A page to screen adaptation of any work of literature is nowhere near easy. If filmmakers were 100% accurate 100% of the time, we’d be looking at six-hour films. That all being said, there are those films out there that are not only accurate to the source material they represent but shockingly so.
There are a few directors and filmmakers that go the extra mile in making sure their adaptations take more from the books than not, and we applaud them for it. Both the literary inclined and the movie-buffs in all of us can appreciate the attention to detail. So without further ado, here are ten films that are surprisingly book-accurate.
Something Wicked This Way Comes
As the saying goes, if you want something done right you’ve got to do it yourself. We’ve talked about this film at least a dozen times before, but it’s perhaps one of Ray Bradbury’s best works ever put to paper. Not only did the Sci-fi/Horror giant pen the novel, but the screenplay as well.
It’s nowhere near as graphic or dark as the book, but it’s still close enough to warrant recognition. Easily one of the darkest films released under Walt Disney Pictures, this tale of a sinister circus coming to a sleepy little town is delightfully creepy and perfect for a cozy Halloween night.
The Lord of the Rings
Peter Jackson’s iconic and Oscar-winning film series brought one of the most beloved realms in all of fantasy to life on the big screen. Though the director did add more than a handful of features and elements to increase the length of the tale, it is worth noting that most additions did come from other Tolkien works such as The Simarillion.
The films go above and beyond in capturing the enchanted realms of Middle Earth, and the performances from the star-studded cast only further that magical element. From the hills of the Shire to the summit of Mount Doom, we absolutely adore this fantasy epic.
The Silence of the Lambs
How often does a horror film receive an Academy Award? Thomas Harris’s thrilling novel of Agent Clarice Starling and the infamous Hannibal Lecter made for a wonderful and influential psychological horror film, but how do the two adaptations compare? Pretty well, actually.
Quid pro quo, Clarice. There is essentially one gigantic difference between the book and the movie and that’s the backstory for Agent Starling. Though the lambs don’t stop screaming until the book’s conclusion, the rest of the film is pretty accurate. It certainly makes for an interesting dinner discussion. Perhaps with a bottle of Chianti?
Gone With the Wind
A long book would most certainly result in a long movie, and Gone with the Wind is definitely that. The romantic drama of Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler is brought to life brilliantly on the silver screen with this 1939 classic. The book is drastically darker than the film, but we’re mainly chalking the film’s differences to the censor laws of 1930s Hollywood.
Yes, the film leaves out its share of points, but what it does show on the screen is still accurate to the novel, including the famous last words of Rhett Butler. Not 100% accurate, but enough for us to consider it.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Now here’s a film that really shook things up in the 1960s without having to stray from its inspiration. Based on Harper Lee’s powerful novel of the same name, To Kill a Mockingbird not only serves as one of the most moving films of all time but holds up a mirror to the effects of racial hatred.
Famous for the portrayal of Atticus Finch from the legendary Greggory Peck, To Kill a Mocking Bird is almost remarkably identical to the novel. Though less straightforward than Lee’s narrative skill, the film still conveys the same amount of power and emotion through its medium.
Romeo + Juliet
Adapting the works of William Shakespeare to film is nothing new, they’ve been doing it since the silent era. But it’s this Dicaprio classic that gets our attention and earns the spot on our list. Visuals and time period aside, how many modern Shakespeare adaptations go almost verbatim with the original scripts?
We’re gonna be honest with you, some audience members might find the use of Elizabethan English with modern costumes and filmmaking techniques a little jarring, but we think it works for this very visual film. It would have been so easy for Baz Luhrman to make just a modern retelling, points to him for sticking with the script.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Though Francis Ford Coppola took a few liberties with this adaptation of the gothic novel, his version is definitely one of the most accurate and interesting versions of the Dracula story. The effects are absolutely brilliant, the makeup and monsters are definitely Oscar-worthy, and the performances are more than memorable. Even if Keanu Reeves’s was laughable.
Coppola pulls both scenes and dialogue directly from the novel not many Dracula films do. Though the film is a highly romanticized interpretation of the source material, few movies represent it as well as this version. It’s certainly one of our all-time favorite vampire films.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Since Peter Jackson already dominated The Lord of the Rings, Disney decided to try their hand at the fantasy genre with The Chronicles of Narnia, and this first film in their trilogy is perhaps the most iconic adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel. Props to Disney for going all out with this fantasy favorite.
The performances are phenomenal representations of the characters, especially a young James McAvoy’s Mr. Tumnus. It’s also worth mentioning how dark the film can get with scenes like the Stone Table and the White Witch’s castle, sticking feverishly close to the text with its frightening depictions.
It: Chapters 1 and 2
Though time periods are shifted and a few tweaks are made here and there, we’re honestly in awe of how much this film took from Stephen King’s novel. From its reimagining of the infamous demonic clown to specific setpieces, imagery, and dialogue, this is perhaps not only one of the best representations of the author’s work, but the best film for any Stephen King fan.
The film, like the book, ventures into the incredibly dark, disturbing, and graphic territory. The novel itself, at over a thousand pages long, is pure, unfiltered Stephen King. The film, though with a leash on some of the novel’s elements, has that same feeling, even gaining the author’s approval.
Doubt
Based on his award-winning play, John Patrick Shanley went above and beyond the call of duty to bring his work to the big screen. The play itself is a chilling and enthralling tale of suspicion, deceit, and of course doubt, but its transition to film is definitely where it finds its home.
With Doubt, we see a more personal, visual, and environmental story not presented in the stage version, though the script and characters stay the same. Both versions are just as powerful and thought-provoking, but the film is simply more accessible and definitely one of the most accurate book-to-movie adaptations we’ve ever seen.
