What’s your opinion on movies that are based on classics in general? Are there any that you think were particularly well done, or feel were absolutely dreadful?

General
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What’s your opinion on movies that are based on classics in general? Are there any that you think were particularly well done, or feel were absolutely dreadful?

(And, of course, I’m wondering if people have seen Wuthering Heights - or plan to - and what you thought of it.)

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I’m definitely drawn to movies based on classics, but I have a self-made rule that I have to have read the book before I watch the movie. Sometimes it seems as if the older movies made from the 1930s - 60s made a stronger effort to stay true to the book. Gone With the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, Little Women (with Katherine Hepburn), The Outsiders, Polar Express, Dances with Wolves all seemed to be faithful to their books to me. Lonesome Dove, All Creatures Great and Small, and just about any PBS series also seemed to adhere to the book they were based on. And there are many more. I love The Wizard of Oz movie, but after reading the book, the movie seemed to take some liberties. The most obvious movie I can think of, The Mountain Between Us, is not a classic, but the only thing it had in common with the book was the mountain.

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I have the same “rule.” I read the book before seeing the movie, generally, enjoying the book more than movie.

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My opinion: I sometimes watch movies (based on classic books and and other genres) after I’ve read the book and am often disappointed by movies that change the story (especially if the ending is not the same as the book).

Actually, I’m not a fan of movies lately because in the early 1990s, movies based on classics (or any genres) went “tech” by blending real effects with digital technology, aka CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery). Next (I’m just guessing), movies will be using AI-assisted visual effects. For me, it’s a buzzkill because it’s a computer fake. Example: of course I enjoyed the 2023 Barbie movie but I cringed at some of the digital tools (used in more than 1,000 shots).

This reminds me of when MTV started broadcasting. For my younger BookBrowse friends, it was August 1, 1981 and the first song was Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. https://youtu.be/W8r-tXRLazs?si=1OtxyagpcwArZV86 I think tech has killed a lot of movies.

Feel free to call me a hypocritical old lady — my career is IT. :joy:

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I’m neutral on all of these questions. I don’t go out of my way to watch movies of classics unless it/they holds some sort of interest—basically the same as any other movie. I did not see Wuthering Heights which has been made to sound almost like a spoof. I have recently loved Hamnet even though it departs from the book. I also recently watched and loved the PBS series on The Count of Monte Cristo—fabulous! I read the book a couple of years ago so I was all set and it didn’t disappoint.

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I usually enjoy period movies in general whether inspired by books or from original screenplays (The Favorite). One of my favorite movies from a classic book is the old black and white David Copperfield.

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I recently watched the new version of Frankenstein. At first I thought it was going to be too dark for the moment I was in but I quickly got caught up in the story and ended up really enjoying this new release.

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