As an avid reader, I often feel like watching a movie based on a book is like playing a life-size version of “spot the differences.” Granted, creative license is a powerful thing.  Clueless is indeed based on Jane Austen’s Emma and She’s the Man is loosely tied to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. But in these cases, the parody is obvious and often well-executed. It’s the books that try to be faithful but fail miserably to which we all take offense.
For me, it was the adaptation of the fifth Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. One of the longest, most nuanced works in the series, and my personal favorite. I went to the theater on opening night and was shocked to find a dull, one-dimensional story that eliminated secondary characters and subplots. Probably one of the worst experiences of my entire life.
I take things too seriously, don’t I?
Nowadays, with the rise of YA fiction in popular culture, people continue to criticize inaccuracies, poor casting choices, etc. Of course, this fervor only holds true for popular books. Who among us knows that cinematic classics Forrest Gump and Rambo were based on books? Â
My project this summer will be to read books that inspired movies, some books more famous than their cinematic counterparts, and vice versa. I’ll review the books and movies separately, then provide an unbiased take on how truthful the movies were to the books. I’m out to see if the books are always better, or if deviating from the written word detracts from the quality of the movie itself. Â
Of course, pop culture has already stated its opinion:
Currently, my list is as follows:
- The Princess Bride by William Goldman (inspired 1987’s The Princess Bride)
- As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (inspired 2013’s As I Lay Dying)
- Holes by Louis Sachar (inspired 2003’s Holes)
- John Dies at the End by David Wong (inspired 2012’s John Dies at the End)
- Emma by Jane Austen (inspired 1996’s Emma)
If any of y’all have suggestions for books and movies I should look into, comment your suggestions! Â I’ll find a way to track them down.
If they’re on Netflix.
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The HCND application is now open! For more information contact Rebecca Rogalski at rrogalsk@nd.edu or Katrina Linden at klinden1@nd.edu