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'.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World ( Blu-ray ) (2003)
7.4/10
Director: Peter Weir
Starring: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy, Billy Boyd
Director Peter Weir's ("Witness") riveting mix of sweeping high-seas action and intense character study stars Russell Crowe as the captain of a Britis... Read more
Masters of Horror: Cigarette Burns / Dreams in the Witch House (2005)
7.6/10
Director: John Carpenter, Stuart Gordon
Starring: Norman Reedus, Udo Kier, Ezra Godden
Features two episodes from the horror series: 'Cigarette Burns' - directed by John Carpenter, a movie-theatre director is hired to hunt for the only k... Read more
Masters of Horror: Incident On and Off a Mountain Road / Chocolate (2005)
7.6/10
Director: Don Coscarelli, Mick Garris
Starring: Bree Turner, Angus Scrimm, John DeSantis, Ethan Embry, Henry Thomas, Lucie Lauri...
Don Coscarelli's entry in the 'Master of Horror' series is based on a short story of a woman captured by a homicidal maniac after her car breaks down... Read more
Masters of Horror: Pick Me Up / Homecoming (2005)
7.6/10
Director: Joe Dante, Larry Cohen
Starring: Fairuza Balk, Warren Kole, Michael Moriarty, Laurene Landon, Jon Tenney, Thea Gi...
Both these entries in the 'Masters of Horror' series are adapted from short stories. Larry Cohen directs 'Pick Me Up', with Fairuza Balk as a travell... Read more
Mean Girls (2004)
7/10
Director: Mark Waters
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Tina Fey, Rachel McAdams, Tim Meadows, Ana Gasteyer, Amy Poehler,...
Based on the book by Rosalind Wiseman, Lindsay Lohan is a young girl who, after being home schooled in Africa by her zoologist parents, suddenly winds... Read more
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
7.4/10
Director: Rob Marshall
Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh, Koji Yakusho, Youki Kudoh, Gong Li
Adapted from Arthur Golden's best-selling novel, nine-year-old Chiyo is sold into servitude at a geisha house in 1930s Kyoto. However the head geisha... Read more
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
5.9/10
Director: John Carpenter
Starring: Chevy Chase, Daryl Hannah, Sam Neill
An enjoyable, megabudgeted version of HF Saint's satirical bestseller about a wall street analyst who is turned invisible in a freak accident. Chevy C... Read more
Men In War (1957)
7.3/10
Director: Anthony Mann
Starring: Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray, Robert Keith, Vic Morrow, Phillip Pine
A realistic and tough-as-nails war flick, set in Korea and starring Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray as two soldiers trying to deal with the shocking devastat... Read more
Message in a Bottle (1999)
6.2/10
Director: Luis Mandoki
Starring: Illeana Douglas, John Savage, Kevin Costner, Paul Newman, Robbie Coltrane, Robin...
Moving romantic drama, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks ("The Notebook"), about a newspaper researcher who finds a bottle with a passionate lette... Read more
Metropolis (Restored) (1927)
8.3/10
Director: Fritz Lang
Starring: Gustav Frohlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel
Perhaps the most famous and influential of all silent films, 'Metropolis' had for 75 years been seen only in shortened or truncated versions. Now, res... Read more