Most Inaccurate Adaptations

[Ipodman]

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

 

[redhawk23]

This is another example of the adaptation being much better than the source material. The Godfather and Jaws are a couple of others. It happens more often than people think.

the godfather follows the book fairly closely though. It just cut out most of parts set in vegas, and then the parts showing Corleone's rise was put off until the second movie.

 

[Catman]

Baz Lurhman's Romeo and Juliet

 

[Kane52630]

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

You know that it was a vague sequel to Alice in Wonderland? He used bits from Through the Looking-Glass.

 

[Ipodman]

You know that it was a vague sequel to Alice in Wonderland? He used bits from Through the Looking-Glass.

I didn't know that

But none of the characters felt like any of the characters anyway...

 

[Kane52630]

I didn't know that

Obviously you didn't see the film, because they said it in the movie. lol

 

[Max J Power]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Wanted yet. Past the initial plot set-up, it's nothing like the comic.

 

[Matt]

I can't believe this one hasn't been brought up. Basically all of the Harry Potter movies from Goblet of Fire on are guilty of this. They follow the same general narrative but cut out key characters, moments, and plotlines that causes the films to completely deviate from the themes and story of the books. The characterization of basically everyone but Snape, Malfoy, and Voldemort is just terrible as well. Like I said, the general narrative of each film is somewhat loyal (emphasis on somewhat), but as a series, they've basically gutted it down to its lowest common denomenator.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Children of Men greatly deviates from the novel, but the film is superior to the book at the end of the day.

 

[amazingfantasy15]

Outside of the first 5 minutes, Elektra is another one.

 

[Octoberist]

Has anyone brought up 'A Beautiful Mind' yet?

 

[Octoberist]

I can't believe this one hasn't been brought up. Basically all of the Harry Potter movies from Goblet of Fire on are guilty of this. They follow the same general narrative but cut out key characters, moments, and plotlines that causes the films to completely deviate from the themes and story of the books. The characterization of basically everyone but Snape, Malfoy, and Voldemort is just terrible as well. Like I said, the general narrative of each film is somewhat loyal (emphasis on somewhat), but as a series, they've basically gutted it down to its lowest common denomenator.

That's why I think Hary Potter as a film series complements the books but it's the FULL Harry Potter experience.

 

[Hush]

The basic, bare bones of the original story from the book was there with a few tweaks, but unfortunately that was all. They didn't go into the details or much of the development like the book did.

Yeah they just read the back of the book and literally decided to make the story based off that. All of Mr. Riordans creativity was thrown down the toliet and I had such hope from the film, hell the first Twilight was a better adaption and that was a horrible adpation in and of itself.

 

[GhostPoet]

I'm gonna have to agree with what someone else here said. Super Mario Bros. It was absolutely nothing like the game. And oh yes...they could have made it much closer to the game. A movie based on that game would have to be HIGHLY stylized...and instead the studios went the wrong route and tried to bring it closer to earth.

 

[Ipodman]

Obviously you didn't see the film, because they said it in the movie. lol

They did? I remember the Wonderland residents actually recognise Alice but they didn't say that it was a sequel...

 

[PyroChamber]

I'm gonna have to agree with what someone else here said. Super Mario Bros. It was absolutely nothing like the game. And oh yes...they could have made it much closer to the game. A movie based on that game would have to be HIGHLY stylized...and instead the studios went the wrong route and tried to bring it closer to earth.

I blame the directors, a husband and wife duo who had no idea was SMB was.

John Leguizamo said in his book that they didn't know whether to make it for kids or adults, and that there's actually a scene cut involving a stripper.

Not to mention that the directors were constantly getting into arguments with each other on set; even Bob Hoskins said it was one of his worst experiences making a movie.

 

[Bug-Eyed Earl]

Conan the Barbarian- Possibly one of the most insidious versions, because it makes people who have never read the source material somehow certain it IS an accurate adaptation.

People now insist Conan should be dumb muscle (read any of his famous quotes from Howard's stories and tell me those came from an idiot), that he should hardly speak (again, read his quotes) Germanic (the Cimmerians were the ancestors to the Celts and the Scots) and played by a bodybuilder/wrestler(Howard couldn't have envisioned that, because people didn't know how to get that big back then; he had no real point of reference like that). But I suppose that's OK, as they have Conan behave in the opposite manner of the book Conan: He thinks only idiots pray to Crom because that would piss him off, he was captured briefly and enslaved as a teen but promptly ESCAPED, there are lines saying that he watching him fight makes it obvious he fights from experience and instinct, not that he was trained, and there are passages describing how you invade barbaric countries(like Cimmeria) at your own peril; one story details the kingdom of Aquilonia's attempt to colonize the Pictish wilderness and how handily the {icts drive them out once they band together; keep in mind Conan's people shared a border with the Picts and they more than hold their own. In reality, a handful of Cimmerian teenagers could have made mincemeat out of Thulsa Doom and his riders.

But its still a great movie.

 

[A Necessary Evil]

Jurassic Park
The Lost World
Apt Pupil
The Shining
(Although given the content and size of the books, I can't blame them) Harry potter 4,5,6 and most of 3

 

[Vengeance]

Josie & The Pussycats

 

[Figs]

Jurassic Park
The Lost World
Apt Pupil
The Shining
(Although given the content and size of the books, I can't blame them) Harry potter 4,5,6 and most of 3

Really??

I guess it's been that long since I've read the book. When the movie first hit home video I remember it being fairly close.

 

[Manic]

Josie & The Pussycats

Three girls in a rock band uncover a ridiculous plot using some wacky device. There's a vanilla heroine, dumb blonde, black girl who is black, the heroine's boyfriend, the manager's b****y sister trying to steal the heroine's boyfriend for herself, over the top morons for villains...

No, that movie was pretty accurate. Its only fault was that it focused on the band getting a record deal instead of them uncovering the stupid plot while they were on tour. That, and Josie & the Pussycats (while an entertaining cartoon) wasn't meant for film.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

If we're really going to talk about most inaccurate historical adaptations, we'll be here for days haha.

I'm still saying that most inaccuate is Super Mario Bros.

 

[Marvolo]

They did? I remember the Wonderland residents actually recognise Alice but they didn't say that it was a sequel...

They did flashbacks showing alice in wonderland when she was younger. That alone should have told you it was a sequel. Plus, her dreams of being there. Also, everyone kept saying she wasn't Alice, because she had changed since she was there the first time. All those things point to it being a sequel. Not to mention comments by tim burton himself and story elements from the second book. In short, though, it is a sequel.

 

[The Sarge]

this thread is just people listing pretty much any adaptation they can think of. . . .

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

I can't believe this one hasn't been brought up. Basically all of the Harry Potter movies from Goblet of Fire on are guilty of this. They follow the same general narrative but cut out key characters, moments, and plotlines that causes the films to completely deviate from the themes and story of the books. The characterization of basically everyone but Snape, Malfoy, and Voldemort is just terrible as well. Like I said, the general narrative of each film is somewhat loyal (emphasis on somewhat), but as a series, they've basically gutted it down to its lowest common denomenator.

I don't think Harry Potter as an adaptation is really counts an offender compared to a bunch of the others (especially Mario Brothers, Catwoman, and I, Robot). They at least kept the a lot of the same plot and structure.