Author Topic: Great books butchered by Hollywood (Read 1324 times)

Sabre · « **on:** April 22, 2003, 02:24:31 PM »

I'll start: Robert Heinlen's "Starship Troopers" Probably the biggest cinematic disappointment of my life. I loved that book, man! I even have the Starship Troopers tabletop war game.

Tarmac · « **Reply #1 on:** April 22, 2003, 02:25:37 PM »

The chick had nice boobies. What a waste when she died.

funkedup · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2003, 02:28:20 PM »

We Were Soldiers Once... And Young
War of the Rats

TPIguy · « **Reply #3 on:** April 22, 2003, 02:30:46 PM »

Dowding · « **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2003, 02:32:45 PM »

Catch-22

Without a shadow of a doubt. Unsubtle, over-acted where it didn't need to be.

I really regret buying that DVD.

Curval · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2003, 02:44:54 PM »

The Hobbit..cartoon version.

Had to turn it off...terrible.

Steve · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2003, 02:52:24 PM »

Starship troopers... hmmmmm Denise Richards... it might not have been anything like the book but man.. it had Denise Richards in it!

I felt "Two Towers" was a vulgar departure from the book. i.e. elves in Helm's Deep.

Sabre · « **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2003, 03:01:07 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by TPIguy
Dune

Did you happen to catch the Sci-Fi Channel miniseries re-do of Dune, staring Jud Hirsch (spelling?) as Duke Leto? It was a pretty faithful reproduction of the book (including even the spice orgy:eek: ). Much better than the film released during the 80's. One cool thing about the original movie though. If you went to see it in the theater, they handed you a pamphlet as you went in: "Terminology of Dune", a short dictionary to explain terms like Melange and siech and thropter. Wish I had kept that.

senna · « **Reply #8 on:** April 22, 2003, 03:02:56 PM »

Robert Heinlen's "Starship Troopers" influenced Japanese Anime or should I say started the whole robot cartoon thing. Such as Robotech (Macross) and Gundam. The latest Gundam series is junk though, what W gundam, yuck.

BTW: ZZ Gundam was the best. Space colonies revolting against the Governments of mother Earth. What will they think of next.

eskimo2 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 22, 2003, 03:05:11 PM »

Earnest goes to Jail! (and the entire Earnest series)
The novel was an all time classic. Had it not been for the movie industry I'm sure the Earnest series would have been studied in college classes a hundred years from now, perhaps even more so than Shakespere. Ever since Hollywood got ahold of it, however, it will only be remembered as a film series. Sigh, very few people will ever know the true genius of the written work about Earnest.

eskimo

TPIguy · « **Reply #10 on:** April 22, 2003, 03:13:43 PM »

the sci-fi channels dune series wasn't too bad. But the original dune movie horribly butcherd a great book.

Sandman · « **Reply #11 on:** April 22, 2003, 03:17:23 PM »

I've seen both the movie and the mini-series for Dune. There are aspects of both that I like. Neither is perfect, IMHO.

Worst butchery?

Let's see...

The Sum of All Fears - Clancy
The Running Man - King

The only movie that I can think of that improved on the book was Misery.

Wlfgng · « **Reply #12 on:** April 22, 2003, 03:26:03 PM »

it'd be much easier, and shorter, to create a list of the books that DIDN'T get butchered by Hollywood..
in fact...

here's the list:

aztec · « **Reply #13 on:** April 22, 2003, 03:26:05 PM »

A couple come to mind;

War Of The Rats=Enemy at the Gate

The Cider House Rules

snafu · « **Reply #14 on:** April 22, 2003, 03:45:12 PM »

Running man, Great book crap film.
Battlefield Earth, Really great book by Ron Hubbard. The film? Crap

Finally....
Jurassic Park. I read books one & Two before seeing the films. The films were just an excuse to try out the latest special effects.

The Story line was butchered beyond belief.

TTFN
snafu