From Paper to Screen – Ten of the Best Book to Movie Adaptations
Matthew Gurteen
The phrase ‘the book was better than the movie’ is used a lot in the community of book lovers. It is not always true, however. Instead, screen adaptations often can live up to or exceed their paper sources. In today’s article, we will be taking a look at ten of the best book to movie adaptations and explaining why people love them so much!
1. The Lord of the Rings – J. R. R. Tolkien
The first movie – or trilogy – on this list certainly rules them all. Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels of the same name, is known around the world. Although the trilogy differs from the novels in several areas, there is no denying the critical love for this series, which continues today. All three films were nominated for thirty academy awards and won seventeen of them. Jackson’s trilogy also spawned several other adaptations of Tolkien’s work, such as The Hobbit trilogy, based on the prequel book with the same name, and, more recently, Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the most expensive television series ever made.
2. Pride and Prejudice (2005) – Jane Austen
Although this list could be filled with adaptations of classic novels, we have chosen Joe Wright’s 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice – based on Jane Austen’s novel of the same name – as the best. At least seventeen movie adaptations of Pride and Prejudice have been released since the novel’s
publication in 1813. Wright’s version, however, stands out above the rest. The director’s first feature film and Keira Knightley’s first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress, Pride and Prejudice (2005) continues to entertain readers of classic novels today.
3. To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
There is perhaps no film as divisive as Robert Mulligan’s To Kill a Mockingbird, based on Harper Lee’s novel of the same name. There is also no denying its status as a great book to movie adaptation, however. When the film was released, Walt Disney requested it to be screened privately in his home. After it had finished, he reportedly said, That was one hell of a picture. That’s the kind of film I wish I could make. Mulligan’s To Kill a Mockingbird continues to receive to this day and is still one of IMDB’s best movies of all time.
4. Dune (2021) – Frank Herbert
The most recent film on this list, Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune – based on Frank Herbert’s novel of the same name – is a fantastic book to movie adaptation and far outshines its 1984 predecessor. Although it only covers part of Herbert’s epic sci-fi adventure, Dune grossed $401.8 million at the box office worldwide. It was also nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning six.
5. Bridge to Terabithia – Katherine Paterson
This next movie might be the best children’s book to screen adaptation ever made. Telling a heartbreaking story about death and growing up, Gábor Csupó’s Bridge to Terabithia – based on Katherine Paterson’s novel of the same name – was nominated for seven awards, winning five, and catapulted its young stars Josh Hutchenson and Anna Sophia Robb into fame.
6. Black Beauty (1994) – Anna Sewell
Another well-loved children’s book to movie adaptation that deserves a place on this list is Caroline Thompson’s 1994 version of Black Beauty, based on Anna Sewell’s novel of the same name. Although it did not perform critically as well as other films on this list, Thompson’s Black Beauty is a cult classic for many children who grew up with the movie and is still well-known today.
7. The Silence of the Lambs – Thomas Harris
Not many people know that this 1991 film, directed by Jonathan Demme, is based on a novel by Thomas Harris. Nevertheless, Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs remains one of the best movies ever made, let alone a book adaptation. As of writing, it is still the twenty-second top-rated movie on IMDB three decades after its release. The film won: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards. It was the third film in history to achieve this.
8. The Shining – Stephen King
Another horror film that deserves a place on this list is Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, The Shining. Any number of King’s book or their adaptations could belong on this list. The Shining deserves special attention, however, for its critical reception. It is, as of writing, the sixty-first top-rated film on IMDB and, despite opening on the same weekend as The Empire Strikes Back, grossed $622,337 between its ten screens in the first four days!
9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky
Stephen Chbosky directed the adaptation of his own novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, in 2012. This explanation is possibly why it is one of the best book to movie adaptations of all time. Despite its limited release, The Perks of Being a Wallflower grossed $228,359 on its opening weekend. Its two leads, Logan Lerman and Emma Watson, received critical acclaim.
10. The Princess Bride – William Goldman
Our final adaptation on this list is another cult classic. Rob Reiner’s The Princess Bride, based on William Goldman’s novel of the same name, is another well-loved movie in itself. Although it did not receive critical attention when it was released in 1987, it has since become one of the most quotable movies and best book adaptations ever made.
This was our list of the ten best book to movie adaptations. Do you agree with our choices? Let us know in the comments below along with any other movies you would add to this list.