Sunday, December 12, 2010

Sunday Cinema

Good Sunday Everyone!

I'm snuggled under blankets, looking out the window of my office. Trees are swaying, birds are shivering and I just saw some snow flurries. Yes, winter has arrived in Bama. Brrr...

When hubby and I were dating and newly married, Sunday afternoon was movie time for us. We'd get the special value deal at the concession stand--giant (refillable) tub of popcorn and two giant drinks. Many times, I'd get the Raisinettes because I love them with popcorn. Then, we'd settle into our seats, watch the coming attractions, have fun with the trivia questions and I'd keep an eye on hubby's intake of popcorn. (He likes to take full advantage of the refillable popcorn tub).

Today, I thought we'd talk about turning books into movies. When I write, some of the scenes appear in my mind like a movie. Not an entire movie, but just snippets to give me an idea of what the characters are doing, their expressions or their surroundings. Though I don't think I've ever been able to fully translate the scene in my head to the words I type, seeing the scene does help. What also helps is picturing my characters. When that happens, my brain inevitably pictures actors that are familiar. It's fun to cast the hero, heroine, the villain and even smaller walk-on roles.

So, here're today's questions/challenge: Pick a favorite book you'd like to see turned into a movie and cast the characters. Or, if you'd rather turn a book into a television series, or sit-com, go for it. Are there any books made into movies/series that you loved? Was the cast how you pictured them?

Have fun with the casting!

Okay, my achy, sniffly self is headed deeper under the covers. Mmm, maybe I'll cast Gabe and Skylar from NO CHANCE as they laze about on Kalamina Island in the South Pacific. Sounds warm and wonderful.

Hope everyone has a fabulous Sunday!

20 comments:

krisgils33 said...

I hope you are feeling better! I don't really get to see too many grown up movies (I really, really loved Tangled though!!). Plus, hubby is not into chick flicks much, so if we do go, it's usually some type of action or drama.

When did Ryan Reynolds become such a complete hottie??? I had never thought much about him before, but seeing a few pictures of him recently has me drooling. I think I'd want to see him in just about anything right about now!!!!

KayB said...

Christy, really hope you feel better soon!!!!

Now as for books into movies or TV shows. I think the Eve Duncan books by Iris Johnansen would make a great TV show. Sort of like "Bone's" but better.
Or your LCR books would also make a great TV shows, maybe five chapters per show leaves people guessing till the following week.
Oh that would so work Christy!!!

Jackie P said...

Hope you get over this soon. I want "Sweet Justice" to be made into a movie. No I haven't read it BUT from all the ideas and PEECES you've given us, I just KNOW it is going to be a hit!!!!!!

Karen Rose's "Silent Scream" would be a good one too.

Alison said...

Christy I hope you get to feeling better soon!!

I think Pamela Clare's books her I-team series and her historicals would make great movies!

Kris...I'm with you Ryan Reynolds is a total hottie!!

Well, back to my holiday baking! I hope everyone has a good Sunday!

Kara C said...

Good morning, Christy! Hope today is the day you begin to feel tons better. It has definitely cooled off here - from 52 yesterday to 32 right now -and the wind is ferocious!
While it's always interesting for me to see who others would cast in movies of favorite books, I just can't do it. The pictures that form in my mind while reading are never of famous people. I will say though that, being a fan of romantic suspense, I think several of them could make great movies. After all, RS has it all - adventure, humor, drama, and of course, romance. There have been a few books that read to me like a Criminal Minds episode. :)
How about Cry No More? That would make for a good movie, but you better have the tissues handy.

Elke said...

Christy I hope the chicken noodle soup will get you better soon ( funny it seems it is an universal remedy for colds or at least makes one feel better ).

A book I`d like to see as a movie is Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard or the body- gard series by Cindy Gerard.
I don`t know many actors, but one of my favorites is Keanu Reeves so I picture him as a the hero.

Crystal (cmac) said...

Sorry winter has come down south for a visit. I hope your feeling better Christy!
My all time favorite books turned into movies... The Bourne Movies. I love me some Matt Damon. But I never actually read the books so that may not count. I really enjoy the Nicholas Sparks books/movies. The Notebook, The Last Song and Dear John are the ones off the top of my head.
I don't usually have a full cast of characters for the books, usually I can imagine my own image for the characters. BUT there are a few that I think of someone famous while reading. The biggest one is Alyssa Locke I think of Leona Lewis. I think she is absolutely beautiful and fits Alyssa.

Crystal (cmac) said...

Wow when I started my comment there weren't any comments. It took me about hour to get that done. To many distractions this morning. lol

Tanya said...

This one is kinda hard to answer for me because no matter what the movie or the tv show just is not as good as the book. One of my favorite books is A Time to Kill by John Grisham. I was happy to find out that they made it into a movie just to go watch it and get disappointed by it.

If I had to choose I would say that I wouldn't mind seeing The Hunger Games Tri turned into a movie. I really loved those books and if done right I think would be awesome!

