Works based on books by authors I like
by liddygally | created - 22 Oct 2011 | updated - 23 Oct 2011 | PublicA list of films and television series based on books by some of my favourite authors.
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1. The Moon-Spinners (1964)
G | 118 min | Adventure, Family, Mystery
A teenager encounters romance, intrigue and a search for stolen jewels during her visit to the island of Crete.
Director: James Neilson | Stars: Hayley Mills, Eli Wallach, Pola Negri, Peter McEnery
Votes: 3,021 | Gross: $3.50M
Quite different from the novel by Mary Stewart, but still enjoyable if you watch it without expectation. It doesn't hurt that I like Hayley Mills either!
2. Hogfather (2006 TV Movie)
189 min | Comedy, Fantasy
It's Hogswatch (equivalent to Christmas) on the Discworld and the Hogfather has gone missing, requiring Death to take his place while his granddaughter Susan endeavors to find out what has happened.
Director: Vadim Jean | Stars: David Jason, Marc Warren, Michelle Dockery, David Warner
Votes: 11,040
It would be very difficult to capture the spirit of Terry Pratchett's novels, but this mini-series does it very well. Michelle Dockery is near dead-on as I imagined Susan.
3. About a Boy (2002)
PG-13 | 101 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Will, who attends single parent meetings to woo women, meets Marcus, a troubled 12-year-old boy. As they become friends, Will learns to be responsible while he helps Marcus with his studies.
Directors: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz | Stars: Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, Sharon Small
Votes: 191,717 | Gross: $41.39M
I actually discovered Nick Hornby through watching and enjoying this film. After reading the book, I realised how well they adapted it for film.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Approved | 129 min | Crime, Drama
Atticus Finch, a widowed lawyer in Depression-era Alabama, defends a Black man against an undeserved rape charge, and tries to educate his young children against prejudice.
Director: Robert Mulligan | Stars: Gregory Peck, John Megna, Frank Overton, Rosemary Murphy
Votes: 332,986
Amazing acting and a faithful adaptation. It's very close to the tone and story of the book, though certain parts of the book have been left out to cut down on the viewing time and streamline the main plot I guess.
5. The Castle of Adventure (1990– )
118 min | Adventure, Family
Based on the children's adventure novel by Enid Blyton, five young children come to learn the secrets of a ruined castle.
Stars: Richard Heffer, Gareth Hunt, Colin Bruce, Susan George
Votes: 53
Although this version put the story in a contemporary setting, it had the same feel as Enid Blyton's book. With a great blend of humour, kids being kids, adventure, and villainy - it was a movie that, as kids, we watched again and again.
6. Evil Under the Sun (1982)
PG | 117 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Trying to find how a millionaire wound up with a phony diamond brings Hercule Poirot to an exclusive island resort frequented by the rich and famous. When a murder is committed, everyone has an alibi.
Director: Guy Hamilton | Stars: Peter Ustinov, James Mason, Maggie Smith, Colin Blakely
Votes: 20,198 | Gross: $6.11M
David Suchet might be my ideal Poirot, but I love this adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel with Peter Ustinov in the role of the detective. The music, costumes and settings are as bright and colourful as the characters. It might not be true to the book, but it was fun to watch and brought something different to the table for those who already know the story.
7. The Return of the Native (1994 TV Movie)
PG | 101 min | Drama
Reddleman Diggory Venn drives slowly across the heath, carrying a hidden passenger in the back of his van. When darkness falls, the country folk light bonfires on the hills, emphasizing the pagan spirit of the heath and its denizens.
Director: Jack Gold | Stars: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Clive Owen, Ray Stevenson, Steven Mackintosh
Votes: 760
I saw this when I was fairly young, and long before I read the book by Thomas Hardy. Although I don't remember it too well, I do remember I was drawn into the story and I think the characters were cast well - especially Catherine Zeta Jones as Eustacia
8. Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
PG | 119 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.
Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Stars: Chieko Baishô, Takuya Kimura, Tatsuya Gashûin, Akihiro Miwa
Votes: 449,725 | Gross: $4.71M
I loved this film so much - and even more because it drew my attention to the amazing author Diana Wynne Jones. I know after reading the book that the story strayed a little, but I think it works great as a film in itself as well as capturing much of the essence of the book.
9. Looking for Alibrandi (2000)
103 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
At seventeen Josie Alibrandi is about to enter her final year as a scholarship student at an exclusive Catholic College. It's the year her life is turned upside down and changed forever.
Director: Kate Woods | Stars: Greta Scacchi, Anthony LaPaglia, Elena Cotta, Kerry Walker
Votes: 3,591
Another film that found me a favourite author. Melina Marchetta is one of my absolute favourite young adult authors and I do like this film of her first novel.
