Which Books Make the Best Films?

by slimmer_jimmer

Which Books Make the Best Films?

Article by Martin

Which Books Make the Best Films?

Some books are such an outstanding read that a savvy reader (and one that is well placed to do so) may decide to adapt the book into a film, only to find, that although the book was an incredible read, that on film, it simply does not work. Thousands of books have been made into film. Some, such as the Harry Potter series make it big, others, like the Watchmen, flounder and fall into the discount bins of the local DVD rental stores. Here, then, we ask, what makes a great film books story.

Do these movie to film transitions fail because the nature of the book just cannot be translated into film, are the two medium so diverse that there are sometimes no bridges that will allow the story to travel through both medium easily. On the other hand, is it a problem with the film's director, do they simply not have the vision to convey the author's true intent. Or, is it a problem with the author, do they not take instruction from the experts, who understand how films work, are they reluctant to cut parts that will not work on film. What are the factors that separate the wheat from the chaff in the film books transitions?

The film to book transition is certainly more than simply the content of the book. The book may be a literary piece of art, a novel that defines a generation, but when put on the big screen the essence is just lost. The book may keep to the storyline, the characters may be equally developed, but something is lacking. True, the film may still be decent, but to say it defines a generation can be far from the truth. Alternatively, the film may divert so far from the storyline as to warrant a completely different plot line, and yet still be a fantastic film, for instance, The Shining.

Some people read books while others do not. Readers seem to have a distinct dislike for films that divert from books. For instance, I personally much prefer the Harry Potter series of books to the films. However, non-book readers will love a film, regardless of the level to which the film stays true to the books, hence the love of the Harry Potter films by people who have not read the books. The films are great, but they reach nowhere near the level of imagination invoked by the reading of the books. Without a doubt though, this series of books has managed what many others fail to do: produce a great film and remain sufficiently true to the books.

The only conclusion to draw from this, is that a good film books transition is achieved when the producer manages to understand which aspects of the book are most salient, which feelings that are invoked by reading can be translated into film, and how to do this in a manner that elicits strong emotions (as you would get through reading). In short, a good director knows how to magnify the right emotions in the watcher, by choosing the right scenes from the books.

For further information on film books, visit http://www.worldheadpress.com/.

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