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Movies Based on Books 
Read the Book Before You See the Movie. Which is better? You decide. Start browsing our year-by-year lists of movie adaptations of classic novels. See the menu on the right.
Upcoming Movies Based on Books
What Should I be Reading?
Each year an average of thirty novels are made into movies for the big screen. Authors watch tensely as their stories are filtered through the hands of screenwriters, directors, cinematographers, and studio chiefs. If they're lucky, these film adaptations do the original story justice. However,
it is often the case that the book is significantly better than the movie. Here, we present upcoming movie adaptions of classic novels to keep you up-to-date on what books are being adapted for the big screen. See the right column for yearly movie and a novel listings.
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| CORALINE (2009) (3D, Stop Motion, Animation, Alternate World, Get Back Home, Adaptation)
 
PLOT: The 3D animated movie Coraline is based on the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman. It tells the story of a young girl who walks through a door in her house that leads her to an alternate world. If you're thinking Narnia, you'd be wrong. Coraline is a much darker story, from the director of A Nightmare Before Christmas. Coraline features the voices of Dakota Fanning and Teri Hatcher. AUTHOR:
Neil Gaiman
|  (Buy Book)
| WATCHMEN (2009) (Comic Book, Superhero, Murder, Friends, Investigation, Adaptation)
PLOT: Watchmen is based on the graphic novel of the same name, which critics often herald as the greatest comic ever written. The story is as sophisticated as any novel. The setting is a gritty and alternate 1985, a time when the glory days of costumed vigilantes have been brought to a close by a government crackdown. However, after one of the masked veterans is brutally murdered, an investigation into who is responsible begins. The reunited heroes set out to prevent their own destruction, but in doing so they discover a deeper and far more diabolical plot. AUTHOR:
Alan Moore
|  (Buy Book)
| READER, THE (2008) (WWII, Nazi, Affair, Sex, Older Woman, War Crimes, Adaptation)
PLOT: The Reader, which gained popularity after being an Oprah's Book Club selection, tells the story of law student Michael Burk, who is reunited with his former lover Hanna (Kate Winslet) as she defends herself in a Nazi war-crime trial, post WWII. Michael's long, obsessive affair with the older woman Hanna began when Michael was 15, and it's been nearly a decade since they've spoken. Will his lingering feelings for his former lover help him to overlook her unspeakable war crimes? AUTHOR:
Bernhard Schlink
|  (Buy Book)
| DUCHESS, THE (2008) (18th Century, Devonshire, Scandal, Marriage, Affair , Adaptation)
PLOT: A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal life. The Duchess falls passionately in love with an ambitious young politician after putting up with her husband's live-in mistress. The movie adaptation stars Keira Knightley as the Duchess. Actor Ralph Fiennes portrays her husband, the Duke of Devonshire. AUTHOR:
Amanda Foreman
|  (Buy Book)
| LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (2008) (Horror, Vampire, Friendship, Love, Morality, Murder, Adaptation)
PLOT: Oscar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl who turns out to be a vampire. Eli needs to drink other people's blood to live. How much can one person overlook a loved one's wrongdoing? The movie, based on the book by Swiss author John Ajvide Lindqvist, took top honors at the Tribeca Film Festival. AUTHOR:
John Ajvide Lindqvist
|  (Buy Book)
| TRUE BLOOD (2008) (Vampire, Society, Discrimination, Telepathy, Louisiana, Adaptation)
PLOT: The HBO television series follows Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a barmaid living in Louisiana who can read people's minds. Her life is turned upside down when the Vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer) walks into her place of employment two years after vampires 'came out of the coffin' on national television. AUTHOR:
Charlaine Harris
|  (Buy Book)
| CITY OF EMBER (2008) (Underground, Ancient City, Technology, Light, Friendship, Adaptation)
PLOT: For generations, the people of the underground City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing ... and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever. Starring Bill Murray and Tim Robbins. AUTHOR:
Jeanne Duprau
|  (Buy Book)
| HOUSE (2008) (Horror, Killer, Vacation, Trapped, Haunted House, Adaptation)
PLOT: The horror movie House is based on the book by authors Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker. Two couples vacationing in Alabama are pursued by a maniac killer. They flee deep into the woods and take refuge in an old house that has been vacated for years, or so they think. They soon discover that they are not alone and that the killer has purposely lured them to this house. It seems that the killer and the house are somehow working together. They try to leave, but the house won't let them. AUTHOR:
