Watching the first Percy Jackson movie was one of the major tragedies of my childhood. I can see why Goblet of Fire can be disliked by the book readers, but for me I liked it because I saw the movies before I read the books and I loved the CGI and the concept of school rivalries as a kid.

The way you pronounce Eragon makes the fact that Eragon is just "dragon" with the first letter moved up one spot so much more obvious. The first time I heard about this, it was a scales-fall-off-your-eyes moment, and I felt really dumb for not having realized that myself! 😅

Another fantastic video!!! Thank you!!!

Another great example of the LOTR's movies adding and it being better is them changing the elf who finds them before Rivendell and helps get them there. In the books its Glorfindel, but the movies give this role to Arwen. I think this is a great idea, as in the books, Glorfindel has zero to do after that, yet Arwen is a major character who's characterization might be a bit thin in the books. This allows them to introduce her earlier, introduce her and Aragorn's relationship, and it gives her something to do other than make moon eyes at Viggo is the first movie lol

Dumbledore said calmly.

I wish I found your channel sooner. I've been binge watching everything you've done and I am now a fan. I hope your channel becomes bigger in the future and if you've watched the Artemis Fowl adaptation (I know you've posted this a year ago so you might have), I think it would have made your top 5 worst book-to-movie adaptations haha.

Omg The goblet of fire is one of my favorite HP movies but I understand your opinion about it. They downplayed the whole Barty Crouch storyline, the first time I watched it I was very confused about that but well, I still love it.

I think you are right on point for the most part. On the top 5 I would have added stardust and my bottom 5 would have First knight and starship troopers on it. Cheers!

Weirdly, one of my favourite adaptations is Blade Runner which is fairly different from the book. And of course To Kill A Mockingbird, a brilliant book and a brilliant film. I adore Princess Bride; both versions. I still haven't finished the Hobbit trilogy... I'll finish it eventually but not looking forward to it. The first film was fine, but the 2nd film was such a struggle.

On your recommendation, I checked out the Holes soundtrack. Wow, I'm impressed. "I will Survive" is a good country, blues tune. TBH, Dr. John was the only artist I recognized. Check out the soundtrack to FM. Don't waste the time with the movie, but the soundtrack is a great reflection of the 70s.

So many adaptations have been announced recently, any that you are excited for or dreading? I have high hopes for the LotR and Wheel of Time shows but at the same time they are so beloved and it will be hard to get it right. I am also worried that the Avatar Netflix show will be bad since the original creators left it, it is adapting a cartoon but I guess I am stretching since there are books/comics as well. I am worried about any anime/manga adaptations in general because I don't know if that same vibe of absurdity and weird humor can work in live action.

The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies of all time. I really love the way you review things.

Adaptations come down to a simple formula. Passion of the individual consumer + hype + years waiting for the product +/- delivery of the product = customer satisfaction. Some deliver on all fronts--LOTR. I waited from 1978 to 2001 for a good adaptation, but PJ delivered over and above what anyone could honestly expect. OTOH, every fantasy/sci-fi/reader has one book series that defines a part of their life that has failed and failed miserably. My son, Patrick, is a big Percy Jackson fan, having read the books during middle and high school. He loathes the two movies. He hates that they exist. My wife was a big Janette Oke fan. Don't feel bad if you have never heard of her. When they adapted those books to TV, she nearly had a meltdown and screamed at the TV. For me it's anything adapted from Tom Clancy other than The Hunt for the Red October. I nearly got up and left the theater in Patriot Games. I refuse to watch any other adaptations of his books. I do like the Jack Ryan show on Amazon. They're non-canon but have the feel and pace of a Tom Clancy thriller. It all comes down to whether or not the movie matches the expectations of the individual.

I never read Ella enchanted so I liked the movie a lot🤭

I don't do a lot of movies/shows but those you spoke on were great (especially good omens and lotr). I think that Game of Thrones deserves a mention (it was great when they were adapting the books and even the sixth season was pretty great.

take one: I have to read Princess Bride. I have watched it so many times and enjoy it every time. I can't imagine reading the story without seeing the cast in my mind. Take two: Harry Potter will always hold a special place for me because I watched my daughter grow up with the books and movies and we watched them all together and had such great times. Take three: Lord of the Rings has been so important in my life for so many reasons. My father got me to read it when I was about twenty. This was surprising since he read mostly political books and best sellers. It helped me understand some things about him that made me love him more. The books also got me interested in D&D when it first started and started me on a long journey with fantasy and gaming and developing great friendships along the way. After reading the books a dozen times, to see the movies would have been wonderful enough, but sharing them with my daughter made it perfect.

