Based on...
Books and films are two closely-related forms of art and entertainment. Since the science of film was first established in the late 1800s filmmakers have been using it to tell stories, and they soon began utilising the existing narratives and characters of novels. These films have succeeded (or not) to varying degrees in the transition, some accurately portraying the writer's intention, some building on it and some disappointing the original readers. No matter how well the adaptation is done however, it is still nice to be reminded that yes, happily, there is more to read than Harry Potter.
For screen translations of Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, Stephen King and many other notable authors click their links under this category, left. For adaptations of plays and Shakespeare, use the 'Alice's Playhouse' link.
Right: Kubrick's adaptation of Thackeray's novel 'Barry Lyndon'.
Beowulf: The Director's Cut (2007)
7.7/10
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Glover, John Malkovich...
Director Robert Zemeckis ('The Polar Express') again pushes the boundaries of film animation in this visually stunning take on the oldest of English t... Read more
The Reader (Blu-ray) (2008)
7.6/10
Director: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Bruno Ganz, Matthias Habich, Susanne Lothar, Lena O...
Kate Winslet won an Oscar and a BAFTA for her complex and gripping portrayal of a post-war German woman who discovers a sick teenage boy in the street... Read more
Midsomer Murders: Series 13 (Part 3) (2014)
3.5/10
Starring: John Nettles, Peter Smith, Neil Dudgeon
Welcome to England's most murderous county... The English village mystery gets a contemporary spin in this hit British television series that has e... Read more
Midsomer Murders: Series 14 (Part 2) (2015)
7.7/10
Starring: Neil Dudgeon
The English village mystery gets a contemporary spin in this hit British television series that has earned a worldwide following. Bucolic settings har... Read more
Midsomer Murders: Series 14 (Part 3) (2015)
7.7/10
Starring: Neil Dudgeon
The English village mystery gets a contemporary spin in this hit British television series that has earned a worldwide following. Bucolic settings har... Read more
Midsomer Murders: Series 14 (Part 4) (2015)
7.7/10
Starring: Neil Dudgeon
The English village mystery gets a contemporary spin in this hit British television series that has earned a worldwide following. Bucolic settings har... Read more
The Elephant Man (Blu-ray) (1980)
8.2/10
Director: David Lynch
Starring: Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Freddie J...
From the director of 'Eraserhead' and 'Dune', based on the true story of John Merrick, who suffered from a rare, physically distorting disease and was... Read more
Midsomer Murders: Series 15 (2015)
7.7/10
Starring: Neil Dudgeon
Welcome to England's most murderous county… The English village mystery gets a contemporary spin in this hit British television series that has ear... Read more
Midsomer Murders: Series 16 (Part 2) (2015)
7.7/10
Starring: Neil Dudgeon, Gwilym Lee
What evil lurks beyond the well-trimmed hedges of Midsomer... The cozy villages of Midsomer County reveal their most sinister secrets in these cont... Read more
My Left Foot (Blu-ray) (1989)
7.9/10
Director: Jim Sheridan
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Brenda Fricker, Ray McAnally, Cyril Cusack
The acclaimed true story of Christy Brown, an Irish artist and writer who refused to let the cerebral palsy that crippled him since birth make him a p... Read more