Not all books on this list may be a surprise, but one or two are sure to be a shock to you! Literature has had a hand in cinema for the longest time, so here are six films that were based off and adapted from books.
Did you know these films were based off books?
Jurassic Park
The story of Jurassic Park is well-known throughout cinema, but the book written by Michael Crichton in 1990 may not be known as the source material for said film.
The film adaptation came out in 1993, and was – and still is – a huge success. One of the differences we saw in the movie was the removal of a dinosaur named Procompsognathus (try saying that five times fast). The famous Tyrannosaurus Rex was put in place as the main attraction in the film instead.
Other differences include Alan Grant’s (Sam Neill) attitude towards children, which is different in the book, and a lot of violence was cut from the film version.
Fight Club
This film from 1999 has a rather large following, with audiences loving the unique plot and style – but did you know this was based off the 1996 book by Chuck Palahniuk?
The movie is said to keep pretty much in line with the plot, characters, the rest of the film’s aspects. However, the tone in the book seems to change when moved to the big screen.
The inclusion of the voiceover in the film captures the narration in the book, keeping consistent with the vision of the novel.
Room
The book, coming out in 2010, and the film, releasing in 2015, are said to be rather similar.
The author, Emma Donoghue, wrote the screenplay adaption for her novel before it was published because she was sure the story would attract filmmakers – smart!
The story seems to be pretty much the same, and director Lenny Abrahamson did a wonderful job bringing Donoghue’s book to life.
American Psycho
An absolutely brilliant film adapted from a book of the same name written by Bret Easten Ellis.
Written in 1991 and adapted nine years later in 2000, the film is said to have added dark humour to characters and situations, which fits perfectly with Patrick Bateman’s (Christian Bale) character within the adaptation.
The plot seems to remain the same, but Bale’s performance in this movie makes it a must-see regardless of if you have read the book.
The Exorcist
A horror classic, but it may be little-known that its scary origins were lifted right off the page.
The author of this book, William P Blatty, released his creation in 1971, and only two years later in 1973, the adaptation was released. The book and film seem to share more similarities than differences, as the film seemed to simply bring the story to life.
Simply in the sense of similarity, the use of special effects and the like added another level to the book itself.
Forrest Gump
Perhaps the biggest surprise on this list, the film that so many audiences loved and still do to this day, came from the 1986 book of the same name written by Winston Groom.
The film was released in 1994, and warmed audiences hearts. However, the book is surprisingly said to be a little darker, and adds more moral complexity – which would maybe create more of a thought-provoking plot.
Regardless of this change, the film still seemed true to form and was a wonderful journey all about a simple man who wants to stay positive.
Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal
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