There are actually three revolutions of LOTR. The first is the original publishing in the 1950s. The second started in the 1970s when the animated version of The Hobbit was shown on TV. Box sets of the books were in every bookstore. I got one for Christmas and read them by April. The third arrived with the premier of the movies.

If only Ralph Bakshi had done The Hobbit, instead of only doing Fellowship 😭

Cutting out Tom was my least favorite thing about LoTR. But, it was a great book to movie adaptation. Hobbit was too, imo.

I started reading fantasy 2 years ago. I’ve watched 100’s if not a 1000 movies. So I decided to read only books that haven’t been put to film yet, mostly because I believe I’ll struggle with envisioning the characters from the movies as the characters in the books as I read them and I didn’t want the bias. I wanted to develop more creativity than just remember how movies did it. It has been really fun to read these books and I’ve read around 30 books. Wot, king killer chronicle, stormlight arc., are among my favorite series. I think priory of the orange tree is probably one of my favorite stand alone books but there are definitely things I didn’t like about it. I will most likely see these when they are put to film, but I will continue to read books that haven’t been put to film until I change my mind. I agree with your list although I haven’t read the books. Most of the movies were disappointing just as a film themselves. The cgi in the hobbit ruined the feel that LOTR had from years before with real costumes. And it was too long. Goblet of fire was alright as a movie but now you mention it. It did feel like the pace was off. I feel the fantastic beast movies are the equivalent to LOTR and hobbit movie series. The 2nd fantastic beast movie is bad. I haven’t read the books but they ruined that series just like the hobbit movies.

Loved this video, fantastic! I'm reading Jurassic Park, so I know what you mean, it's so scary.

When I sat in the theater and watched Fellowship of the Ring I was amazed. I didn’t think it was possible to do that book justice but they did. For that it’s still my favorite LotR movie. Jurasic Parc on the other hand I sat in the theater and thought what have they done to this amazing book. I come to love the movie as a movie, but I think it’s a really bad adaptation. I actually realy like fist Hobbit movie and the first half of the second movie. But with the barrel chase it really goes off the rails. Enders Game I watched years after it came out. I had really low expectations and was so positively surprised that I read the novel which I liked even more. From the Harry Potter movies loved 3 the most. 4 was my least favorite book and I thought the movie was better. 🙈 I was an adult at this point and I just couldn’t handle all the teen romance. 🙂

Totally agree with the LoTR/Hobbit ratings. I remember sitting in the theater for Fellowship and being so happy that this thing I loved was being brought to life. And then being so horrified by the "Great Goblin", which was followed by outrage after outrage. So bad! The actual worst adaptation is "The Seeker", the misbegotten movie based on Susan Cooper's excellent "The Dark is Rising". The book is so easy to adapt, yet they managed to make every wrong decision possible.

I loved the LotR movies and books. The movies were fantastic and really did capture the spirit of the books. The only major issue I had was the elves in Helm's Deep. I remember from the books (and my take on it) was that Helm's Deep was when humans stood on their own two feet. The movie made it look like they were cowards and the elves, once again, had to come save them. Other than that nit pick (lol), the movies were fantastic! I remember getting into the books after the animated version came out when I was a kid (I know, that dates me!). Was my introduction to fantasy as a whole...

I agree with your list. Unfortunately, Hollywood will keep adding to the worst list. The last season of Game of Thrones doesn't count because there was really no book to adapt. Ender's Game is one movie that I don't believe could be adapted for a wide audience. Between the age of the characters, the violence and abuse as well as the ultimate stakes of war, this is one book that should have stayed out of the theater. Most of the Narnia Movies were pretty lame. It's a close call between LOTR and The Princess Bride for number 1. I only say that because the Hobbit trilogy tarnished the perfection of LOTR.

