN

(2008)

The Adaptation: A long and

drawn-out adaptation of C.S

Lewis’ tome, with floppy-haired

Ben Barnes in the titular role.

What They Got Most

Wrong: Critics say “Not

thinking about that all-

important subtext – the kids

essentially go around killing

people, while the good guys are

all British and the baddies are

Mediterranean-looking.”

THE SCARLET LETTER (1995)

The Adaptation: Charmless

version of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s

scathing social commentary that

bears little similarity to the

material it’s adapting.

What They Got Most

Wrong: Critics say “Casting

Demi Moore, who exposes her

bodyparts when really she should

be exposing Hester’s inner

turmoil.”

THE GOLDEN COMPASS (2007)

The Adaptation: About A

Boy director Chris Weitz is given

the reins to this expensive

gamble from Warner Bros, as they

attempt to birth a new fantasy

franchise using Philip Pullman’s

stellar trilogy.

What They Got Most Wrong:

Critics say “Gone are the

allegories and religious

undertones, instead we get a

hodgepodge of action sequences.

No wonder it sank like a brick.”

T H E G R E AT G AT S B Y ( 1 9 7 4 )

The

Adaptation: Transferring F.

Scott Fitzgerald’s glitzy

classic to the big screen,

with Mia Farrow in the role

of Daisy Buchanan.

What They Got Most

Wrong: Critics say “Worst,

though, is Robert Redford as

Gatsby – he’s far to amiable

to even partially resemble

the original character.”