Day 19 - Favourite Book Turned Into a Movie

I've had to think carefully about this one as even if the film is good, I always prefer the book.  Due to this I try to not watch the movie until I've read the book so I can imagine the characters my own way.
I can be a bit of a geek when I feel they get the casting wrong.  As an example, I enjoy all the Harry Potter films but I just never thought they got Hermione right.  Nothing against Emma Watson, she just isn't how I imagined Hermione. 

The problem today is do I include TV adaptations? I think these tend to be better than films due to the time allowed within a mini series, so I've indulged myself and allowed these too. 

So, films of books that have been pretty good (in my opinion):

The Color Purple
I sob, every time!  Whoopi Goldberg is amazing.

Bridget Jones Diary
Not perfect and Renee Zellweger was too nice and a bit too posh (I always imagined Bridget to be slightly more grubby and rough!) but Hugh Grant and Colin Firth were brilliant and so it sneaks into the list.

Remains of the Day

Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson - sheer class.  Beautifully adapted.

TV adaptations

Pride and Prejudice - BBC with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.  Do I really have to explain?  perfect casting and stuck to the book, apart from the wet shirt scene which is completely acceptable.

North and South - BBC.  Mainly due to Richard Armitage.  It does differ to the novel but it was beautifully filmed and one I can watch again and again.

Cranford - BBC - again, perfect casting.

Persuasion - There two versions, both very different but good in different ways.  The 1995 BBC version with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds is probably more true to the novel, but the 2007 ITV version with Sally Hawkins has Rupert Penry-Jones as Wentworth.

But...my favourite book into film is...
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  
It's epic, it's brilliantly well done and the casting throughout was perfect.