5 Amazing Book-to-Movie Adaptations to Watch
- kiddoandchica
- Jun 7, 2021
- 4 min read
Hello there!
If reading is a form of pure escapism, then movies are the next level up. A great film lends many amazing aspects to a book's story: directly adapted dialogue, a world that is just what a reader imagined, great actors who bring life to the characters we love, new and exciting additions to the story itself that still honor the original, and beautiful unique scores. Here are 5 of my favorite book-to-movie adaptations. I've kept the list tailored only to those adaptations which I've both read and seen.
The Little Prince
"The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is a French children's book originally published in 1943. I read the audiobook, narrated by actor Kenneth Branagh and others, last year, and it became an instant favorite. It truly is a classic that I will one day read to my children. It's about an aviator who crash lands in the desert and meets a strange boy called The Little Prince.
The film didn't perfectly adapt the story, but it wasn't trying to. It's intended audience were the adults who read the original story as a child and needed a reminder of its wonderful messages concerning adulthood, childhood, humility, friendship, and love. You can get the book on amazon in English, French, and/or Spanish, and currently you can watch the movie on Amazon Prime. I highly recommend it. A favorite quote from The Little Prince:
"All grown-ups were once children... but only few of them remember it".
Link to the book on Amazon:
Link to the movie on Amazon:
Coraline
"Coraline" by Neil Gaiman is a whimsical middlegrade book and a perfectly creepy read for the spooky season. It tells the story of a girl named Coraline who recently moved into this 'slightly' rundown mansion that has been renovated into a sketchy apartment complex; there, she discovers a little door in her living room that leads to a strange 'other' dimension that mirrors her own like a funhouse.
In my opinion, the most creepy part of the story isn't even the people in the other dimension who look identical to Coraline's parents, except for the black button eyes, but the disturbing parental negligence displayed. Her parents work from home 24/7 but they ignore her the whole time. When they do interact with her, its to tell her to stop bothering them or to talk through her. Ex: when her mother takes her shopping for school things; when Coraline talks, her mother replies as if she'd said something else entirely. But maybe this isn't their usual style of parenting as they have just moved to a new, and rundown, place. At the end, they seem to be more attentive, present, and happy to be spend time with Coraline.
This book is a great atmospheric read and the movie is a perfect adaptation of it with a gloriously spooky score.
A favorite quote: "I don't want whatever I want. Nobody does. Not really. What kind of fun would it be if I just got everything I ever wanted just like that, and it didn't mean anything? What then?".
Link to the book on Amazon:
Link to the movie on Amazon:
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is the third book in the middlegrade book series Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, and a magical adventure from start to finish. I specifically included this book over its mates because, I confess, I have not read all of Harry Potter (#badbookworm) and it is one of the few I have currently read in the series (I'm in the middle of #4). Prisoner of Azkaban is definitely my favorite so far. The movie adaptation is also my favorite of all the Harry Potter films (I have seen and loved all of them). This entire series is a prime example of a great book-to-movie adaptation. All of them include direct quotes from the book, phenomenal actors and an amazing score, and the fantastic world we all love.
A favorite quote: "Turn to page three hundred and ninety-four". (Snape is the best!)
Link to the book on Amazon:
Link to the movie on Amazon:
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a true classic which needs no introduction. If, somehow, you've never heard of it, just go and read it. I promise that you won't regret it. There have been two notable adaptations of this lovely story, a BBC limited series in 1995 and a beautiful, phenomenal film in 2005 starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. You may have already guessed which one I prefer.
The movie is almost word for word the same as the book, but even the slight changes are better. The amazing filming, sound editing, and storytelling. The breathtaking settings and spectacular score are truly set apart. In my opinion, this is a perfect adaptation. A favorite quote:
"Mr. Darcy: Do you talk, as a rule, while dancing?
Elizabeth Bennet: No... No, I prefer to be unsociable and taciturn... Makes it all so much more enjoyable, don't you think?".
Link to the book on Amazon:
Link to the movie on Amazon:
A Christmas Carol
Another extraordinary classic which should need no introduction is "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. There have been quite a few adaptations of this exemplary tale, but Jim Carrey's outshines them all by far. Every previously noted qualification for a great book-to-movie adaptation is exhibited here. I saw the film, and adored it, long before I ever read the book. I was pleasantly surprised to see how word for word it was. How it was faithfully adapted. Our family watches the film every year at Christmas time, with countless viewings usually. I suppose it helps that the cast was amazing including Gary Oldman, Sirius Black himself, and starring Jim Carrey, THE Grinch. You can get the book on Amazon, and you can watch "A Christmas Carol" on Disney Plus. A favorite quote:
"'But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,' faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.
'Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. 'Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!'".
Link to the book on Amazon:
Link to the movie on Amazon:
Hope you enjoyed this list of 5 Amazing Book-To-Movie Adaptations. Check out all of these great books and movies, and come back to share your thoughts!
Posting more soon! - Chica
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