Authors who hated their movie adaptations
From 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' to 'Lord of the Rings,' there are numerous movies based on books. A number of book-to-film adaptations are successful, winning Oscars and becoming cult classics, while others flop at the box office and are quickly forgotten. However, perhaps the biggest criticism comes from the authors themselves. Turns out there's plenty of authors who hated the Hollywood adaptations of their work. Acclaimed author James Ellroy has kept relatively quiet about the star-studded 1997 film adaptation of his novel 'L.A. Confidential' for more than two decades. The movie, directed by Curtis Hanson, starred Russell Crowe and Kim Basinger as the leads, along with Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce, and James Cromwell. It was both a commercial and critical success, receiving nine Oscar nominations that year. Ellroy wasn't convinced, however. He has shared some misgivings about the movie over the years, and when Hanson died in 2016, he wrote a tribute to him that both praised his craftsmanship and described the film as "problematic." Ellroy recently spoke at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on April 22, and this time, he didn't hold back. “I think it’s turkey of the highest form. I think Russell Crowe and Kim Basinger are impotent. The director died, so now I can disparage the movie," he said in conversation with fellow crime author Michael Connelly. In the past, he explained in more diplomatic terms that he and Hanson's dramatic senses were always at odds, even though he respected him as an artist. Take a look at this gallery and meet the other novelists who weren't particularly pleased with these film adaptations.
2024-07-04T17:49:11Z