Monday 1 August 2011

Novel Films Blogfest!

This blogfest is kindly hosted by the lovely Madeleine.




I'm not sure that all of the listed below have been made into both movies and TV series, but most have. The selection itself is a small proportion of novels that I've read and have been made into movies. But, they are novels that made a profound impact upon me, one way and another, and when made into movies they didn't always reach my expectations. The exceptions being GWTW, TTB,  LOTM, the WWII movies and the swashbucklers.

Epics:

War & Peace - Leo Tolstoy

Dr Zhivago - Boris Pasternak

Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell

The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough


Swashbucklers:

The count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

The Man in the Iron Mask - Alexandre Dumas


Frenchman's Creek - Daphne du Maurier

Wicked Lady - Magdalen King-Hall

Lorna Doone - R. D. Blackmore



Pirate/Adventure:

Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe


Treasure Island - Robert Louise Stevenson


Last of the Mohicans - James Fenimore Cooper


WWII novels:

A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

The Cruel Sea - Nevil Shute

Waterloo Bridge (based on play) Robert E. Sherwood.

Bridge over the River Quai - Pierre Boulle


Post War novels:

James Bond (007) - Ian Fleming

Collection of John Le Carre novels made into films.  


Childrens Books:

National Velvet - Enid Bagnold

Black Beauty - Anna Sewell

Swallows & Amazons - Arthur Ransome


Classics:  Greek/Roman/Austen/Brontes'/Dickens/Shakespeare etc. Not to mention the longest running play    held in the West End "The Mousetrap"  adapted from a short story by Agatha Christie. And, of course her famous crime novels made into movies and TV series.

To see entries by other participants go here.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting list. Lots of novels in there I had not realised had been made into films?TV dramas like Frenchman's Creek and Swallows & Amazons. I'm surprised Rebecca isn't on your list, though Thanks for taking part There's a few here I have either only seen the film version or only read the book :O)

Francine Howarth said...

Hi Madeleine,

I know: Rebecca and so many more I could have listed, but I picked some favourites.

Thanks for holding the blogfest: love'em. ;)

best
F

PK HREZO said...

Love how you separated into genres. :)
I forgot about Treasure island! Must amend my list...

Golden Eagle said...

Oh, Treasure Island! I'd forgotten they made a movie of that one.

Tony Benson said...

What a fabulous list. I'd completely forgotten about The Man in the Iron Mask and Frenchman's Creek. Also the Nevil Shute.

Francine Howarth said...

Hi PK,

Yeah, I could keep adding to list!

best
F

Francine Howarth said...

Hi TGE,

How could anyone forget Treasure Island? ;)

best
F

Francine Howarth said...

Hi,

I was kind of brought up on Nevil Shute novels when my head wasn't in a romance, and the movies were pretty good except when background scenery in studio shots moved a little. ;)

best
F

Marsha Sigman said...

You've listed a few I had forgotten! There are just so many. BTW: Love Sean Bean.

Luanne G. Smith said...

I too forgot about Treasure Island and Last of the Mohicans. Two great ones. Love Daniel Day Lewis.

Francine Howarth said...

Hi Marsha,

I know I could have gone on listing great books and movies that weren't too bad.

best
F

Francine Howarth said...

Hi L.G,

Ah yes, Daniel Day Lewis! Kind of made watching the movie worthwhile! ;)

best
F

M Pax said...

I've pretty much read and seen every horse book / movie there is. I was a bit maybe obsessed when I was younger. OK, I was, and a lot. :)

I loved War and Peace.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for joining in the blogfest. I'll have my list up this evening.

If you get a chance, check out a fellow writer's zombie story and help me make him wear an embarrassing shirt next year! It's the ultimate grudge match between social media and the zombies. Details are here:
http://kelworthfiles.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/prove-the-zombies-wrong-social-platforms-can-build-readership/

Denise Covey said...

Second time I've seen Nevil Shute on these lists. Surprised. Fabulous. You have many of my favourites. Too many to list, really! And the Thorn Birds! Wasn't that a ripper TV mini series. She's such a great writer! Did you see the Dr Zhivago show? It's currently on here in Brisbane and is big!!! I wept so many tears in that movie!

Denise

Francine Howarth said...

Hi D,

Shute was a good writer for screen movies. Yes, loved the Thorn Birds, but had a bit of thing about Richard Chamberlain at that time. And no not seen Dr Zhivago show.

best
F

Lisa Potts said...

I can't believe I forgot Gone With The Wind. It's one of my favorites. I never got around to reading The Thorn Birds but I loved the mini-series. Great list!

Misha Gerrick said...

Oooh! I forgot Treasure Island. Sigh. That makes about five I forgot to mention. :-D

Unknown said...

Um... I have to admit that I haven't read ANY of the books on your list! I have at least watched a few of the movies :-)

Arlee Bird said...

You've got some real classics here and many were films that I liked very much. I've read very few of the books though. I'll be posting a Gone With The Wind story this Friday.


Lee
Tossing It Out

Jennifer Hillier said...

This blogfest is making me want to have a movie marathon, starting with... The Thorn Birds! Now there's a mini-series I loved that I haven't seen in ages. Never read the book, though!

Anonymous said...

That's a really classical list, quite an exception on the challenge so far.

I've never heard of the movie for "Frenchman's Creek".

julie fedderson said...

I think the Thorn Birds was one of the first miniseries I ever watched. I may have had my first crush on Richard Chamberlain, as well as my first religious quandary.

And Last of the Mohicans I love. Great soundtrack. And Daniel Day Lewis in leather chaps. Sigh.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Gone With The Wind is my favorite on your list! Didn't Ian Fleming of James Bond fame also write Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? I really enjoyed that Dick Van Dyke movie when I was a little girl, but it probably doesn't fall into your children's classics category. Julie