Summary
- Some of the greatest movies based on books didn't stay true to the source material, but still became major hits.
- Movies like The Wizard of Oz and Shrek gained a stronger following than their books, with drastically different storylines.
- Filmmakers often take creative liberties with adaptations, resulting in something spectacular like Howl's Moving Castle and Forrest Gump.
Some of the greatest movies over the past decades were based on books, but not all stuck to their source material. Of course, even the most true-to-source adaptations can't get every detail right. The average novel has hundreds of pages filled with information, and there isn't time in a film to capture all of it. Still, some movies didn't even seem to try to stay true to the books they were based on. Of course, this is a gamble for movie makers, but in some cases, they are paid back with a major hit.
Sometimes, when one of these movies is met with critical acclaim, it's a bit of a surprise to learn that they were based on books. Many gained a stronger following than their source material, meaning some fans watched the movies first and read the books second. This can sometimes mean a shock since the story in one is drastically different from that of the other. For one reason or another, the screenwriters and directors decided to go in an entirely different direction than the original authors—and the result is sometimes something pretty spectacular.
10 The Wizard Of Oz
The 1939 The Wizard of Oz is an easy classic. One of the most memorable early-technicolor films, it continues to bring the story of Dorothy Gale to audiences today. Now, a person is likelier to have watched the movie than to have read the book released in 1900. The film was considerably watered down compared to the book, which is far darker. From the beginning, Dorothy and her crew were on a mission to kill the Wicked Witch of the West rather than accidentally melting her with a bucket of water.
9 Shrek
Shrek is one of the few movies more elaborate than the book it was based on. The original story follows an ogre who had no idea how ugly he was. He gets kicked out of his parents' house and receives a prophecy that states a donkey will lead him to a hideously ugly princess who is destined to become his wife. He did all this, discovered that he was ugly, fell in love with the ugly princess, and lived happily ever after. Of course, the bones of the Shrek movie are here, but in all, the written story is entirely different.
8 How To Train Your Dragon
The How to Train Your Dragon movie trilogy has a beautiful and inspiring story, and though the same is true for the book, the plotline itself is far from identical. For one, the dragons in the books are only about the size of dogs—some much smaller or larger than others, but none big enough to ride. Additionally, the beasts are never at war with the humans in the How to Train Your Dragon book. The entire village trained the dragons, but they did so with screaming and abuse. On the other hand, Hiccup was extraordinary because he learned to talk to them instead.
7 I Am Legend
I Am Legend's alternate ending, in which Will Smith's Robert Neville realized that Darkseekers weren't monsters but beings capable of social connection, was a little more faithful to the original novel but still drastically different. In the 1954 book by Richard Matheson, Neville fell in love with an infected woman (who was more a vampire than a zombie), which is how he ultimately learned that there was a society of her kind that considered him the monster. In the end, they executed the last man on earth, and his final thoughts were that his own kind would only be a legend after his death—an ending that makes much more sense with the title.
6 Howl’s Moving Castle
Famed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is known for putting a unique spin on all the novels he adapts to film, and Howl's Moving Castle is a prime example. Though Diana Wynne Jones' book follows a young girl named Sophie who is turned into an old woman and falls in love with a wizard named Howl, the details in between include a whole lot more. Sophie finds out that she herself is a witch, travels to our world to where Howl is from (Wales, to be exact), and meets the Witch of the Waste's fire demon before saving the day. Moreover, the Howl's Moving Castle book was followed by two sequels.
5 Forrest Gump
One of the best and most quotable movies of all time, Forrest Gump is another film many people don't know was based on a book. Of course, curious fans who pick up a copy may be surprised at what they find there. Forrest's character is described as extremely different from Tom Hanks, and he does so much more than was ever seen in the movie. The strange man winds up touring the country playing harmonica in a band and even travels to space with an ape. The overall feel is similar, but there isn't much else that is.
4 Blade Runner
Blade Runner is so different from the book it's based on that they don't even have the same title. The 1968 novel was named Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (by Philip K. Dick), and the differences from the adaptation don't end there. Deckard's book counterpart was a detested bounty hunter rather than a respected officer of the law, and the androids he hunts (not replicants) are unfeeling and unpredictable, with no apparent motivation for their murderous actions.
3 Jurassic Park
The Jurassic Park movie is something of an "intro to horror" for children, with a few bloody scenes enough to thrill but not entirely gross out the audience. The same can't be said for the book it was based on. The dinosaurs were far more brutal, and author Michael Crichton didn't shy away from describing every bloody attack. Additionally, John Hammond's character is entirely different in the Jurassic Park book, where he is more evil and greedy rather than just a little over-eager and irresponsible.
2 The Shining
Stephen King's books are frequently adapted into movies, and The Shining is among the more iconic. Though many characters are the same in the book, they interact differently. John Torrance starts as a kindly character doing his best to care for his family, and his plunge into madness is much slower and more refined. Hallorann doesn't die, the famous lines "Here's Johnny!" and "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" are nonexistent, and Jack doesn't freeze to death outside. From beginning to end, The Shining's two versions play out pretty differently.
1 Breakfast At Tiffany’s
Though the main character of Breakfast At Tiffany's is primarily the same from the book to the movie, there's little else that lines up. The novel was set in the '40s during World War II, adding a darker element to the plot. Rather than being a bright and airy romance, the book is a story of a somewhat erratic woman who winds up running off, leaving the writer she falls in love with in the film behind. Ultimately, it's good that the Breakfast at Tiffany's movie went in its own direction since it's still regarded as a classic today. Still, it's hard to say that it's even the same story as the one on the page.
