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C'mon, worst lists are always more fun than best lists....

Every time a book is adapted to film, there will be critics. Of course, the film maker cannot bring everything to the screen that fills the novel, but some books translate better than others.  Some should probably never be attempted.

Who is your nominee for worst book-to-film adaptation?

Hmmm....I tend to be fairly generous spirited with adaptations: medium-hopping is never easy and definitely never perfect. But that said, I really, really cannot stand Steven Spielberg's cloying version of The Color Purple.

I was disappointed in Memoirs of a Geisha.  The novel is so interior I doubted it could translate well to film, and I was right. 

Beloved has to be my pick. It just went on and on and never seemed to end.

While we're speaking of interior novels that flopped on-screen, let's add Twilight to the list.  Most of that novel is Bella's thought process; it is impossible to relate all of that detail on screen, especially without a more active narrator (the movie had maybe 5 lines of narration-very odd).

The Scarlet Letter with Demi Moore.  Talk about creative license!  UGH! 

Another one is Beowulf with Angelina Jolie.  Half the stuff never even happened, and "Grendel's" gold costume is a little too much.

In reply to #6: I forgot about those two. You are right!

Any of the early versions of Romeo and Juliet--the actors were about 20 years too old.

Kid books sometimes don't translate very well--anyone see Pippi Longstocking?

And yes, that Scarlet Letter was AWFUL.

IT by Steven King. Holy goodness that was a HORRIBLE movie while to book rocked my socks off!!

Another is the newest version of Great Expectations. Wow. I wanted to show a more updated version to my class but let's just say thank goodness I previewed it. Needless to say I busted out the old version I had...

I agree with cadena, definitely twilight and every thing you said but also i didn't think that Bella or Edward were played right in the movie, i had such high expectations but they all filtered away within the first 5 minutes. You can't get a good movie when most of the book in in thought.