Best and Worst Hollywood Book Adaptations

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The source discusses sixteen different book adaptations, eight considered to be the best and the other eight considered to be the worst.

The 16 Best and Worst Book Adaptationsin the past 10 years. (2014, October 2). Retrieved  from 

     http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ 

     book-movie-adaptations-gone-girl-hunger-games-harry-potter-twilight-great-gatsby/6/ 

What would you consider to be the worst and the best book adaptation in the filmmaking industry?

"From 1939's "Gone with the Wind" to this week's "Gone Girl," one thing is clear: Hollywood loves turning books into movies."
It has become apparent over time that Hollywood enjoys turning novels into films. But how far is the film industry willing to go to push a movie out of a novel.

"Filmmakers are quick to adapt bestselling novels because the story is already there, and because a quality book often lends to an enjoyable, profitable motion picture."
Of course there is a story there when taking a concept from a novel but that doesn't mean the concept is necessarily a good one for film.

Take two films such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Eat Pray Love. The films were both based off of novels of two people attempting to "find themselves". However, The Perks of Being a Wallflower focuses on a confused teenage boy in the midst of high school while Eat Pray Love focuses on an older woman who is basically suffering through her mid-life crisis. Both movies take the audiences along through their journey's of pain, love, and happiness. Except Eat Pray Love was much slower than it needed to be. The film concept was good except it left audiences wondering if Liz(Julia Roberts) would ever reach a self pleasing point.While the 140- minute film may have been too long, The Perks of Being a Wallflower lasts only 105-minutes keeping the attention of audiences hooked.

Both Novels sold strongly but just because they were bestsellers does not mean the film industry needs to adapt them. Eat Pray Love has a beautiful concept to it and the film was long for a reason; to incorporate as much as possible. However, it was not meant to be adapted into a film. The film industry sometimes needs to slow down on the book adaptations and needs to begin incorporating new ideas into Hollywood.

The Support Films have to Offer

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The article creates a discussion on the declining book industry, yet how film seems to be supporting and renewing books.

Film Adaptations Create Hope for Declining Book Industry. (2012, March 12). Retrieved from     https://www.keynote.co.uk/media-centre/in-the-news/display/ 

     film-adaptations-create-hope-for-declining-book-industry/?articleId=794 

Film has been cultivating history for only a century making it seem brief compared to that of print.

But are films saving the book industry? Technology has made it possible for audiences to visualize a book in a matter of two hours instead of taking days, weeks, or even months to read. Now, there are many people that love to read, however there are also many that would rather see the film, or those who would like to read a novel followed by viewing the film adaptation. 

Great Gatsby(2013), is a significant example of the impact that film has on the book industry. Great Gatsby is a classic novel, which was first adapted into a film in 1926 as a silent film, followed by three remakes. When the film was recreated in 2013, technology advances related stronger to audiences than the 1974 remake. Because of the overly glam costumes and emphasis on the lifestyle, audiences curiosity grew. Previews of the movie were marketed everywhere and the ever so popular Leonardo DiCaprio, had his face plastered on every billboard in preparation for the release of the film. Audiences wanted to see the film but of course, read the book before going to the theater. This pattern occurs with many novels creating a sort of assistance for the book industry.

Film has been supporting the book industry now for about 100 years. It becomes evident that film is not saving the book industry as it is still admired by many but that the film industry has continued to support and act as a friend towards the book industry.

"This trend provides a significant boost for the bookselling industry as sales of the original titles receive a large amount of 'free advertising' in the run-up to the film's launch, while books are often re-released, with a new cover of a still taken from the film."

The way films are marketed will create an easy market for the book itself. Films are marketed through previews placed within commercials, on billboards, and throughout public facilities. The film can also create new advancements for the book. Such as the remade covers for novels such as The Lovely Bones and Safe Haven.

Film Technology Innovations

Click Here to view the camera that never moves.

Dynamic target tracking camera system keeps its eye on the ball #DigInfo. (2013, June 17).      Retrieved 

     from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn5YQVvW-hQ 

The video introduces a new innovation from Tokyo in which a camera does not need to move manually to focus on a subject but simply, in this prototype, the mirrors move. The camera is capable of tracking the subject no matter how fast the object moves and maintains to keep it centered. This creation would not only be helpful for book adaptations into films such as The Hunger Games or the Divergent trilogy but to all types of film productions.

