Top Ten Tuesday 54 - Book to Movie/TV adaptations

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Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week's theme: Top Ten Movie/TV show adaptations of books I've read
Sometimes movies and TV shows do a great job of portraying the spirit of the books they're based on, and sometimes they really don't. Here are a few adaptations I loved and some that I felt were lacking.

Great Adaptations

1. The Hunger Games/Catching Fire/Mockingjay
     

Stunning visuals, pitch-perfect portrayal of the characters, and just enough new changes to keep the movies fresh.

2. Harry Potter


The movies captured the spirit of the books so well, and again, all the actors did an amazing job of portraying the beloved book characters. Some movies did better than others, but I'm generally really happy with these!

3. The Book Thief   
I was really nervous about watching this because The Book Thief is one of my favorites. I shouldn't have been worried, because this movie captured the mood and the beauty of the book so well. The actors who played Leisel and Rudy looked exactly like I'd imagined them in my head!

4. Sherlock
   
This series takes all the little details that made the books so clever and interesting and spins them into the modern age. The cinematography is beautiful, and I love how they revamped this classic for the modern age!

5. The Princess Bride

I still find the book a lot funnier, but I really liked this classic adaptation of a beloved book. It's just as poignant, eccentric, and vivid as the book.
6. V for Vendetta
  
This one is adapted from a graphic novel, and the movie is one of my favorites ever! A few scenes really evoked the feeling of a comic book without making it over-the-top. The movie was just as dark and intriguing as the graphic novel.

7. The Prestige
One of my favorite movies, hands down. This is one of the few cases where I'll say I liked the movie far more than the book. The movie was breathtaking, and the book was just puzzling and tiresome.

Not-Great Adaptations

1. Eragon
I don't remember anything about this movie other than the fact that pre-teen me was very upset with it. So upset that I apparently blocked it from my memory haha

2. Ender's Game
Okay, it's not absolutely terrible, but I felt like it didn't do the book justice.

3. Ella Enchanted
This movie was such a trainwreck! A random evil uncle was added to the movie and a lot of fun things from the books were taken out...I think childhood me actually stomped off in a huff when it was over.
(I sense an E theme here...hmmm)
4. The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies
 
Don't even get me started on the 2.5 hour pointless fight scene that was this movie...

Adaptations I want to see but haven't gotten to yet:


1. Outlander
2. Divergent/Insurgent/Allegiant
3. Game of Thrones, maybe...
4. Gone Girl

Agree? Disagree completely? Any other adaptations I should try?

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Comments

  1. Chrissi ReadsMay 19, 2015 at 1:28 AM

    I agree that the Hunger Games and Harry Potter adaptations are brilliant! I always worry when good books are adapted, but sometimes they are done so well!

    ReplyDelete
  2. RosyMay 19, 2015 at 5:24 AM

    Love your topic choice! Agree with all of these, so many fab adaptations, and sadly a few terrible ones. Definitely recommend Outlander and Game of Thrones for good adaptations :)

    My TTT

    ReplyDelete
  3. Danni MaeMay 19, 2015 at 5:24 AM

    Eragon... Great goodness Eragon. I feel like for a book to have a great movie adaption, the movie should be able to be good to even people who didn't read the book. Eragon was horrible both in that way, and that it didn't even follow the book. Harry Potter will always be my favorite adaption because you can love the characters without even having loved the book. Divergent, to me, felt like they were just trying to get through with the plot- a "go here. Good. Now go there" without any real emotion to it. Following the motions. So the effects and actors were good, but the movie in general- again imo- was not. Sorry, kinda rambled there, but this was a great idea for a pick!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jo ElliottMay 19, 2015 at 6:22 AM

    I agree with your good choices, Harry Potter, Hunger Games and The Book Thief were all amazing girl movie adaptations. Like you, I was worried about whether they'd be able to capture the beauty of The Book Thief on screen, but they did a really great job. I love the Sherlock TV series as well, but I've never read the book. I actually like the Ella Enchanted movie, but I think in this case not having read the book probably helped me! Great idea for a list!
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2015/05/19/top-ten-tuesdays-5/

    ReplyDelete
  5. debnanceMay 19, 2015 at 6:44 AM

    Ender's Game was a big disappointment.

