To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird was a very meaningful book for me. The book was published in 1960 and the movie came out in 1962. When I first read it in high school, there were no video store rentals and even when they emerged a few years later, older movies like this one weren’t available. I had to scan the T.V. Guide to find out when it might be shown on Television. I finally found it in 1982 or so and watched it with great interest. The movie did a decent job of following the book. The casting was very good, especially Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. I remember reading that Harper Lee, who was present at the shooting, was so captivated by Gregory Peck’s portrayal of Atticus, a character modeled after her father, that she gave him her father’s pocket watch which he wears in the movie.
The Godfather
The Godfather (novel) was published in 1969. It covers the events in the Corleone crime family of New York from 1945-1955. This was the first ‘adult’ novel that I ever read in about 1972. I was only 10. I remember the book being passed among my mom’s brothers and sisters in anticipation of the movie. They went to see it as a group. It seemed to spur a lot of conversation my family. I had to read the book as soon as I could and I was captivated from the beginning. I finally got to see The Godfather and The Godfather Part II in about 1980. I was amazed at how true to the book (almost scene for scene) the movie was. The casting was brilliant and did justice to the storytelling in the book. It went to show the painstaking detail that a director can go to to recreate an author’s vision.
Of Mice and Men
John Steinbeck’s book was written in 1937. It has inspired 5 wide-release film versions spanning from from 1939 to 2014. I read this book in my senior year of high school and was struck by the sadness of the tale of the lovable Lenny who didn’t know his own strength and had to be taken down by his best friend, George, for his own survival and for those around him. The book was a captivating read even though it is one of the most challenged books in history due to its profanity. I have seen all of the film iterations and I still favor the original 1939 version with the great Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr. as George and Lenny respectively. The story is simple, yet poignant and is well told via film.
Harry Potter Series
The seven Harry Potter books span the time period from 1997 to 2007. The eight movies span from 2001 to 2011. Even though the books were considered young adult, I read them all as my older children were becoming interested in them. I heard the stories how they were anti-Christian and promoted witchcraft. I knew from the first page that they were something special and that J.K. Rowling’s gift for telling a story spanned generations and genres. The books were fantastic and I sped through each as soon as they were released. The movies were very well done and, though many details were left out, they were a loving tribute to the writing and very well done. I have read other YA book series like The Hunger Games. Rowling set the standard but also opened the door for this level of writing to become mainstream with adults and children alike.
Jaws
This is an unusual entry, but I have it here for a reason. Jaws is the only entry on this list where I saw the movie before reading the book. The book is more about the relationships among the characters and the shark is secondary. The movie, which I saw in the theater in 1975 when it came out, is more of an action/horror adventure that centers on killing the shark. Much of the intricacy of the book’s relationships are not part of the film making it very different from the book. Jaws, for me, was an example of how an author’s work can be diluted in a movie. Peter Benchley, the 1974 book’s author, was a screenwriter on the film which indicates that he was likely in agreement with much of the change from the book to the film. I’m sure Benchley made a fortune from the film and its sequels. As an author, I suppose he had to make a decision between being true to his vision and cashing in on the opportunity.
So how about you? What movie/book combinations have inspired you? These are just a few of mine, but they were among the most meaningful for various reasons.
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Don, I enjoyed your passion for a good story turned into a movie. In my case, although a movie fan, I have found books always more complete and emotionally enriching than their film versions. For example, The Hobbit, Papillon, Quest for Fire.
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I thoroughly enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men. For me, Harry Potter didn’t inspire me as much as Tom’s Midnight Garden by Phillipa Pearce, which is not in the same league as Harry Potter but still an enjoyable book for all ages. The movie was very disappointing- a watering down of the characters and the impact of their relationships.
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To Kill a Mockingbird was perfectly cast. I read the ‘sequel’ and it was very disappointing. I have to believe that it would never have been published if not for the greed of the author’s family.
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Wasn’t the sequel only found relatively recently and published, as you mentioned, because of the family?
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That is true. I believe it was actually the first draft of TKOM and Harper Lee’s publisher encouraged her to go back and focus more on her childhood and not her adult relationship with Atticus as the ‘sequel’ does.
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To kill a mockingbird is just fabulous. All the world in a page. I can’t even read it or consider watching the film as it is so evocative from the lost time I probably did at least the former.
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Reblogged this on DSM Publications and commented:
Check out this post from my author blog.
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Pretty sure I’d run out of space and time writing all of the books, movies, shows, and video games that inspired me. ‘Books of Lost Swords’ by Fred Saberhagen was the one that made the spark to be an author though. Have to give a nod to Tolkien and Lewis as well. Funny thing is that the modern fantasy books like Harry Potter and GoT haven’t really inspired me. Not sure why.
We’re actually finishing up ‘Of Mice and Men’ in school. That’s the only Steinbeck novel that I enjoyed. Never saw the movies, but we’re watching the one with Sinise and Malkovich. Malkovich does play a really good Lennie.
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I agree with you Charles. I’m a huge consumer of all of those entertainment venues. I agree about today’s books. Harry Potter had a good story, but for sheer imagery and world building, Tolkien is hard to beat. I’m actually watching all of the LOTR movies with my ten-year-old daughter to try to inspire her to read and write more.
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Is she liking them? Keep thinking of trying Fellowship with my son.
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She says she is. She keeps asking why Will Turner is an elf. To close to our pirates of the Caribbean marathon.
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Twin brother?
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Sure…from the Elvish side of the family. Elvish has left the building.
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Now I’m imagining Sean Connery saying that line.
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🙂
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You picked some absolutely winners. Yes, they do inspire writing! Thanks, Don.
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You’re welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
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Always a pleasure, Don.
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Those are all fabulous films, Don. I can see how they would inspire you. Movies don’t generally inspire my writing, but sometimes music does. So I know exactly what you mean about that ‘spark.’
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Yes. Your musical references with most of your posts are clever, by the way. I also draw inspiration from news stories and observations. My biggest influence for my detective series was the television show, The Rockford Files. I liked the idea of a detective living on a shoestring budget that never seems to get ahead.
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Thanks for the kind words. And I always liked The Rockford Files, too…
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Reblogged this on Anna Dobritt — Author.
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Thanks for sharing this, Anna.
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Many things inspire me, but film is near the top. I also like to study film as far as storytelling goes. It can be any film, and bad examples are helpful too. I am going to break-down a good one on Story Empire soon.
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I look forward to reading that, Craig. I’ve done some reading on turning books into screenplays (a boy can dream). The thing that keeps coming back is that you (usually) can’t have narration. You have to convey moods and emotions visually through camera shots and dialog in a fraction of the number of pages. It’s a challenge.
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At that point, maybe I’ll become a consultant and let real screenplayers take over.
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These are all good, Don. I was inspired with “On the Beach.” The movie followed the book quite well plus it had Ava Gardner and Gregory Peck as lead roles.
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That’s a good one, John.
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😊
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Fabulous list, Don. Let me add Baum’s Oz books and the film The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
I was about to add about five more, then I realized I might never stop if I got started, so I’m limiting myself to only one.
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The Oz books are great. Baum spent time in my hometown of Syracuse in a suburb called Chittenango. They have an Oz parade every year and have had surviving members of the film as grand marshals over the years.
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wow I didnt even know there was a movie for mice and men, guess I got some watching to do, thanks..
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There are at least two good adaptations.
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Im gonna try the john malkovich one first, thanks.
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Same, then I saw the film and then Gregory became my heart throb when all my mates were into Duran Duran 😂
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