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'.
Hamish Macbeth: Series 3 (1997)
7.8/10
Director: Mandie Fletcher, Nicholas Renton, Jonas Grimas
Starring: Robert Carlyle, Shirley Henderson, James Young, Brian Alexander, David Ashton, M...
Hamish Macbeth (Robert Carlyle) returns for the third and final series as the highland PC in charge of keeping the peace in the remote village of Loch... Read more
Hammers Over The Anvil (1992)
6/10
Director: Ann Turner
Starring: Charlotte Rampling, Russell Crowe
Alan Marshall is a young polio victim living in rural Australia in the early 20th century. Unable to perfrom many simple tasks, including his dream o... Read more
Hammett (1982)
6.5/10
Director: Wim Wenders
Starring: Frederic Forrest, Peter Boyle, Marilu Henner
The atmospheric and exciting tale of young Dashiell Hammett, who really lives the hard-boiled life he writes about. Wenders explores the central tensi... Read more
Hannibal (2001)
6.8/10
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Ray Liotta, Giancarlo Giannini, Gary Oldman
It's been ten years since diabolical doctor Hannibal Lecter fled the US, settling into a comfortable life as an art library curator in Florence, Italy... Read more
Hannibal ( Blu-ray ) (2001)
6.8/10
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Giancarlo Giannini, Julianne Moore, Ray Liotta
It's been ten years since diabolical doctor Hannibal Lecter fled the US, settling into a comfortable life as an art library curator in Florence, Italy... Read more
Hannibal Rising (2007)
6.2/10
Director: Peter Webber
Starring: Gaspard Ulliel, Gong Li, Rhys Ifans, Dominic West, Kevin McKidd
Beginning in World War II-era Lithuania, young Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel) is forced to watch his family brutally massacred. After a brief spell in a S... Read more
Hard to Be a God (2013)
6.7/10
Director: Aleksei German
Starring: Leonid Yarmolnik, Yuriy Tsurilo, Natalia Moteva, Aleksandr Chutko
Aleksey German directs this Russian-language sci-fi drama following the journey of a group of scientists who have been selected to travel to another p... Read more
Hard to Be a God (Blu-ray) (2013)
6.6/10
Director: Aleksei German
Starring: Leonid Yarmolnik, Yuriy Tsurilo, Natalia Moteva, Aleksandr Chutko
Aleksey German directs this Russian-language sci-fi drama following the journey of a group of scientists who have been selected to travel to another p... Read more
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
7.4/10
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Ke...
The boy wizard is up to his old tricks in this wondrous adaptation of the second J.K. Rowling book. Despite warnings from an impish 'house elf', Harry... Read more
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ( Blu-ray ) (2002)
7.4/10
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese, Robbi...
The boy wizard is up to his old tricks in this wondrous adaptation of the second J.K. Rowling book. Despite warnings from an impish 'house elf', Harry... Read more