In
all the passion and debate about The BBC Big Read, did you notice
how many of the most popular books are also great films?
The
National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford
did, and so they've now started a new monthly book and film club
in association with Bradford Libraries - including some very special
events over the coming weeks and months!
But
you've also been telling us what YOU think by completing our
very special questionnaire. Find out what everybody else
has been saying!
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Your
FAVOURITE book-to-film adaptation ?
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High
Fidelity
"I was surprised how well it worked. I expected it to be
awful. It was true to the spirit of the book, plus I like John
Cusack.
"It's
true to the book - using the same dialogue, huge chunks of it,
even if they move the location to Chicago!"
To
Kill a Mocking Bird
"Gregory
Peck is excellent."
The
Diary of Anne Frank
"
.the drama and emotion of the story lost nothing in
the film portrayal
largely thanks to Ben Kingsley"
Dune
Introduced me to SF films
Lord
of the Rings
Donna
Tartt's Secret History
The
Piano Tuner
Alice
Sebold's Lovely Bones
Jane
Campion should direct.
Gone
with the Wind
Mary
Shelley's Frankenstein
One
Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Novels
by John Grisham
"Usually
entertaining."
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Your
WORST book-to-film adaptation ?
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High
Fidelity
The
Harry Potter films
"I felt these were children's films but anyone could
read the books."
The
English Patient
The
Water Melon
"Totally
different in plot and spirit to the book."
Captain
Morelli's Mandolin
"They
changed the ending and the leads were reunited years and decades
earlier."
Bright
Young Things
Hated
the happy ending.
V.I.
"All
the subtlety of the Sarah Paretsky books was lost."
"Just terrible - such a weak film."
Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory
"Great book destroyed by Hollywood tripe."
The
Portrait of a Lady
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What
book would like to see as a film?
Who would play the lead characters and direct the film?
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Conrad'
s "The Secret Agent"
Hywel Bennet as Adolf Verloc
Anne Kirkbride as Winnie Verloc
David Lean would direct.
The
Life of Pi
Dev from Corrie and Shere Khan
Sam Mendes would direct
A
Prayer for Owen Meaney
Alfred
Bester's Tiger Tiger
Vin
Diesel should play the lead and Tarentino should direct.
Poisonwood
Bible
The
Hours and the Night by Sue Gee
"Too
long drawn out and gloomy."
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Which
book to you DREAD being turned into a film?
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The
Peppered Moth
Paul
Auster's New York Trilogy
"Would
he be too surreal."
Rachel's
Holiday by Marion Keyes
"Because
they adapted another of hers - Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married
- for TV and changed it beyond recognition."
The
Paddington books
"Would shatter completely the childhood magic."
Fugitive
Pieces
"How
could you translate the prose?"
Mervyn
Peake's Gormenghast
The
Thorn Birds
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Do
you think it's OK to change the book's ending for the film?
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"Yes"
"Definitely
not - then it's another story. Someone elses!"
"No"
"Absolutely
not."
"Only
if the ending is better than the book's ending."
"Nope."
"Not
really. However, I don't mind that the stage and film versions
of Little Shop of Horrors are different."
"Depends
on the book."
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Do
you prefer to:
a) read the book before seeing the film, or
b) see a film and then decide whether to read the book.
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100%
of those of you who have got back to us say you prefer to read
the book before seeing the film...
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Which
of the following statements do you agree with?
a) Once I've seen the film I don't think there's any point
in reading the book
b) Seeing a good film makes me want to read the book it
was based on
c) If I've already read the book, I sometimes find the film
annoying!
d) If I've read the book I sometimes enjoy the film more
e) If I've read the book, I just don't bother seeing the
film
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65%
of those of you who have got back to us say seeing a good film
makes me want to read the book it was based on.
100%
of those of you who have got back to us say if you have already
read the book you sometimes find the film annoying.
65%
of those of you who have got back to us say if you've read the
book, you sometimes enjoy the film more.
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If
you've not yet had your say
on books and the cinema
take a minute or two to complete our questionnaire.
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