Guest Special K Report post Posted December 2, 2002 American Psycho was a better movie than book. Movies written in a frenetic style can and literally translated can sometimes turn out really well (Fight Club, Fear and Loathing) Hard nose crime stories live and die on the strength of their leads (The Big Sleep, Chinatown were great, Heaven's Prisoners which is a great book, sucked the meat missle due to Alec Baldwin trying to play a Cajun hardass.) Hardcore sci-fi's hard to do, except for simpler short stories (Dune was too big, but Blade Runner was great.) 2001's the only epic sci fi I can think of that was any good. Are there any comedies that successfully went to film? Hitchiker's guide was alright, I guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest starvenger Report post Posted December 2, 2002 Are there any comedies that successfully went to film? Hitchiker's guide was alright, I guess. I thought that Hitchiker's only made it as far as the telly? I'm also fuzzy on whether it was a book or radio play first. I'm ashamed to say that I forgot all about Mockingbird. But I hadn't seen it since high school, so that oughtta be forgiven. Field of Dreams wasn't bad. There were some obvious changes from Shoeless Joe (James Earl Jones as a Salingeresque writer), but overall it didn't impact the story. Finally, I just watched The Count of Monte Christo this weekend. I've never read the book, but surely it must be better than this movie. I find it hard to believe that there was that much homoerotic undertones in the book. 3/10, and that's for the cinematography and Richard Harris' performance, the only redeeming factor here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest EricMM Report post Posted December 2, 2002 I dislike The Shining movie because it deviated from the book so much. I liked Jack and some of the imagery, but why did he have to change so much? he changed the ending COMPLETELY, he changed the fate of the caretaker, he ignored the alcohol thing (which is why the ghost giving him drinks at the bar was signifigant) I mean the book was kind of about Stephen King's addictive/alcoholic personality, actually most of his books were written about some part of himself. I just don't think Kubrick should have done that much damage to the origional story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest notJames Report post Posted December 3, 2002 I can only recall two really good books that were followed up with good movies: The World According to Garp - I'm a big fan of John Irving, but this is the only movie that didn't do a disservice to the novel (Cider House Rules included). When Robin Williams doesn't rely on his frenetic cokehead schtick and actually acts, he's pretty damn good. John Lithgow as the hulking transexual Roberta was the icing on the cake. The Princess Bride - Not a strict interpretation of the William Goldman book, but so well done on all counts that it actually surpasses an already great read. There wasn't a single performance that I was unhappy with. I'll give an honourable mention to Fellowship of the Ring, only because the novel was so long that anything was an improvement. Don't get me wrong -- I liked the story and the characters and the whatnot, but there was way too much extraneous singing and exposition and description of that single blade of honeygrass on the left of the singing willow tree that... you get the picture. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted December 3, 2002 I have a morbid fascination with "The Naked Lunch." William S. Burroughs is nuts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest starvenger Report post Posted December 3, 2002 I'll give an honourable mention to Fellowship of the Ring, only because the novel was so long that anything was an improvement. Don't get me wrong -- I liked the story and the characters and the whatnot, but there was way too much extraneous singing and exposition and description of that single blade of honeygrass on the left of the singing willow tree that... you get the picture. Long? What are you talking about? They only broke up the novel into THREE separate ones... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest notJames Report post Posted December 3, 2002 I have a morbid fascination with "The Naked Lunch." William S. Burroughs is nuts. I tried. I really, REALLY tried to watch it, especially since Robocop's Peter Weller was in it. I lost interest 10 minutes in. (It didn't help that I was watching it with my girlfriend at the time ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted December 4, 2002 Oh man, blaze up and watch that one again. The movie's REALLY ate up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