10. The House That Would Not Die (1970 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 74 min | Horror
A woman and her niece move into an ancestral house in the Amish countryside haunted by two ghosts from the Revolutionary War.
Director: John Llewellyn Moxey | Stars: Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Egan, Michael Anderson Jr., Kitty Winn
Votes: 986
This is based on the book "Ammie, Come Home" by Barbara Michaels (aka Elizabeth Peters of the awesome Amelia Peabody series). It's a chilling and absorbing ghost story, and I'm sorry to say I haven't actually seen this film, but would like to if I could!
11. Circle of Friends (1995)
PG-13 | 103 min | Drama, Romance
Three women, who've been friends since childhood, meet at university in Dublin in 1957. Student and boyfriend life begins.
Director: Pat O'Connor | Stars: Chris O'Donnell, Minnie Driver, Geraldine O'Rawe, Saffron Burrows
Votes: 9,238 | Gross: $23.40M
I had to watch this film as part of an English project. The story interested me enough that I ended up going to the library to issue the book. Well, Maeve Binchy is so popular that all her books were onloan save for "The Glass Lake", which I picked up instead and thoroughly enjoyed.
Her storytelling is gentle and friendly and character-driven (though characters from book to book share similar traits). After finally reading "Circle of Friends" I know a lot was changed from the novel, but I still think it kept enough in to be a faithful and enjoyable film.
12. The Joy Luck Club (1993)
R | 139 min | Drama
The life histories of four East Asian women and their daughters reflect and guide each other.
Director: Wayne Wang | Stars: Tamlyn Tomita, Rosalind Chao, Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin
Votes: 18,251 | Gross: $32.86M
The film that introduced me to Amy Tan. I had to decide one night whether to record this or "The Pink Panther" as they were on at the same time. I recorded the latter and watched this film, but loved it so much I ended up having to buy it on DVD as well as track down the book.
What I like about it and the book is the telling of the mother-daughter relationships as well as acting as a window into another culture. I don't know how well Chinese culture and values were depicted, but I still find it interesting and intriguing.
13. The Adventures of Tintin (1991–1992)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
The adventures of the young reporter, his faithful dog and friends as they travel around the world on adventures.
Stars: Colin O'Meara, Thierry Wermuth, Christian Pelissier, Henri Labussière
Votes: 19,238
Tintin is awesome. Loved the series, loved the comics.
14. The Princess Diaries (2001)
G | 115 min | Comedy, Family, Romance
Mia Thermopolis has just found out that she is the heir apparent to the throne of Genovia. With her friends Lilly and Michael Moscovitz in tow, she tries to navigate through the rest of her sixteenth year.
Director: Garry Marshall | Stars: Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, Hector Elizondo, Heather Matarazzo
Votes: 163,688 | Gross: $108.25M
The film does not do justice to the book series, but it did make me curious enough to read them and Meg Cabot's other novels. I liked "The Princess Diaries" but they weren't my favourite of her books. I did especially enjoy the epistolary style of her adult novels "Boy Meets Girl" and "The Boy Next Door".
15. Fruits Basket (2001)
TV-PG | 24 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
After her mother's death, Tohru Honda finds herself living with the Sohma family consisting of three cousins: Yuki, the 'prince charming' of their high school, Kyo the hot headed, short ... See full summary »
Stars: Eric Vale, Laura Bailey, Yui Horie, Aya Hisakawa
Votes: 6,211
I picked up #7 in the manga series at the library one day, and fell in love with the story, characters and art style. I had to track down the rest of the manga novels then (no easy feat as the library only had that one!)
I also got the anime on DVD. It was great - I only wish they had done a full adaptation of the manga, rather than wrapping the series up 1/3 of the way through!
16. The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977–1979)
60 min | Crime, Family, Mystery
The cases of a pair of teen detective brothers and a teen girl amateur sleuth.
Stars: Shaun Cassidy, Parker Stevenson, Ed Gilbert, Pamela Sue Martin
Votes: 2,013
Yeah, I read the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. These series are not the books, but I still liked watching them. Love the 70's campiness. (Also enjoyed the Mod Squad - though not based on books!)
17. Pride and Prejudice (1995)
TV-PG | 55 min | Drama, Romance
While the arrival of wealthy gentlemen sends her marriage-minded mother into a frenzy, willful and opinionated Elizabeth Bennet matches wits with haughty Mr. Darcy.
Stars: Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle, Susannah Harker, Julia Sawalha
Votes: 92,344
The mini-series that pretty much introduces everyone to Jane Austen. I also love "Lost in Austen". That mini-series (obviously) played fast and loose with the book, but I found it thoroughly humorous and enjoyable.