From Novel to Film Production

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The article discusses the differences between adaptations of films and novels. Also, the reasoning behind why a filmmaker may make produce changes when creating a film.

Adaptation: From Novel to Film. (n.d.). Retrieved from PBS website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/ 

     masterpiece/learningresources/fic_adaptation.html

"The major difference between books and film is that visual images stimulate our perceptions directly, while written words can do this indirectly. Reading the word chair requires a kind of mental "translation" that viewing a picture of a chair does not. Film is a more sensory experience than reading -- besides verbal language, there is also color, movement, and sound."
The production of a film allows viewers to greater understand and comprehend a concept. Filmmakers have the chance to make changes to allow audiences to visualize an event rather than read or hear it. 

Filmmakers must create certain changes when producing a film to attract new mediums, link different occasions read through narration, and focus heavily on specific themes. Contemporary media institutions no longer are interested in lagging and draining films. In order to create a film attracting contemporary mediums, films must use flashbacks rather than conversations or take words and create events to keep the film flowing, not standing in one place. The book adaptation of Mockingjay into a film added a very specific scene in order to allow the audience to understand certain uprisings and the affect of Katniss's defined character traits. This event was not included in the book yet produced in the film to add action and connect events that could have been occurring at the same time.

Filmmakers have high hopes on selling tickets at the box offices. So as it was discussed before, filmmakers have a set pitch but will be willing to make any changes thought to attract larger audiences or to please sponsorships. If a film was to be sponsored by Ford, there must be set additions added to please the sponsor even if the idea was not included in the novel.

"Bluestone believes the filmmaker is an independent artist, "not a translator for an established author, but a new author in his own right."
Filmmakers have the right to express their capabilities rather than possess all the exact ideas of the authors. But, film does not always allow the same spectrum of freedom as a novel does. Understanding a character through his or her thoughts and emotions is not as easy to produce in a film. A shortened version of affection may be shown through a short scene rather than a chapter devoted to feelings.

Marketing of the Growing Novel-Based Film Industry

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Jamieson, R. (2012, November 16). The Twilight saga: a modern-day marketing fairytale. Retrieved
        from The Guardian website: http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2012/nov/16/
        twilight-saga-marketing-hollywood

This article discusses how film Industries made a relationship with the chance of profits and marketing techniques from the film based off the novel of Twilight. Also, how a well-known audience helps to promote and market the film.

It has been proven that the estimated amount of movies ever produced have been adapted from novels. Why is this?

Possibly, the idea that fans obsession spreads the popularity of movies, creating extensive ideas to promote and market a film. When a fan of a book realizes there is a film in production, usually the fan will go crazy. Whether it's the good or the bad kind of crazy, the film is is still set in mind.

Take films like Twilight for example. The book itself was already marketed to connect readers to the ever so heart throbbing Edward. So why not take a famous novel and turn it into a film? There is already a set pitch to work off of and a known fan base. The novel itself had already set a major audience only calling in a larger audience when hitting theaters. But marketing techniques also needed to step up when challenging the novel into a film, as should be done when challenging any novel into a film. Some readers have low expectations and don't plan on seeing the film at all. However, many films have no problem with marketing techniques brainwashing audiences of all types.

On the film Twilight:
"It's also the story of a film industry that met a demographic and fell equally hopelessly, head-over-heels in love."
Basically, the film industry could not resist the opportunity.  The film was marketed to grab the attention of everyone, everywhere. It became impossible to ignore the idea that the film was becoming alive. The film industry took time to recognize every possible element to take advantage of audiences. 

"A survey by fandango.com whenthe first Twilight film was released showed that a whopping 83% of moviegoers planned to see the film again – 56% planned to see it with friends and 24% with their mum or daughter."
The film industries techniques used in marketing have done a well job. Film industries have it down that if any audience should be pulled in, it should be young girls. 

All books adapted into films market easier because of the known fan base, causing the film industry to look forward to a higher success rate. This is why there is no fear from film industries to take crazy lengths when marketing the films. Commercials are aired on almost any channel one may turn to. Ads consume billboards, taxi's, buses, and cereal boxes. Films produced from novels such as Divergent, Hunger Games, and Harry Potter are promotions in themselves planning the cliffhangers at the end to excite viewers for the next one to come.