Wow! That movie was EXACTLY like the book!
- Thread starter Funky
- Start date
Vermithrax 4
Well-Known Member
David Lynch's "Dune" is almost exactly like the book. I mean, except for the fact that McLachlan was too old, that Gurney should have been ugly, that they had the Baron floating around, the inclusion of the weirding modules, that they left out all the stuff about Liet Kynes' planetology, didn't include anything about the importance of Selusa Secundus in comparison with Arrakis, omitted Count Fenring entirely, had heart plugs on the Harkonnens, didn't develop Feyd's character whatsoever, and totally changed the ending....Aside from that it's just like the book. 
lol
lol
Boogeyman13
Sr Member
Isn't The Last Man on Earth with Vincent Price pretty spot on to I Am Legend? It's been a while since I've read or watched them, but I don't recall any glaring omissions or inconsistencies.
Guri
Sr Member
The Outsiders was one of my favorite movies growing up, so I had it almost memorized. My son and I read it this past month and I was pretty amazed at how the dialog was SO faithful. Dally was a blond in the book, but the characterizations were very faithful.
Now that both my kids have read it we're going to watch it together and I'll see what they think.
Now that both my kids have read it we're going to watch it together and I'll see what they think.
In the book the guy is a factory worker who teaches himself science. Last Man was the first of the movies to introduce the scientist aspect. It is by far the closest to the book though.
Well, "Soy Leyende" is probably closest to the book. That includes the vampire hunter as the boogeyman in the bedtime story which no other film version did. The science aspect was first introduced in The Omega Man (and better I might add).
0neiros
Master Member
Make room Make room, AKA Soylent Green is pretty spot on to the book. In fact the only thing they didn't convey enough in the movie is that we had passed the Extinction Threshold, there was NO saving us, that's why Saul opted for euthanasia, he just couldn't live with the knowledge that we were done.
Shendorion
Well-Known Member
I saw the movie before I read the books, and I still can't get Alan Rickman to play Snape when I read it in my head. He's a great actor, and I liked his performances in the role, but he's a different Snape than the one I read. Same goes for Broadbent as Slughorn, word-for-word.
Aside from that, 'Sorceror's Stone is pretty faithful to the source material. Deathly Hallows isn't so much, but I think it ought to get special mention just for bringing back characters and themes I thought they'd have to omit because they were completely absent in the preceeding films. It was much closer to the source than I thought they were going to be able to come after seeing them hack up 5 and 6.
Aside from that, 'Sorceror's Stone is pretty faithful to the source material. Deathly Hallows isn't so much, but I think it ought to get special mention just for bringing back characters and themes I thought they'd have to omit because they were completely absent in the preceeding films. It was much closer to the source than I thought they were going to be able to come after seeing them hack up 5 and 6.
Qui-Gonzalez
Master Member
"The Stand" by King. Exactly how I read it.
Let me help some of you guys out here...
ex·act adjective
1. strictly accurate or correct: an exact likeness; an exact description.
2. precise, as opposed to approximate; the exact sum; the exact date.
3. admitting of no deviation, as laws ordiscipline; strict or rigorous.
4. capable of the greatest precision: exact instruments.
5. characterized by or using strict accuracy: an exact thinker.
Let me help some of you guys out here...
ex·act adjective
1. strictly accurate or correct: an exact likeness; an exact description.
2. precise, as opposed to approximate; the exact sum; the exact date.
3. admitting of no deviation, as laws ordiscipline; strict or rigorous.
4. capable of the greatest precision: exact instruments.
5. characterized by or using strict accuracy: an exact thinker.
Solo4114
Master Member
As has been stated:
The first Harry Potter film. This is basically a literal translation from the book with only minor things omitted. (Like Peeves the ghost.) Everything else was literally scene-for-scene.
I'd also agree with Silence of the Lambs being identical at least to my recollection.
Game of Thrones, however, is NOT identical, in that it has a bunch of stuff added in. Nothing's missing, but it definitely has additional scenes that appear nowhere in the first two books (I haven't read the third, so I don't know if we get flashbacks).
For example, Robert's conversation with Cersei where they're talking about their marriage and laughing ruefully? Never happened.
Same goes for the "shaving" scene between Renly and Loras Tyrell. Not in the book.
That's not to say that what's on screen isn't faithful to the book, just that what's on screen also has a fair bit of additional stuff. I suppose you also miss internal character thoughts, but the actors can portray that through reactions and such.
The first Harry Potter film. This is basically a literal translation from the book with only minor things omitted. (Like Peeves the ghost.) Everything else was literally scene-for-scene.
I'd also agree with Silence of the Lambs being identical at least to my recollection.
Game of Thrones, however, is NOT identical, in that it has a bunch of stuff added in. Nothing's missing, but it definitely has additional scenes that appear nowhere in the first two books (I haven't read the third, so I don't know if we get flashbacks).
For example, Robert's conversation with Cersei where they're talking about their marriage and laughing ruefully? Never happened.
Same goes for the "shaving" scene between Renly and Loras Tyrell. Not in the book.
That's not to say that what's on screen isn't faithful to the book, just that what's on screen also has a fair bit of additional stuff. I suppose you also miss internal character thoughts, but the actors can portray that through reactions and such.
Jack Bauer
Sr Member
Gone With the Wind.
One of my favorites in both forms.
One of my favorites in both forms.
cboath
Master Member
Well, they cut Hermione solving Snapes potion puzzle at the end - that was the last puzzle before the mirror. Lot of the ghost explanation and dialog was left out too. The Ultimate edition puts back some of the stuff that was cut, but not all (Hermione's scene is still out).
Of course it's MUCH easier to do that in a 300 page book as opposed to 4-7 where the SHORT book was 850
A LOT was cut in 4 as well.
TheDoctor
Sr Member
There are some that are exact in spirit (i.e. there were changes or things left out but they were pretty minor).
As mentioned, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - the American version is closer to the book than the Swedish movie, though there were some minor diffences (the biggest of which was the prison time).
Another is "The Gosphel of John" - it's actually word-for-word from The Gosphel of John (American ISV I believe).
If you're looking for EXACT exact, there may be some movie versions of Shakesphere's stuff (the B&W version of Hamlet from MST3K springs to mind...).
Other than that, there's always some alterations.
As mentioned, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - the American version is closer to the book than the Swedish movie, though there were some minor diffences (the biggest of which was the prison time).
Another is "The Gosphel of John" - it's actually word-for-word from The Gosphel of John (American ISV I believe).
If you're looking for EXACT exact, there may be some movie versions of Shakesphere's stuff (the B&W version of Hamlet from MST3K springs to mind...).
Other than that, there's always some alterations.
darthgordon
Sr Member
If you're looking for absolutely, 100% exact, you'd have a very short thread... basically, just your opening question. I cannot think of a single movie that was exactly like the book.
Your typical screenplay for a 2 hour movie is about 120 pages. Your typical novel is anywhere from 150 (virtually a short story) to 1000 pages. You cannot fit all of that into one movie.
Then you have to consider things such as budget, pacing and what translates well on screen and what does not.
Imagination is also important. I may envision something completely different when I read a story than another person. If a line in a book reads "he placed his keys on the table," I might picture a round dark wooden table. Someone else might picture a table cloth. Another may picture a square or rectangular table.
Daemon324
Active Member
Some of the closest movies that I can think of are the three newest Narnia movies. They definitely have the spirit, I think. And, the list of differences is relatively minor I think. Plus, personally, I think C.S. Lewis had a lot of description. For some reason, they got really close to what I thought what Narnia looked like.
The "American" version is still technically a valid version, and Kubrick left the final chapter out on purpose.
Similar threads
