TOP 3 ADAPTATIONS
The best book to movie adaptations of the 21st century
This blog post wont get overly detailed on any one book or movie, rather I will tell you a bit about the absolute Top 3 Adaptations (to date). The books and movies on this list have three things in common:
- The books AND the films were good
- It’s a series
- Book lovers, film buffs, and semi-illiterate muggles will all be able to enjoy them
#1 TWILIGHT
TOP 3 ADAPTATIONS
Wait! Don’t leave yet. I know the books AND the films were incredibly cringey. But Stephanie Meyers books and their corresponding movies ROCKED the publishing and film world. They will forever make this teenage vampire love triangle series a classic.
Why is this the #1 adaptation, you ask?
For one, it’s a complete series. Im sure you avid bookish humans are just as tired as I am that your favorite novels made films almost NEVER FINISH. Example 1: The Mortal Instruments Series. Not only did the films not follow the rest of the story, but the attempt at a tv show completely flopped. Twilight gets a #1 rating because they actually finished the story. Four books were made into five movies and that simple fact makes me, and many other readers, very happy.
Marketing:
The next best thing about Twilight: marketing. As a part-time marketer myself, I am very impressed by how thorough the marketing. There was merch, press tours, previews, book signings, and so much more. They really played up the whole love-triangle thing, the vampire vs wolf feud, and the teen angst.
The adaptation understood the assignment: relatable escapism.
#2 HARRY POTTER
TOP 3 ADAPTATIONS
Im sure many of you will think that Harry Potter should be #1.
You are wrong… but only because of the way the world first got introduced to the books. This series was banned in MANY libraries for a long time. People, mostly close-minded witch-fearing muggles, BURNED the books. A lot of people actually thought that this series, about an 11-year-old orphan with a wand, was pushing Satanism and Witch craft onto children. Harry Potter was not as initially popular as Twilight. Therefore, it had to be bumped down on my list.
AGE:
I also have a bit of a problem with the age thing. Harry Potter is supposed to be 11 years old and is 17 by the time the story ends, which means he was at Hogwarts for 5 years. It should have been 6 years, but, spoiler alert, a cranky old snake-man was bullying him. Harry Potter does not look or act like an 11 year old. Maybe English kids are different, but he just wasn’t relatable.
There was no angst, minimal romance, and no real connection to what actual 11 year olds are like. Even the other characters like Ron and Hermione acted more like teenagers than pre-teens at the beginning. The books, written for children, did a good job of portraying pre-teens. The films did not quite capture the same spirit.
DESIGN:
As for graphics, character development, and choice of actors, this adaptation beats all others. Even the graphics in the first movie were great. I know it’s a little lame, but my favorite scene is the zoom-in to the towering castle in the middle of the unstable ocean at night. It’s a vibe that will forever comfort me to sleep. In fact, my Harry Potter Pinterest board is full of that scene.
Also, the characters developed throughout the whole story. For the books and movies, there was never a lack of growth. The main characters were constantly learning, getting wiser, and shocking audiences. ALL of the actors were PERFECTLY selected. I don’t think I have ever seen an adaptation and thought that every single character was perfectly cast.
I might be shunned for saying this, but the Harry Potter films might actually be better than the books.
#3 THE HUNGER GAMES
TOP 3 ADAPTATIONS
Similar to Harry Potter, I think these movies are better than the books.
There are so many elements of the story that were hard to imagine. The movie brought to life all of the things that I couldn’t imagine. For example, the beautiful song that Katniss sings to Rue. I could not create music in my head to go with the lyrics. Hearing a musical score in the film and for the credits made a real experience.
BLOCKED BY FANS:
Although The Hunger Games is one of the most popular movie adaptations in recent history, it was not as popular as Twilight or Harry Potter. It can be assumed that the lack of fanfare is due to the release of the Twilight movies, which happened within the same years. The Twi-hards of the world really focused on Twilight and filled the internet with memes, blogs, videos, and so much content that it was hard for any other book to movie adaptation to compete.
PG-13:
The series is not good for all ages though. I would not recommend it for anyone younger than a tweenager. The violence, romance, politics, and psychology of the film are things that young kids wouldn’t understand and probably wouldn’t enjoy.
However, the outfits in these movies are INCREDIBLE! I can’t think of another book to movie adaptation that had such impactful fashion.
The Hunger Games gets a place on the Top 3 Adaptations list because it is a series. It was filmed in full. Also, readers and non-readers alike can enjoy the movies.
THE SECRETS TO A GREAT FILM
- A complete story (NO CLIFF HANGERS).
- Is entertaining and easy to follow without any knowledge of the books.
- Escapism is the main purpose of the book and movie
Although there are many many other films based on books, these three seem to be the most popular, completed, and enjoyable for all audiences. As a big fan of adaptations, I really hope more truly great ones come out in my lifetime. I would love to be able to experience the hype that these three movies had again.
For more a more detailed analysis on these books/films, follow my blog or join my mailing list for updates on posts.
Click here to see the Twilight analysis.
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