When the Movie's Better Than the Book

Yeah, it DOES happen, though it's a rare phenomenon. So rare that I don't think I'll be able to make 10 in my list....but I'm gonna try.

1.) THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Not only is it the first to come to mind, it's an undisputed classic. I pity anyone who hasn't seen it. Not only did the book lack the humor that makes the film timeless, it was flat out boring.

Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father. Prepare to die

2.) FIGHT CLUB. Yes, I said it, but please allow me to defend my position. Fight Club was an excellent novel and the film follows it almost exactly. But the novel was so vivid and visceral that it was made for the screen. The  visual effect makes the story so much more intense. ALSO::: TOPLESS BRAD PITT. Need I say more?

Yum.

3.) THE SHINING: (the original) The book was great but it focused a lot more on alcoholism, thus making it more depressing than creepy. Throw in Jack Nicholson with a cast almost as scary as him and put Stanley Kubric in charge? You get a spine-tingling good time. REDRUM!!!

Yes, it's true Jack Nicholson is scarier than Stephen King

4.) THE FIRST WIVES CLUB: The book was kinda bitter and depressing and the hijinks weren't enough to make up for that. The movie, on the other hand, was hilarious, inspiring and had an ending that gave me happy tears.

My mom and I exchanged high fives every other second in this movie.

5.) THE COUNT OF MONTE CHRISTO (newest version): Excellent novel, but the film actually was successful with changing things. I loved the warden of Chateau d'Eif and the ending was SO much better.

This was the most evil character...but he wasn't in the book.

6.) THE THREE MUSKETEERS: I'm picking on Alexandre Dumas again, but damn, the movie was so much more fun. Also, Tim Curry as Cardinal Richlieu was EPIC.

He always gets the fun roles.

7.) THE LORD OF THE RINGS: Loved the novels, but Tolkien's writing style got a bit dry at times.

And that was one hot elf.

 See, I only got seven. Does anyone have any more?

Movies Based on Books

M'kay, I'm gonna warn you all that Fall is when I watch a crap-load of movies so you'll be getting a lot of movie posts.

First topic of the season: Movies based on books. Sometimes they nail it, sometimes it's an epic fail. Why do they change things unnecessarily? But sometimes the changes can be good.

Anyway, here's 10 I love in no particular order:

1.) The Count of Monte Christo... I like the HEA of this one better.

2.) Interview With the Vampire... Had one of the hottest casts ever....and Louis. ::sigh::

3.) Lord of The Rings Trilogy:.. Best quote ever: "And I smote his ruin upon the mountainside."

4.) The Shawshank Redemption. Excellent novella, excellent  film.

5.) The Green Mile. Made me cry a few times.

6.) Stand by Me (The original title was The Body). One of the best coming of age stories ever.

7.) The Color Purple: Makes me cry through the whole thing.

8.) Pillars of The Earth: One of the greatest novels ever written, finally on the screen in an awesome miniseries.

9.) The Feast of all Saints. A novel about the "free people of color," a topic ignored by most history classes. It was brought to the screen in a miniseries and for once the casting was done right.

10.) The Harry Potter series. Need I say more?

One thing all of these have in common is that they all follow the books quite well. Also, most are longer than the average movie, some made in installments and others done as a made for TV miniseries.

What movies based on books are your favorite? I don't know about you, but I can't wait for the first Hunger Games movie!

"Another Three and a Half Meters"

All writers have days in which, overcome with frustration, they declare, "I've been writing/ querying/ networking for X months/ years and I've gotten NOWHERE!" If you haven't yet, then you must still be a newbie.

The path to success in publication is slow and arduous with many things to leave you discouraged. But whenever I find myself thinking my efforts of the last two years have been in vain, I think of the movie, THE COUNT OF MONTE CHRISTO. Other than being the best revenge film ever (Loved the novel, by Alexandre Dumas too) it is incredibly inspiring at times. 

Edmond Dantes is framed for treason and imprisoned, but with the aid of a fellow prisoner they plot to escape by tunneling out at the painstaking pace of three and a half meters a year. Dantes laughs at first, but the inmate asks him if he has anything else to occupy his time. In return for Dantes's aid, the inmate offers him an education in everything from languages to sword fighting.

The jailers whip the prisoners on every anniversary of of their captivity. As his back is strapped raw every year, Dantes says in different languages, "Another three and a half meters."

As Stephen King says, every written work is created "one word at a time." When we feel like we're going nowhere, we must remind ourselves that as long as we keep writing, every little word is progress. Also, we're getting a priceless education along the way.