Favorite Novel/series adaptation to screen

[2RiversFan]

Hey all!

I have been wondering, with WoT about to be on screen, what is your all time favorite adaptation to date?  It can be to either large or small screen, but it must have been in print before going to screen, even if it was obscure.

For me, there are two that are equally my favorites, (but I'm likely forgetting some important one(s))

1. Lord of the Rings trilogy
1a. Gone to Texas (The Outlaw Josey Wales).

 

Looking forward to some of you reminding me of others that I like.

[Taymist]

1. The Box of Delights by John Masefield; a 1984  BBC TV adaptation of the 1935 novel.

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; the 1995 BBC TV mini series with Jennifer Ehle & Colin Firth

3. Shogun by James Clavell; the 1980 TV adaptation starring Richard Chamberlain

 

Lord of the Rings and the original Star Wars film trilogy go without saying. 

[SinisterDeath]

As Tay said, LoTR goes without question.
I never read Harry Potter, but I hear it was good from an adaptation standpoint, even if it failed on some levels.

 

I loved the series "His Dark Materials", and the Golden Compass movie wasn't absolutely horrible, but I was disappointed it never got it's sequel, "The Subtle Knife". I'm really hoping the upcoming TV series is good. 

[2RiversFan]

22 hours ago, Taymist said:

1. The Box of Delights by John Masefield; a 1984  BBC TV adaptation of the 1935 novel.

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; the 1995 BBC TV mini series with Jennifer Ehle & Colin Firth

3. Shogun by James Clavell; the 1980 TV adaptation starring Richard Chamberlain

 

Lord of the Rings and the original Star Wars film trilogy go without saying. 

 

I'm not familiar with these three as books, and only Shogun by its adaptation.  Pride and Prejudice isn't my cup of tea, but my wife has watched it many times. (I did enjoy Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but only because it was intended to be a farce, also I'm not trying to be callous about your choice here.) 
I think I did intend to read Shogun at one point but have no idea why I didn't... that was a decade or two ago.  As for The box of Delights, I might look into it, but it's not as fun trying to watch things like that as an adult when your children are past the age of enjoying those.

 

19 hours ago, SinisterDeath said:

I never read Harry Potter, but I hear it was good from an adaptation standpoint, even if it failed on some levels.

 

I loved the series "His Dark Materials", and the Golden Compass movie wasn't absolutely horrible, but I was disappointed it never got it's sequel, "The Subtle Knife". I'm really hoping the upcoming TV series is good. 

I read Harry Potter after having it recommended to me.  I was already well into adulthood, but had a young daughter that I wanted to get hooked on reading.  The films weren't great adaptations, but they pulled most of the right emotional strings.  My daughter has read the series at least 10 times now, and we have watched the movies many times together.  They just aren't enough to be among my favorites.

I didn't realize that the 3 novels you mentioned were all part of a series until I googled them.  That's a series I'll check out.

[Taymist]

27 minutes ago, 2RiversFan said:

Pride and Prejudice isn't my cup of tea, but my wife has watched it many times. (I did enjoy Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but only because it was intended to be a farce, also I'm not trying to be callous about your choice here.) 

 

I didn't think you were being callous.  I don't read or watch Austen as simply a romance. There's so much else going on in her novels. I appreciate the general subject matter is not everyone's cup of tea though, especially so if they're looking solely for a surface entertainment value.

 

27 minutes ago, 2RiversFan said:

As for The box of Delights, I might look into it, but it's not as fun trying to watch things like that as an adult when your children are past the age of enjoying those.

 

I think it's considerably more fun without adding children into the equation. They just interrupt and eat all the snacks. 

[Illian Tear]

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy was nearly spot on compared to the books. The movie not the TV show.

[Liitha]

I actually found the lotr lacking, they cut it to short to make it into a trillogy, and therefor kept too much to mainstoryline cutting too much of the smaller moments allowing you to get a better feel for the chars and story. 

 

You have to leave space enough when adapting fantasy to the screen, and the books just to big.

