Worst2First: My Top Ten Films Based From Novels

Worst2First: 

My Top Ten Films Based From Novels

When I was younger, I was quite the bookworm.  I loved the Book It! program with Pizza Hut, I enjoyed a lot of pizza growing up.  However, as I got older and the magic of the cinema enchanted me, I found myself reading less and less and watching films more and more.

For centuries, films have been made off the most beloved novels in history, because they have an important story to tell, and it's a great way for those who don't read to see the novel put to life - even if it's mostly not as true to the novel as they should.

So here are my personal top ten films based from novels, worst2first...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**

#10

Fight Club

(Based off the novel "Fight Club" by Chuck Palahniuk)

Starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter, "Fight Club" centers around the unnamed narrator (played by Norton) as he lives a humdrum life, until he meets an eccentric soap salesman who opens his mind to new experiences, including hosting an underground fight club.

#9

A Clockwork Orange

(Based off the novel "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess)

Malcolm McDowell stars as the psychopath Alex, who mercilessly commits heinous deeds in futuristic England with his Droogs, but after he's arrested he's offered a unique program that could grant him his freedom, but at the cost of who he is.  

#8

To Kill a Mockingbird

(Based off the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee)

Based off Harper Lee's classic novel about racism in America, "To Kill a Mockingbird" tells the story of attorney Atticus Finch, who must defend an African American man from a rape he was unjustly accused of.  Gregory Peck delivers a once-in-a-lifetime performance and the film is hailed as a classic to this day, and tells an important story of racism and prejudice.

#7

The Harry Potter Series

(Based off the novels by J.K. Rowling)

J.K. Rowling's beloved children's novel series centers around Harry Potter, a young wizard who attends Hogwarts Academy to learn how to harness his abilities, and becomes best friends with Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger.  Their lives are in danger from the deadly wizard Voldemort, who seeks Potter and wishes to kill him, and anyone who stands in his way.  It's an exciting series filled with action, humor, and heart.

#6

It's a Wonderful Life

(Based off the novel "The Greatest Gift" by Philip Van Doren Stern)

"It's a Wonderful Life" is the beloved Christmas classic featuring James Stewart as a man who seemingly has nothing to loose, until an angel shows him what the world would be like without him.  It's a heartfelt, emotional tale that speaks to the importance of life and the value of family.

#5

Les Miserables

(Based off the novel "Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo)

Set in France in the 19th Century, the film (and novel) tells the story of Jean Valjean, a former prisoner who is released but later chased after by police inspector Javert.  As he lived outside the prison walls, he becomes the surrogate father to a young girl named Cosette, who becomes involved in the Paris Uprising later in life.  The film is a powerful tale of redemption and loss, and features a standout ensemble including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfriend, Eddie Redmayne and Anne Hathaway, who won an Oscar for her performance.

#4

Schindler's List

(Based off the novel "Schindler's Ark" by Thomas Keneally)

The powerful true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved more than a thousand Jewish refugees from the Nazis is an inspiring, uplifting story that speaks of the perseverance of the human spirit and going against what's wrong, even if you're in the minority.  Liam Neeson gives a commanding performance in the classic film directed by Steven Spielberg, shot in powerful black and white that resonates with audiences even today. 

#3

The Godfather

(Based off the novel "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo)

In Marlon Brando's career-defining role, he plays Godfather Vito Corleone, who rules the New York mobster world with an iron fist, as he raises his children to follow in his footsteps.  Al Pacino stars as Vito's son Michael, who rises from the black sheep of the family to a powerful mob boss in his own right.  The film, as well as the novel, is a powerful story of one man's rise to power, the family dynamic, and the cost of working on the wrong side of the law.

#2

The Shawshank Redemption

(Based off the novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption"

 from the collection "Different Seasons" by Stephen King)

Stephen King is best known for his horror novels including "It," "Misery," "The Shining," and "Cujo," but he's also written some powerfully dramatic stories, including "The Shawshank Redemption," hailed as one of the best films in modern history.  Tim Robbins stars as Andy Dufresne, a man sentenced for the deaths of his wife and her lover at the dreaded Shawshank Penitentiary, despite his pleas of innocence.  He meets fellow inmate Red Redding (Morgan Freeman), and manages to escape the corrupt prison.  The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and is on several critics' top lists of movies, and it's no surprise why.  The acting is superb, the story is memorable, and the impact is palpable.

#1

The Lord of the Rings

(Based off the novel "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkein)

A hundred years from now, when future movie critics look back at some of the best films in history, Peter Jackson's swelling epic "The Lord of the Rings" will no doubt be on their list.  Written by the masterful J.R.R. Tolkein, "The Lord of the Rings" tells the story of Frodo Baggins and his epic quest to destroy the Ring of Power.  The book was split into three equally powerful films that were at the forefront of modern cinema, filled with action, heart, and terrific acting, and is easily the defining movies of our generation.  The film series won seventeen out of thirty Academy Award nominations, and "The Return of the King" ties the record with most Oscar wins with eleven, becoming the only fantasy film to win the Oscar for Best Picture.