Books Making it to the Silver Screen

I finally finished my monster of a book, The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George. It was amazing. Written from the perspective of Queen Cleopatra herself, I really started to believe I was living and ruling in Egypt along with her. Although it was long and had a bit of a slow start, I feel like this would make a really good movie. It got me thinking, how many books have truly successfully made it to the silver screen?

Another book I read awhile ago, Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, was likewise memorable as one man's experiences growing up in Ireland. It was later turned into a movie, which was decent considering the screenwriter and director had to interpret McCourt's own memoirs. I liked the book better.

Memoirs of a Geisha served as a book that led the reader into the world of concubines and geishas of Japan. I read the novel, and saw the movie. The film actually went on to win three Oscars. I wouldn't say it was bad, but the book was better in comparison.

Gone With the Wind is one of my all-time favorite books. The 3+ hour movie that won Best Picture in 1939 was not disappointing, but I liked the book better. So how can directors live up to the legacy of books such as these? Is it possible to make a movie that is better than the original novel version? From my perspective, that has never been done, but there are a few movies that come close.

In high school, we got out of my English class to see the first Lord of the Rings in the theatre simply because my teacher was a die-hard fan of the story. I was one of three in my class of around 25 students who had actually read the books as well, so we were appointed the head of small discussion groups. We had a conversation regarding the differences between the book and the movie. I ultimately feel Lord of the Rings is one of the best film adaptations of a book I have ever viewed. The length of the film, the special effects, and acting all serve as a testament to making the characters and world come alive on screen, just as it does in a reader's mind.

To Kill a Mockingbird, AFI's winner of "Top courtroom drama" that stars Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, is likewise one of those movies I feel closely mimics the sentiments and character development experienced by someone who reads the novel.

When it comes down to it, books provide more insight into characters that is hard to accurately replicate in a two-hour movie. I heard rumors that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will star in the upcoming Atlas Shrugged, the famed objectivism novel by Ayn Rand. Atlas Shrugged may just be one of my favorite books, so I have high expectations. The somewhat cliche use of Brangelina as the respective lead actress and lead actor is already a bit off-putting though.