Ted Dekker
|  (Buy Book)
| ANGELS & DEMONS (2009) (Religion, Secret Society, Mystery, Murder, Adaptation)
PLOT: The movie's story follows world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), who is summoned to a Swiss research facility (CERN) to analyze a mysterious symbol seared into the chest of a murdered physicist. Langdon discovers evidence of the rebirth of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati. At the same time, he and the deceased physicist's daughter, Vittoria (Ayelet Zurer), uncover clues that lead them to a weapon that could kill millions. AUTHOR:
Dan Brown
|  (Buy Book)
| MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA (2008) (WWII, African American, Soldiers, Italy, Child, Adaptation)
PLOT: Directed by Spike Lee, Miracle at St. Anna follows four black soldiers of the all-black 92nd Infantry Division, who get trapped near a small Tuscan village on the Gothic Line during the Italian Campaign of World War II after one of them risks his life to save an Italian boy. The story was inspired by but not based on the August 1944 Sant'Anna di Stazzema massacre perpetrated by the Waffen-SS in retaliation to Italian partisan activity. Starring Derek Luke, John Turturro, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. AUTHOR:
James McBride
|  (Buy Book)
| SOLOIST, THE (2008) (True Story, Music, Mental Illness, Friendship, Journalism, Adaptation)
PLOT: Journalist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.), a former aspiring musician, happens upon Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a schizophrenic bum who was once a classmate of cellist Yo-Yo Ma at Julliard. Lopez wants to help his new friend Ayers, but he is unsure of how much help to offer. What extent does one individual have the right to try to influence another? Based on a true story. AUTHOR:
Steve Lopez
|  (Buy Book)
| BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS, THE (2008) (Holocaust, World War II, Friendship, Child , Adaptation)
PLOT: Set during World War II, a story seen through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a concentration camp, whose forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences. Based on the Holocaust novel by John Boyne. AUTHOR:
John Boyne
|  (Buy Book)
| BALLET SHOES (2008) (Orphans, Girls, Poverty, Stage, Dance, Self-Discovery, Adaptation)
PLOT: Released for UK television in December of 2007, Ballet Shoes stars Harry Potter's Emma Watson. The film tells the story of Pauline, Petrova, and Posy Fossil, who live with Sylvia Brown, their guardian. Money is tight and as the story opens, three boarders - a garage owner, a retired English professor, and a dance teacher - come to stay. Theo Dane, the dance teacher, has the girls accepted at her school by the formidable Madame, and the three go on the stage to help raise money. Each discovers her talents - Pauline as an actress, Petrova in fixing engines, and Posy as a dancer. AUTHOR:
Noel Streatfeild
|  (Buy Book)
| PRIVILEGED (2008) (Teen, Television, High Society, Mentor, Girls, Adaptation)
PLOT: Adapted for television under the title Privileged, this take on Zoey Dean's novel How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls airs on the CW TV network. The plot revolves around a young woman who's fired from her job as an assistant at a glossy tabloid magazine. She's then hired to serve as a live-in tutor and mentor for the teen granddaughters of a cosmetics magnate. Her success will depend on her ability to win over the bratty girls, while navigating Palm Beach's high society and dealing with her own personal issues. AUTHOR:
Zoey Dean
|  (Buy Book)
| INFORMERS, THE (2008) (Drugs, L.A., 1980s, Hollywood, Music, Interrelated Stories, Sex, Adaptation)
PLOT: Bret Easton Ellis' tedious follow-up to his novel American Psycho, The Informers is set in 1983 Los Angeles, where movie executives, rock stars, a vampire, and other morally challenged characters mix and commingle. The movie adaptation stars Amber Heard, Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Billy Bob Thornton, and Brad Renfro. AUTHOR:
Bret Easton Ellis
|  (Buy Book)
| APPALOOSA (2008) (Western, Cowboy, Gunfight, Ranch, Adaptation)
PLOT: Directed by Ed Harris, this movie based on the book by Robert B. Parker tells the story of two friends hired to police a small town that is suffering under the rule of a rancher. They find their job complicated by the arrival of a young widow. The film stars Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, and Renée Zellweger. AUTHOR:
Robert B. Parker
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Classic Movies Based on Books
Past Film Adaptations of Classic Novels
Books Just Added - Our archive of movie adaptations is always growing. Here,
we present memorable movies from the past that have recently been added to our database of movies based on novels. Whether you are familiar with the film version or not, experience the story
in it's most classic form, and then enjoy the filmmaker's vision of the author's work.
