It’s usually kind of nice to think that a book is going to be adapted into a movie, even if there are plenty of naysayers that don’t think that it’s going to work. There are times when it feels as though the complexity of a book kind of defies any easy way to go about adapting it to the big or small screen, but there are usually plenty of directors that want to try. To be entirely fair there’s nothing wrong with trying since it means that someone was willing to give it a shot and bring the story to life in a way that it had been experienced yet. One of the only problems though is that everyone has a slightly different vision in their mind after reading the book, and trying to nail every little point perfectly is about as impossible as counting grains of sand on a beach, physically it’s possible, but the probability of such a thing happening is exceedingly low.
Here are a few books that deserved a better movie adaptation.
10. The Great Gatsby
This is one of those movies that was mentioned above, the ones that are so hard to get down just right. The latest attempt at making this movie had a few very big-name stars to make the attempt, and yet it still fell far short of where it should have been since the main points felt muddled and the overall experience was something that made those that had read it cringe. Sometimes it should be noted that not trying something is the best course.
9. Doctor Sleep
It’s not really that the movie was bad, but it could have stuck a little closer to the book no matter how much it added in since it feels as though the flow would have been kept tighter and the overall movie would have been better off. The movie did manage to focus on a few aspects of the book that were interesting and definitely needed, but other than that it suffered in the same way most Stephen King stories do, the director thought they knew better.
8. The Tommyknockers
Like a lot of Stephen King stories, this was one that a lot of people wouldn’t choose to read when by themselves in the dark, since it is pretty creepy. But the made-for-TV miniseries was so horrible that people have actively been trying to forget about it for years. The miniseries actually had several great actors that were tapped to play the various parts, but somewhere along the way, the main gist of the story was lost.
7. Fight Club
People actually ripped into this movie pretty hard when it first came out and even after since they were actually angry that so much was changed from the book. Many believed the book was a kind of spoken truth that the movie turned into a cheap gag. The idea of chaos and anarchy appeals to some people obviously, since the movie was regarded by many as crazy, but in a very inspiring manner.
6. The Stand
For some reason, no one can get this story completely right, since the miniseries that came out in the 90s wasn’t too bad, but it fudged several things, while the most recent version moved so quickly that a lot of stuff had to be left behind and not filmed. Plus, part of this has to fall on King’s shoulders since his endings usually become rather abrupt, as though he runs out of gas at the end or gets bored and just puts down whatever he can think of.
5. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Once this movie came out, those that had read the book kind of went silent after a bit of complaining, as though it wasn’t even worth getting upset about. Obviously some folks are holding onto some deep-seated resentment, but they’re keeping their lips shut at the same time, which is kind of an oddity.
4. Dune
This is kind of a surprise since the first Dune wasn’t as terrible as people want to claim, while the miniseries that came to the SYFY channel years ago was cringe-worthy as hell. But all in all, people are hoping that the attempt coming up will not only make it right but will possibly open to new movies based on the books that came after.
3. Queen of the Damned
The book was pretty long, to be honest, but it was still far better than the movie since whether one wants to blame the actors or the director, this was just a mess going in, through, and back out through the credits.
2. Firestarter
For the time period in which it was made, the movie wasn’t horrible but could have been better. It’s understandable that the effects back then weren’t that great, but hopefully if a remake really does come to fruition the effects will really show off Charlie’s true power.
1. Cloud Atlas
A lot of people were greatly confused by the constant switching back and forth through the time periods in this movie, and it feels as though it might have come off a lot better in the book. Somehow the translation didn’t work as well when it came to the big screen.
It is tough trying to please everyone.Stephen King stories
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