It’s a question people love to debate, “what did you prefer – the book or the film?” In my experience the book always triumphs over the film, purely for its ability to add more detail and the chance to hunt for any easter eggs that didn’t make it into the film adaptation. But many films however, are derived from books, probably some you didn’t even realise. But which of these adaptations do you think are the best?
Here are the top 10 best book to movie screen adaptations as ranked by Entertainment Weekly. There are some surprising spots on the list.
10. Le Transperceneige and Snowpiercer (2014)
Snowpiercer is based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige, which was created by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette and published in 1982. It tells a postapocolyptic story whereby the remaining humans take part in a revolution following a second ice age. It was director Bong Joon Ho’s English-language debut and was massively praised for its visually striking imagery.
9. To Kill a Mockingbird and To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Both the film and the book version of To Kill a Mockingbird stand the test of time and are loved widely today. With themes that are sadly still visible in today’s society Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book and Gregory Peck’s depiction of the Alabama lawyer Atticus Finch has been admired as a performance for the ages.
8. Little Women and Little Women (2019)
Not the first adaptation of this book, but Greta Gerwig’s take on the book by Louisa May Alcott takes the story to new heights. It’s starry cast including Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern and Timothée Chalame give it a fresh take, while also doing the book justice. It will have the tears flooding from your eyes.
7. The Age of Innocence and The Age of Innocence (1993)
Another book that won the Pulitzer Prize, Edith Wharton’s novel sings on the pageis a beautiful piece of prose that depics the lat 1800s in upper-class New York. In 1993, Martin Scorsese was in charge of this adaptation and he matched this energy but brought the imagery to life. The story follows High-society lawyer Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he begins to fall for his fiancée’s cousin.
6. I, Tina and What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993)
The adaptation of her biography, Tina Turner was not impressed with What’s Love Got to Do With It. But the film brought out two incredible performances from Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne, and earned them both Oscar nominations.
5. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Again, in this instance the author disliked the film adaptation. However, author Ken Kesey was one in only a few to agree as the film became only the second movie in history to win the Big Five Oscars including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay) – it remains a classic.
4. The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries (2001)
This is an iconic story brought to life by Anne Hathaway in her early-career as she plays a geeky 16-year-old who finds out she is a princess of a small European principality. Hathaway stars opposite Julie Andrews, who plays her grandmother and also the Queen of Genovia. Both the book and film excel but the film is a treat to the eyes.
3. Room and Room (2015)
This anxiety enducing novel is only furthered by the magic of filmmaking. The excitingly tense tale keeps you hooked, both the book and the film do well at this. The story is dark and follows the ecape of a young woman who has been held captive for seven years who has also given birth to a son in captivity.
2. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln and Lincoln (2012)
Lincoln was directed by Steven Spielberg but the film was onlyin part based on the book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It details on the life of Abraham Lincoln and features an Oscar-winning performance from Daniel Day-Lewis.
1. Emma and EMMA. (2020)
For all of the many Jane Austen adaptations we have seen, EMMA. starring Anna Taylor-Joy and directed by Autumn de Wilde, bring a modern feel to this classic. It’s a social satire that is both chaotic and charming at once. Taylor-Joy’s incredible performance is what sets the film apart from the movie.
