A fiction with bad source material(s), that could be improved by making it into a movie?

[Parasondox]

The real truth behind Disney stories. Don't look up the one about Peter Pan. It's sad and fucking dark. Would make a good movie though.

"Stick to the source material!" It's all I hear cry when a movie tries to do an adaption of a book and gets it royally wrong. But what if we twist that.

What piece of fiction, whether a book, comic, animation, an old movie, which was seen as bad, awful and hard to consumer, do you think could be improved by a live action movie. Hoping the movie studios don't add in too much eggs into their custard.

Or, is that notice just ridiculous because no matter how much the source material may suck, you must stick with it. Well, wouldn't that make the movie suck too. I mean, how much sucking can one take?

Double or, has this already been done. Is there a movie or TV show that is way better than the book but still stuck to the source material and slapping the face of the original author?

Added note: Childhood's End was just awful. The end just... WHAT THE FUCK WAS THE ENDING ABOUT? Did Damon Lindelof pin this shit. Yeah it was based off of a book but I assume the book had more to it.

 

[Pirate Of PC Master race]

Double or, has this already been done. Is there a movie or TV show that is way better than the book but still stuck to the source material and slapping the face of the original author?

By a coincidence, I was just watching one.

Anime adaptation of novel by some japanese author - then later adjusted slightly by english version - Ghost stories. I recommend it.

 

[BrawlMan]

Shaman King (TV Adaption) - Watch that. The original manga started off fine, but ended up with a depressing ending, and the author ended up having an unfair misanthropic view of humanity. Really asshole, we're supposed to agree with the butt-fuck who's killed over a 1000 people, including many of his own kind, and let him be in charge. People that had friends, families, and loved ones, fuck you. Also, the TV show ended first because the manga wasn't finished at the time. The manga went on a 5 year hiatus from 2004-2009. That only makes the ending that much more insulting. The TV adaption had different writers, so that explains the more positive, upbeat ending.

Gunsmith Cats: Burst - Stick with the three episode OVA. The source material sees nothing but going out of its way to screw over the main characters. Up yours Kenichi Sonoda!

John Carpenter's The Thing - The original novel "Who Goes There?" is not bad, and makes a good read, but the design of the alien itself is uninspiring. Granted, it's the signs of the time (a book from the 1950s), so you at least get why. For those who don't know, the look of the Thing in the book is just a slimy tentacle blue guy with three red eyes. Carptener and his team went nuts for the design of the Thing(s) by not giving it a true form. For those curious, here the original design

http://www.goldenageofscifi.info/1951/thing_from_another_world/alien_blue_cover.png

 

[DrownedAmmet]

I read David Benioff's book city of thieves and I had this exact thought. Pretty crappy book with cliche characters, but with good actors it would make a good movie

 

[Bobular]

Game of Thrones.

The books aren't really bad, I enjoyed the ones I read, its just that Martin can spend pages explaining everyone's heraldry in detail.

That's why I stopped reading the books and just watch the TV series now.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

I believe Pokemon has that potential. It wouldn't even be hard, all they'd need is a beginning, middle (maybe an end if they don't want to go into cliffhanger sequel-ville) and not use Ash as a character at all.

 

[Hawki]

This seems a bit redundant. If a book is bad, what premise is there to think that a film would do better? Books tend to be far more plot-centric than film, so weaknesses in a novel tend to be based on said plot. How would a film address that?

I guess if I really, REALLY stretched the definition of "bad source material," then I guess I could nominate the following:

-Wess'har: Probably better suited for a TV series than a film. But I'm onboard. Keep the plot, cut down on the moralizing, bam. Granted, I've only read the first two novels, so how well later installments would do is another matter.

-Master of the Grove: I loved this book back in 5th grade, but that was the advantage of our teacher reading it out to us in class. Now, it's been ages since I read it, but I remember it being slow. Very slow in places. Which is a shame, because the plot and characters are strong, it just takes ages for them to get anywhere. So, on that note, a film could help - trim the plot, but keep it, bam. Sign me up.

-The Lost Fleet: Again, TV series rather than a film. And...well, only read the first book. I think it's good, but as an example of military sci-fi, it's not really in my realm of preferred taste (it's the military, not the sci-fi that bothers me). That said, stuff like Stargate SG-1 and Battlestar Galactica gets into my top ten sci-fi list, so hey, maybe it could work.