Hope said...

Good Sunday morning everyone....Sorry you are still not feeling well Christy ((hugs))

This is an easy one for me...I want Rescue Me to be turned in to a movie then to be followed by the series. I think it would be AWESOME...

So for Jordan, I like Gerard Butler or Wentworth Miller... For Noah I like James Gregory Vaughan, Jr, a little young for the role, but I think he could pull it off. And for Eden...I think Ashley Judd would be great. Angela has been cast in my mind too, she would be Abby from NCIS Pauley Perrette.

Unknown said...

Books into movie huh? From my experience movies ruin books. Take My Sister's Keeper. The movie changed the book completely and ruined my enjoyment of the book. In the movies they try to add to much and change to much and hurt the wonderful piece of work the author put together. So from now on I refuse to watch movies made from books I enjoyed. This is just my experience though. Maybe others love the books into movies.
Hope you are feeling better and happy Holidays to everyone. I am going to go back to watching my Steelers game. Go Ben!

Luci said...

I love the cinema and I love reading but when i am reading a book I very rarely picture a hero or heroine as a particular actor. I love reading who other people associate characters with and then see if they fit into my conception of them or not.

If a book i love is made into a film though i wouldn't want a single thing from it changed and i know that is difficult to do so if somethign in the plot changes I prefer it would just remain a book. I was disappointed a few times with the Nora Roberts movies.

Having said that - loved Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings movie - and that was very faithful to the book. Another film faithful to the book was John Grisham's A Time To kill - I am not a Matthew Mc..... fan but he fit the part IMO.

Carla Swafford said...

You're sick! NO! NO! You must be well to write. Get better. NOW! LOL!

Often when I'm reading books, I imagine different actors playing the part. Rarely do I imagine the girl. Just wired that way as you well know.

Anne Stuart's first Rohan book was for sure Johnny Depp.

SEP's last book (almost a year ago...why can't she write fast like you?) Robert Downing Jr. Oh, yeah. Now he's hot.

Linda said...

I hope you are feeling better soon Christy!

Books I would like to see as movies and whom would I cast, hmmmm....

For some reason, I could not think of a book---possibly because I am afraid that in the movie making process it would be butchered---however,two male actors came to mind:
Alexander Skarsgard, Eric on 'True Blood' and John Tenney, Fritz on 'The Closer'.

Alexander seems to be so alpha-sexy-bad-boy-fun and John comes across as, definitely alpha, in control and just all out hottie.

Crystal (cmac) said...

This is a weird thing about me...
I can't read a book if I've already watched the movie, but I it doesn't bother me to read the book then watch the movie. Like the Twilight series I watched the movie and have no desire to read the books. I very rarely like a movie as well as I liked the book. I guess my imagination is better than the movies. lol

Linda said...

Crystal, I am the same aka seen-it-won't-read-it! LOL

I feel for my friends that read the book and then watch the series or movie and are unable to come to grips with the cinematic end product. Of course my friends say there are exceptions to this rule.

From listening to them, if I had read the books, I would not have become a fan of True Blood and I would find the Harry Potter series lacking. But, I did not read the books, so I can enjoy without prior knowledge causing me to comparsions.

But it is fun to tell them the direction the show is going...now thats entertainment! LOL

oklanannie said...

Christy, I hope you're recovering and feeling better today!

Books into movies? Ummm, well most of the ones I've seen lose something in the translation and I've been disappointed. I like all the details books are able to project.

I recently saw BURLESQUE and would highly recommend it. Christina Aguilera (sp?) was amazing in it. And, of course, Cher does not look her 64 year!!

Christy Reece said...

Thanks all for the great comments. Sorry I couldn't get back with you yesterday. Spent most of the day in bed. Today's a better day. Yay! Still coughing, but my head is halfway unstuffed, so I've decided I'm going to make it after all. (:

Regarding turning books into movies, I think it must be terribly difficult to do, because people always seem to complain that the movie wasn't nearly as good as the book or they changed the ending to a more 'Hollywood' type ending. And I admit, I think it would be really hard to take a beloved book and keep it completely true to the story. When reading, so much of our own imagination is used for people, circumstances and places. What is on the screen might never match what we see in our mind when we reading.

Romance, in particular, I think would be harder. There's so much emotion in a romance that when it goes to screen, it ends up either getting lost in translation or sounding cheesy.

As for LCR? I've always thought it would make a great television series, with a rescue each week, and add in a little bit of the LCR romance to the mix. LOL So far, Hollywood hasn't come calling.

See you in a few minutes on Recommend Monday!

Mary G said...

Oh fun. Did this last year.
Daring Time by Beth Kery
We chose Eric Winter & Anne Hathaway.

Shelly Estes said...

Why ruin a perfectly good book by making it into a movie? I have yet to see a movie made from a book that was remotely as good as the book!! I was so looking forward to the Vampire Diaries tv show because the books were so good, but they have gotten so far off the story I don't even watch it anymore!!

Hope you are feeling better Christy!!