Adaptations of classic novels are part of Hollywood. Whether they are sweeping fantasy epics with elves and orcs or period pieces from iconic literature, cinemas across the world consistently show off the cinematic versions of well known books and series.
This trend will likely never slow down, as literature has an unlimited amount of visual potential when it comes to filming some of these amazing stories. Over the last decade, there's been an increased push to bring some of these mythical, magical and period worlds to the big screen, with a number using modern techniques to really enhance what was on the page.
10 Alice In Wonderland
The original animated version of Alice In Wonderland is an extremely famous part of the Disney brand. However, once the studio decided they would adapt the original novel and its sequel Through The Looking Glass to live action, including elements from other works by Lewis Carroll, like The Jabberwocky, fans were excited to see what this new Tim Burton take could offer.
While the films were not necessarily critically successful, the box office take of the first live-action incarnation showcased that fans were happy to step into this Wonderland once more.
9 The Hobbit
Peter Jackson returned to Middle Earth after his successful adaptation of the Lord of the Rings novels to bring fans a three part take on The Hobbit, based on the legendary work of author J.R.R. Tolkien.
This latest addition to the cinematic mythology of Middle Earth used a number of new technological techniques to ensure that the characters could be really brought to life. Once again, critically, there were a number of questions surrounding the project, but commercially, audiences seemed to enjoy the trilogy.
8 Emma
Jane Austen is famed for her work in the romantic era of British literature, turning out a number of famous romance novels. One of the most notable is Emma, which was recently brought to the big screen and actually previously inspired Clueless.
It's a fantastic period piece which showcased that the genre certainly isn't stopping. With classy performance, beautiful locations and amazing costume design, these various elements really brought audiences back into the 19th century.
7 The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous work on the American dream and life during the prohibition era has been studied by English students around the world and has become a key part of American culture. It is defined in every sense as a classic.
Fans of the novel were incredibly excited to learn that the famous book would be adapted to the big screen, and Baz Luhrmann's version of The Great Gatsby included all the glitz, glamor and horror of the novel, although perhaps with a number of questionable musical choices.
6 Romeo And Juliet
Shakespeare's famous work has seen countless adaptations on the stage and screen. It's one of his most well known works and has been used to inspire cinema so many times that there's even a Gnome version of the famous tale.
One of the definitive iterations of an on screen adaptation, also from Baz Luhrmann, came in 1996. Despite being almost 25 years old, the film manages to still feel incredibly timeless, bringing in a number of modern elements to take Romeo and Juliet to a new generation.
5 Little Women
Little Women was another recent hit adapted from a classic novel, written by Louisa May Alcott. Set after the American Civil War, this really is a coming of age story for a number of young women who have to navigate their way through romance and tribulations.
The star studded lineup led to a number of fantastic performances and some beautiful costume design, with the period piece fulfilling what an adaptation should be, bringing this story to audiences who have never even picked up the classic book before.
4 War Horse
War Horse is considered one of the most emotional takes on WWI, following a horse that is moved around throughout the conflict, coming across a number of different characters from both sides of the war.
Stephen Spielberg took Michael Morpurgo's classic work and brought it to the big screen in what is considered one of the best adaptations of a war novel. While the story can also be seen on the stage, the film brought in a number of famous British actors to really capture the essence of the epic.
3 The Jungle Book
Much like Alice In Wonderland, Disney turned to live action once more, taking their animated version of The Jungle Book and inserting CGI animals and a photo realistic world for Mowgli to explore.
It's certainly not the first or the last take on the Rudyard Kipling work, with Mowgli standing out as a recent example, but it's certainly one that captures the essence and spirit of the original novel, perhaps more so than the animated version ever did!
2 Les Miserables
Les Miserables is often remembered as a stage production and musical, but is of course a famous book by French author Victor Hugo, who penned the work during the romantic era of literature.
There are multiple on screen adaptations of the novel, from a TV show to a non-musical iteration of the production, but the most recent big screen adaptation is considered one of the most definitive, thanks to its presentation of the story and the fantastic set design and casting.
1 His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials is an incredibly successful ongoing series produced via a partnership between the BBC and HBO. However, it has also been adapted into a film, The Golden Compass, in 2007.
Fans were disappointed with the film adaptation, as it didn't quite stay true to the novels - at least not in the same way that the TV show has done. But, it was successful enough for the concept to be revisited again and brought in a number of modern techniques to really adapt it properly for the first time.
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September 03, 2020 at 05:30AM
