Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you’re having a lovely week.
Today I thought I’d do a discussion post on movies that I think would make good books. A lot of the time, we think “this book would make a good movie”, but there are some things whee I think the opposite, and I would love to read the book behind a movie. And sometimes that book doesn’t exist, but it should. So these are some of those movies.
Passengers
From IMDB: A spacecraft traveling to a distant colony planet and transporting thousands of people has a malfunction in its sleep chambers. As a result, two passengers are awakened 90 years early.
Okay so this movie would need some updating, but I think it could be an amazing book. **SPOILERS FOR PASSENGERS** So, as you know if you’ve watched this, Chris Pratt’s character is woken up early by the ship malfunctioning. After a year of living essentially alone, he decides to wake up Jennifer Lawrence’s character. In the end, they decide to live ~happily ever after~. BUT if the ending had been slightly different, it would have been a way better movie and could make an amazing book.
Changed ending: kill off Chris Pratt’s character. Jennifer Lawrence’s character lives alone for a year, and ends up doing the same thing as Chris Pratt. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER. We could have had more time to understand Chris Pratt’s characters actions. It would’ve been way better. Someone please write this as a book. **END SPOILERS**
The Breakfast Club
From IMDB: Five high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.
Imagine this movie as a book. How good would it be? There could be such a good exploration of stereotypes and the boxes we put people into, and social pressures, etc.
Grand Budapest Hotel
From IMDB: The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous hotel from the fictional Republic of Zubrowka between the first and second World Wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.
This movie is based on writings by Zweig, but not one specific book. I think it could make such a good book. The characters were amazing, the imagery and story-telling are great, the pacing is good. I would definitely read this book.
Spotlight
From IMDB: The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.
If you haven’t seen Spotlight, I highly recommend it. But I also think it would make such a good book. It could be an awesome non-fiction, investigative journalist-type book. Or a fictionalized version of the events, similar to the movie. I just think it would work really well.
The Black Mirror episode White Bear
From IMDB: Victoria wakes up and cannot remember anything about her life. Everyone she encounters refuses to communicate with her, and they all seem to know something she doesn’t. But what?
Y’all White Bear might be the most mind-blowing thing I’ve watched in a while. If you haven’t watched Black Mirror, I would recommend this episode for sure. It would make an amazing book. We could follow the main character, and there could be flashbacks or news coverage or something. I think it would be difficult, but it would be so good.
So, those are some movies (and a TV episode) that I think would make good books. Have you watched any of these? Do you agree? Are there any movies you think would make good books? Let me know!!
Thanks for reading xx
White Bear is an excellent choice! I still get shivers when I think about that episode!
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Thank you! And I know, it’s pretty amazing! I was totally blown away the first time I saw it
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I’ve seen Passengers, The Breakfast Club, and Spotlight. I think all three are excellent choices. I have not seen that particular episode of Black Mirror, but I’ve really enjoyed the series overall!
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Ahhhh thank you, so glad you agree!!
I would definitely recommend it! It’s so intense and has one of the best endings (in my opinion)
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I am OBSESSED with Black Mirror and I looooove that ep. Totally agree that that’s one of the eps that would work best as a book!
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Yes, it’s so good!!!! I’ve watched it three times in the past like six weeks. So glad you agree!!
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Neat idea! I tend to find out after watching a movie that more of them are based on books than I realized (like I just found out that The Prestige was a book first, and that Somewhere In Time was a book first), but I never really stopped to think about which movies would be good books.
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Thank you! And same! There’s definitely a few movies I’ve watched without knowing they were books originally
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I 100% agree, The Breakfast Club would make a fantastic book! Great post.
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Yay so glad you agree!!! Thank you!
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I think The Breakfast Club would be really interesting, especially considering the stereotypes of the 80’s and what it’s like nearly 40 years later.
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Right? It would be so interesting!!
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I loved The Grand Budapest Hotel, but I think I would be far too confused by all the characters if it was a book!!! 😂
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You’re actually so right, I’m so bad at keeping track of character names that it would be hard. The great thing about the movie was how visually distinctive they were
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Yes, and it was so colourful as well, I really loved it!! 💕
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I really agree that Spotlight would be a great book! I also haven’t seen Passengers, but going off your description and your idea for a tweaked ending, I have to think it would be another great choice.
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So glad you agree! And thank you! 🙂
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Honestly I wish Black Mirror episodes were an anthology or something I could read, because i love that show so damn much. White Bear is a good choice, though!
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Right?? I feel like so many of them would be amazing as books or short stories
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I’m really loving the film ‘Frida’. I think portraying the spirit and colour would be a wonderful challenge for a writer.
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I’ll have to look into it!
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