What is better than a good book? The movie adaptation of that book! Throughout history great books have made even greater films and below, I look at the best movies based on books ever.
Best Movies Based on Books
- 10. Fight Club
- 9. The Shawshank Redemption
- 8. Forrest Gump
- 7. No Country for Old Men
- 6. The Silence of the Lambs
- 5. To Kill A Mockingbird
- 4. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- 3. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- 2. Jurassic Park
- 1. The Godfather
10. Fight Club
This is a 1999 film based on the 1986 novel by Chuck Palahniuk. Nominated for several awards, this movie was directed by David Fincher and starred Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Helena Bonham Carter. The movie was at first not well received but was later popular especially after its DVD release.
9. The Shawshank Redemption
This 1994 film was based on Steven King’s 1992 ‘Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption novel. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman star in this Oscar-nominated film directed by Frank Darabont.
8. Forrest Gump
Largely seen as one of the best movies based on books, this 1994 movie was based on the 1986 novel by Winston Groom. The film which stars Tom Hanks won six Academy awards and grossed more than $678 million worldwide.
7. No Country for Old Men
This 2007 film was adapted from Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel by the same name. It was directed by the Coen brothers and features Javier Bardem.
The movie, a faithful adaptation of the book, was originally written as a screen play and has won four academic awards.
6. The Silence of the Lambs
Directed by Jonathan Demme, this 1991 film, an adaptation of Thomas Harris’ 1988 novel, won academy awards for the top five categories, one of only three movies to achieve the same. Starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster, the movie has had a number of sequels.
5. To Kill A Mockingbird
Adapted from Harper Lee’s 1960 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, this 1962 American drama film was directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Gregory Peck, Mary Badham. The movie won three academy awards and was nominated for eight.
4. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Adapted from the 1997 award winning novel b y J.K. Rowling, this 2001 fantasy film is the first in the Harry Potter series and includes 7 sequels produced over ten years.
The movie produced by David Heyman and starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson earned over $974.8 million worldwide, and was the highest grossing film of 2001. It was also nominated for several awards.
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
This is a 2001 adventure film based on J.R.R. Tolkien's 1954 the Fellowship of the ring, which is the first in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Directed by Peter Jackson, this movie grossed over $871 million and won thirteen nominations and four Oscar Awards, and four British Academy Film Awards.
2. Jurassic Park
This 1993 science fiction adventure movie was adapted from Michael Crichton's 1990 book by the same name. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film made over $914 million worldwide and was considered the highest grossing film ever until 1997, winning over twenty awards including three academy awards.
1. The Godfather
This movie was based on Mario Puzo’s novel of the same name and has been regarded as the one of the best movie based on books. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, this 1972 crime movie stays faithful to the storyline of the book. Two sequels, in 1974 and 1990 have been produced. The highest grossing film in 1972, ‘The Godfather’ won three Oscars and got seven nominations.
