# What book would you make into a movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2008, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187 "2008-11-17T22:09:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/81 "2008-11-22T12:52:47Z")
I’d love to see one of Iain M. Banks’ Culture novels made into a movie, though I’m having a hard time deciding which one. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/82 "2008-11-22T19:01:54Z")
> [@Scupper](#): > > Gaiman’s _ **American Gods** _ > > A decently-budgeted version of Gaiman’s _ **Neverwhere** _ > > Stephenson’s _ **Snow Crash** _ Agree with these three. I saw the BBC’s Neverwhere and it sucked bigtime. It reeked of cheap. Definitely worthy of a better remake. Snow Crash is begging to be a movie or an HBO miniseries. Why hasn’t this happened yet? It’s also weird that more of Kurt Vonnegut’s stuff hasn’t been made into movies. Galapagos and Slaughterhouse Five come to mind. I thought I heard something about Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow being made into a movie, but I haven’t heard anything in years. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/83 "2008-11-23T00:13:47Z")
> [@WormTheRed](#): > > Easily, [The Long Ships](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Ships), by Frans G Bengtsson. I want a proper handling of it, since the old movie-version is supposed to suck. > > And the book is even perfectly written for movie adaption! > > And it’s probably the best book in the world. That would be my suggestion as well, but with that username, it’s only fitting that you get to make the recommendation. It’s a bit long for a movie, though, and some bits would need to be cut out - only I’d hate to have to pick… Miniseries may be better. Get those crazy buggers at the Roskilde Viking museum to consult, build a handful of long ships, and have at it. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/84 "2008-11-23T00:21:08Z")
Sue Grafton’s “A is for…” etc should be made into a series. Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” should be made into a mini-series with a huge budget. (There apparently is one in the works on a shoestring budget) Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels should be made into a movie or series. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/85 "2008-11-23T01:28:16Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > It’s also weird that more of Kurt Vonnegut’s stuff hasn’t been made into movies. Galapagos and Slaughterhouse Five come to mind. [Slaughterhouse Five](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069280/) was made into a movie back in 1972. It was actually one of the better cinematic adaptations of Vonnegut’s stories but that’s not really saying much. Most movies based on Vonnegut’s works have turned out horribly. The non-linear structure of the stories has proven difficult for Hollywood to adapt as is the fact that his stories have a lot of satire, surrealism, dark humor, and scenes that would likely offend most the non-Vonnegut-reading audience. There are very few directors who could take all of these potentially off-putting elements and make a film that would please both Vonnegut fans and moviegoers. (Maybe Terry Gilliam?) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/86 "2008-11-23T03:43:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Easily, The Long Ships, by Frans G Bengtsson. I want a proper handling of it, since the old movie-version is supposed to suck. > > And the book is even perfectly written for movie adaption! > > And it’s probably the best book in the world. The movie doesn’t suck, but it’s only a portion of the book. I agree that the whole book is too long for a single film. You could do a series, though. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/87 "2008-11-23T05:59:03Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Also, there was something else… an epic novel… probably needs a TV miniseries or 2 or 3 films to do it justice- written by a Russian woman… Alissa Rosenbaum, I think… Wish I could recall the title. C’mon, spit it out . . . _A . . . At . . . Atl . . ._ ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/88 "2008-11-23T06:03:58Z")
I’d make _Flashman_ into a film. Yes, I know someone’s apparently working on it now, but my adaption would be better. It’d star Martin Freeman as Flashman, you see. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JollyGoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dec6dc/32.png) [@JollyGoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JollyGoon)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/89 "2008-11-23T13:45:30Z")
Raymond E. Feist’s **Magician**. Also Robin Hobb’s **Assasin** series. One I’d love to see is **The wheel of time** series by Robert Jordan, but with twelve 800 - 1200 page books in the series I can’t really see that happening. Also the 12th one (which is being written by a different author) isn’t out yet so… ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/90 "2008-11-23T13:57:59Z")