-Wheel of Time: I...really don't like the Wheel of Time novels that much. I read the first three and the New Spring graphic novel before saying "screw it" and turned my attention away. Which is a shame. The worldbuilding is easily the novels' trump card, it's just that the plot ranges from cliche to pedestrian, and the characters are...meh. That said, I can't see every book being adapted into a movie series, nor can I see even the longest of TV series covering all the material.

 

[Objectable]

There's this really mediocre book about the mafia that some guy made into a movie. I wonder if it was any good?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5DO-nDW43Ik

 

[Fox12]

The Hunger Games was a much better movie then a book.

I think Ender's Game could be improved as well. They family dynamic was the most interesting part of the book, and then Card didn't actually do anything with it.

There's this really mediocre book about the mafia that some guy made into a movie. I wonder if it was any good?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5DO-nDW43Ik

No way, I heard it was directed by that loser who made Jack.

 

[Chanticoblues]

To Have and Have Not is famously one of Hemmingway's worst novels, but resulted in one of the best adaptations of his material (the film from 1944).

That said, a lot of plot elements were changed in the adaptation.

 

[09philj]

Lord of the Rings. A good story crushed under the weight of the author's fascination with the world inside his head.

 

[irish286]

I believe Pokemon has that potential. It wouldn't even be hard, all they'd need is a beginning, middle (maybe an end if they don't want to go into cliffhanger sequel-ville) and not use Ash as a character at all.

I actually want to see Ash as an adult. I'm sick of him being a ten year old. Why not make it about him teaching his son how to be a great trainer? Instead of it being kids acting like adults why not make it like real life with parents teaching their kids how to grow up?

 

[FPLOON]

Added note: Childhood's End was just awful. The end just... WHAT THE FUCK WAS THE ENDING ABOUT? Did Damon Lindelof pin this shit. Yeah it was based off of a book but I assume the book had more to it.

In all fairness, the show spoiled it's own ending by showing the ending at the beginning of the show...

OT: Cloud Atlas... I rarely thank the editor of a specific movie, but this one was the exception...

Other than that, 2003's FullMetal Alchemist... because "happy ending" shouldn't have to equal "happily ever after"...

 

[FalloutJack]

I don't know what the manga of epic shows like Heroic Age or Gurren Lagann or Cowboy Bebop are like, but these are shows that deserve their visual and musical accompaniment. They're better for it by bringing it out onto the screen and letting it flow into our minds.

 

[BrawlMan]

I don't know what the manga of epic shows like Heroic Age or Gurren Lagann or Cowboy Bebop are like, but these are shows that deserve their visual and musical accompaniment. They're better for it by bringing it out onto the screen and letting it flow into our minds.

Cowboy Bebop and Gurren Lagann started off as TV shows first, and then got manga adaptions second.

 

[Pirate Of PC Master race]

Added note: Childhood's End was just awful. The end just... WHAT THE FUCK WAS THE ENDING ABOUT? Did Damon Lindelof pin this shit. Yeah it was based off of a book but I assume the book had more to it.

In all fairness, the show spoiled it's own ending by showing the ending at the beginning of the show...

OT: Cloud Atlas... I rarely thank the editor of a specific movie, but this one was the exception...

Other than that, 2003's FullMetal Alchemist... because "happy ending" shouldn't have to equal "happily ever after"...

Good to see someone who appreciates FMA 2003 version more - if not equal to brotherhood.
It may be my preference, but I think brotherhood couldn't take itself seriously enough, and ruined(personal opinion) its tone.

 

[Silence]

OT: Cloud Atlas... I rarely thank the editor of a specific movie, but this one was the exception...

Wait, what? I read the book then watched the film, and the movie was shit. The book was good, not perfect, but fine. The movie was an inconsistent mess of different timelines, not making sense, and especially explaining nothing if you have not read the book.

I was so disappointed in the movie. It was, well, just bad.

OT: ... can't think of one right now, but there surely are some.
Maybe comicbook movies, some of them?

 

[FalloutJack]

I don't know what the manga of epic shows like Heroic Age or Gurren Lagann or Cowboy Bebop are like, but these are shows that deserve their visual and musical accompaniment. They're better for it by bringing it out onto the screen and letting it flow into our minds.

Cowboy Bebop and Gurren Lagann started off as TV shows first, and then got manga adaptions second.

Wait. That ever happens?

*Runs up a cartoonishly-pointy mountain and shouts*

You lied to me, anime industry! You lied!