The first Terminator movie was written before the advent of the World Wide Web. If Skynet did in fact attain self-awareness, I trust that thanks to 4Chan it is currently constructing a robot for the express purpose of erasing its own memory banks.
Angel: You know, I killed my actual dad. It was one of the first things I did when I became a vampire. Wesley: I hardly see how that's the same situation. Angel: Yeah. I didn't really think that one through.
'Lineage'
Buffista Movies 7: Brides for 7 Samurai
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
Matt the Bruins fan - Apr 20, 2011 7:58:50 am PDT #14160 of 30000
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
smonster - Apr 20, 2011 8:24:12 am PDT #14161 of 30000
We won’t stop until everyone is gay.
I would include Room With a View as a great movie from a great book, personally.
megan walker - Apr 20, 2011 8:26:07 am PDT #14162 of 30000
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist
(Is it annoying to discuss these sorts of things with someone who's never had a film class?)
On the contrary, I'd say it's almost always less annoying!
Strega - Apr 20, 2011 8:30:12 am PDT #14163 of 30000
I wonder why filmmakers feel the need to tackle 'unfilmable' books.
If I was at home I could get the exact quote, but Cronenberg has said something like he always wants to film the unfilmable. But he is a bit of a special case.
It may also be worth noting that Ballard was very impressed by the movie. I do get what Hec & Tommyrot are saying about how Ballard's style is key to the book, but think Cronenberg breaks some rules for film narrative to mimic that effect. I haven't seen it in a while... I'm not sure I would say Crash is great, but it'd be in consideration.
But I wouldn't say The Princess Bride is a great movie, either. I enjoy it, I have lots of affection for it (and even more for the book), but... I dunno; I'm pretty stingy with my A+s.
megan walker - Apr 20, 2011 8:33:30 am PDT #14164 of 30000
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist
From my book salon list on "Best Picture" Adaptations, here are some arguably great books that Academy voters thought were good enough for the top prize:
All the King’s Men
(Robert Penn Warren)
All Quiet on the Western Front
(Erich Maria Remarque)
The English Patient
(Michael Ondaatje)
Gone with the Wind
(Margaret Mitchell)
Hamlet
(Shakespeare)
A Man for All Seasons
(Robert Bolt)
No Country for Old Men
(Cormac McCarthy)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
(Ken Kesey)
Out of Africa
(Isak Dinesen)
Pygmalion
(George Bernard Shaw)
Rebecca
(Daphne du Maurier)
Schindler’s Ark
(Thomas Keneally)
Tom Jones
(Henry Fielding)
DavidS - Apr 20, 2011 8:34:37 am PDT #14165 of 30000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
I'm pretty stingy with my A+s.
Let's see that list.
What makes the Strega A+ List?
DavidS - Apr 20, 2011 8:37:55 am PDT #14166 of 30000
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Susan Sontag once had a conversation with Kurt Vonnegut and he said that only he and Margaret Mitchell should be happy with the filmed versions of their books. (Slaughterhouse Five in his case.)
But Ellroy also liked L.A. Confidential, and rightly so. I think it's better than the book. It helped that Curtis Hanson was obsessed with the project and worked on the screenplay for several years to get it right.
Daisy Jane - Apr 20, 2011 8:40:51 am PDT #14167 of 30000
"This bar smells like kerosene and stripper tears."
The Outsiders?
Fiona - Apr 20, 2011 8:41:32 am PDT #14168 of 30000
High Fidelity was an extremely non-faithful film which worked pretty well, and I write as someone who adored the book.
Daisy Jane - Apr 20, 2011 8:47:48 am PDT #14169 of 30000
"This bar smells like kerosene and stripper tears."
Ok, looking at the list I have here at work.
A Raisin in the Sun Howard's End A Passage to India Grapes of Wrath The Color Purple
These I haven't read, but the adaptations are great films Dangerous Liasons Out of Africa
Ones I consider both, but others may not. KB's Henry V Watership Down The Remains of the Day Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Catch-22 The Black Stallion