Take one look at 2012’s Oscar nominees and you’ll see films based on novels are all the rage at the minute. The upcoming movie release of Trishna, a film inspired by Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles, is yet another in a long list of book-to-big-screen adaptations to be released following the success of Oscar-nominated The Descendants, The Help and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
When you think of literary adaptations you’ll probably immediately think of Fight Club (all the boys on my Facebook friends list did at least). Or, if you’ve lived on this planet for the past few years, the Harry Potter franchise.
Here, however, is our list of the top five film adaptations that might not spring to mind straight away, but are some of the greatest around.
The Shawshank Redemption
Based on the novella by Stephen King, this heart-wrenching prison tale sees a man wrongly accused of his wife’s murder. In prison, he befriends an inmate serving a life sentence. Together they outsmart the guards and after many terrible years inside find the freedom they were looking for.
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
How could we not include this? Peter Jackson’s 2001 film first brought Tolkien’s world to life with a lot more action and a lot fewer pages. Hobbits, wizards, orcs and elves make up the magical world of Middle Earth in Frodo’s quest to destroy the “one ring to rule them all”.
The Hours
Telling the story Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway and how it affects three women’s lives, this film deals with suicide and love, and the troubles the three women face in their lifetime. It’s a lesser known adaptation, but a moving and intelligent one that’s a must see for any Woolf fans.
Sense and Sensibility
Any list of book-to-film adaptations would not be complete without at least one of Jane Austen’s novels. An excellent film with an outstanding cast, Austen’s intelligent comment on 19th century society is the best of the lot.
Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll’s children’s story has been made into a film time and time again but nothing beats the Disney version. Crazy characters and the most endearing Alice of them all, Wonderland is exciting yet terrifying and this film is a must see for adults and children.