Adaptations are a tricky business. They can go horribly, horribly wrong and do, often. But there are some adaptations that do okay for themselves. They capture the magic, introduce new fans to a fantastical world and spread the story far and wide. Some of them even improve on the original work in several ways. Let’s take a look at some of the most beloved fantasy adaptations the world has to offer:
The Harry Potter Movies (based on the 'Harry Potter' series by J.K. Rowling)
I have my fair share of problems with the movie adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, just like any obsessive fan. I think the books are a lot better and the movies left out a lot of important things and watered down a lot of interesting characters. But I can’t deny how entrancing and magical these movies are and the impact they had on pop culture. They weren’t always as faithful to the books as I would have liked, but when it came to the spirit and magic of the Harry Potter world, there were a lot of times they got it right. The first few movies perfectly captured the sense of wonder of being pulled into a magical world. I remember my heart beating so fast as a little eleven-year-old watching the movie for the first time- you can’t reproduce that excitement. Not to mention, the movies had an all-star cast, great visual effects and some pretty great gags.
Howl's Moving Castle (based on 'Howl's Moving Castle' by Diana Wynne Jones)
Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle movie is radically different from the book by Diana Wynne Jones. There are definitely parts that make more sense in the original version. But Howl’s is undoubtedly an animation masterpiece with beautiful themes and a wonderful story. Diana Wynne Jones, author of the original book, felt similarly, saying of the film “"It's fantastic. No, I have no input—I write books, not films. Yes, it will be different from the book—in fact it's likely to be very different, but that's as it should be. It will still be a fantastic film."
Sometimes something doesn’t have to be perfect adaptation to stand up well on its own. Howl’s Moving Castle has Miyazaki’s touch all over it, with strong anti-war themes, characters with ambiguous morality, sweeping romance and lots of flying scenes. However, both stories do an equally good job of creating a colorful fantasy world that mixes the magic and the mundane in interesting ways, showing menial chores to be as valuable as big sorcery. The film is one of Miyazaki’s favorite creations and he said his goal was to send the message “life is worth living”. In presenting such a beautiful world, he definitely succeeded in doing that.
Paperhouse (based on 'Marianne Dreams' by Catherine Storr )
Paperhouse is a 1988 dark fantasy film directed by Bernard Rose. It was an adaptation of a children’s fantasy novel called Marianne Dreams by Catherine Storr. The two versions are pretty significantly different with the original novel being aimed at children and the movie aimed at folks over 15. They both start from the same premise- fantastical dreams of a sick child that grow more and more dangerous and she also seems to have psychic link to another kid.
The movie goes the route of psychological horror moreso than the book, but this turned out to be a great use of premise as childhood fears were presented with stark simplicity. While not the right movie for the original books target audience, the movie still managed to be something unique and enthralling. A testament to it’s solid storytelling is the 100% Fresh score it holds on Rotten Tomatoes.
'The Secret World of Arietty' and 'The Borrowers' (1997) (based on 'The Borrowers' by Mary Norton)
Mary Norton’s The Borrowers fantasy novel has done pretty well for itself when it comes to adaptations, perhaps due to the cheerfulness and simplicity of the story about little people living in the walls being easy to translate to the big screen. The 1997 live-action Borrowers film directed by Peter Hewitt captured the timeless storybook setting of its source material perfectly. Studio Ghibli and Hiromasa Yonebusa’s animated adaptation The Borrower Arietty, or in the english version, The Secret World of Arietty was less comedic and more emotional and heartfelt with gorgeous animation and gentle warm story of friendship and love. Both adaptations managed to shine.
Stardust (based on 'Stardust' by Neil Gaiman)
The adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novel Stardust directed by Matthew Vaughn got pretty positive reception and even Gaiman himself was pleased with it. The movie version of Stardust had more whimsy and humor than the book version, which was more of a dark fairytale. But the humorous tone made the transistion from book to screen a lot smoother for the story and many even found themselves preferring it.
Gaiman himself gave his blessing and also said that he didn’t want fans to see a movie that tried to be completely faithful to the source material but fell short, so he preferred this version. He says he considers the movie to be a version of the story going on in a parallel universe. And he admits “I get people who come to the book from having loved the movie who are really disappointed at some of the stuff that isn't there that Matthew brought”.
