Movies You Didn't Know Were Books, Part III: Horror Edition

Hi there, everyone. I think it's time for another roundup of movies you didn't know were books, don't you? I've recently discovered some good ones, this time all in the horror genre. But first, make sure you check out the first two posts in this series here and here.

1. The Birds, based on The Birds by Daphne du Maurier.

 

Yep, that famous Alfred Hitchcock movie was based on a novella by the one and only Daphne du Maurier, whom you might know better as the author of the classic novel Rebecca. This pretty much blew my mind. Also, have you seen The Birds? It's nuts.

2. Rosemary's Baby, based on Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

Another famous horror movie based on a book by an apparently famous horror author. I only recently discovered Ira Levin wrote horror books, including this one. I guess he also read a sequel, which was not as well received because... well, just don't read it if you like the first one. I read the synopsis and it's pretty weird.

While we're on Ira Levin...

3. The Stepford Wives, based on The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

 

There's also The Stepford Wives, first made into a movie in 1975, then again in 2004, which is the one I know. Man, look at that first movie poster though, huh? Creepy. The Nicole Kidman one looks kind of dumb next to it. I haven't seen or read any of these, but I feel like "Stepford wife" has become part of popular culture and people refer to it regardless of their knowledge of its origin. So, good job Ira Levin.

4. Psycho, based on Psycho by Robert Bloch

Back to Hitchcock! Psycho is based on a novel by Robert Bloch, first published in 1959.

I'm sure there are a ton of other books that were made into movies. What are some of your favorites or hidden gems?

ender's game with dad

A few years ago, when we first heard about Ender's Game being made into a movie, my dad started asking me about it.

Him: "It's a book?"
Me: "Yep. Bestseller."
Him: "Have you read it?"
Me: *pause* "Are you really asking me that?"
Him: "Oh. Right. Is it good?"

Now, my dad is not a reader. The most reading he has ever done is when he read Harry Potter 1-6 in about 3 months time. Normally he averages 1 or 2 a year. But Ender's Game caught his interest. I gave him the book, and he had it for several months. Then he saw another trailer. He picked the book up again and had it read within a few days. It's always a treat for me when I get to chat about books with my dad, since he so rarely reads. Talking about Ender's Game was great.

Then came the movie. He geeked out as much as I did. Both of us loved the movie. Not only was it a great movie alone, it was a well done adaptation of a well loved novel. My dad kept poking me during the movie, pointing out details and saying "hey! I remember that from the book!". (Yes, dad. I read it too.)

My goal was to turn my dad into a fanboy, at least for the day. And what can I say?

So what about you? Have you ever introduced a relative or a friend to something and had them love it as much as you? What was it? Or did they introduce you to something amazing?

Lori Reviews Labor Day

Title:  Labor Day
Author:  Joyce Maynard
Published:  William Morrow Publishers, 2009
Where I Got It:  Bought on my Kindle

I am a sucker for books that are being made into movies with actors or actresses that I really like.  Ever since I first saw the press for Labor Day starring Kate Winslet, I've been interested in the book.  I read a couple of summaries, but they didn't really do a good job because I didn't immediately want to buy it.  I thought that maybe I just wasn't truly interested in the story, so it was on the backburner.  Then I saw a preview for another book to movie adaptation that looked interesting (though I am decidedly neutral towards the actor in it).  As I was investigating that book, I saw that one of the recommended books was Labor Day and it was only $4, so I bought it.

I finished it in less than 24 hours.  

It seems rare that a book can so completely suck me in that I just speed through it, but that's exactly what I did.

Goodreads Summary:  With the end of summer closing in and a steamy Labor Day weekend looming in the town of Holton Mills, New Hampshire, thirteen-year-old Henry—lonely, friendless, not too good at sports—spends most of his time watching television, reading, and daydreaming about the soft skin and budding bodies of his female classmates. For company Henry has his long-divorced mother, Adele—a onetime dancer whose summer project was to teach him how to foxtrot; his hamster, Joe; and awkward Saturday-night outings to Friendly's with his estranged father and new stepfamily. As much as he tries, Henry knows that even with his jokes and his "Husband for a Day" coupon, he still can't make his emotionally fragile mother happy. Adele has a secret that makes it hard for her to leave their house, and seems to possess an irreparably broken heart.

