2011 has been a great year for movies. The drama genre in particular has seen a good crop of films over the past few months, a mixture of both big box-office hits and lesser-known Indies. What some people may not realize is that a lot of them — around 40 by my count — are based on books. Making a film adaptation from a literary source is tricky due to the simple fact that a reader will create his or her own world while getting lost in the book; the characters and environments of a favorite tome are embedded in their psyche for good, and watching someone else’s vision of it often takes away from the experience.
However, there are several past movies that have gotten it right. Take “Sin City,” for instance. Based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller, it takes a gritty black-and-white look at the story and couples striking visuals with a film-noir appeal, just like the book. Here is a short list of a few of the best in 2011.
“The Help”
Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett, “The Help” is in turns funny and heart-wrenching. Set during the dawn of the Civil Rights movement, the story centers on Skeeter (played with adorable pluck by Emma Stone), a recent college grad who turns her small town upside down with a secret project involving the African-American women who work as maids and caregivers for several families in the community. Stockett pulled from her own experience growing up in a small Southern town and has found a huge audience of women with similar childhoods.
“The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”
Based on the first book of the extraordinary Swedish trilogy by Stieg Larsson, this film tells the story of a journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), who is hired by a man to investigate the 40-year-old disappearance of his great-niece. When Blomkvist teams up with Lisbeth Salander, a punky computer hacker, he discovers the disappearance is linked to a mixture of murder and lies within the family, putting their own lives in danger. Unfortunately, Larsson passed away in 2004, just before his books became hugely popular.
“Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part Two”
The long-awaited final chapter in the Harry Potter series was a box office record-breaker this summer, creating a nationwide phenomenon as people of all ages camped out at movie theaters for the privilege of being first in line to buy a ticket. Harry and his friends didn’t disappoint, giving us action, young love, and a resolution to the agonizing battle that spawned seven books and countless fans. Now that the books and films have both come to an end, many wonder where that leaves author J.K. Rowling; for now she’s enjoying her success with a much-needed break. However, this October she will be unveiling Pottermore, a website just for Harry Potter fans which will showcase new writings by the author and allow fans the opportunity to meet and share their creativity with one another.
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