Coraline (based on 'Coraline' by Neil Gaiman)
Neil Gaiman seems to have pretty decent luck when it comes to adaptations of his work. Studio Laika’s stop-motion take on Neil Gaiman’s creepy children’s book Coraline is pretty on-point. Stop-motion animation is so detailed and it can be especially great at depicting the grotesque. The studio used their full abilities to create the unsettling mirror world that Coraline traps herself in. Her “other” mother is downright terrifying.
The movie Coraline has a little bit more attitude than the book version and her parents are a bit more sarcastic. This actually makes her a bit easier to relate to, though there’s nothing wrong with the book version of her, of course. The movie version of Coraline feels more lively than the book in some ways, but still retains its solid story, macabre setting and delicious tension.
Kiki's Delivery Service (based on 'Kiki's Delivery Service' by Eiko Kodano)
Not everyone knows this, but Hayao Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service is based on a novel by Eiko Kadano. Both works focus on a young wich running a delivery service in a new town with her cat Jiji. The original story is an episodic little tale where Kiki didn’t face many major traumas or crises. The movie, however, has a stronger emotional arc that shows how Kiki struggles with her newfound independence and adds heightened drama. She struggles with losing her magic and pulls off an exciting feat in the heart-pounding climax. It makes for a more cohesive and affecting story.
Kadono originally wasn’t happy with this departure, but Miyazaki personally invited her to the film’s studio and she let the project continue. And it’s a good thing, because Kiki’s Delivery Service became a beloved and well-known classic.
The Lord of The Rings Series (Based on the 'Lord of the Rings' Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien)
When it comes to fantasy adaptations, Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is the first thing that comes to many people’s minds. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's original books, it really can be beat. It has incredible visuals, gorgeous settings, top-notch actors and a clear love for the source of material, these adaptations were responsible for a huge resurge of interest in Lord of the Rings.
While the movies cut some stuff out from the books, it’s not like they didn’t TRY to fit as much in as they could- those movies are LONG and that’s not even taking the extended editions into account. But unlike the Hobbit movies that followed, there’s enough happening in each movie that it mostly doesn’t feel unnecessarily bloated (the ten different endings to Return of the King notwithstanding). There’s a reason Lord of the Rings is considered THE fantasy movie franchise. It’s elaborate, huge, beautiful and a breathtaking accomplishment. Whatever nitpicks we have, that just can’t be denied.
The Wizard of Oz (Based on 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' by Frank L. Baum)
When talking about adaptations, we can’t forget the classics. Frank L. Baum's Wizard of Oz series has had several adaptions, but the 1939 musical movie directed by Victor Fleming is the one that became a cultural touchstone. It’s often ranked as one of the best movies of all time. There are quite a few differences from the book, but it has the same basic storyline and characters and overall it captured the spirit of the story. The idea of Kansas being in black-and-white and Oz being in full color was a stroke of genius and also very advanced and innovative for the time. The catchy songs burrowed deeply into our brains.
It’s unlikely the Wizard of Oz would still be as well-known and iconic as it is today if it weren’t for this adaptation. This movie was SO influential it was even added to the Library Congress for being culturally and historically significant.
The Princess Bride (Based on 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman)
The Princess Bride just had to be the number-one pick for best adaptation. Some of the movies on this list aren’t very faithful to the book's original intentions but are good movies that made a big impact. The Princess Bride, however, did both of those things. It was definitely faithful to the author of the original book, William Goldman’s, intentions because Goldman himself wrote the screenplay. Meanwhile, director Rob Reiner helped turn it into a funny, moving and endlessly quotable film that many have pledged their hearts to and practically memorized.
The film even cleverly references the source material by having a framing story where a grandfather reads the original book to his grandson. This is a film that took fourteen years to finally make it to the big screen- and the result is more than worth it.
The Princess Bride shows that the writer being involved really can be beneficial to the movie. It’s the perfect marriage between faithfulness to great source material and standing on its own as a movie. It’s so iconic that it even got added to the National Film Registry for being culturally significant!
Do you agree with the choices? Do you have a favorite fantasy adaptation that didn't make it to the list? Tell us in the comments!