You know the feeling.
You fall completely in love with a book. With the characters. The story. The author. The scenery. Everything about it just makes you happy.
Then you hear the news.
They're making it into a movie!
At first you are elated. The excitement proves almost too much. But you stick it out. Finally, you see the midnight premier at the theatre.
And now. You just want to cry. They ruined it. Your characters. Your story. Your loves. All destroyed.
This has happened to me so many times I don't know why I bother with movies at all anymore.
Here is a list of the MOST disheartening of all of the worst books turned to movies.
1. Prince Caspian
This movie made me so sad...it was barely like the book at all. Peter and Caspian were supposed to be friends! And there was no romance in the book. Bacchus and his merry company were left out as well.
2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians; The Lightning Thief
I can't even watch this movie. Barely anything was like the book. It was an okay movie in itself I suppose but definitely separate from the book. I'm kindof scared for the sequel they're making. We shall see I suppose.
3. Eragon
This movie...*sigh* Brom and Murtagh were good! Durza was portrayed well I thought. (I love Robert Carlyle...) But everything else was just sadly lacking. Most people blame a small budget but still. The book was so masterfully written and sculpted. You can tell Christopher Paulini poured his soul into the series and they kinda butchered it through the movie. I was extremely disappointed.
4. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
This is one of my favorite books of all time. Ever. But the movie...not so much. I get that they had to change it so there was a main "evil force" or whatever, but it was just sad. C.S. Lewis hated movies and I have a feeling this movie would make him want to weep. At least the dufflepuds looked like I had imagined. :)
5. Inkheart
I'm not quite certain this should be on here. I go back and forth. Sometimes I adore the movie, and other times I can barely watch it.
The book was such a masterpiece that it would take nothing short of an exact plot match for me to *love* the movie but considering, they did a pretty good job. I just miss the magical feel the book had. The stunning characters. (Although Paul Bettany was a marvelous choice for Dustfinger. Bravo whoever made that call!)
6. The Hunger Games
Ugh. Need I say more? Madge Undersee. Haymitch's drunken appearance at the reaping. So much more, all left out. It just made me sad...I enjoy watching the movie up until they get into the Arena. But after that it gets a little too yuck for me. An okay movie overall but I was expecting a lot more. I'm so pumped to see Finnick in the next one!! Hopefully they do a better job. Catching Fire is one of my all time favorite books.
What do you think? Would you agree or disagree with any of these? Have any to add to the list?
Ugh, I totally agree with you on the first Percy Jackson movie. Where the heck was Clarisse?!?! They're making a second movie, but it looks way better. I think they changed the actress for Annabeth. (Or at least they changed her hair).
ReplyDeleteI thought "The Hunger Games" was FANTASTIC!!!! :D I wish they had done Haymitch's drunkenness at the reaping, too, though. And Madge should've given Katniss the pin. Did you see the trailer for "Catching Fire"? :/ It looks really good, although they didn't put in a single image of the arena. Or Finnick . . .
I. Know. Right?! Clarisse! Did you know that Glimmer is going to play her in the Sea of Monsters???? I so pumped!! And yeah, they changed her hair thank goodness! Did you know her actor is like, 30. Yeah. Yuck.
DeleteAnd I tend to like it more every time I see it but the violence was just a little too much for me.
Despite that, Im super pumped for Carching Fire! It was my favorite of the three books so I have high hopes. They're probably too high but oh well. Such is life. :) I love Finnick too, so that's a plus. :)
I agree wholeheartedly with all of those, yet, despite what they took out of The Hunger Games, I still really liked it:)
ReplyDeleteLayla.
True, the movie was well done. But still, I was disappointed...probably just me. :)
DeleteI have to disagree - I thought THG was EXCELLENT. True, it didn't keep everything from the book, but it actually had a coherent plot. Something I've learned to not expect from most adaptations.
ReplyDeleteSome REALLY bad adaptations are the Harry Potter movies. Blech. xD
Don't get me wrong, I do like it. I just didnt think it was like the book much. I agree though, it did have a coherent plot and was set up well. I just really didnt like it after they got into the arena. It seemed more...I don't know what word I'm looking for...but it stick to the book. I just don't enjoy that part that much. Also, My opinion goes up when I think about how hard it must have been to do it. After all, the book is mostly her thinking, so to turn that into a movie, difficult! That's why it's at the end of the list, because I like half of it. Haha.
Delete*it stuck to the book
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