What's the best horror movie based on a BOOK?
November 10th 2006 00:28
About 90% of books (fiction, mostly) that are adapted into films are infinitely better than the movie. I’m not here to argue that, although there are exceptions.
Although a picture may paint a thousand words, the mechanics of prose enable a writer to effortlessly shift between perspectives and structure, which never translates very successfully to film, unless, of course, you’re making an art-house film full of experimentation.
Movies can use voiceover and employ numerous types of special effects, but there’s nothing as effective as the simple use of italics and a short paragraph. Some books, such as the overwhelming supernatural horror novel House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, are so overtly experimental, even abstract, yet brilliantly evocative in their imagery and tone that one wonders if it could ever be turned into a movie, and yet, one can’t help wondering if some wunderkind lunatic might try.
Novels are the usual movie fodder, but there are non-fiction books that have been turned into movies. Although not a straight adaptation as such, I’m sure Wolf Creek director Greg McLean read the compelling biography of Ivan Milat and his family, Sins of the Brother, while penning his screenplay. The book, written by journalists Mark Whittaker and Kennedy, is exceptional in that it is written in a prose style and structured like a bloody good yarn.
An example of a horror movie which turned out to be more concise and ultimately more convincing than the novel it was based on was Mary Harron’s adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis’s infamous shocker American Psycho.
When it was announced that a movie was going to be produced, most readers of the novel were stunned that anyone would attempt to film it. The scenes of horror in the novel are arguably some of the most heinous and horrific ever penned. However, what screenwriters Harron and Guinevere Turner did was pare back the graphic nature of the violence and concentrate more on the novel’s disguised satire and descent into madness and paranoia protagonist/antagonist Patrick Bateman slides into.
Of course it helped by having Christian Bale in the lead role. His studied approach and immaculate deliverance was flawless (a subtle irony in place there too). The film also captured a deliciously wicked sense of humour.
Some brilliant novels have been filmed time and time again, and yet have never done the original book justice. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a prime example. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is another.
So, what horror movies are up there as the best literary adaptations? They can include films which work superbly even though they don’t follow the book religiously; Stanley Kubrick’s version of Stephen King’s The Shining, or Ridley Scott’s version of Thomas Harris’s Hannibal, per chance? What about Stuart Gordon’s version of H.P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator, even?
* the images on this page were taken from the following wikipedia pages:
American Psycho, American Psycho (film), Hannibal (novel) and Hannibal (film)
Although a picture may paint a thousand words, the mechanics of prose enable a writer to effortlessly shift between perspectives and structure, which never translates very successfully to film, unless, of course, you’re making an art-house film full of experimentation.
Movies can use voiceover and employ numerous types of special effects, but there’s nothing as effective as the simple use of italics and a short paragraph. Some books, such as the overwhelming supernatural horror novel House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, are so overtly experimental, even abstract, yet brilliantly evocative in their imagery and tone that one wonders if it could ever be turned into a movie, and yet, one can’t help wondering if some wunderkind lunatic might try.
Novels are the usual movie fodder, but there are non-fiction books that have been turned into movies. Although not a straight adaptation as such, I’m sure Wolf Creek director Greg McLean read the compelling biography of Ivan Milat and his family, Sins of the Brother, while penning his screenplay. The book, written by journalists Mark Whittaker and Kennedy, is exceptional in that it is written in a prose style and structured like a bloody good yarn.
When it was announced that a movie was going to be produced, most readers of the novel were stunned that anyone would attempt to film it. The scenes of horror in the novel are arguably some of the most heinous and horrific ever penned. However, what screenwriters Harron and Guinevere Turner did was pare back the graphic nature of the violence and concentrate more on the novel’s disguised satire and descent into madness and paranoia protagonist/antagonist Patrick Bateman slides into.
Of course it helped by having Christian Bale in the lead role. His studied approach and immaculate deliverance was flawless (a subtle irony in place there too). The film also captured a deliciously wicked sense of humour.
Some brilliant novels have been filmed time and time again, and yet have never done the original book justice. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a prime example. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is another.
So, what horror movies are up there as the best literary adaptations? They can include films which work superbly even though they don’t follow the book religiously; Stanley Kubrick’s version of Stephen King’s The Shining, or Ridley Scott’s version of Thomas Harris’s Hannibal, per chance? What about Stuart Gordon’s version of H.P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator, even?