 

I am happy with the HP no it dont include everything and they made adaptions you got to do that but they both (books and movies) good products independant of eachother

 

I got a few series I would love to see filmatized though, who know time will tell

[Krakalakachkn]

I'm gonna throw a random movie called The Four Feathers into the mix. 

 

It stars Heath Ledger and Kate Hudson and while it's a solid movie with a good story and good actors, the real reason I would consider it one of the greatest adaptations is because the movie is fun but the book is boring as hell.  I tried reading the book and gave up it was so boring - something I very rarely do. 

 

Check it out.  It's an entertaining film.  Heath Ledger is castigated for cowardice and spends the rest of the film traveling to...Egypt(?) in an effort to save his friends and regain his honor. 

Edited November 7, 2019 by Krakalakachkn

[Quibby]

The 'Good Omens' adaptation on Prime Video was amazing. I am one of the myriad of people who read their copy of the book to pieces, and the series did everything that I hoped it would do and then some. 

[Taymist]

Ohh which reminds me, the 2008 TV adaptation for Sky One of The Colour of Magic, based on the first two Discworld novels. Casting David Jason as Rincewind was inspired, not to mention the rest of the stellar cast comprising Tim Curry, Jeremy Irons, Sean Astin, James Cosmo, Brian Cox, and Christopher Lee as Death! Icing on the cake was a small cameo role by TP himself.

[Krakalakachkn]

My earlier recommendation of the Four Feathers made me want to watch it for the first time in 10 years or so.

 

I retract my recommendation.

[2RiversFan]

3 minutes ago, Krakalakachkn said:

My earlier recommendation of the Four Feathers made me want to watch it for the first time in 10 years or so.

 

I retract my recommendation.

Lol, Four Feathers was slow and probably boring to many, but it wasn't too bad...  Heath Ledger gives a good performance.  But to be honest I've never watched the movie from start to finish, always caught it after it had already started and always had something else interrupt it / distract me away.  I wouldn't recommend it wholeheartedly, but it's better than watching golf on a Saturday afternoon.

Separately, I believe the Sudan was the setting, not Egypt. 

[Krakalakachkn]

5 minutes ago, 2RiversFan said:

Separately, I believe the Sudan was the setting, not Egypt. 

 

Yeah you right

[Delirium]

On 11/11/2019 at 3:06 PM, Taymist said:

Ohh which reminds me, the 2008 TV adaptation for Sky One of The Colour of Magic, based on the first two Discworld novels. Casting David Jason as Rincewind was inspired, not to mention the rest of the stellar cast comprising Tim Curry, Jeremy Irons, Sean Astin, James Cosmo, Brian Cox, and Christopher Lee as Death! Icing on the cake was a small cameo role by TP himself.

Have you seen the Going Postal miniseries?  I think casting Charles Dance as the Patrician was perfect.  Also with a cameo by Terry!

 

I also highly recommend the animated TV series from the 90s of Soul Music and Wyrd Sisters, also starring Christopher Lee as Death. 

 

Oh, and the HogFather movie (sadly without Christopher Lee, but an admirable performance from Ian Richardson).

[Krakalakachkn]

I'm waiting for a faithful Sabriel adaptation, ideally a mini series.  One of my all time favorite YA/notYA/fantasy series.

[Lavandula]

I mean... Harry Potter... and "the 100"

I must say I didn't read the books bu if they are anything as good as the series I totally would!

Edited November 10, 2020 by Lavandula

[Taymist]

On 10/23/2020 at 4:28 AM, Delirium said:

Have you seen the Going Postal miniseries?  I think casting Charles Dance as the Patrician was perfect.  Also with a cameo by Terry!

 

I also highly recommend the animated TV series from the 90s of Soul Music and Wyrd Sisters, also starring Christopher Lee as Death. 

 

Oh, and the HogFather movie (sadly without Christopher Lee, but an admirable performance from Ian Richardson).

 

I've seen Going Postal and Hogfather, yes. Both brilliant. I'm not aware of the Soul Music and Wyrd Sisters but I'm not a fan of animated TV generally speaking.