    Here's mine: Best Moving-and-Starting-Over Books!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Jessica @ a GREAT readMay 19, 2015 at 7:25 AM

    Yeah, adaptations are so hard to get right. And while I did love the Harry Potter movies, I was still mad with them when they changed things or left things out. I went on a huge rant with the 4th movie when we were supposed to see Dobby again and he helps Harry out. Instead, the movie just made Neville do it all.

    Here's my Tuesday Post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. LindeaMay 19, 2015 at 7:53 AM

    I agree completely with your top two choices, they both were great adaptations.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sue HolmesMay 19, 2015 at 8:28 AM

    I agree with the Book Thief and Hunger Games being great adaptions, but I was so disappointed with the Harry Potter movies - only watched the first too.

    When
    Bad Covers Happen to Good Books

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ellie PilcherMay 19, 2015 at 10:27 AM

    I agree with pretty much all of these - The Princess Bride was just the best adaption, captured the books craziness wholeheartedly :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. MichelineMay 19, 2015 at 11:29 AM

    All of these are EXCELLENT adaptations^^ I adored the film The Prestige, even though I have yet to read the book. It's one of my favorites too ♥ HG, HP and Sherlock for sure!! I still need to read/watch Book Thief, Princess Bride (imagine!), GoT, Outlander and Gone Girl though.

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  11. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:07 PM

    Yeah, I usually worry as well but those two were fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  12. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:11 PM

    I will check those out soon! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  13. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:12 PM

    hahaha yeah Eragon was a trainwreck.
    I haven't heard much from my friends who have seen the Divergent movies, but I don't think they had read the books. Now I know what to expect when I get around to watching those!

    ReplyDelete
  14. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:18 PM

    I was really pleasantly surprised by the Book Thief movie. I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was!
    Haha I guess it's not a bad movie if you haven't read the book. Ella Enchanted was a childhood favorite of mine so I was really mad at the movie.

    ReplyDelete
  15. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:21 PM

    Yeah, I was disappointed with it, but it could have been worse! I definitely wouldn't recommend it for people who loved the book, but it's not bad if you hadn't read it.

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  16. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:22 PM

    lol that scene made me really mad too!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Jo ElliottMay 19, 2015 at 12:22 PM

    Me neither, I thought it was going to be a train wreck, it's such a beautiful book and I didn't think they'd be able to capture it on screen, but they did a great job.
    Yeah, I can imagine that if you really loved the book and it was that different then you would be mad, but for me as someone who hadn't, it was a nice, fun movie.

    ReplyDelete
  18. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:23 PM

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  19. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:26 PM

    Aww I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the Harry Potter movies! I think they got better as the series progressed, once they got feedback from all the angry fans haha

    ReplyDelete
  20. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:26 PM

    Yes! Craziness is a great word for it :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. KritikaMay 19, 2015 at 12:27 PM

    I'm glad someone else loves that movie!
    Oh my goodness you'd better read all of those soon (so many books, so little time) :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. JennyMay 19, 2015 at 3:42 PM

    I agree with you on most of these. Harry Potter as movies just didn't do it for me. I loved V for Vendetta, though. I haven't read the graphic novel but the movie is a favorite.
    I haven't read the GoT books yet but I really enjoy the TV series. And until this season, I heard they stuck really well to the books. You should try it.

    ReplyDelete
  23. LauraMay 19, 2015 at 6:45 PM

    I love The Prestige as well! I actually didn't know there was a book but if it's confusing I don't think I'll be able to get through it... you never know though! Ugh I hated Eragon mostly because they changed almost every single plot point and the MC wasn't allowed to develop properly. They basically condensed a 4 book, over 2700 page series into an hour and a half. Not so great. Awesome list!


    Laura @BlueEyeBooks

    ReplyDelete
  24. Amanda HolmesMay 19, 2015 at 9:31 PM

    I need to read The Book Thief and see the movie, since I have heard so much about it!

    Excellent list!

    http://amandanicolle.blogspot.com/2015/05/take-ten_18.html

    ReplyDelete
  25. LaurenMay 19, 2015 at 11:40 PM

    The Prestige is one of my favorite movies too! I really enjoyed the book (which I read after seeing the movie), but I actually liked the movie more which I don't say often. :)


    Check out my TTT.

    ReplyDelete

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