Disappointed in Movie vs. Book

[Evan]

Having just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's book "The Onion Field", I went to the lockal BlockBusters and found the movie, after about 15 minutes of browsing threw the old movies section. I guess I had my hopes up too high in that the movie would be close to the book. Keeping in mind that the movie was made back in 1979, I knew that the film would not be of todays caliber. The movie did present the very basic story and that was about it. I felt the film left a lot out of the story, as movies usually do. The book was in depth with the background of all the characters,the plot, and the aftermath of the shooting of Officer Campbell.
The Onion Field is a very good story, that I enjoyed reading, but the movie was just CRAPPY. The movie just made me ****ed off. The film seemed to be put together in a hurry and was not a good presentation of the book.
Wambaugh's other stories turned into film such as "The Glitter Dome" and "Echoes In The Darkness" were well written, developed, and produced than The Onion Field. This story is better off to be read than to viewed on screen.

[SWAT1]

I've got to say that the movie very rarely lives up to the book. The Choirboys had me in stitches but I think when your mind conjures up a certain character you are often disappointed with the movie makers choice. Obviously the writer also has his own image of what the character looks like as they are often based on people he/she knows. It must be doubly disappointing for them!

[Mitzi]

I agree about "The Onion Field". It just basically fell flat and I lost interest in it really quickly. But the book was excellent.

[klar]

I have seen a lot of the books I have read turned to movies. One main thing I have found is that there is a time limit on the movies to keep ones attention and most books are much better at keeping ones attention. I think most books turned to movies are pretty good and follow the plots pretty well but you at times run acroos one or another that makes you look at the movies and wonder who the heck developed the movie because it seems to have nothing to do with what the book was about. All I can say is keep reading the plots are more indepth and the story line is much better. Besides reading is good excercsie for the eyes.

Klar

[DesertRat]

Originally posted by SWAT1:
your mind conjures up a certain character

That is the beauty of books right there. A movie is fed to you. A book can be personalized. One of the reasons I love to read when I get the chance.

[Mike Tx]

I read echos in the darkness. It was riviting. It is hard to believe people such as those in the book, school teachers, and such, exist. But they do. Scary...

[koenig]

I have not read the book but have seen the movie. I'm aware however that the movie just focused on the facts, without getting to much into the details. I'm not surprised but the writer for the movie was Joseph Wambaugh, so you would expect the film to be closer to the book.

I'm also pretty sure that this was the first feature film for director Harold Becker, who came from television, hence the movie of the week feel of the film. He did improve a little with Taps (1981)but not much more after that, maybe Sea of Love(forget year), and Malice (1993?) I cannot remember anymore film credits and since most of those films where not that great, pretty safe to say the movie fell short due directing.

Koenig

[RachelR]

Not seen that particular movie nor read the book but here are a few books turned into movies that really disapointed me..

The Stand - Stepehen King

The Shining - Stephen King (the made for TV version, not the Jack Nicholson version)

Tha Tommyknockers - Stephen King

Hannibal - Thomas Harris - completely changed the ending altogether..

[blondie72]

Raychel, you didn't like The made- for- tv version of "The Shining"?

I loved it! I actually liked it much better than the one with Jack Nicholson. I thought the effects were much creepier.

[FLLawdog]

On the subject of Stephen King, his movies were great as movies, but they paled after you read the books. I had high hopes for "The Stand' and "It". They were good, in that they were mini series and had time to get in most of the details, but since it was made for TV, the detail had to be sanitized beyond his original intent. I still haven't seen "Thinner" yet, but the book was pretty cool.

Raychel...the newly released DVD version of Hannibal has an alternate ending.

[blondie72]

I love horror movies!

I saw "Thinner", it was ok. I was disappointed with "The Stand", and "It".

But I thought "Cujo" lived up to the book. That was horribly scary.

*Shudders*

[Sparky]

I read "Red Dragon" (I think) by T. Harris back in....hmm..1980-something??? they made a book based on it called "Manhunter". Very "Miami Vice-ish" but I remmber it being alright. Great scene featuring "Inna-Godda-Da-Vidda", but I digress.

I read "Silence of the Lambs" when it came out, and thought the movie was fantastic! There will always be differences between a book and a film because some things just don't translate well.

I waited and waited for a sequel to both the book and the movie. "Hannibal" came out and I reserved a copy.

I have never been more dissappointed in a book in my life! Total crap! I was doing okay until the ending which (IMNSHO) was not paced very well. It was so implausible that I could not willingly suspend my disbelief. They had me up until the "big ending" which was just so totally off the wall that I was incredulous. His writing style seemed to change at the end too. So much so that I checked the inside jacket to see if this was actually written by someone else.

The movie looked like a nice high udget operation, but after my disappointment with the book, I didn't go see it. I heard they changed the ending and I thought, "Thank goodness!"

I'll wait for it to coe out on cable...then I MIGHT watch it.....unless I need to do my nails.

Oh yeah...Stephen King is really starting to suck eggs lately too!

[ 08-29-2001: Message edited by: Sparky ]

[RachelR]

Blondie - I HATED the made for tv version! I especially hated the kid... The no talent brat.. Also, I felt Jack Nicholson made for a much better psycho that the guy they had in the newer version.

As for Hannibal... I heard that there were 3 endings on the DVD.. the one seen in the movie, one that fits more closely with the book and a surprise ending. Is that true?

Oh, and I heard they are making Red Dragon into a movie. Never heard of Manhunter.

[HNDLC3]

Originally posted by Sparky:

Oh yeah...Stephen King is really starting to suck eggs lately too!

[ 08-29-2001: Message edited by: Sparky ]

How could you say that? Bag of Bones, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, and now Dreamcatcher are three great books. I personally couldn't put Dreamcatcher down...

BTW, I am a huge Stephen King fan... so I may be a little biased...

[DMS 525]

I read "First Blood" before the movie was released. A lot different from the movie.

First off, the cop picked up Rambo and drove him out of town 3 times before he arrested him. Rambo was just being a defiant S.O.B.!

Rambo was never mistreated nor assaulted in the jail, and KILLED that one jailer with the straight razor. And he made his spectacular escape IN THE NUDE!

Rambo came across some moonshiners, who gave him a gun and some clothes. And all Rambo bagged to eat out in the woods was an OWL! (yuck!).

Finally, at the end, Colonel Troutman blew Rambo's head off with a shotgun.