Feature: Question of the Week

August 7, 2001

What do you think about the trend of turning books into movies? What book would you like to see turned into a movie and how would you cast it?

Ingridj304@aol.com
I think that sometimes it can be very cool, but lately they've been turning a lot of books into movies. It really annoys me when a movie is completely untrue to the book.

I think it would be interesting to see A WRINKLE IN TIME turned into a film. I would like Steven Spielberg to direct it, and how would I cast it? That's really tough --- who would be Meg? She's in high school, so the actress would have to at least look young. Maybe Reese Witherspoon, with her hair dyed. I have no idea who would be Calvin. I think Haley Joel Osment would make a good Charles Wallace. I would want a talented actress to be Mrs. Whatsit --- maybe Helen Hunt or Meg Ryan (no matter how much I adore Julia Roberts, I don't think she would be right for the part). But I don't want them to look glamorous or anything.

Pitabreadmonkey@aol.com
I think that turning book into movies is getting way out of hand. Very few movies based on books are interesting. You don't get to use your imagination, which is what books are all about.

I really got irritated when I found out that a Harry Potter movie was in the works. You couldn't make me see that movie if you paid me. (Unless you paid me $1,000,000 +) I think that J. K. Rowling and her people made a huge mistake with letting this happen. Some people may say that movies are good for people that are illiterate, but isn't that what books on tape were invented for? Movies based on books are wiping away the imaginations of kids today.

The only movie based on a book that I think is REALLY good is The Wizard of Oz. This is only my opinion.

LAHazelIZ@aol.com
I am not sure I like the idea of turning so many books into movies because that sometimes ruins the story. Many people, once having seen the movie, will never pick the book up. And besides, the movie is never as good !!

KT1288@aol.com
I hate how so many books are being turned into movies lately. Like, Pay It Forward was a great book, and then I saw the movie and was so disappointed. The book was a ton better, and so much more moving. Now they're making Harry Potter movies, and that will ruin it because it takes out all the imagination. They should just leave the books alone and come up with their own ideas for movies.

Twinkle590@aol.com
I don't feel that they should turn books into movies because that will slowly begin to eliminate reading! If a person has a choice to either read a book or see a movie, most would choose the movie. They'll figure that the movie is more interesting and they get to see a 2 hr. summary of a book that could very well take a few days to read! Also, I prefer to use my own imagination when reading a book. I visualize what the characters look like, what they talk like, etc. When it's in movie form, it's only one person's idea of what the characters should be like, etc.

Gdandybdpizza@aol.com
I think that a book can be turned into a movie, but no matter how hard they try, and no matter how much they stick to the original story line, the book will always be better than the movie.

Sometimes I get perturbed when a good book is ruined by Hollywood and what people expect movies to be like, as opposed to the greatness of the book.

The TOLKIEN movies coming out are supposed to stick closely to the story line, but there is a bigger love story (cause it's a movie, it has to be a love story, grr) between Aragorn and Arwen.

I think that THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (which I just read in one sitting) would make an excellent movie, and would be a victory for all us Darias out there

Tags@aol.com
I think MY LOUISIANA SKY by Kimberly W. Holt should be turned into a movie! And Rachel Leigh Cook should play Tiger Ann Parker.

Darealcutie1@aol.com
Hi how are you doing. The book that I will like to see cast into a movie is FLYY GIRL by Omar Tyree. That book is so realistic. That is going on right now in the world with teens and I think people need to read this book and see a movie about it cause it will interest so many people, especially the people who don't read books. I don't really read books but when my friend introduced the book to me I was attached to it. So --- movie people, if you are listening --- please cast this book into a movie. Thank you.

Cookie3289@aol.com
Whenever books are turned into movies they are ruined! The best parts are taken out and nothing seems to happen the way the author intended it. The cast (at least in my opinion) never fits the characters. But if there should be a book or books made into movies it should be BREATHING UNDERWATER by Alex Flinn and THE LATE GREAT ME. These are two books that aren't touchy-feelie teenybopper books. The
first deals with domestic violence and the second with alcoholism, both issues that need to be brought forth in the teen community.

pracharya@hotmail.com BR> I would like to see the HIS DARK MATERIALS series by Phillip Pullman turned into a movie. I really like the idea of changing a book into a movie.

May210@aol.com
SAY GOODNIGHT GRACIE by Julie Reece Deaver! It's about a 17 yr. old girl who is an actress and what happens to her when her best friend (a guy who is an actor) is suddenly no longer in her life. I cried thru the whole second half of this book. I think Katie Holmes would be great in the starring role and hope it will be a movie soon!

Robert.Coombe@btinternet.com
I would turn Tamora Pierce's ALANNA series into a movie because it has an excellent and exciting story. It is also very original and so many people like the books that there would be a big audience. I do not know who I would cast as Alanna because there are not that many 10 year old famous female actresses. Sir Myles of Olau would have to be played by Sean Connery because I think he would have a good resemblance to the character.

mgccrpt@mindspring.com
Well, I don't know how I feel about movies made from books, some have turned out fabulously, others have totally destroyed the authors original story.

