Great Adaptations
By Stephanie Meyer
First published in 2005 and adapted for the big screen in 2008
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart
Why we love it: What’s not to love? The Twilight saga has become a global phenomenon and, luckily for us, there are still three more cinematic instalments to come (who else is on New Moon count-down?). Perfectly adapted from Meyer’s best-selling first novel, Twilight is beautifully shot with a wistful, dreamy pace and is accompanied by a killer soundtrack including Muse and Linkin Park. Oh, and did we mention Robert Pattinson is Edward Cullen? Yum.
Let GLAMOUR.com educate you with our favourite ever book-to-film adaptations. If you haven't read the book yet, read it, and if you haven't seen the big screen version, well, watch it!
The Twilight Saga
By Stephenie Meyer
First published in 2005 and adapted for the big screen in 2008
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart
Why we love it: What’s not to love? The Twilight Saga has become a global phenomenon. Perfectly adapted from Meyer’s best-selling series, Twilight is beautifully shot with a wistful, dreamy pace and is accompanied by a killer soundtrack including Muse and Linkin Park. Oh, and did we mention Robert Pattinson is Edward Cullen? Yum.
Breakfast At Tiffany’s
By Truman Capote
First published in 1958 and adapted for the big screen in 1961
Starring: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard
Why we love it: The darling DVD in every fashionista’s collection – we all want to be the Givenchy-wearing, champagne-quaffing Holly Golightly! Just gorgeous from start to finish.
Lolita
By Vladimir Nabokov
First published in 1955 and adapted for the big screen in 1997
Starring: Jeremy Irons, Dominique Swain
Why we love it: Though many consider Stanley Kubrick’s 1962 version to be the masterpiece, Adrian Lyne’s ‘90s adaptation stays much truer to the novel, with just the right blend of discomfort, humour and beauty to really bring Nabokov’s immortal classic to life. It’s also gorgeously shot, with Jeremy Irons’ enigmatic rogue narrating throughout. What’s more, Dominique Swain’s take on the eponymous heroine has a wardrobe to die for – think Katy Perry with bells on.
American Psycho
By Bret Easton Ellis
First published in 1991 and adapted for the big screen in 2000
Starring: Christian Bale, Chloe Sevigny, Reese Witherspoon.
Why we love it: Aside from the obvious (plenty of Adonis-like shirtless action from Christian Bale), director Mary Harron kept just the right amount of deliciously dark, twisted humour present, leaving out the really, really nasty bits of the novel. Oh, and did we mention Christian Bale is shirtless? A lot.
Dracula
By Bram Stoker
First published in 1897 and adapted for the big screen in 1992
Starring: Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves
Why we love it: Was there ever a more beautiful gothic romance? Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation focuses more on the tragic love story and less on the horror to create a movie that is visually stunning and inimitable. The ultimate Dracula adaptation. What’s more, Gary Oldman ROCKS.
Bridget Jones’s Diary
By Helen Fielding
First published in 1996 and adapted for the big screen in 2001
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth
Why we love it: Right from the very start (namely the opening sequence, wherein Bridget slugs Chardonnay in her PJs singing Eric Carmen) we were rolling in the aisles. Though we were shocked to hear a stick-thin Texan was playing our beloved – and arche-typically British – heroine, Renée nailed the loveable, unintentionally hilarious singleton and, with the addition of Hugh and Colin, in the words of Bridget herself, "ding dong!"
Romeo + Juliet
By William Shakespeare
Written around the late 1500s and adapted for the big screen in 1997
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes
Why we love it: A true visionary director, Baz ‘Moulin Rouge’ Luhrmann brought Shakespeare’s classic tragedy kicking and screaming into the ‘90s, creating a film for the MTV generation whilst still retaining the beautiful dialect of the original. Verona became Verona Beach, duelling houses became kids with guns, and Romeo became a truly gorgeous 22-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio, sigh. Seriously, who didn’t fancy him?
Harry Potter
By J.K. Rowling
First published in 1997 and adapted for the big screen in 2001
Starring: Everyone who is anyone in British cinema!
Why we love it: Quite possibly the most successful and profitable series of stories since the birth of literature, the Harry Potter saga has netted author J.K. Rowling a cool, reported £1bn and has made stars out of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. From fun, playful moments to increasingly dark matter, with show-stopping special FX and breath-taking sets, kids and adults alike couldn't get enough of the magical twists and turns of young Potter.
Lord Of The Rings
By J.R.R Tolkien
First Published in 1954 and adapted for the big screen in 2001
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett and Liv Tyler
Why we love it: AMAZING cinematography and breathtaking ‘mise-en-scène’ – acclaimed director Peter Jackson really bought Middle Earth to life and more than deserved the accolades that poured in for his work on the trilogy (including the coveted Best Picture Oscar for Return Of The King). Action and battle scenes a’plenty for your boyf and gorgeous fellas galore (in the form of Orlando Bloom’s Legolas and Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn) for us!
Fight Club
By Chuck Palahniuk
First published in 1996 and adapted for the big screen in 1999
Starring: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter
Why we love it: Quite possibly one of the best book-to-film adaptations ever – namely because this is one of the rare occasions when the film is better. Fight Club was brought to life by electric director David Fincher in ’99 and we were pleased as punch to see Edward Norton and Brad Pitt (in arguably his sexiest role) take on the roles of The Narrator and anarchist Tyler Durden respectively. The film has become a cult classic and if you haven’t seen it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing (and you won’t know the first rule of Fight Club).
