Tuesday 9 July 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Film Adaptations

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is Best/Worst Film Adaptations.

There are a few film adaptations that stick out as ones I really enjoyed, and I decided to focus on the good rather than the bad!

1. Into The Wild - one of my favourite films (and one of my favourite books). I don't watch it very often, because it has the power to make me collapse into a puddle of tears for A LONG TIME. Eddie Vedder's soundtrack plays a big part in this.

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2. High Fidelity - I love this book, and although they moved the film from London to Chicago, in every other sense I think the film stays true to the book, and when I watched it again recently I was reminded how good it was. (And bonus Springsteen.)

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3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I watched this recently and was prepared to be underwhelmed, but I actually really enjoyed it, and I thought it captured a certain 'feeling' that came straight from the book.

4. Milk - I watched the film before reading the book, and the film blew me away. The book is excellent, too.

5. Don't Look Now - Perhaps the creepiest, most unsettling film I will willingly sit down and watch. The build up of terror is done incredibly well - another favourite.

6. Matilda / The Witches - two Roald Dahl books-to-films that I think worked really well. Danny DeVito really brought Matilda to life, and The Witches I found suitably terrifying when I was young.

7. Bridget Jones' Diary - I think this is a solid adaptation. The book and the film are quite different in some respects, but again I think the essence of Bridget is there, and the cast do a great job.

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8. The Virgin Suicides - Another favourite book, and another instance of a film really capturing a feeling within that book and running with it. I think Sofia Coppola did a fantastic job.

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9. Harriet the Spy - I remember seeing this film at the cinema, and being obsessed with both the film and the book for ages afterwards. Harriet is one of my favourite characters ever.

And the one I don't like so much:

10. About a Boy - ARGH. I enjoyed the book, but the film doesn't do it for me at all. The whole backstory about Kurt Cobain is removed - it might have dated the film, sure, but it was (for me) an integral part of the book.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

8 comments:

  1. Good list, I loved Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Virgin Suicides as well.

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  2. Great list! This is such a great reminder that I need to read/watch Into the Wild! I also need to watch Perks of Being A Wallflower. I think I have it somewhere...I read the book a long time ago.

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  3. I was totally surprised by how well-done The Perks of Being a Wallflower was. It's such an iconic book. I think the film really does it justice - it made my list too. I can't believe I forgot about The Witches. That movie scared me when I was a kid!! As did Hocus Pocus. I was not, and still am not, into Halloween.

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  4. OMG I totally forgot about High Fidelity!
    I love the film. I love the book! Great list!

    My TTT

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  5. Oooh The Virgin Suicides was one of my favorite movies growing up, how twisted is that? LOL I definitely agree about Bridget Jones' diary too, Renee was great in all of those movies

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  6. I've seen Matilda countless times, but I still haven't read the book! I never really read any Roald Dahl when I was younger. I should definitely get my hands on it.
    And yes for Bridget! :D

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  7. I loved Matilda and Bridget Jones too! I remember being scared to death of The Witches movie when I was young. Great list!

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  8. Bridget Jones is hilarious. I liked the High Fidelity movie but haven't read the book. super list, kit.

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