There is almost no doubt in my mind that the vast majority of you will have seen a film recently that has been adapted from something else. Recently it is the novel more than anything else that has been the target of movie makers.

Let me break down the various forms of adaptation that can be discussed here. You can specify a film you would like to discuss or talk about how you feel about adaptation in general. Is there something you would like to see adapted? Why?

- Novels/Literature into film or television.
- Television into film.
- Film into television (avoid anime discussions)
- Music into a visual experience (Peter and the Wolf for example)
- Stage Shows into Film/TV and vice-versa

For discussions on Remakes, including Hollywood remaking Asian Horror, please visit this thread

For discussions Games Adapted into Film, please visit this thread

For discussions on Novels you would Like to see as Anime/Manga, please visit this thread

I think the main problem with adaptions is that they are often done by people who proclaim to be fans of the series. Why is this a problem? Because fans are the absolute WORST person to put in charge of a production. Fans don't want things to be accessible to people who aren't already fans, and thus they create things that aren't accessible. Worse still, you get a fan of the series who is a 'I'm a huge fan but...' and who set about 'fixing things' that were wrong with the original source material. Case and point, all the directors of the Harry Potter films were fans, and currently have gone at the book with a pair of shears and made the films, AWFUL adaptions.

This isn't to say people who aren't fans of something they adapt are much better. Case and point, Michael ****ing Bay and the Transformers travesty. I'll say no more on that one, needless to say if your looking for a director to a film, avoid diehard fans and people who hate the source material and stick with something in the middle; I think we call them 'talented directors' or something strange like that.

Of course the main issue with any adaption is that people expect too much from them alot of the time and especially with books, the visuals of a film will never match ro reach teh depths of your imagination.

That's my two... pennies lol

^ *nod nod* the herry potter adaptations are AWFUL! Well in my opinion, the first 2 films are very very good, they capture the mood of the books, cutting is at an absoloute minium, people can easily understand the films without reading the books, but film 3 and past that...well i heard that those films had a different director, is that true? Anyway I know those books are much larger, but the films seem to be handled terribly, they are dark depressing, I can not fathom how someone can follow the story without reading the book (I relate brotherhood to the later harry potters a lot haha) even the simplest things like how the actors look isnt been handled right, in every book harry is described to have messy thick black hair that grows uncontrollably, or words to that effect right? Yet in the latest film, Daniel had barely any hair at all! To be honest film 3 and after don't feel like harry potter at all to me, and they get worse as they go on

Another fail adaptation, the golden compass aka northen lights, fantastic book but what went wrong with that movie!? I know that america in particualr insisted on a lot of changes due to its religion opposing ideas, but they killed the story, and ended it in a way that it should be continued but the sequals never appeared *sigh*

And well, I could rant on and on and on about films like the golden compass forever XD but I'm not going to cause I'm tierd and wanna sleep lol but to mention a good adaptation, lord of the rings ftw! Thought those films were brilliantly handled, it seemed very well thought out, what should be cut, what should be edited etc the language used in the films was very true to the books and the whole feeling of the trilogy was fufilling and complete, I knew what was going on, I was never confused and it told me a great story, adaptations like this are what makes an adaptation sucsessful, they don't have to be identical to its original, of course what works in one media doesnt nesscarily work in another, but an adaptation that puts across teh same story with no confusion and engages you in the same way as the original is a work of art, its a shame that they're so few and far between

I've recently found myself comparing all of the 'Alice in Wonderland' adaptations since Tim Burton's failure. I must say, I much more enjoyed the Disney and 1990 (or something or rather) version. Both of them followed the storyline much more accurately, and neither sacrificed heart and charm for CGI effects and what not.

While Disney's version did add a few things from TTLG,AWAFT (an example being Tweedledee and Tweedledum), they did keep all of the other main aspects, even while lacking things like the caucus race and duchess, ect. The characters resembled the books intentions, and were given about as much heart as they were meant to have, no over dramatized characters or storylines.

The 1990 version, is also very accurately made. I would have to say my only complaint would be that the March Hare looks scary, and Alice's dress was yellow, instead of blue (not mentioning her being a red head)

There was a Syfy special, called 'Alice' which spun a twist on it. I must say, I appreciate this because they went through and made something completely new, rather than changing a few aspects, and it was done well at that.

AND THEN... there was Burton's failure of a remake. I wont give much of my opinion, as my review can be read here:
http://www.fullmetal-alchemist.com/forums/...st&p=724805
But I will say, it was a disappointment, to see a classic ripped up like that. It was just watching money, which is a shame... all he's doing is giving Hot Topic money

Anyway, AiW is one of my favorite books of all time, and there are just so many remakes of it, it's hard to keep track. As far as some others I enjoyed would be the game 'American McGee's Alice'. Tim Burton's was just... sad. Although I've learned not to expect great things from him anymore anyways.