Successful Adaptations

List creator: DubTaylor Created on: June 15, 2006 - 10:10 AM PDT Description: One usually expects the book to be better than the movie, but here are some examples that -- with the right screenwriter -- a film can be a creative companion piece to the original work.

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movie title	related list	average rating	MPAA rating	watch	rent	buy
The Sweet Hereafter (1997)
Atom Egoyan wrote the script for his filming of Russell Banks tale of a tragic school bus accident and it's after effects on the survivors. Banks novel was broken up into chapters told by the various characters voices.
Affliction (1997)
Paul Schrader does a fine job adapting Bank's dark tale of Wade's (Nolte) fall from grace. Actually he doesn't have far to fall.
The Last Temptation of Christ (Criterion Collection) (1988)
Schrader does it again, working with Scorsese to interpret Nikos Kazantzaki's classic novel.
The Mosquito Coast (1986)
Mr. Schrader seems to be a favorite of mine as far as adapting novels dear to me. This film contains one of Harrison Ford's better performances.
Papillon (1973)
Based on the thrilling memoir by Henri "Papillon" Charrière. Find a copy of Banco, the follow-up to Papillon, to find out what happens to Henri after he floats away from Devil's Island.
Spider (2002)
Patrick McGrath adapts his own novel and does a brilliant job readjusting the tale to fit the screen. The novel is told by Dennis "Spider" Cleg and the reader doesn't necessarily know how off-kilter he is until the end. This feat would have been impossible on-screen.
The Dead Zone (1983)
Jeffrey Boam (Innerspace and The Lost Boys) scripted Cronenberg's version of the Stephen King novel.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Bo Goldman (Melvin and Howard and The Scent of a Woman), along with Lawrence Hauben, adapted Ken Kesey's classic novel. The novel is told through the eyes of the "Chief."