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| HAUNTING, THE (1963) (Horror, Supernatural, Haunted House, Suspense, Adaptation)
PLOT: Dr. Markway, doing research to prove the existence of ghosts, investigates Hill House, a large, eerie mansion with a long history of violence, death, and insanity. With him are the skeptical young Luke, who stands to inherit the house, the mysterious and clairvoyant Theodora and the insecure Eleanor, whose psychic abilities make her feel somehow attuned to whatever spirits inhabit the old mansion. Soon, the ghostly presence in the house manifests itself in horrific and deadly ways. AUTHOR:
Shirley Jackson
|  (Buy Book)
| GOLDEN COMPASS, THE (2007) (Orphan, Parallel Universe, Kidnap, Talking Animals, Adaptation)
PLOT: In a parallel universe, young Lyra Belacqua journeys to the far North to save her best friend and other kidnapped children from terrible experiments by a mysterious organization known as The Magisterium. The movie, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, bares the name of the first novel in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, The Golden Compass. The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass round out the series of books. AUTHOR:
Philip Pullman
|  (Buy Book)
| ANGEL (2007) (Teenager, Poverty, Author, Success, Adaptation)
PLOT: The movie is based on the novel by Elizabeth Taylor (not the famous actress). Fifteen-year-old Angel (Romola Garai) writes stories that allow her to escape the poverty around her and retreat to a world of romance. She knows she is different, that she is destined to become a feted authoress, owner of great riches and of Paradise House. After reading The Lady Irania, publishers Brace and Gilchrist are certain the novel will be a success, in spite of—and perhaps because of—its overblown style. But they are curious as to who could have written such a book. Also starring Sam Neill. AUTHOR:
Elizabeth Taylor
|  (Buy Book)
| A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERS (2007) (Divorce, Relationships, Father Daughter, Adaptation)
PLOT: A Chinese man travels to America to visit his estranged daughter after her recent divorce. Though his trip starts off as a mission to see his daughter remarry, he develops a relationship with an Iranian woman who, despite their language barrier, captures his heart. The film was directed by Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club). AUTHOR:
Yiyun Li
|  (Buy Book)
| SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL (1959) (IRA, Hostage, Medicine, British, Adaptation)
PLOT: In 1921 Dublin, the IRA battles the "Black & Tans," special British forces given to harsh measures. Irish-American medical student Kerry O'Shea (Don Murray) hopes to stay aloof, but saving a wounded friend gets him outlawed, and inexorably drawn into the rebel organization...under his former professor Sean Lenihan (James Cagney), who has "shaken hands with the devil" and begun to think of fighting as an end in itself. Complications arise when Kerry falls for a beautiful English hostage (Dana Wynter), and the British offer a peace treaty that is not enough to satisfy Lenihan. AUTHOR:
Rearden Conner
|  (Buy Book)
| CTHULHU (2007) (Horror, Supernatural, Sanity, Cult, Adaptation)
PLOT: A Seattle history professor, drawn back to his estranged family on the Oregon coast to execute his late mother's estate, is reaquainted with his best friend from childhood, with whom he has a long-awaited tryst. Caught in an accelerating series of events, he discovers aspects of his father's New Age cult which take on a dangerous and apocalyptic significance. 90210er Tori Spelling appears in the film. The movie is loosely based on the horror novel. The term Cthulhu (kuh-tool-ew) Mythos describes a state in which gods furtively control the fate of mortals, and a mere glimpse of the universe, by nature hostile, is enough to drive a man insane. AUTHOR:
H. P. Lovecraft
|  (Buy Book)
| NICHOLAS NICKLEBY (2002) (Tragedy, Family, School, Poverty, Adaptation)
PLOT: Young Nicholas Nickleby (Charlie Hunnam) and his family have a promising life, until Nicholas' father dies and the family is left penniless. Nicholas ventures to London with his sister and mother to seek help from their Uncle Ralph (Christopher Plummer), but Ralph's only intentions are to separate the family and exploit them. Nicholas is sent to a school run by the cruel, abusive and horridly entertaining Wackford Squeers. Eventually, Nicholas runs away with schoolmate Smike (Jamie Bell), and the two set off to reunite the Nickleby family. Also starring Anne Hathaway. AUTHOR:
Charles Dickens
|  (Buy Book)
| COLD COMFORT FARM (1995) (Family, Comedy, Reunited, Relationships, Adaptation)
PLOT: In England in the early 1930's, 20-year-old Flora Poste (Kate Beckinsale), recently orphaned and left with only 100 pounds a year, goes to stay with distant relatives on Cold Comfort Farm. Everyone on the gloomy farm is completely out of sorts, but Flora tries to straighten everything out to help revive her mixed up family. AUTHOR:
Stella Gibbons
|  (Buy Book)
| I SERVED THE KING OF ENGLAND (2006) (Historical, Waiter, Prague Czechoslovakia, Dreams, Adaptation)
PLOT: This playful social satire follows the rise and fall of a diminutive Czech waiter while mirroring the political turmoil of recent Czech history. Dittie, a busboy with an inferiority complex and a driving ambition to become a millionaire, quickly rises to become a head waiter, but the respect he craves continues to allude him. When he marries a Nazi gym teacher, the Czechs despise him even more, while the Germans barely tolerate him. His first-class hotel is eventually nationalized by the Communists and he ends his life in poverty and isolation writing his memoirs. AUTHOR:
Bohumil Hrabal
|  (Buy Book)
| BAMBI (1942) (Animals, Forest, Cycle of Life, Humans, Adaptation)
PLOT: Walt Disney's animated film Bambi tells the story of a young deer, Bambi, growing up in the wild after his mother is shot by hunters. The book is more encompassing, as Bambi is torn between his desire to be with his beloved mate, Faline, and his yearning for the knowledge and solitude that he admires in the prince of deer. He also tries to understand the threat that humans pose. AUTHOR:
Felix Salten
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A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever.
~Martin Farquhar Tupper
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