But all that changes on the Thursday before Labor Day, when a mysterious bleeding man named Frank approaches Henry and asks for a hand. Over the next five days, Henry will learn some of life's most valuable lessons: how to throw a baseball, the secret to perfect piecrust, the breathless pain of jealousy, the power of betrayal, and the importance of putting others—especially those we love—above ourselves. And the knowledge that real love is worth waiting for.

In a manner evoking Ian McEwan's Atonement and Nick Hornby's About a Boy, acclaimed author Joyce Maynard weaves a beautiful, poignant tale of love, sex, adolescence, and devastating treachery as seen through the eyes of a young teenage boy—and the man he later becomes—looking back at an unexpected encounter that begins one single long, hot, life-altering weekend.

That really does a pretty good job of summing up the plot of the novel.

My thoughts:  I loved this writing style!  It was kind of gritty and raw and emotional and real.  It's the kind of writing style that I wish I had been able to cultivate in my days as a creative writing student.  (Maybe it has to do with the topic...)  Maynard creates an excellent sense of place and rendering of the characters.  Yes, there are how many stories about a single parent, who has a secret that makes them a bit off, living in a kind of run down house with their kid and then life changes.  But this one was different.  It was real.  The characters were vibrant and alive.  The narration really put you in the place of the novel.

Lately, I've been dealing with feelings that life isn't turning out like I had anticipated that it would.  So many things have not gone according to my pre-grad school plan.  But occasionally I remember that this is a life.  It's different and not what I had imagined, yes, but it's something that I am willing to work to maintain because it's that important to me.

I think that that is why I loved this story so much.  

Life doesn't always go the way you plan for it to, but it works itself out in ways that you can't really even imagine.  And that's OK.  Probably better, even, because who wants such a simple and bland life?  You eventually learn, like Henry, that there is more to life (and adult relationships) than fleeting connections and sex.  True and deep human connections come along so rarely that when they do, you have to hold on and fight for them and sometimes wait patiently (or impatiently).  You do things for the person you love that you wouldn't do for anyone else and that's what makes that love special and worth having.

There's that Hemingway quote--"When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen."  This novel closes with a passage that reminds me of this:

What she will register, at least, will be the fact that she is not alone.  And it has been my experience that when you do this--slow down, pay attention, follow the simple instincts of love--a person is likely to respond favorably.  It is generally true of babies, and most other people too, perhaps.  Also dogs.  Hamsters even.  And people so damaged by life in the world that there might seem no hope for them, only there may be.

It's the millions of little things that make up and sustain relationships--not the big things.

Anyway, read it.  



Sidenote--Who else winds up reading a book if they see an actor or actress they really like is going to be in the film adaptation?  It can't be just me!

Lori Reads--Hopping on the Divergent Train

You guys know me.  I don't read young adult lit.  I stick to the classics, which I love.  But sometimes I just want something different.  So I switch it up with some chick lit or something.  This time I switched it up with a young adult adventure--Veronica Roth's Divergent series.

I have to credit People.com with the decision to read this series.  Last week I saw an article about the first movie, which is coming out in March.  I probably wouldn't have looked at the article if the headline hadn't been "Watch Ashley Judd, Kate Winslet & Shailene Woodley in the Divergent Trailer."  I love Ashley Judd and Kate Winslet!  As I read the article, something just kind of caught my eye and I found myself looking at Goodreads to see which of my friends had read it.  Most of them had and they rated it quite highly.  I asked one of those friends about the series to see if she really liked the book.  Then I found myself at the Barnes and Noble website buying the first book and looking at it on my phone.  At $3.99, I figured that I really didn't have much to lose.

Good choice.