Silence of the Lambs
By Thomas Harris
First published in 1988 and adapted for the big screen in 1991
Starring: Jodie Foster, Sir Anthony Hopkins
Why we love it: Oooh it’s a scary one, is this. The movie famously scooped the five big ones at the 1992 Oscars ceremony, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Foster and Best Actor for Hopkins (who can forget his infamous liver, father beans and Chianti speech?) and is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most chilling horror films in history. Definitely not one to watch before bedtime.
The Great Gatsby
By F. Scott Fitzgerald
First published in 1925 and adapted for the big screen in 1974
Starring: Mia Farrow, Robert Redford
Why we love it: As well as appealing to the jazz baby in all of us and perfectly encapsulating the roaring ‘20s – with some pretty fabulous fashion moments from Mia – The Great Gatsby is a beautifully shot romantic drama with a stellar performance from the gorgeous Robert Redford as the mysterious, eponymous hero.
Atonement
By Ian McEwan
First published in 2001 and adapted for the big screen in 2007
Starring: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy
Why we love it: We love a good sob-fest here at GLAMOUR.com Towers and defy anyone not to weep come the end of this tragic romance – which, dare we say it, even made us cry harder than McEwan’s novel. Knightley’s Cecilia has a wardrobe to die for and McAvoy’s Robbie is just too damn cute for words. Pretty harrowing stuff, so tissues at the ready. You have been warned.
Pride & Prejudice
By Jane Austin
First published in 1813 and adapted for the small screen in 1995
Starring: Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle
Why we love it: Don’t bother with the 2005 Keira Knightley version; this is the definitive P&P adaptation. We’re pretty sure we’re not the only ones who have watched the Mr Darcy (AKA a brooding Colin Firth) wet-shirt-from-the-lake scene several times…
Rebecca
By Daphne du Maurier
First published in 1938 and adapted for the big screen in 1940
Starring: Lawrence Olivier, Joan Fontaine
Why we love it: A personal favourite amongst many of the GLAMOUR.com gals, who better to trust with our beloved Rebecca than the master of suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock? With top performances from movie god Lawrence Olivier as Mr. de Winter and the beautiful Joan Fontaine as the woman who will never quite measure up to Rebecca, it’s the perfect blend of gothic thrills and good ol’ fashioned romance to keep us wide-eyed and bewitched from beginning to end.
Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
By Roald Dahl
First published in 1967 and adapted for the big screen in 2005
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter
Why we love it: Even though the 1971 Willy Wonka version is still one of our favourite childhood vids – and Johnny Depp is more than a little creepy in this one – there’s no denying that any film given the Tim Burton treatment makes for a truly breathtaking piece of cinema. Well worth a watch.
Emma
By Jane Austen
First published in 1897 and adapted for the big screen in 1996
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor
Why we love it: Just the right blend of comedy and romance to keep us smiling. Playing the eponymous English match-making heroine, Gwyneth Paltrow – a native Californian girl – totally nailed it! So much so we actually thought she was from England for the next few years.
Howards End
By E M Forster
First published in 1910 and adapted for the big screen in 1992
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter
Why we love it: A stellar cast of British Hollywood heavy weights and top-notch performances all round make this delicious, Oscar-winning tale of social class divide and prejudice in the early 1900s. A must-see.
Flowers in the Attic
By V C Andrews
First published in 1979 and adapted for the big screen in 1987
Starring: Kristy Swanson
Why we love it: We love a good spot of ol’ fashioned horror here at GLAMOUR.com – and this adaptation is as creepy and old-school as it gets. If you haven’t read the book (shame on you) then the film makes for a good introduction to this classic tale, staying sinister but leaving out a lot of the more harrowing and horrific bits from the novel. It’s a little natty around the edges (what ‘80s horror flick isn’t?) but makes for a fun DVD and popcorn night come Halloween.
The James Bond Novels
By Ian Fleming
First published in 1953 and adapted for the big screen in 1962Why we love them: Sean Connery’s Bond was smooth; Roger Moore’s, tongue in cheek; whilst Daniel Craig’s Bond – just darkly delicious!
Great Expectations
By Charles Dickens
First published in 1861 and adapted for the big screen in 1998
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert De Niro
Why we love it: Taking Dickens’ timeless tale of unrequited love and bringing it back up-to-date in a New York City setting with a modern spin, this contemporary classic has gorgeous stars, an awesome soundtrack and screams ‘sex’ from start to finish.
Dorian Gray
By Oscar Wilde
First published in 1890 and adapted for the big screen in 2009
Starring: Ben Barnes, Colin FirthWhy we love it: This dark and deliciously decadent gothic horror has been begging for a big screen make-over, and Ben Barnes is just so yummy; we’d love him to look that good forever too!
Sherlock Holmes
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
First published in 1887 and adapted for the big screen in 2009
Why we love it: Guy Ritchie (as the director), Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law - what’s not to love?
Alice In Wonderland
By Lewis Carroll
First published in 1865; released in 2010
Starring: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter
Why we love it: Come on – it’s Tim Burton unleashed in Wonderland!
