The Hardest Novels To Film

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20/20 Filmsight - January 2007

The Hardest Novels To Film

January 17th 2007 23:35

Screenhead.com has an interesting article about novels that are particularly difficult to film, and who should take on the monumental task to bringing them to the screen.

This is inspired, of course, by the recent release of Pefume: The Story of a Murderer, the adaptation of Patrick Suskind's legendary novel.

I was quite excited about the project when I first heard about it, but reviews of the film have been less than stellar.

The article on unfilmable novels is easy enough to predict: James Joyce and Kurt Vonnegut, naturally. Ulysses would be devastating to try and adapt, and the article suggests that Wong-Kar Wai would make a good director, but I have never read the book, so I'm not one to comment on it.

On books that I have read: 100 Years of Solitude is in the article, but I don't see it as unfilmable, at all. In fact, I think it has potential to make a great film, perhaps in Guillermo del Toro's hands... after Pan's Labyrinth, I'm taken aback by the director's talents.

Kafka's Metamorphosis seems attainable as well, and David Lynch had planned to make it, back in the day. He might add an interesting spin to it, but how about Takashi Miike?

* this image taken from an article in the Guardian.

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Posted By: Cibbuano - Category: C'est la vie!

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9 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Adrienne

January 18th 2007 01:31

Celebrity Fox

Interesting post!

Comment by Cibbuano

January 18th 2007 02:02

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yes, I wish I had written the original!

Comment by JohnDoe

January 18th 2007 02:45

Film & TV on DVD

Great post,

Suprised they didnt mention George Roy Hill's fantastic adaption of Kurt Vonnegut's SlaughterHouse 5, no small feat.

A lot of my favourite books and authors listed and though difficult I do believe in the right hands all could make profound and enlightening films..

Comment by Cibbuano

January 18th 2007 03:03

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Right John... great books have amazing potential, since they usually have a well-laid out scenario, solid characters, and, most importantly, style.

Actually, I really like Adaptation...

Comment by JohnDoe

January 18th 2007 03:44

Film & TV on DVD

Yes the Charlie Kauffman films are strikingly difficult on paper to translate..and the adaptation of adaptation was a true feat of cunning.

Comment by Sisi

January 18th 2007 09:54

I think 100 Years of Solitude would be hard...there's so much fantasy embedded in reality...I'd be very impressed if a director manages to capture that on film! Though I did think Big Fish would be unfilmable and it turned out to be an awesome movie...

Comment by Bryn

January 18th 2007 10:10

Horrorphile

I think the person for the job of directing 100 Years of Solitude (one of my all time fave novels) would be Fernando Meirelles (City of God) ...
A Confederacy of Dunces (sensational novel) could work under the helm of David Lynch perhaps ...
I would've thought Crash by JG Ballard was impossible to film, yet Cronenberg did an interesting take, not really as graphic as the novel, but then he did an interesting take on Naked Lunch too ... Perhaps he could do Atrocity Exhibition ..?
I want someone to turn the brilliant sf novel Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan into a film ... I'm waiting for Scorsese to tackle a sf film ... years ago, I thought he'd be perfect to turn his talents to Neuromancer ...

Comment by Cibbuano

January 18th 2007 21:36

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Bryn - interesting idea, Scorcese on sci-fi. I'm not sure if he has a passion for the genre, though...

Naked Lunch, the novel, was too eccentric for me to finish, and the movie, while stunning to look at, didn't hold my interest either.

Sisi - it'd be tough, but that's why you'd need a director that loves the book...

Comment by Bryn

January 19th 2007 04:23

Horrorphile

I think Scorsese would have the visual narrative intensity for the streetwiseness of Neuromancer, but perhaps you're right, does he actually have a passion for sf ...? But it's kind of like a future gangsters' tale though ...

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