I spent Friday reading the first book.  I spent Saturday reading the second book.  Zach was very surprised and noted that this was the first time he saw my switch from Nook/iPad to phone while we were out.  I read while we were in the Chick-fil-a drive-thru.  I read while we waited in line at the video game store.  I even tried reading at the stoplights (Zach was driving), but they kept turning green too quickly for me to make much progress.

I'm not going to review the book in this post.  A few of the other TBTB-ers have already done so.  Much like Bridget's post, I'm going to talk about my reaction to the books...

I loved the plot of the series.  It was mostly adventure.  There were some things that I saw would happen from a mile away, but there were a couple of surprises.  It was quick and snappy and I blew right through the books, which I like.  I hate wasted space.  Most people have compared it to The Hunger Games, which I've never read, but I can see their point based on what I know about that series.  I want to also add that parts of it remind me of the Harry Potter series--being sorted, each group having a type, massive upheaval of the system, awkward teenage romances, etc.

Speaking of awkward teenage romances, Four was totally hot.  I liked how Tris kept thinking that she was all wrong--what girl hasn't been there?!  Confession, as I read the first two books, I kept expecting some fabulous sex scene...then it dawned on me that there probably wouldn't be a sex scene because this book is written for 14-17 year olds.  So I moved on.

Speaking of 14-17 year olds, there were very few times I wanted to smack the characters for acting like 14-17 year olds.  But there were a couple of times I wanted to just yell at Tris for being annoying.  This was a big plus for me.

Again, I liked the style.  There wasn't a whole lot of time wasted in creating this elaborate backstory.  Every detail mentioned in the book was there for a reason.  I hate it when I go into editing mode while I'm reading something because the author said a whole bunch of useless things.

Yes, the first two books went by like a blur.  Then I started the third book on Sunday.  I've read close to a third of it.  But I spent most of the day reading other things.  See, it really bothered me that the first two books were narrated by Tris, but the third book has both Tris and Four narrating.  Consistency!  I like consistency!  I totally want to finish the series--I mean, what IS out there? I have to know--but I am not sure how long it will take me to finish book three.

And, yes, I suppose that now I will have to finally get around to reading The Hunger Games.

Thoughts?

Tahleen gets ready for Hallmark Christmas

Hi! It's Tahleen.

Sooooo please don't hate me for this, but I'm getting excited about Christmas. JUST A LITTLE. Stop scowling.

Deal with it.

I can't help it! I've been watching the Hallmark Channel and during every episode of Cedar Cove, they have a little promo letting us all know IT'S COMING. Starting November 2, The Hallmark Christmas movies are coming. And they are starting with a Thanksgiving movie, so there.

This got me to thinking about how Debbie Macomber, author of the Cedar Cove books, constantly has her stuff turned into these made-for-TV movies. And how often, the movies are wayyy better. Sorry, Macomber lovers.

I do read my annual Christmas story by her, maybe even a few, because the stories are HEARTWARMING. But her writing is ...not my favorite. That's why I am super happy every time I see Hallmark is turning another one of her books to an easily digestible, 90-minute nugget of Christmas fuzzies. And why I was really happy Cedar Cove became a series. She just has this knack of creating a great foundation, then Hallmark takes over the rest of the character development and story etc. I don't know what it is, but it works.

And soon, I will be checking out our Christmas collection at the library, currently hidden away in a secret cabinet, looking for other books that will make me happy it's one of my favorite times of the year again.

Are there any movies you like better than the books they were based on? Or do you have any favorite Christmas/Thanksgiving/Hannukah/whatever holiday coming up?

The Great Gatsby: Book vs. Movie

I've been waiting for MONTHS for the newest movie adaptation of The Great Gatsby to come out. Since pretty much the trailer was released sometime last year. I must say I was not disappointed.

It has been a couple years since I last read The Great Gatsby so I am a little fuzzy on the details of the book. From what I remember the movie stayed close to the book but there were a few things that were added for the movie or I just forgot.

