Ten Bestsellers that Became Movies

chillibreeze writer — Nandini Ghosh

The charm of book reading still remains a part of man’s life. This is amply proven by the fact that an increasing number of stories are being captured on celluloid. The book is first read and then the magic is restored in the form of cinema. However, in most cases, while the best sellers remain appreciated in the book form, they are under severe fire as movies. Nevertheless, films are made and some in the hands of good directors have cast their spell over the audience all right.

The first best seller that comes to mind is the classic ‘Gone with the Wind.’ This novel by Margaret Mitchell is enthralling in its depiction of the contemporary American society. The political turmoil in the America of that day is well depicted in words. It is easy to conjure up images of the war, the ravages of the battles along with the grandeur of the O Hara estate. The film, directed by Victor Fleming, in 1939, is as mesmerizing as the book. True to the book, this movie has honestly portrayed the grim political situation, balancing it well against the flippant nature and the amorous adventures of Scarlette. The film, like the novel, gives a deep insight into the political unrest of the times. This well-directed movie, almost epic in nature, is certainly the rightful owner of the Oscar award.

In more recent times, the Harry Potter series has won the attention of the world. The adult population along with children has fallen for this surreal world created by black magicians. The author, J.K. Rowling, who is herself a magician had indeed created a make-believe world of sorcerers and had it accepted by all who cared to read. The theme is rather old. The combat between good and evil and the eventual victory of the former over the latter has a universal appeal. Man loves to see goodness thrive in his own urge to survive in this vicious world. Depicted in film, the characters come to life and seem like people who live somewhere round the corner. Harry Potter, the teenage hero, is almost surreal in his innocence. A dark world of negative influences keep us engrossed for nearly three hours with expectations and excitement reaching a feverish pitch.

Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has received worldwide acknowledgement as a best seller but the film has failed to build up the same suspense and drama that the book has. Tom Hanks with his histrionic abilities has been a relief to the otherwise poor rendering of the clandestine proceedings of the secrets groups. The other actors do not quite sink their teeth into the depths of the mystery as it were.

Jurassic Park is a book that leaves an indelible mark on our minds. The sheer thought of long-lost predatory creatures coming to life is not that incredulous. We readers are thoroughly entertained by the idea that in the age of cloning, the birth of dinosaurs is also a possibility no matter how far-fetched it may be. The genius of Stephen Spielberg, in 1993, is once more witnessed as we follow the camera along the rich vegetation of the Jurassic Park and sense the thrill of confronting the gigantic creatures of prehistoric times. The thrill of creation is sadly lost when things go out of hand and Jurassic Park has to be deserted. The emotional hangover is strong enough to remain even after the movie is over. Hats off to Spielberg!

Of course, there are a number of other best sellers over the years that have become movies. Anna Karenina and the magnificent War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, Wuthering Heights, the sad romance by Emily Bronte of 1802, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, the vampire expert, Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, a science fiction again, Colleen McCullough’s sensational novel Thorn Birds, Jeffrey Archer’s Kane and Abel are some of the other classic best sellers that have been made into films.

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Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in July, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

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