Struggling Authors

I'd just like to say I really hate this statement....as I've yet to see a movie that has been more entertaining/powerful/moving than the book it was based on.

The Green Mile
Memoirs of a Geisha
Timeline
The Chronicles of Narnia
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

I could go on....If you can think of any examples please add!

I totally agree!

I really don't want to ever see a movie adaptation of The Mists of Avalon by Marion Bradley (although I hear that Kevin Costner has bought the rights) or Moonheart by Charles De Lint - it would be too much to bear.

Basically, if a book is over 300 pages long then a movie can never do it justice. The only time it can ever make a decent stab is with something like Jurassic Park or a big budget sci-fi movie.

Sometimes Hollywood should just walk away....

(Trainspotting was pretty successful though, I seem to remember, and Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers was abismal compared to the film - oh my god, what am I saying?)

They've got to me...

Did you know that they're making a film adaptation of The Lovely Bones? It's going to be directed by Peter Jackson and have Rachel Weisz as the mother. That just seems wrong to me!

I love the Trainspotting film, but I haven't actually read the book. I agree about Memoirs of a Geisha though.

I may cause controversy here, but I much, much prefer the Lord of the Rings films to the books (and that's not just because I think Orlando Bloom is incredibly good looking )

pps dont give Irvin Welsh any more royalties!! his tales are GRIM! and even my scottish chums dont understand his psuedo pretentious scribbling...

I actually quite liked Memoirs of a Geisha (the book and the film) . Arthur Golden's not the best author ever, but the book's certainly readable enough.

.

Do you know what, you're SO right....I think LOTR is about the only exception I can think of! But I have disagree on the Bloom front!

If you need further proof - click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tin6NJqQQsM!

Nothing to do with the fact that most of his books are complete crap then? Along with William Gibson, Irvine Welsh has to be one of the most overrated authors out there.

Trainspotting is the best of a bad lot, IMO, and the film is much better than the book ...

I never said he was a good actor! He's just very pretty to look at . Can't watch the video at the moment cos I'm at work, but will watch it later.

I'll listen to your advice about Trainspotting root-two and won't bother with the book!

What does everyone think of the Da Vinci Code book/film by the way?

I wrote in a review of "Digital Fortress" that Dan Brown had all the authorial skill of a clam. Having read the first half of "Da Vinci Code" and given up in disgust I have to say that my opinion hasn't changed one bit. His writing style borders on the infantile, that is when it's not horrendously inaccurate. I'm rarely this scathing about an author, but Brown's writing has absolutely no redeeming features whatsoever and his books deserve to languish forever at the bottom of airport bargain bins.

You can tell, I'm not much of a fan

The film? I have no real desire to see it, even though a) it can't be any worse than the book and b) Audrey Tautou is very easy on the eyes

I haven't read it all if I'm honest (only small bits) but I thought the writing was terrible - it all seemed to be 'and she walked out the door, and she went down the stairs, and she got in the car'. I can't bring myself to read a book that badly written. You'd think, really, that somewhere along the line someone would've told him that his writing is appalling.

Hi I've just registered here. I was reading the posts and I agree about LOTR. I tried to read the book as a teenager about 3 times and never got through it. But I loved the films.
However, I read both Khaled Hosseini's books and wept over them (Especially A thousand Splendid Suns). The Kite runner is out next month I believe, in movie form. I don't know whether to go or not? Will I just end up sitting there saying 'That's not what happened in the book....

PS I have no desire to read the Da vinci code or see the movie.

I keep meaning to read 'The Kite Runner' and never getting round to it. I'm reading 'Atonement' at the moment. Went to see the film and thought it was amazing, so decided to give the book a go

Definitely read the Kite Runner. It's amazing. Then tackle ATSS. You won't ever forget it.

K

I saw attonement but wasn't sure what to make of it. I didn't really feel I'd got to know the characters well enough to love them. I bet the book is better at that. But James Macavoy made up for it. Yum!

Yet another customer (I'm also a library assistant) recommended 'The Kite Runner' to me today. Will definitely have to read it!

Just remembered another film that I actually liked more than the book - 'In Her Shoes'. The book's good, but I prefer the film, even if they are pretty different!