From Book to the Big Screen:
There are some huge and particularly note-worthy book to screen adaptations that have happened over the years, often becoming blockbuster productions as they are so highly anticipated due to the already established fan base of the books.
Whether people are already fans of the book and are excited to see the adaptation, or people are captivated by the screen adaptation, and then decide to read the books, there are many amazing book-to-screen companions around for people to enjoy and explore both variations.
Cinephiles and bibliophiles unite, there is great value in both mediums!
Below is a list of books and their screen companions that you can find within our catalogue, happy reading and/or watching!
If you're a movie buff and want to get involved with other like-minded people, the Ivanhoe Movie Club meets the second Tuesday of every month! Watch a wide range of movies, some will be challenging, others will be just a little different, you can organise to have a copy of the months movie allocated to you by speaking to our wonderful staff at Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub.
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
If you’re a fan of either Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett, then you are probably already aware of this gem of a novel! Good Omens is such an enjoyable, fun and adventurous read, as you would expect from a book written by these two prolific authors. The series also allows for all the absurd, apocalyptic events to be put on screen in all its comedic glory, not to mention the theme song for this series is so catchy. I would highly recommend this book and TV series to anyone that is a fan of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Check out the Book: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, also available as a dramatized eAudiobook by BBC Radio (Borrow Box)
Check out the TV Series: Good Omens DVD (2019)
Sully by Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger
The suspense and intrigue of this movie certainly captured the attention of many viewers when it was released. Based on the true story of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s experience of making an emergency plane landing in the Hudson River. Miraculously, all 155 passengers and staff survived the harrowing ordeal, making Sully a national hero in the eyes of the public. Despite this against-the-odds success, there follows an investigation into the incident that could prove to be fatal to Sully’s career. Sully is portrayed excellently by Tom Hanks within this film.
Check out the Book: Sully by Chesley Sullenberger, also available as eAudio (Libby), eBook (Libby).
Check out the Movie: Sully DVD (2016)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
This book takes place in a not-so-distant future that has become quite bleak and desolate, where people rely on having access to a virtual reality world called OASIS, where they go to school, earn money and meet other people's avatars. Our protagonist Wade Watts is determined to unlock the secret keys hidden within OASIS by the original, now deceased, creator to help him escape his grim, poverty-stricken life outside of this virtual reality. This book is packed full of 80’s nostalgia and the adaptation translates this excellently to the big screen in this movie directed by Steven Spielberg.
Check out the Book: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, also available as eBook (Libby), eAudio (Borrow Box)
Check out the Movie: Ready Player One (2018)
Dune by Frank Herbert
Dune has maintained its relevance as a staple within the Sci-Fi genre for a long time for good reasons, it’s an epic story of land, family, politics, environmentalism and more, it explores all these themes through an ambient yet high-stakes space opera style. Dune follows the story of young Paul, a member of a noble family that has accepted stewardship of one of the most desolate and dangerous planets; Arrakis. This book was originally adapted for screen and released in 1984, however there was also a recent re-boot of the film released in 2021 that created a renewed buzz around reading the books, and we have both versions available within our collection!
Check out the Book: Dune by Frank Herbert, also available as eAudio (Libby)
Check out the Movies: Dune (1984), Dune (2021).
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Agatha Christies’ Murder on the Orient Express is an exceptional story that continues to captivate and intrigue readers, regardless of whether you are a regular reader of the crime and mystery genre. Following Christies’ established detective Poirot, the story finds him stranded on one of the most luxurious, and stylish trains through Europe when an unexpected murder takes place. Quickly making all 13 other strangers on the train a suspect, Poirot must race against the clock to determine who the culprit is before they strike again. This story is enjoyable, well written and will leave you guessing until the end as to who the murderer is, and this was all translated excellently to the big screen.
Check out the Book: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, also available in the Collins English Readers edition (for intermediate English language learners)
Check out the Movie: Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Horror fans are most likely already familiar with The Turn of the Screw, a staple in Gothic horror written by Henry James in 1898, it has since been adapted to TV, film and even stage at least 27 times with different interpretations. Perhaps the most recent and popular of these adaptions has been The Haunting of Bly Manor. This story follows a young woman who is hired as a governess to an orphaned niece and nephew residing within the isolated Bly Manor, but not everything is as it seems as we delve into the strange and sinister happenings within this novella.
Check out the Book: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, also available in Penguin Readers Edition (for English language learners).
Check out the TV Series: The Haunting of Bly Manor (2021)
Emma by Jane Austen
In this glittering satire of social class and the pain of growing up, Emma must adventure through misguided matches and romantic missteps to find the love that has been there all along. In classic Jane Austen fashion, her writing lends excellently to being adapted, both as period pieces or as more modern interpretations and adaptations. The 2020 cinematic adaptation of Emma, however, is a beautiful ode to Austen's work, with beautiful costumes, cinematography and that fun banter and playfulness that shines through in her writing is not lost in this screen adaptation!
Check out the Book: Emma by Jane Austen, also available as eAudio (Libby), and as an eBook (Libby).
Check out the Movie: Emma (2020)
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century - and a lover in another. In 1945, Claire Randall is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon in Scotland. Innocently she walks through a stone circle in the Highlands and finds herself in a violent skirmish taking place in 1743. This series skyrocketed in its success and popularity for all the right reasons, you either can’t put the book down, or keep saying you’ll “just watch one more episode”, if you’re looking for a new series to binge then the Outlander has got you covered!
Check out the first Book: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, also available as an eBook (BorrowBox)
Check out the Series: Outlander, Season 1 (2015)
Room by Emma Donoghue
The story is told from the perspective of a five-year-old boy, Jack, who is being held captive in a small room along with his mother. She devises a bold escape plan, one that relies on her young son's bravery and a lot of luck. What she does not realize is just how unprepared she is for the plan to actually work. Although a grim tale, this book and movie are not to miss, with a particularly amazing performance from Brie Larson in the screen adaptation.
Check out the Book: Room by Emma Donoghue
Check out the Movie: Room (2016)
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
A kindly grandfather sits down with his ill grandson and reads him a story. The story is one that has been passed down from father to son for generations. A classic tale of love and adventure as the beautiful Buttercup, engaged to the odious Prince Humperdinck, is kidnapped and held against her will in order to start a war. “The Princess Bride” continues to sustain its status as a delightful book to read and a classic movie, with well-known quotable one-liners, great physical comedy and a genuinely engaging plot that continues to captivate an audience of all ages!
Check out the Book: The Princess Bride by William Goldman, also available as an eBook (Libby)
Check out the Movie: The Princess Bride (1987)
