With one of my personal top picks from this year’s TIFF hitting theaters this Friday, Lone Scherfig’s An Education is a prime example of an adaptation done exquisitely, and in this case it’s journalist Lynn Barber’s personal memoir. With the always-necessary names and events altered to respect those who lived it in the flesh, veteran storyteller Nick Hornby is able to illuminate Barber’s very personal experiences into something from a fairytale.
The London Telegraph‘s list of the 25 best film adaptations was in my mind, terribly disappointing.
William Kerns features the list in his blog:
Yes, it is the London Telegraph, a journal with an incredibly high-brow opinion, It’s a shame to miss some titles I consider no-brainers!
-American Psycho
-Talented Mr. Ripley
-Trainspotting
-One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
-Fight Club
-A Clockwork Orange
-Alice in Wonderland
-Lolita
What makes your list?
Lolita is a great film in its own right, but the novel blows it away. Love your choices though.
Other adaptations not mentioned on the list:
The Godfather
Lawrence of Arabia
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
L.A. Confidential
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
The Grapes of Wrath
The Princess Bride
And if we can count it, Blade Runner.
Deliverence
The Hours, Brokeback Mountain, No Country For Old Men, The Godfather (agree with previous comment), Ordinary People, Ghost World, The English Patient, The Graduate, The Wizard of Oz, Jaws
Road to Perdition.
Amadeus.
I’m too ignorant and consumed with other things to read. But, I have read a few things that were made into movies – mostly Stephen King stuff.
No Country for Old Men
Stand By Me
Shawshank Redemption
Contact
Persepolis was good too.
So of the 25 mentioned on the list. I’ve only actually read three of them.
1984
The 25th Hour
The Maltese Falcon
No Country For Old Men (for sure, also The Road)
The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3
A Boy and His Dog
American Psycho
Roshomon
David Lynch’s DUNE
Rum Punch/Out of Sight/Get Shorty
Ripley’s Game (John Malkovich as Ripley)
Ponypool
and yea, BLADE RUNNER for absolute sure
Uh… Sin City?
You guys read too much.
JACKIE BROWN and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS are two of my faves, with the latter being one I’d suggest as one of the all-time best adaptations.
Likewise CHILDREN OF MEN, which drastically strays from the original story, but comes back with something even better than the original.
If adaptation has to be from something written like Andrew seems to understand, then Amadeus doesn’t count. I may have cheated, but I think the rules are unclear.
I’m gonna go with a less obvious choice and add the Rules of Attraction to the pile.
Deliverance!!! how could I forget?
I’ve never read the book but I love Rules of Attraction.
The sequencing is different and a number of other things in the book, but overall its a very strong adaptation. I read Ellis’ Less than Zero though and after that I couldn’t get through the movie without shutting it off.
Worst film adaptation I’ve ever seen is Be Cool, the Get Shorty sequel. The book is OK at best, but other than the casting of the Rock, it’s absolutely pitiful, and they removed and/or ruined the only things that made the book good.
I wish I had read the Orchid Thief so I could be unbiased in adding Adaptation to the list
I was always partial to Factotum.