Movies Based On Books
Gone With the Wind
Audiences flocked to the theater in 1939 to see Margret Mitchel’s star crossed lovers Rhett and Scarlett come to life before their eyes. Surprisingly even after the movie aired the book was had to keep on the shelves of libraries as so many people wanted to read this story again and again.
To Kill a Mockingbird
This 1962 movie based on Harper Lee’s book of the same name deals with prejudice in a small Southern town and became one of America’s best loved movies winning an academy award. Even today the movie is listed at number 25 of greatest movies of all time and the main character Atticus Finch played by Gregory Peck is listed as the greatest 20th century hero.
Jaws
Based on the Peter Benchley novel Jaws hit movie theaters in 1975 and had audiences sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting for the Great white shark to attach again. This movie not only got movie goers heart rate to quicken, it also had several younger members of the audience afraid to swim in the ocean for awhile.
Twilight
Written by Stephanie Meyer this set of 4 vampire romance novels was destined to become 5 box office successes as younger audiences flocked to the theater to see this tender love story behind one of world’s most feared supernatural creatures. It gave people a whole new way of looking at vampires at least some of them.
Unbroken
Due to be released this year (2014) Unbroken is the story of Louis Zamperini an Olympic runner turned army pilot and POW during world war two. It is a story of hope, survival, and the human spirit.
Gone Girl
Gone Girl is a novel by Gillian Flynn and now to be a movie featuring Ben Affleck. In this day and age when so many young women go missing, and it is later discovered that their husband’s tired of their marriage murder them, this is a timely story of a woman who disappears on the fifth anniversary of her less than perfect marriage and the suspicion that surrounds the woman’s husband.
This is Where I Leave You
Based on the book by the same name, and due to be released this fall, This is Where I leave you is a comedy starring Jason Bateman and Tina Fey. Two dysfunctional siblings are forced to sit Shivah for their recently deceased father and the week long mourning period makes them face their numerous problems.
While all of these books are well worth reading, seeing these stories come to life on the big screen will enthralled audiences of all different ages. It will also be interesting to note the artistic license that Hollywood takes with the original stories.