The 7 best books adapted to movies

Are you one of those who believes that movies cannot overcome written history? There are several books adapted to movies that prove otherwise. These are works that have managed to capture the original work with excellence, coming to be considered cult films in many cases.

There are a few works that have achieved the greatest of success in both literature and film. And that the two genders express each other within their limits. Understanding these differences sharpens the critical eye to appreciate a good adaptation from one that is not.

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The 7 best books adapted to movies

The magic of cinema, with its technology in special effects, music and performances, manages to recreate endearing stories. Although counting complete books in two hours is usually complex. Perhaps for this reason it often seems that the film can spoil a great book, but it is not always the case.

Throughout the history of cinema there are countless examples of films that are adaptations of books

. Anyway, the best books adapted to films are only a few. Here is the best selection that we have made from La Guía Femenina for you. We advise you to read the book and watch the movie in each of the seven cases that you will find!

1. The Godfather

The Godfather is considered one of the best films of all time. There are even those who believe that the film surpassed the novel written by Mario Puzo in 1969. The film, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, was released in 1972 breaking all sales records.

The cast that stars in it is already historic: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton and Robert Duvall. The Godfather tells the fictional story of an Italian mafia family, settled in New York between the years of 1945 and 1955. Without a doubt, one of the best books adapted to films.

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2. The silence of the lambs (The silence of the lambs or The silence of the innocents)

The silence of the lambs is the third novel by Thomas Harris. In 1988, Harris publishes this novel where Hannibal Lecter, a minor character in his novel The Red Dragon. This character becomes the protagonist together with a detective, Clarice Starling.

The film adaptation was made in 1991. Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster play the leads under the direction of Jonathan Demme. Prequels and sequels of this story have been brought to the big screen, but without a doubt this work is the best.

3. Doctor Zhivago

Doctor Zhivago is a great classic story that no one should miss. The novel was written in 1957 by Boris Pasternak, obtaining the following year the Nobel Prize for Literature. In 1965 it was taken to the cinema, becoming the eighth highest grossing film of all time.

The film's director, David Lean, did not fully follow the written novel. Perhaps it is not a faithful adaptation, but this did not detract from its majesty and did honor to the literary work. It is considered one of the best books adapted to movies.

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4. Schindler's List

Schindler's List is the adaptation of the novel Schindler's Ark. The novel was written by Thomas Keneally in 1982, and focuses on the story of a German businessman. A member of the Nazi party, he managed to save the lives of 1,200 Jews during the Second World War.

In 1993 the novel was made into a film by Steven Spielberg. Although Spielberg adds true testimonial stories to the original story, the adaptation is certainly very good. If you have not read the novel or seen the movie you should, it is a great story that you should not miss.

5. Fight Club (The Fight Club or The Fight Club)

Fight Club is a novel by Chuck Palahniuk published in 1996. The film was directed by David Fincher in 1999 and starred Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. Although the film was not very well received upon release, over the years it has become a cult film.

The story tells of the desolation and despair of a common man, who in his attempt to combat his discontent with the culture of consumerism and oppressive social norms, founds a fighting club. The film adaptation manages to recreate the same disturbance as the novel. You will not be indifferent to this story!

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6. Harry Potter (complete saga)

The 7 Harry Potter books were taken to the cinema in 8 great installments. In 1997 the first book in the series was published: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. From that moment, and in each installment that author J.K Rowling produced, the book series was met with great success.

It is considered the best-selling book series in history. In 2001 the first film was released, obtaining a resounding success. Each delivery has been led by different directors. If you are a fan of the series, you have to read the books! You will not regret.

7. The Lord of the Rings (The Complete Trilogy)

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is already a classic of fantasy literature. It was written by J.R.R. Tolkien in 1917 and first published in 1954. Although The Hobbit is actually the first novel, the big hit came with the Lord of the Rings story.

The first film in the trilogy was released in 2001 and there are variations with the written story. The truth is that it is a great adaptation that would not have been achieved but for the advances in special effects; they achieved a fascinating recreation of the "middle lands." Without a doubt, novels and films are works that you cannot miss.

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Bibliographic references

• Schneider, S.J. (2017). 1001 movies you must see before you die. Barcelona: Grijalbo.