Best Book To Movie Adaptations

So, there was this list. A list of the best films adapted for the big screen. The jarring absence of the Lord of the Rings from this – all three should be here – makes me question whether the list has any validity, but for amusement sake, and because I want to try out putting a table onto the blog, I’m giving it a shot.

For the record, I've seen 33 movies and read 18 of the books. For someone who is considered by a lot of folks to be a pretty avid reader, I'm not sure that's such a good showing.TITLESeen Movie?Read Book?Comments 1984Yes YesSet aside to read again soon.Alice In WonderlandYesYesI’d like to read THIS again soon also.American PsychoYesYesBoth were decent.Breakfast at Tiffany’sNoYesHard to get past the Mickey Rooney character, but Audrey Hepburn…sigh.Brighton RockNo NoNever heard of it.Catch 22YesYesBook was great, movie was sort of creepy.Charlie & The Chocolate FactoryYesYesSaw both movies, prefer Gene WilderA Clockwork OrangeYesYesIf possible, the book is even more brilliant than the film.Close Range (inc. Brokeback Mountain)YesNoI wish I could quit…hearing Brokeback jokes.The Day of the TriffidsNoNoNever heard of it.Devil In a Blue DressNoNoIs this the Denzel Washington movie? Cause…best EVER?Different Seasons (inc. The Shawshank Redemption)YesYesAll the stories were great, and I think all have been made into film, but this is obviously the best.Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?(aka Bladerunner)YesNoDad owns it, maybe someday I’ll read it.Doctor ZhivagoYesNoGood film. Julie Christie is almost unimaginably HOT.Empire of the SunNo NoThis is one of those films I permanently have at the bottom of my Netflix queue.English PatientNoNoI don’t expect this to change.Fight ClubYesYesOne of my all-time favorite movies and a phenomenal book.The French Lieutenant’s WomanNoNoThough I did use to make fun of Meryl Streep wearing a blanket on her head.Get ShortyYesNoThat guy was a stuntman!The GodfatherYesNoNice to see that the greatest movie ever snuck in here.GoldfingerYesNoI have to assume this was included because it started the Bond films?GoodfellasYesNoA great film, but no real interest in reading the book. Not sure why. Heart of Darkness (aka Apocalypse Now)YesYesSure…good stuff all around.The Hound of the BaskervillesNoYesI actually didn’t know there was a film of this.JawsYesNoDespite what Dave Fear says, the film is an all-time great.The Jungle BookYesYesNagging suspicions that this book is now horribly racist.A Kestrel for a Knave (aka Kes)NoNoUm…huh?L.A. ConfidentialYesNoGreat, underrated film.Les Liaisons DangereusesYesNoAll I really remember are Uma Thurman’s boobies.LolitaNoNoBoth of these omissions embarrass me.Lord of the FliesYesYesThough, I seem to recall the movie being pathetically bad…?The Maltese FalconYesNoGreat movie, and I need to read some Raymond Chandler.Oliver TwistYesNoBut…it is in my Bookins queue.One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestYesNoI think I started the book, but not sure why I wouldn’t have finished it.OrlandoNoNoIt sounded interesting when the film came out, I should check it out.The OutsidersYesYesStay Gold, Ponyboy. (But…best ever?)Pride and PrejudiceNoNoI have heard some describe this as the best book ever written, so I guess I should check it out.The Prime of Miss Jean BrodieNoNoReally, hadn’t heard of it until the author died recently.The Railway ChildrenNoNoNever heard of it.RebeccaYesNoDidn’t even realize there was a book.The Remains of the DayNoNoI’d like to correct both of these omissions.Schindler’s Ark (aka Schindler’s List)YesYesThe movie was brilliant but the book was surprisingly flat.Sin CityYesNoThe movie was insane – love to read the book.The Spy Who Came In From The ColdNoNoI’ve heard of it, but not really sure what this is.The Talented Mr. RipleyYesNoI assume the book(s) is better but the movie was a total snore.Tess of the D’UrbervillesNoNoThis is a girl thing…right?Through a Glass DarklyNoNoAgain, I’ve heard of it…To Kill A MockingbirdYesYesBoth are excellent.TrainspottingYesYesThe movie was great, the book…sort of annoying.The VanishingYesNoThe original movie was terrifying, the remake gave it away in the preview.Watership DownYesYesGreat stuff, probably worth a re-read whenever I have kids.