Best Movie Adaptations of Children's Books
Do the Classics, like Where the Wild Things Are, Make Good Films?
This fall will see the big screen adaptation of the classic children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, and the spring will bring Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. Filming such beloved stories can be tricky. For a hint of what it takes to turn a classic story into a classic film, here are six of the best adaptations of children’s literature to grace the silver screen.
James and the Giant Peach (1996)
Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach tells the story of an orphan who befriends a band of giant insects. The movie manages to stay true to the tone of the original, striking a delicate balance between whimsy and horror, fantasy and a too-often scary reality, even while changing details from the original.
Shrek (2001)
An Oscar winner for best animated feature, Shrek is based on the fractured fairytale by William Steig. Most of the jokes, satirizing the fairytale genre and Disney conventions, fly straight over the heads of the young audience, but are a hit with adults. For the young, the movie offers a lovable ogre, a strong princess, and beautiful moral about finding the beauty within.
Curious George (2006)
Unlike Shrek, Curious George is aimed entirely at its target audience of toddlers and preschoolers. In the movie, as with H.A. Rey’s books, George the monkey is a stand-in for an ever wondering and exploring child. Preschoolers can relate to George’s fascination with bubbles, his desire to get messy, and his attempts at emulating the adults in his life. Grown-ups can relate to Jack Johnson's soundtrack.
The Black Stallion (1979)
The almost wordless first hour of The Black Stallion encourages moviegoers to imagine and experience the relationship growing between the boy and the horse, just as though they were reading the novel by Walter Farley. Visually stunning, the movie treats children’s fare seriously, without patronization or goofy special effects like talking animals.
The Wizard of Oz (1937)
The movie adaptation of L. Frank Baum‘s novel has everything -- gorgeous color photography, Judy Garland singing, and flying monkeys. When Dorothy Gale gets swept away in a tornado, the audience is swept into a dreamland full of action, friendships, and important lessons about the power of home and family.
The Secret Garden (1993)
One of the rare instances where a newer version of a movie outshines the original, The Secret Garden honors Frances Hodgson Burnett’s original story with superb acting and picture perfect scenery. Director Agnieszka Holland does such a great job capturing the essence of the novel and conveying its somewhat mature themes that she must have been a fan as a child.
The best adaptations remain true to the intent of the original, pleasing both child fans and the adults who remember reading the classics as children. These six classics prove that attention to details, faithfulness of tone, and surberb acting can turn the best literature into the best movies.
Movie Ticket
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Film & TV
Latest Articles