Books That Became Movies

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

Have you considered adapting your own book?

Film reviewer Leonard Maltin reminded his TV audience last week that faithfully adapting a movie from a book takes a special kind of talent.  Indeed, translating one medium into another to adapt it into a new form of entertainment is a challenging task, but one which introduces a good story to millions who never knew about the book.  It's a safe bet that the number of movies we've seen in our lives far outnumber the books we've read.

In a full-circle way, films often inspire moviegoers to read the original book on which their favorite flicks are based, so the two make a great partnership.  In that spirit, I thought it would be enlightening to scan the list of some top movies which were adapted from the printed word.  Do you remember seeing these books (prior to the movie coming out)?

JURASSIC PARK by Michael Crichton
THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS by Thomas Harris
DELIVERANCE by James Dickey
DANCES WITH WOLVES by Michael Blake
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE by Anthony Burgess
FIELD OF DREAMS (based on Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella)
FORREST GUMP by Winston Groom
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (based on a short story by F.X. Toole)

In more recent years. Hollywood gave us:

THE SOCIAL NETWORK (based on The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich)
WAR HORSE by Michael Morpurgo
WE BOUGHT A ZOO by Benjamin Mee
HUGO (based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick)
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen
THE LINCOLN LAWYER by Michael Connelly
BEASTLY by Alex Flinn
I AM NUMBER FOUR by Pittacus Lore
JACK REACHER by Lee Child
CLOUD ATLAS by David Mitchell
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK by Matthew Quick
ONE FOR THE MONEY by Janet Evanovich
LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL by Deborah Moggach
LES MISERABLES by Victor Hugo
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky
THE HOST (in theatres now) - Stephanie Meyer, of Twilight fame

Soon to come:

THE GREAT GATSBY — the fourth screen retelling of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic
THE SEVENTH SON — based on Joseph Delaney's The Spook's Apprentice
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY — based on a short story by James Thurber
DOROTHY'S RETURN (2014) — based on Dorothy of Oz by Roger S. Baum

Worth noting is that some of the biggest blockbusters like Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Twilight and The Hunger Games were all series, and were all aimed at young adults.  Does this say something about book-to-film potential?  It definitely says that the younger generation is reading books, and I find that pretty encouraging.

In any given year, Hollywood translates dozens of books into film. As you're writing your next bestseller, it may not hurt to visualize being on the NY Times Best Seller list at the same time Meryl Streep accepts her Academy Award for playing your heroine. 

Which reminds me, add THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, JULIE & JULIA and THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY to that list.

Bless Bernie's Heart

by Annette Cole Mastron

If you like to analyze creative storytelling, and are a fan of Southern satirical comedy that is regrettably and tragically true, run to your local theatre before the movie Bernie has come and gone. Bless his little heart. 

During the opening scene, Jack Black plays beloved Bernie and is seen driving through town waving and greeting everyone, while singing a gospel hymn at the top of his lungs. Shirley MacLaine plays the meanest woman in town (think Old Man Potter in the Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life). This story has it all: a rural, dying, once oil boom town of Carthage, TX, a horrendous crime, family and friend greed, and courtroom scenes with the tension of a verdict. 

There is also a would-be hero, a district attorney played by cutie Matthew McConaughey.  His character through the townspeople’s perceptions and feelings is portrayed almost villain-like, even though he is the seeker of justice for the victim. Poor old Matthew’s character, Danny Buck Davidson, never called “Danny” or “Buck” but always “Danny Buck”, has an obvious streak of dramatics fueled by political ambitions.

Matthew McConaughey's real life mom, K-Mac, is Tassie, one of the quirky townsfolk. The laugh out loud moments come while the locals tell their views on events as the story unfolds, with unspoken questions answered by their flavorful and candid responses, witticisms voiced as only true Southerners speak. Some memorable movie quotes are as follows: "I'm not fond of cremations, I just don't like the idea of someone spending eternity in something the size of a motel ice bucket;" "it's like he cast a spell over the entire area;" "she used to tear up my toys, she'd pull the heads off my dolls” and Bernie responds, “well there's some goodness in there, too;" "there are people in town that would have shot her for five dollars;" "frozen like a popsicle;" "counting-cousin rednecks with more tattoos than teeth;" and the revered Southern phrase "that dog don't hunt".   

This kaleidoscope of a movie has something for everyone and started out simply as an article for Texas Monthly entitled “Midnight in the Garden of East Texas” written by co-screenwriter Skip Hollandsworth. Are you paying attention, writers? A mere article in a state publication based on a true crime with real people became a bona fide movie starring award-winning actors and actresses. The writer of the article had his writing career change from article writer to co-screenwriter. 

Never say, “I have no story ideas.” We are surrounded by stories. Unfortunately, in our society, true crime events occur everyday. Find one that interests you and write about it. Who knows, the movie makers could knock on your door one day; but you have to write the article or they for sure won't come. Pick up that pen, put pen to paper and "bless your little heart," start that article.

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