Wednesday 5 February 2020

(Not Really a) Review: Five Books That Should Be Adapted

Plenty of books get adaptations. Some get several. Then there are the unfortunate ones that get none. And some books that should be adapted are overlooked. This is a short list of the five (...sort of) books that I really want to see adapted (again).


The Prisoner of Zenda has been adapted before. Several times. The quality of those adaptations ranges from "excellent" to "atrocious". But the last really good adaptation was in 1937(!). Same goes for its sequel Rupert of Hentzau, which hasn't been adapted since 1964 -- and that adaptation's lost. It's high time someone made a film or miniseries based on these books. The more faithful to the source, the better.


Barnaby Rudge is Charles Dickens' least-known novel. Which is a pity, because it's both a good story and is set during an equally little-known part of history. Its most recent screen adaptation was in 1960. If people want to make a new miniseries based on a Dickens novel, they should stop adapting A Christmas Carol for the umpteenth time and turn to this book instead.


Mary Barton was Elizabeth Gaskell's first novel. Thematically it's very similar to North and South. It was last adapted in 1964, but that version's lost. Apparently the BBC planned to adapt it in 2012, but nothing came of that. I hope someone raises the idea again.


Emily of New Moon has been adapted before, but I'd like to see film or series versions of the entire trilogy someday. Unfortunately there's a high chance any modern adaptation of it will go the way of Anne With An E. I don't think I could bear to see them butchered like that. Anyone planning to adapt them had better make sure they actually stay close to the books.


All right, so The Eustace Diamonds is the third in a series. The ideal solution would be to adapt the entire series. (This was done back in the 70s, but I've never been able to enjoy 70s period dramas.) If that sounds too complicated, there's very little connecting this book with the rest of the series. A little bit of work and it would be a good standalone film/miniseries.

Of course there are other books that deserve adaptations. But these are the ones I especially want to see, and there's currently no sign that any of them will be adapted. Certainly not any day soon 😔

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