* the images on this page were taken from the following wikipedia pages:
American Psycho, American Psycho (film), Hannibal (novel) and Hannibal (film)
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Comment by suitably*wounded
Eternal Days; Author: Illness, M.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
s*w, you read my mind (fzzzt, fzzzt, fzzzzzt), as I thought of William Friedkin's adaptation of William Blatty's novel, after I posted ...
Trust you to slide on in there ...
Comment by Adrienne
Comment by The Voices in my Head
The Voices in my Head
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Either way the film adaptation is a worthy translation of one of my favourite novels of all time.
The exorcist is the first one that jumped into my mind as well when I read this post.
10 great novel to film adaptations: (In the order I think of them)
Burrough's Naked Lunch
William Hjortsberg's Angel Heart
Joan Lindsay's Picnic at Hanging Rock
Ira Levin's Rosemary's Baby
Edgar Allen Poe's Fall Of the House of Usher and The Raven (Hammer Horror at it's finest)
Anthony Schaffer's The Wicker Man
Stephen King's Carrie
Ludovic Kennedy's 10 Rillington Place (True story)
Pierre Boileau's Vertigo
Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange
Comment by suitably*wounded
Eternal Days; Author: Illness, M.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Just as you didn't think of American Psycho as a horror, more a social satire, I feel the same way about A Clockwork Orange ...
Would you call Vertigo a horror ...??
I would like to read Falling Angel ... loved the film.
And Carrie is probably my fave King novel. The film is good too, I'm a huge fan of De Palma.
s*w,
Apparently when the novel Hanging Rock was first published it had the last chapter removed. A few years ago the author had the book re-issued with the final chapter re-instated. I'm not sure what the final chapter exposes though ... Anyone?
And, yes, those 70s classics ...
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Vertigo I consider a psychological horror of haunting proportions.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
try reading Brett's Glamorama, a sensational psychological thriller with moments of modern horror, and erotic abstraction
JohnDoe,
I was lucky enough to see a 70mm print of Vertigo in Wellington, NZ many years ago ...
Comment by suitably*wounded
Eternal Days; Author: Illness, M.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
and paint the town.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
Hi Bryn,
I'd have to revert back to Stephen King again, and say The Shining and Carrie...love both of those movies...and they stuck close to the book, and recreated all the horror in them....
Absolutely loved, loved, loved American Psycho....watched it twice in a row! Christian Bale is just perfect in this role...
Haven't read the book, though, believe it or not! So I'm just saying I love the movie!
I guess I should read the book then...my worry is that the movie was rather comical, but the book probably won't be...will I be mentally disturbed (more so) forever for having read it??
K.L.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
By the way, you're now on my Friend list, but I'm not on yours....not sure how this happened, or why I'm nobody's friend (a lot of issues there!)....but I think if you go on my homepage, and click on Be My Friend, then it will work.
I think.
K.L.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Yes, you will be disturbed if you read American Psycho.
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
Hi Bryn,
Too late....I've ordered it in from the library....was in the Restricted Section.....wooooooo......
My husband has stolen Cell, and is informing me I won't be able to stomach it.
He's saying it's awesome, and is very violent and bloody, and a return to his classic work...
I'm now more determined than ever to read it!
K.L.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Me too!!!!
But, seriously, be warned about certain chapters in American Psycho, they will test your squeamishness to the very core!
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
Cronenberg worked pretty closely with Burroughs when making it, and it comes off like a mating of their two twisted minds (now there's an idea for a horror movie).
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I've never read The Naked Lunch. I enjoyed the movie though, and liked that it didn't try to be the novel, but more about the process of writing it.
I've read Junky though.
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
I know it's a pretty crap movie, but have you seen Nightbreed? Cronenberg plays the part of the protagonist's serial killer doctor. He's always been a creepy looking dude and the part is perfect for him.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
Yeah, I agree. Have you seen the American Nightmare documentary? It's got Romero, Craven, Hooper, Carpenter, and Cronenberg. Cronenberg is talking about Shivers and is quite elucidating.
But since when does being mild-mannered, intelligent, and articulate preclude you from being creepy? I think it's those qualities that make him creepy: he seems normal, but thankfully for us is plotting evil things all the time.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I have that doco, haven't got around to watching it just yet (sheeeesh!)
Comment by Hellvis
Earache Hotel
It discusses the movies in terms of the politics of the time and the real horror of Viet Nam etc, putting it all in context.
What are ya waitin' for, man?
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile