Thursday, June 4, 2009

Endings: Books vs. Movies

USA Today has an interesting blurb in its latest Book Buzz post:

"Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper vaults to No. 6 on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list this week, thanks to the movie version opening June 26. Released May 19, the movie tie-in edition has almost 350,000 copies in print. The heartbreaker about a family coping with a leukemia-stricken child has logged 186 weeks in the top 150 since its 2004 debut but has never cracked the top 20 before. The decision to change the novel's ending has angered some fans, and "it would not have been my personal choice," says Picoult. But she has seen the movie and praises the actors."


This is hands-down my favorite Picoult book, and I hate to think they have changed the ending. I haven't read anything else about this movie, so I don't know how they have altered this story...but reading this disappoints me.

It made me think...what other books have had their endings changed in the movie version? And, for the better or worse?

14 comments:

  1. This is my favorite Picoult book as well. I did not know the movie has a different ending; that is disappointing.

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  2. I think they changed the ending so that people who've read the book will see it. I think it's backfired, though because most people I know don't want to see it now.

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  3. movie adaptations are mostly unpleasant, they kept changing a lot of things.

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  4. I heard The Notebook ending was changed for the film (I have not read the book) and it is the same director. I am planning on seeing the movie no matter what the ending, but I wish they would have been faithful to the novel.

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  5. Chocolat the movie is pretty different from Chocolat the book. (They changed more than the ending.) But I still love them both!

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  6. I generally do not mind the changes from book to movie. It's a given that they'll happen, especially because of time constraints and the wider audience that the movie people are trying to reach.

    And so it's a bit puzzling to me that I should be bothered by the change in the ending of this one, but I am concerned. I haven't decided yet if I'll catch this movie in the theater, but I'll definitely see it at some point. I won't be able to help myself. :-)

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  7. I really don't like that they changed the ending to this one, but I'm curious to see how exactly they changed it. I'll see it when it's on DVD, as I don't want to be blubbering at the movie theater-and I know I will!
    They changed several things about the P.S. I Love You movie from the book-so the ending got changed a little, but I took them as seperate things, so I really do enjoy both.

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  8. Mine isn't a book vs. movie ending, but a play vs. movie ending difference. In the play A Streetcar Named Desire, Stella goes back to Stanley, even though he's abusive and has raped her sister. The film-makers didn't think audiences could handle Tennessee Williams's darkly realistic, so in the film version, Stella leaves Stanley.

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  9. You know, I was totally heartbroken to hear that they changed the ending to this book. I think that's what made the book so amazing, and it has a place of honor on my bookshelf for that very reason. To tamper with the book's greatest draw... so upsetting. I don't think I'll be watching this one.

    But I liked the ending change in the Notebook... it was somehow a little more poignant.

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  10. This is one of my favorites of Picoults too and this is exactly what bothers me when they make good books into movies. If you're going to change things, then don't bother. I have very seldom been impressed by a movie that's come from a favorite book of mine. It never measures up. Changing the ending defeats the purpose I think.

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  11. Not my favorite book... because of the ending! Knowing the movie world I'm guessing they opted for a "happy" end. I wasn't planning on seeing the movie. But I'm curious, so I'll wait for dvd too.

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  12. Although I haven't read this book, it still bothers me when they change the ending. I agree with Dar. I'm generally not impressed when I see a book turned into a movie, especially if it's been changed. Another one that I remember is The Horse Whisperer.

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  13. WHY do they do that? I was looking forward to seeing this movie, not so much now...

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  14. I just saw My Sister's Keeper on Friday and that is what made me find this page...I was googling out of curiosity why they change the endings of good books when they make them to movies...I agree with what dissectingperfection said - the ending was what made the book so amazing, I was crying during the movie knowing what was going to happen....so needless to say I was disapointed....Why, Why do they do it????

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