Andrew Vachss’s Burke mysteries, starring Bruce Willis. Ed McBain’s Deaf Man mysteries, starring Leonardo Dicaprio. I have an email from McBain saying that is a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/91 "2008-11-23T16:13:11Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I’d make _Flashman_ into a film. Yes, I know someone’s apparently working on it now, but my adaption would be better. It’d star Martin Freeman as Flashman, you see. 🙂 I came in here to mention Flashy. I will raise your Flashman with a [Falco series](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Didius_Falco). I’ve always pictures a fresh-from-Gladiator Russell Crowe in the lead. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/92 "2008-11-23T17:22:16Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > I would make a TV series, on the Sci-Fi channel, of Zelazny’s Amber series. And cast it with TV actors, not movie actors. In particular, I think John Barrowman would be a good Eric, because Eric doesn’t appear much; he’s mostly referred to by other characters. So when he is shown, it would be good visual shorthand for him to be the obvious hero type, thus justifying his brothers’ resentment of him. (Even Julian and Caine don’t seem to like him much; they’re just backing the winning horse.) Other than that, I’m not sure, except I think Tricia Helfer would be an effective Llewella. All five Corwin Chronicles would need to be done. I want to see Patternfall brought to life. More important then the casting, I think, is who would direct it. Someone with vision and willing to stick to the source material so we don’t get something like, I dunno, Bleys surfing a shield down the steps of Kolvir. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/93 "2008-11-23T17:39:09Z")
> [@Scupper](#): > > Burroughs’ _ **A Princess of Mars** _ - Actually in the works over at Pixar, I have heard. [Kindasorta.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=460216) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Falling_Reverend)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/94 "2008-11-23T20:01:02Z")
The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey and I 2nd The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/95 "2008-11-23T20:15:09Z")
I third The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Kindred by Octavia Butler. ---
**Author:** ![ricksummon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ricksummon/32/3333_2.png) [@ricksummon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricksummon)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/96 "2008-11-23T22:29:08Z")
**The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath.** Of all Lovecraft’s works, this is the most cinematic. The city of Celephais in 1080p! Zoogs fluttering in 7.1 channel surround! This just _cries out_ to be made! Oh, and I’d include _The White Ship_ as a short subject before the main feature. The city of Thalarion in 1080p! Smell-o-vision for Xura, Land of Pleasures Unattained! (OK, not that last bit, but the rest? Definitely!) ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/97 "2008-11-23T23:54:47Z")
“Children’s movies”: _A Wrinkle in Time_ (cannot think why this hasn’t been done yet) T_he Phoenix and the Carpet_ (or _The Five Children and It_ or both) _The Wolves of Willoughby Chase_ _A Mango Shaped Space_–cool premise for a film (synethesia). _The Phantom Tollbooth_. This has been done, but so horribly I cannot speak of it. T_he Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time_ (not the Sherlock Holmes story) _How I Live Now_ _Speak_ _Feed_ _Snowcrash_ Other movies: Georgette Heyer novels: not made for TV or Hallmark crap, either. Treat them like an Austen novel. I’d really like to see _The Grand Sophy_ or _Frederica_ or _Venetia_ done in all the Regency period glory (ala Merchant and Ivory). This would have to be a British production. All I ask is not to have either Keira Knightely or Nicole Kidman in any of the leads. The Mary Stewart Merlin Trilogy, but we can ignore the “fourth” book, please. Or almost any of her other books: _Thunder on the Right_, N_ine Coaches Waiting_ etc. Oliver Sack’s books, _The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat_ or\* An Anthropologist on Mars.\* Any of Jumpa Lahiri’s short stories. Or A.S. Byatt’s. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/98 "2008-11-24T00:44:33Z")
I’d love to see one or more of [Charles Williams](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Williams_(UK_writer))’s novels made into a supernatural thriller movie. They’re such a combination of the fascinating and the klunky/dated that a little Hollywoodization, if done right, could improve them, yielding a movie is more effective than the book. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/99 "2008-11-24T02:07:00Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby;10487659_A Wrinkle in Time_ (cannot think why this hasn’t been done yet)[/QUOTE] I haven’t seen it, but there was a made-for-tv adaptation just a few years ago that didn’t get very good reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187/100 "2008-11-24T02:23:22Z")
> [@Arden\_Ranger](#): > > All five Corwin Chronicles would need to be done. I want to see Patternfall brought to life. Well, yeah! That’s why I think a TV series would be better than a series of films. They could take their time, spread it out over five seasons, and it could be quite lucrative. > [@](#): > > More important then the casting, I think, is who would direct it. Someone with vision and willing to stick to the source material so we don’t get something like, I dunno, Bleys surfing a shield down the steps of Kolvir. BWAH! Or a randomly inserted love scene between Corwin and Dierdre. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-would-you-make-into-a-movie/473187.md?page=6)