18. Under the Mountain (1981)
24 min | Family, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Teenage twin siblings, Rachel and Theo, on a summer vacation in Auckland visiting their aunt and uncle, meet a certain Mr. Jones, a mysterious man who helped find them when they got lost in... See full summary »
Stars: Kirsty Wilkinson, Lance Warren, Roy Leywood, William Johnson
Votes: 427
This TV series didn't do Maurice Gee's novel justice. It lacked the excitement and wonderment of the novel, looking a bit dull in comparison.
On the other hand, "In My Father's Den" was nearly better and certainly as good as Gee's novel.
19. I Am the Cheese (1983)
PG | 100 min | Drama, Fantasy
A teenage lad struggles to piece together his reality following a traumatic event.
Director: Robert Jiras | Stars: Robert MacNaughton, Hope Lange, Don Murray, Robert Wagner
Votes: 321
Robert Cormier's books often seem to end on a downer, but in a realistic way. His books are so well-structured that I never feel letdown or depressed by the ending, but thoughtful and with respect for his true-to-life storytelling.
I haven't yet seen any of the adaptations of his novels. I'd like to see this one (I stayed up all night finishing the book because I just couldn't put it down) or "The Chocolate War".
20. Maddigan's Quest (2006)
Adventure, Family, Fantasy
After the Great Chaos in the time of the Remaking a Travelling Fantasia are set on a Quest to save their home from ruin and their future from evil. They are joined in their quest by two ... See full summary »
Stars: Rose McIver, Jordan Metcalfe, Zac Fox, Olivia Tennet
Votes: 213
I love being able to add New Zealand authors to this list, and Margaret Mahy is arguably the best and probably the most prolific. She wrote the tie-in novel (entitled "Maddigan's Fantasia) for the mini-series. (I think they may have asked for the novel, and she wrote it for them just before they started filming?)
Anyway, both the series and the novel are a fun, fantasy-filled adventure. I bought it on DVD and lent it to a friend. She loved it so much that I let her keep it.
21. Wuthering Heights (1998 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 113 min | Drama, Romance
Mistreated foundling Heathcliff and his stepsister Catherine fall in love, but when she marries a wealthy man, he becomes obsessed with getting revenge, even well into the next generation.
Director: David Skynner | Stars: Robert Cavanah, Peter Davison, Orla Brady, Tom Georgeson
Votes: 1,051
I've seen quite a few adaptations of Wuthering Heights, and I think this is probably my favourite (although being absorbed in the 2009 version got me addicted to watching them).
I especially like the versions that tell the second half of the story, as Catherine (Cathy's daughter) and Hareton are my two favourite characters and I like watching their part in the story unfold and bring a kind of resolution to it.
22. The Outsiders (1983)
PG | 91 min | Crime, Drama
In a small Oklahoma town in 1964, the rivalry between two gangs, the poor Greasers and the rich Socs, heats up when one gang member accidentally kills a member of the other.
Director: Francis Ford Coppola | Stars: C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze
Votes: 97,599 | Gross: $25.60M
I picked the book by S. E. Hinton up at a bookfair at random for 20c and was suprised to find I'd happened upon such a gem! I eventually got to see the film adaptation and thought it was really well done. I would like to one-day see "The Outsiders: The Complete Novel", which is basically the director's cut, and shows the full version of the novel.
23. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
PG-13 | 157 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Harry Potter finds himself competing in a hazardous tournament between rival schools of magic, but he is distracted by recurring nightmares.
Director: Mike Newell | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Eric Sykes
Votes: 681,828 | Gross: $290.01M
Of course. J. K. Rowling knows how to tell a story, and they have done a fairly fantastic job of bringing them to film. I chose this one in the series because it was the first novel in the Harry Potter series that I properly read, got absorbed in, and realised what everyone else was going crazy about.
24. Mean Girls (2004)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy
Cady Heron is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George.
Director: Mark Waters | Stars: Lindsay Lohan, Jonathan Bennett, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey
Votes: 435,400 | Gross: $86.06M
Kind-of a strange one to add to the list, but after finding out the film was based on a work of non-fiction, I was curious to know how it had been done.
Rosalind Wiseman's book "Queen Bees and Wannabees" was an interesting look at the the way cliques work, and it made me think back on my teenage years; bringing me some realizations and clarity that I hadn't had before.
25. Stand by Me (1986)
R | 89 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.
Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell
Votes: 441,834 | Gross: $52.29M
I am not a Stephen King fan, but the one and only novella I read by him ("The Body" found in "Different Seasons") was due to my love for this film. And yes, I equally liked the story it was based on - so I know why he is a good writer and would read more of his fiction of this genre.
I'm still not going to read his horror novels though. Or watch them.
26. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
R | 127 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet Agent within MI6.
Director: Tomas Alfredson | Stars: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong
Votes: 212,564 | Gross: $24.15M
I would like to see this film when it is released. The novels that I have read by John le Carre, I have become engrossed in (and I AM a really fussy reader). I haven't read this novel yet, and I'm trying to decide whether to read it first or watch the film first...
27. Runaway Jury (2003)
PG-13 | 127 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A juror on the inside and a woman on the outside manipulate a court trial involving a major gun manufacturer.
Director: Gary Fleder | Stars: John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman
Votes: 104,631 | Gross: $49.44M
Seeing the films of John Grisham's novels is what got me reading them. They are thoroughly readable and bring up interesting questions.
28. Enigma (2001)
R | 119 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
A young genius frantically races against time to crack an enemy code and solve the mystery surrounding the woman he loves.
Director: Michael Apted | Stars: Dougray Scott, Kate Winslet, Saffron Burrows, Jeremy Northam
Votes: 21,920 | Gross: $4.30M
The film that held my attention so well that it got me reading some of Robert Harris's novels, a genre and author I might otherwise not have picked up but am glad I did.
29. Not Without My Daughter (1991)
PG-13 | 116 min | Drama, Thriller
An American woman trapped in Islamic Iran by her brutal husband must find a way for her and her daughter to escape.
Director: Brian Gilbert | Stars: Sally Field, Alfred Molina, Sheila Rosenthal, Roshan Seth
Votes: 14,666 | Gross: $14.79M
I went through a phase in my teens of reading books about non-European cultures (probably due to the books on my Mum's shelf.) Although this was exactly the kind of book I would have picked up anyway, I actually saw the film first.
I try to see both sides of stories like this one, because cultures have different values this seems to create such clashes between them. Sometimes it is like trying to mix oil with water. Although I did also feel sorry for her husband, I admired Betty Mahmoody for her determination and fortitude in such a trapped and desperate situation.
30. Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)
PG | 104 min | Comedy, Romance
A college grad lands a job as a financial journalist in New York City to support where she nurtures her shopping addiction and falls for a wealthy entrepreneur.
Director: P.J. Hogan | Stars: Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Krysten Ritter, Joan Cusack
Votes: 83,137 | Gross: $44.28M
As with Meg Cabot, I tend to enjoy Sophie Kinsella's standalone novels more than the series which she is most well-known for. A lot of people dislike this movie for not capturing the book. Perhaps because I'm not the most diehard fan, I still liked it okay.
31. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004)
PG | 89 min | Comedy, Family, Music
A teenage girl is convinced that her home city revolves around her until her family packs up and moves to the suburbs, where she finds herself competing for attention.
Director: Sara Sugarman | Stars: Lindsay Lohan, Megan Fox, Adam Garcia, Glenne Headly
Votes: 31,336 | Gross: $29.33M
Why are there so many "confessions of.." titles these days...? Anyhow, another film that got panned but I still liked. And it introduced me to Dyan Sheldon who is quite a witty and entertaining writer for young adults.
32. Gone with the Wind (1939)
Passed | 238 min | Drama, Romance, War
A sheltered and manipulative Southern belle and a roguish profiteer face off in a turbulent romance as the society around them crumbles with the end of slavery and is rebuilt during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods.
Directors: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood | Stars: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O'Neil
Votes: 334,410 | Gross: $198.68M
The movie is famous, the novel is BRILLIANT.
33. The Peacock Spring (1996 TV Movie)
149 min | Drama
It's 1959, and a widowed official with the United Nations in Delhi, India brings his two daughters from England to live with him. Tension between 15-year old Una and Alix, a Eurasian woman ... See full summary »
Director: Christopher Morahan | Stars: Peter Egan, Jennifer Caron Hall, Hattie Morahan, Naveen Andrews
Votes: 154
I'd like to one day see this movie of Rumer Godden's book. I like her writing and this was my favourite of her books that I've read.
34. The Far Pavilions (1984)
315 min | Drama, History, Romance
Story of forbidden love in 1800s India set against the revolution for India's freedom from England.
Stars: Ben Cross, Amy Irving, Christopher Lee, Robert Hardy
Votes: 878
Another mini-series I'd like to see. Although this wasn't my favourite of M. M. Kaye's non-suspense novels, (I liked reading "Shadow of the Moon" and "Trade Winds" more), I still enjoyed it.
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