Emily’s Top 5 Books to Movies Adaptation List – The Kamloops Film Society
Below are 5 books that I think would make great movie/TV adaptations. Since this is obviously my best-case-scenario for an adaptation, I’ll just assume that any company that would “hypothetically” pick up any of these novels would adapt them in the best way possible (aka, no crazy cuts or changes unless they are approved by yours truly).
If you don’t know me well, you may not realize that although I do love the art of film and watch movies frequently, I also love to read and have for a long time. I found that this year has brought my love of reading back in full force, and I’ve been reading a lot of great books lately. It’s also made me look back on some old favourites that I would love to re-read. So this list is a combination of old and new favourites!
1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This story is structured as an interview, with our main character Evelyn Hugo talking about her past, a glamorous Hollywood life, to a young journalist. What we soon find out however, is that while Hugo’s life may have been portrayed as glamorous in the tabloids, she actually went through many struggles and hardships. I read this novel back in the summer and I still think about it often, as it’s both funny and gut-wrenching. I think the Old Hollywood glamor has been said and done in many movies, but I believe this novel would really portray the lifestyle in a nuanced way. I think this could also be a great miniseries, since the book is divided by Evelyn’s different husbands. Potentially each episode could focus on a husband and the story around him. I watched Little Fires Everywhere on Amazon Prime this year which was also a novel adapted into a miniseries, and I think it portrayed the novel so well that I’d love Seven Husbands to be done in a similar way.
2. The Prince and the Dressmaker written and illustrated by Jen Wang
This was a graphic novel that I read earlier in the year and it’s so adorable! I think that since it’s a graphic novel I automatically think of it as a potentially great animated movie, but really it could be live action as well. This novel is about a Prince who lives a double-life that only his closest guard knows about: he loves to wear dresses. He hires a young dressmaker in secret so that he can live out his dream and wear beautiful dresses at night. This story is so sweet and I think it sends a great message of being true to yourself. Also the dresses are so colourful, I think animation would really bring out the beauty in them!
3. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Okay yes this is another series that I think would make great TV. The Lunar Chronicles are essentially classic fairy tale stories, but told in the future! With space travel, robots and cyborgs! The first novel is called Cinder, and you guessed it, it’s a twist on the classic tale of Cinderella. What’s great about this book series is that each novel has a different protagonist with a unique fairy tale twist; however, they’re all connected in some way. There’s romance, mystery, action and adventure. What more do you need in a great TV show? But also, now that I think of it, this would make a pretty epic movie series. If done well, I’d be good with either!
4. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
I read this novel via audiobook over the summer and let me tell you, this would make a fantastic movie. The plot centers around a young black woman who babysits for a rich white family. One night the family asks her to take their daughter to the grocery store, as the parents have been fighting all night and don’t want to fight in front of their daughter. Our main character takes the daughter to the grocery store and eventually, security is called at the store because a shopper assumes she has stolen the child and doesn’t believe her when she says she’s the babysitter. And this is only the beginning! From there the story goes in so many different ways, with different perspectives and characters all woven together in some way or another. I think this would make a great drama, since I was on the edge of my seat listening to it until I finished it. The characters are all so complex and interesting to read about, that I think seeing them come to life on screen would be amazing to see.
5. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
This is one of those books that has such a bizarre concept but is executed so well that you can’t stop thinking about it. I just read the sequel to this which I think is also part of the reason that I chose it, since it’s so fresh in my brain. Basically, book one starts with the main protagonist taking a photo of a giant robot statue in her city and posting it on social media, naming it “Carl”. What she doesn’t realize is that 1) no one knows where the statue came from (kind of like those monoliths that have been appearing all over the place?) and 2) there are identical statues placed all around the world, seemingly appearing at the exact same time and 3) that her photo will make her an internet sensation. What follows is a story of mystery, friendship, and drama, as we the reader try to figure out what exactly is going on, while our main character is grappling with sudden fame and ALSO trying to figure out what Carl is. I know, the story is bizarre and may not make complete sense here, but trust me. It’s a box office hit waiting to happen.
And those are my top picks for movie/TV show adaptations! I highly recommend checking out any of these novels, as all are probably at your local library or bookstore. Do you have a favourite book-to-movie adaptation? Or do you have a favourite novel that you’re dying to see adapted onto the big screen? Let me know!
I hope you enjoyed my list. Thanks for reading!
Kamloops Film Society
The Kamloops Film Society is the umbrella organization that operates the Paramount Theatre and runs two main events: The Thursday Film Series and the annual March Kamloops Film Festival, which includes the Kamloops Independent Short Shorts Festival. The KFS has been operating for over 45 years and was officially incorporated under the BC Societies Act on August 17, 1994. In the spring of 2019, The Kelson Group purchased the Paramount Theatre and leased the venue to the KFS. The support of The Kelson Group and Ron Fawcett has made the venture possible as The KFS continues to make the theatre a cultural venue.
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