However, I just finished a Young Adult novel by Wick Downing, LEONARDO'S HAND, and feel strongly that it would make a fabulous and enchanting movie to be enjoyed by all ages. As for casting I'm not up on movie stars these days to know who's who, I am a new and used book dealer who spends most of my time reading.

Also another creative young adult book that I found extremely enchanting is LOST IN TIME by Hans Marcus Enzenberger. A way-cool time travel book that visually would be awesome on the big screen.

About a month ago, I also read another totally creative Young Adult book entitled RAPHAEL'S NOBLE TASK by author Catherine Salton. If Disney hasn't already snapped that one up for their next animated extravaganza then there is something wrong. That book is Disney bound if nothing is.

Well, that's my opinion on three great Young Adult books I feel could be successful at the box office.

PaperPistol@aol.com
I would love to see SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson turned into a film. It's one of the best YA books I've read in a long time. I don't know who I would cast... it would be very difficult to find someone who has enough talent and guts to pull off being Melinda.

Snowwhite12287@aol.com
Hi, my name is Melanie. I, personally, don't like the trend of turning books into movies, for the most part. Usually, they ruin the stories. Of course, there are exceptions. But I think that there is a fine line between literature and the media that should not be crossed. For example, the Harry Potter books. I am sure that they will make great movies, but, at the same time, I don't think the movie could ever be as good as the book. I have my own images of the story, and I don't want them changed. But, one book that I think MIGHT make a good movie, is Gail Carson Levine's ELLA ENCHANTED. I'm not sure how I would cast it, but I'd definitely want a part for myself!

reyida@lvcm.com
As long as the movie is faithful to the book, it would be all right. The movie version of THE DEVIL'S ARITHMETIC strayed far from the book version, but it wasn't that bad. I would watch a movie based on a good book as long as it's at least 75% true to the original. One book I would really like to be turned into a movie is THE GIVER by Lois Lowery. It was truly a fantastic book and I think it could be done without making major changes. I believe Ethan Hawke or some younger new actor could play 12 year old Jonas. The person who played Merlin in The Mists of Avalon movie (another exceptional movie based on a book) would make an excellent "Giver of Memories".

Akwa2007@aol.com
I like the way people make movies out of books. My favorite books is LEFT BEHIND, but the book that I would like to see turn into a movie would have to be A CHILD CALLED IT. It is a very dramatic book I could not put it down. I finished it in a week! I told my friends that I got the book and they all wanted it!

Wheaty5062@aol.com
The 10th Kingdom by Kathryn Wesley. I just read this book after seeing the movie and it was really good. The characters were described that you could tell what they looked like without seeing pictures or the movie. Even though it was very long it was good. It was a modern twist on classic fairy tales. I give it four stars because the only problem was they skipped around from the different characters too much.

SKL808@msn.com
A book I can't get enough of is FEARLESS! It has to make the movie scene! It's a great book! And there should be this cool rule that if an author gets a book published, it's going to be in theaters soon because, honestly, all books should be movies.

ToNyA71300@aol.com
I absolutely HATE when they turn books into movies!!! I already have an image of all the characters and places in my head and when I read the book and then watch the movie it ruins my image of everything!!!I don't want to see any books turned into movies!!!!!

1908silverbirchln@msn.com
I would make the Harry Potter books into a movie.... Although I hear their already considering doing that.

Tiger8541@aol.com
I think RIFFLES FOR WATTIE should be turned into a movie. Starring the guy that played Gabriel on "The Patriot"!!!!

PoeticAngel01@aol.com
Go Ask Alice, author anonymous. Cast I could really care less.

Yorky112@aol.com
I think that books into movies are a good idea. But only on some levels. Ok, I recently read and saw THE PRINCESS DIARIES. But I liked the book MUCH MUCH MUCH better because of the many differences in the movie. Sure, the directors can't make EVERYTHING the same, but as much as they can should be. I know that if one of my books were ever turned into a movie, I would be insulted if they changed everything because I would think that they substituted something because they liked it better.

Amers0806@aol.com
Well, I think that books like Harry Potter shouldn't be turned into movies. I believe that they ruin and tamper with kids imaginations. People think a character looks and sounds like one thing, and then Hollywood comes out and tells them that they are different. I think that some of the classics such as Little Women, and Cinderella are useful in that they show and teach some of the classics to children, who might have otherwise not had the chance to read those kind of books. I think it ranges from book to book, depending on the type of book.

WannabeStar001@aol.com
Sometimes this act can be very helpful for a complicated book where there is some question in imagery or what the author is trying to portray. But, this again is another downfall of turning books into movies. Some movies miss the entire point of the book. A historical recount suddenly turns into a massive romance between the strong hero and the damsel in distress. Movies tend to be inaccurate, which makes me think that they liked the book, but liked it better when one character dies at the end or when the two friends get married instead of slowly drifting apart. Even though I am afraid of what torture might be done to this hilariously witty book, I would like to see what HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, would turn out. Unless it's already a movie.....