Page to Screen
The book is always better. It is just the way it is. That is not to say the film or television series is not any good, I love plenty of shows and movies based off books. But the book is always better.
The biggest fault of adaptations is there is always too much information and scenes, or information always ends up on the cutting floor. While a movie makes me cry, a book pulls you straight in. I have sobbed so hard reading a death scene, sometimes more so than seeing it on screen. As secrets creep out, slowly building to a big reveal, there is something about holding that book and having that “AHA!” after devoting so much time into the book (if you are like me and a slow reader, it is often hours.) The largest transgressor of this is of course the Harry Potter series. I am a huge Potterhead, so I love the films, but the books are just so much better, packed with more adventures, and insights into the characters and their motives.
Another transgression films will also commit against the original work is alter motives. This can be because of time available for development, awe factor, or a million other reason. But it is one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to adaptations. Even more so than the loss of information. Sometimes, I wonder if it is because my brain already understands what is going on and why the villain is doing what they are doing so it is a letdown, but I cannot help but wonder, why change it? The motive of a villain is a breaking point between evil and sympathetic.
I will add that I do have an easier time enjoying a film based on a book, if I see the film first. But I am a reader, and that is not an easy thing to do. Case and point, Harry Potter. I saw the movie first. Then consumed the then released four novels as quickly as I could. This made it easier to separate the two as different entities. (The books are still better.)
The worst adaptations:
Blood and Chocolate-it deviates so badly from the source material. The only shared aspect is the werewolves. Other than that, not even remotely the same. Even as its own entity I couldn’t enjoy it.
Doctor Sleep-I wanted to love this movie, I really did, but there is just too much in the book that cannot be translated to the screen, so I was left feeling dissatisfied, especially with the ending.
The Best adaptations
The Hunger Games-These did not deviate too far from the source material, though there were changes, they were ones that did not outwardly hurt the story. The books are still better of course, mostly because they are all told entirely from the perspective of Katniss.
The Great Gatsby (The one with Leo)-I know a lot of people disagree with me on this, but I really liked the movie. The colorful visuals and amazing soundtrack really add to the opulence of the uber rich back in the roaring twenties. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Gatsby was flawless. In my opinion was one of the best books to film adaptations I have seen.
Stardust-While this film deviates a lot from the source material, it captures the whimsy and fairy tale like atmosphere of the book.
