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Suggestions: May 2013 - Books & Films

Polly Parrot

Moderator
Staff member
The idea is to suggest a book that has been made into a movie.

I will keep suggestions open for about a week or so (depends on the number of suggestions, obviously) and then post up a poll so there is a little more time to read for next month's choice than there was for this month. :)
 
how about Hugo - directed by Martin Scorsese (won 5 Academy Awards) vs The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznik (won the 2008 Caldecott Medal)

Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.

http://www.amazon.com/Invention-Hugo-Cabret-Brian-Selznick/dp/0439813786

The book is also somewhat of a graphic novel

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/

And if you haven't seen the movie - please do. It's a wonderful movie! Even the use of 3D was within acceptable parameters and I'm not a fan of it!
 
There are approximately 1450 books that have been made into movies. Can I suggest narrowing the field down a little? I know I'm only supposed to make one suggestion but no-one is coming up with any :D YET! I hope! So to get this moving here are some other books -> movies.

Stardust - book by Neil Gaiman, movie directed by Matthew Vaughn.

“Stardust,” based on the best-selling graphic novel by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess, takes audiences on an adventure that begins in a village in England and ends up in places that exist in an imaginary world. A young man named Tristan (Charlie Cox) tries to win the heart of Victoria (Sienna Miller), the beautiful but cold object of his desire, by going on a quest to retrieve a fallen star. His journey takes him to a mysterious and forbidden land beyond the walls of his village. On his odyssey, Tristan finds the star, which has transformed into a striking girl named Yvaine (Claire Danes).

This is one of the few movies I would say is better than the book. Not that I didn't enjoy the book, the movie was just better.

Minority Report - short story (not a book) by Philip K. Dick. Movie starring Tom Cruise and directed by Steven Spielberg.

Despite it being an adaptation from a short story, this has many interesting issues around human rights to explore.

A River Runs Through It - Ok this is another one I'm surprised to learn was also a book. I haven't read it but the movie has to be one of the most beautiful cinematic experiences possible.

The book is "A River Runs Through It and Other Stories" by Norman Maclean

"A River Runs Through It" concerns the Macleans, a Presbyterian family during early 20th century Montana whose opinions of life are filtered through their passion for fly fishing. The novella is presented from the point of view of older brother Norman who goes on one last fishing trip with his rowdy and troubled younger brother Paul in an attempt to help him get his life on track After a brief introduction of his early life, most of the action takes place during the summer of 1937 and both Norman and Paul were in their early 30s.

The novella is noted for using detailed descriptions of fly fishing and nature to engage with a number of profound metaphysical questions. In a review for the Chicago Tribune, critic Alfred Kazin stated: "There are passages here of physical rapture in the presence of unsullied primitive America that are as beautiful as anything in Thoreau and Hemingway".

The Help
Need to read the book but the movie was brilliant.

The Time Travellers Wife
another one that the movie was better than the book.

Water for ElephantsHaven't seen the movie. Book was brilliant.

Percy Jackson and Olympians
This movie was good enough that I will get the books when I can :) The book is The Lightening Thief.

Eat, Pray, Love
Movie - not bad. Book - not bad but horribly self-indulgent. I entirely lacked sympathy and failed to see why this was such a best seller.

Memoirs of a Geisha

The Secret Life of Bees

I am Number Four
(I need to read the next one in the series. It's been sitting waiting for me for ages!)

The Golden Compass

Chocolat
 
(and if you are thinking I read too much and watch too many movies you are probably right ha ha ha)
 
There is an anthology called Adaptations that has many,many, lots and lots of stories that have been made into films. Several of the ones you mention are in it.

Memento is one of my favorites .....the story and the brothers that came up with it. The movie is a fantastic puzzle.
 
There is an anthology called Adaptations that has many,many, lots and lots of stories that have been made into films. Several of the ones you mention are in it.

Memento is one of my favorites .....the story and the brothers that came up with it. The movie is a fantastic puzzle.

now how did I miss that one? although the date is a clue - it came out in 2000 / 2001 and I wasn't watching many movies at that time and I certainly would not have chosen to see a noir film - too much real noir in my life at the time.

Guy Pearce is one of those actors whom you never hear about and who is just totally brilliant.
 
Since my original choice of, Gone With the Wind, has been pooh poohed, I will nominate, The Princess Bride, by William Goldman :)
 
You can suggest that highly annoying Scarlett person if you like - no-one stopping you :D I just don't promise I won't .....something dire :mad: You KNOW you don't like a character when you sit there go 'oh die, oh please please die', and cheer when she finally gets her comeuppance!
 
Oh well, I'd certainly recommend Gone With the Wind...Scarlett happens to be one of my favorite heroines. Because, frankly, my dear....... :p

After GWTW, I'd propose Memento, the story I mentioned above. Lots of lovely twists and turns so one doesn't really know where one stands.
 
Oh well, I'd certainly recommend Gone With the Wind...Scarlett happens to be one of my favorite heroines. Because, frankly, my dear....... :p

After GWTW, I'd propose Memento, the story I mentioned above. Lots of lovely twists and turns so one doesn't really know where one stands.


ROFL 'Frankly my dear ....' is Rhett's line and I love it!! It was aaaaalllmost worth alternately seething with annoyance and dying of boredom for 2 and half hours to hear it. However it would have been better if he had pulled out a dueling pistol and shot her dead as he said it.

(PS I REALLY do not like Scarlett O'Hara and her insufferable stupidity - just in case you didn't get that! :D :D :D )

(PPS did you know that whatisname who played Rhett apparently had intolerably bad halitosis. Pity I can't think of Scarlett kissing that mouth.)

(PPPS - no I really don't like her! :D twenty plus years after seeing enduring the torture movie I still react so strongly to it)
 
Scarlett in the book is much more complex and likable than Scarlett in the film :)

Have we done, Breakfast At Tiffany's, then?
 
how about Hugo - directed by Martin Scorsese (won 5 Academy Awards) vs The Invention of Hugo Cabret - Brian Selznik (won the 2008 Caldecott Medal)



http://www.amazon.com/Invention-Hugo-Cabret-Brian-Selznick/dp/0439813786

The book is also somewhat of a graphic novel

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/

And if you haven't seen the movie - please do. It's a wonderful movie! Even the use of 3D was within acceptable parameters and I'm not a fan of it!

I just wanted to mention that this book is impossible to find unless you buy / borrow / find a hard copy and therefore may not be a good suggestion for the discussion but that's up to you all to decide.
 
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