Based on...
Books and films are two closely-related forms of art and entertainment. Since the science of film was first established in the late 1800s filmmakers have been using it to tell stories, and they soon began utilising the existing narratives and characters of novels. These films have succeeded (or not) to varying degrees in the transition, some accurately portraying the writer's intention, some building on it and some disappointing the original readers. No matter how well the adaptation is done however, it is still nice to be reminded that yes, happily, there is more to read than Harry Potter.
For screen translations of Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, Stephen King and many other notable authors click their links under this category, left. For adaptations of plays and Shakespeare, use the 'Alice's Playhouse' link.
Right: Kubrick's adaptation of Thackeray's novel 'Barry Lyndon'.
Forrest Gump (1994)
8.8/10
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Mykelti Williamson, Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise
Winner of six Oscars, including Best Picture, Director and Actor, Robert Zemeckis' modern-day fable stars Tom Hanks as the simple-minded but good-hear... Read more
Forrest Gump (Blu-Ray) (1994)
8.8/10
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Gary Sinise, Haley Joel Osment, Peter Dobson, Robin Wright, Sally Field, Tom Han...
Slow-witted Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) has never thought of himself as disadvantaged, and thanks to his supportive mother (Sally Field), he leads anythi... Read more
Frankenstein (2004)
4.6/10
Director: Kevin Connor
Starring: Luke Goss, Alec Newman, Donald Sutherland, Julie Delpy, William Hurt
This mini-series adaptation of Mary Shelley's seminal horror story is perhaps one of the most faithful to date. Donald Sutherland is great as the old... Read more
Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection - Frankenstein / Bride of Frankenstein / Son of Frankenstein / Ghost of Frankenstein / House of Frankenstein (1944)
7.9/10
Director: Earle C Kenton, James Whale, Rowland V Lee
Starring: Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Dwight Frye, Valerie Hobson,...
Boris Karloff gives one of the great screen performances of all time in the horror classic 'Frankenstein', based on Mary Shelley's novel. Also feature... Read more
Frederick Forsyth: A Casualty of War (1990) / Just Another Secret (1989)
6/10
Director: Tom Clegg, Lawrence Gordon Clark
Starring: Beau Bridges, Alan Howard, Shelley Hack, Richard Hope, Kenneth Griffith
'A Casualty of War' - International strife ensues when American planes fly out of an English base to bomb Libyan leader Col. Ghadaffi. A retired S.A.S... Read more
Frederick Forsyth: Pride & Extreme Prejudice / A Little Piece of Sunshine (1990)
6/10
Director: Tom Clegg, Lawrence Gordon Clark
Starring: Brian Dennehy, Alan Howard, Chris Cooper, Larry Lamb, Michael Shannon, Tony Doyl...
'Pride and Extreme Prejudice' - West German agent Bruno Morenz discovers a collection of incriminating tapes that may be enough to bring down the fier... Read more
Freedom Writers (2007)
7.5/10
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Starring: Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton, April Lee Hernandez...
Hilary Swank plays teacher Erin Gruwell who enlists some unorthodox methods to teach her students at a gang-infested school in Long Beach, California.... Read more
Fugitive Pieces (2007)
7.1/10
Director: Jeremy Podeswa
Starring: Stephen Dillane, Rade Serbedzija, Rosamund Pike, Robbie Kay, Ayelet Zurer, Ed St...
During an archaeological dig in Nazi-occupied Poland, Greek national, Athos finds a frightened 7-year-old boy hiding near the site. He smuggles him ho... Read more
Fury (1936)
7.9/10
Director: Fritz Lang
Starring: Sylvia Sidney, Spencer Tracy, Walter Abel, Bruce Cabot, Walter Brennan
Fritz Lang's first American film after fleeing Nazi Germany is a perceptive indictment of the mob mentality when lynchings were still a grim fact of l... Read more
Gandhi My Father (2007)
7.4/10
Director: Feroz Abbas Khan
Starring: Darshan Jariwala, Akshaye Khanna, Bhumika Chawla, Shefali Shah
Based on the biography of Gandhi's son, Harilal, and tracing the tumultuous relationship he had with his internationally renowned father. A thoughtfu... Read more