I loved the flashy-ness of the movie. It was over-the-top but Baz Luhrmann did direct it. The soundtrack is...interesting. Definitely not something from the time period. But it does grab your attention and goes with the "flashy" theme.

And the clothes!! I loved everything Daisy and Jordan wore in the movie! Pretty dresses with sparkles and lots of gorgeous jewlery. Sometimes I wish I could dress like that on a daily basis.

Have you seen the newest adaptation of The Great Gatsby (or any of the movie versions)?  What did you think?

Movies you might not have known were books, part 2: Children's edition

Everyone seemed to enjoy my last post on movies you didn't know were books, so I thought I'd do another one. This time, I'm focusing on the children's movies. Some of these you might have known about, but I know one in particular blew my mind when I found out it was a book first. That book is

1. Mrs. Doubtfire based on Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine

Who knew Mrs. Doubtfire was a book, and by Anne Fine no less? When I saw this at the library I work at, I was floored.

2. Shrek, based on Shrek! by William Steig

The book is pretty different from the movie, I have to say, but I still love William Steig. I'm pretty sure the only similarity is that it's about an ogre named Shrek who goes to look for a wife. Though the ending isn't as happily-ever-after as DreamWorks decided it should be. Still, I like both.

3. The Great Mouse Detective, based on Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus

Who remembers this movie? Ah, the good old days. I kind of feel like I have to read this book now. Look at the delightful cover!

4. Jumanji, based on Jumanji by Chris van Allsburg

This one is probably much better known as a Newbery-award winning book, but some people still might not know. Again, the book is pretty different (alas, no Robin Williams character, who I just realized is making a few appearances on this post's list), but both are very enjoyable.

5. Fly Away Home, based on Father Goose: One Man, a Gaggle of Geese, and Their Real Life Incredible Journey South by Bill Lishman

I guess they figured no kid would want to see a movie about a guy who wanted to see what would happen if he tried to lead some Canada geese south, so they threw in Anna Paquin and made the geese orphans. Check out Lishman's Wikipedia article here, which kind of explains what he was trying to do.

6. Homeward Bound, based on The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

Okay, okay, I know most everyone knows this is a book, but I figured I'd throw it on there for the hell of it. This movie has a pretty great soundtrack, by the way. Oh hey, one cool thing I just noticed in writing this post is the family that owns the pets are called the Burnfords, which is the name of the author. Also, look—it was a Disney movie in 1963 too.

There you have it, folks. Any that I missed? I love having my mind blown by stuff like this, so don't hold back.

Movies you might not know are based on books

There are a lot of movies that are based on books out there, but you might not have realized some of those well-known films are based on literature. Here are a few that I (Tahleen) have discovered.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? based on Who Censored Roger Rabbit by Gary K. Wolf

 

I feel like this one always shows up on lists like these, but I just couldn't resist. I haven't read this one, but I remember the movie well from childhood. Mostly how it freaked me out. It's a good thing it wasn't based too closely on the book, because I would never have been able to sleep again.

The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

 

As someone who has seen the movie and read the book, I have to say I liked the movie better. However, it wouldn't even exist without the book, especially since most of the dialogue was pretty much just lifted right out of the novel.

The Town based on The Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan

 

This one more people might know about. I knew about this one because I worked at a bookstore when the movie came out. I haven't read or seen this one, so I won't be much help there. But I can tell you it was set in Charlestown, in Boston!

Field of Dreams based on Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella

I feel like I knew about this one before, but forgot. Anyway, I knew about the book and of course I knew about the movie, and now I know they're connected!

Fast Times at Ridgemont High based on book of the same name by Cameron Crowe

Who knew? I kind of want to read the book.

Die Hard based on Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp

Die Hard is pretty awesome. I haven't read this book either, unfortunately, so I can't attest to how closely the movie follows, but hey! Another "who knew" moment.

Those are only a few movies based on less-well-known books out there. I know I'm missing a lot of them including the one I thought of that inspired me to write this post (curses!), so please leave them in the comments!