With several big budget movie adaptations of
classic works of literature due to arrive in theatres in the not too distant
future, I thought it would be a good idea to blog our top 5 most anticipated
here at SoVibrant HQ. With some of these titles being in my top ten books list
I hope the following films don't disappoint!
1. On The Road
Jack Kerouac's defining work perfectly captures the spirit
and ethos of the beat generation of the late 1950's. Largely autobiographical
the book focuses on the cross-country hitch hiking of Kerouac and
his acquaintances. This book is a work of genius and the film has got a
lot to live up to even come close to matching its quality.
2. The Great Gatsby
I'm not sure how any film can capture the subtleties and
subtext of F. Scott Fitzgerald's seminal 1920's novel. Baz Luhman, director of
Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet is not someone that you would normally
associate with a delicate touch (and the trailer appears to be anything but
subtle) so it will be interesting to see how this take on the classic book
is relieved by its fans.
3. The Hobbit
If this as half as good as the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
then it is definitely not one to miss. Recent news that the story is to be
stretched out into a trilogy has concerned some fans though, with many fearing
that Peter Jackson or the studio are looking to cash in on the franchise. Only
time will tell but my instincts tell me that this will be one of the most
successful adaptations in the list.
4. Life Of Pi
I touched on this in a recent blog so wont risk the danger
of repeating myself here. I'll only say I'm really looking forward to catching
both the book and the film soon.
5. Cloud Atlas
Having not yet read this book its high on my reading list
before the movie comes out. I'm very impressed with the trailer though and
spanning hundreds of years the film looks like it's going to be epic.
Because I'm feeling especially generous today and to show
these potential pretenders how successful a good movie adaptation can be if its
handled correctly, I have listed my top 5 movie adaptations to date below:
1. 2001 A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece is probably one of the only
films that I've enjoyed more than the original source material. The opening
sequence itself is a work of genius. Kubrick was really a master of his craft
at this stage in his career. If you have not seen this film yet watch it now.
No seriously stop reading this and watch it.....now.
2. Goodfellas
Based on 'Wiseguy' the autobiography of Nicholas Pileggi
this is THE definitive gangster movie. Scorsese focuses on the street
level hoods as opposed the Mafia leadership of the Godfather Trilogy,
and the film tracks the rise and fall of the Lucchese crime family spanning
across several decades. In my opinion career best performances from Joe Pesci
and Robert De Niro. The book is also definitely worth a read.
3. Blade Runner
Having loved this film for a number of years I have recently
read the Philip K Dick source novel 'Do Androids Dream of Electric
Sheep' and was sadly disappointed as it had none of the subtlety or complexity
of the film. Hopefully Ridley Scott wont taint this work with his rumoured
sequel in the same way he has with Prometheus, but I can forgive
him for the fact that he made this amazing film in the first place. Way
ahead of its time.
4. The Shawshank Redemption
Based on a Stephen King short story, The Shawshank
Redemption often tops the greatest movie of all time lists and it’s easy
to see why. A brilliant story brilliantly executed.
5. The Lord Of The Rings
What can you say about this amazing trilogy other than Peter
Jackson has not only managed to film the unfilmable but also created a
cinematic masterpiece. Shame the last film has so many endings but this is a
small complaint. Let's hope that The Hobbit can maintain the level of quality
Jackson achieved with this franchise. The books can be heavy going but I would
highly recommend them.
Images and trailers via the web
www.sovibrant.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for submitting a comment. Don't forget to visit www.sovibrant.co.uk to learn more about our work.