I'm surprised you didn't list "The Never-Ending Story" for worst adaptations; from what I've heard it was only half the book

Ender's Game would be the worst for me. Like you said they completely ripped out the heart of that story and also rushed it like they had somewhere else to be. The LOTR movies are going to be hard to top, I think if a Harry Potter TV show was ever made, and done well, like the quality of writing and acting of the first few seasons of GOT, that could steal the top spot. Or Wheel of Time, fingers crossed. Also, I don't know how you're able to speak continuously like that and stay on point, like laser focused. Good job!

LotR best and Eragon worst, completely agree! Honorable mention to the second half of Game of Thrones for worst as well, lol. Seasons 1-4 are some of the best tv ever though so i guess it would be on both lists

My father got me to spend some of my 'book tokens' during my childhood summer read-athon's on Ender's Game. I saw the preview and had no interest despite liking the actors cast. I can tell it took the heart out just by seeing the trailer. Saddened me the day my father came to me and said to give the movie a try. I am glad I have not yet wasted my time (hopefully never will) on viewing this movie.

The worst thing I’ve ever seen is the Legend of the Seeker show “based on” The sword of truth books.

About book to movies adaptations, and their changes: some 7-10 years ago I had an epiphany on how to deal with the most obvious changes. It happened when BBC aired the excellent Musketeers series. Highly entertaining, smart and of great production values. Just a minor problem. It had nothing to do with the book. A few plot points coincided here and there, but on the whole it was a completely new story. that I liked a lot, despite having no resemblance with a book I also like a lot. So, how do I conciliate this? Simple: I consider those diverging versions to be set in alternate realities from the original one. Both happened, but in different dimensions. Win-win.

There is a good 3 hour movie somewhere in the Hobbit movies. There were so many good things but so much extra nonsense added it was lost. I wish the elves had not been at Helms Deep and Faramir had not almost brought Frodo back to Minas Tirith. Faramir was not as tempted in the books compared to the movie.

Best: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. Worst: The Neverending Story.

I love Ella enchanted but I never read the book

Pretty much agree with your best list. Loved Lord of the Rings. I adore The Princess Bride. It was your worst list that resonated more, though. Probably, because listening to you I re-experienced the horror and dismay I felt watching these travesties. My top is The Hobbit. How did this thing happen? And, you made me pay for and sit through three movies, when it should have been one? The whole way through I was like, “WHAT?!, Are you serious?” My wife had to shush me, because I was embarrassing her in the theater. I was just so astounded. I mean, what crazed fever dream spawned the idea of Radagast gadding about on a sled pulled by giant rabbits? GIANT RABBITS? He wasn’t even an important part of the book. I’m getting upset all over again, but I was and am furious about what Jackson did to one of my fondest childhood memories and favorite books. I too, was saddened by the poor job done with Enders Game. They had such great visual effects but completely lost the point/feel/vision of the book. With the Harry Potter movies I had to treat them as a separate thing from the books and try to enjoy them as if I hadn’t read the books. I gave them some grace, because there is so much content in the books - much, much more than could ever be fit in to a movie, and I wasn’t sure how I would have gone about it. Still, some of the changes were grating and I couldn’t understand the reasoning for making them. I never saw Ella Enchanted, so can’t comment.

Couldn't agree more that Goblet of Fire is a bloody mess. They cut out massive plot points entirely that are key to the narrative.... but yeah, lets make sure we give 15 minutes to a Dragon chase around the castle that never happened in the books.... brutal. That movie is like my go to example of how not to adapt a book to film.

Very well .... Positive: The last Unicorn - despite leaving out insanly major details like: the red bull is blind and Schmendrik is indeed the most powerful wizard on earth and cursed with immortality! He is several hundred years old at the time of the story. Gor - the books are sheit so are the movies, they didn't changed anything The Thing (John Carpenter) - perfectly catching the mood of the story and even go beyond that The last man on earth (Vincent Price) aka I am Legend - the only adaptation that pays tribute to what the story actually is about Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang) - though leaving out huge parts of the legend it catches the mood and grandeur / side note: how the term "hero" has changed in modern times. In classic literature a "hero" is NOT a person that saves dames in distress and does good where ever he goes but actually "heros" are mostly selfish, powerhungry poeple that simply stand out from normal people. Siegfried from the legend of the Nibelungs is a perfect example for that. Not only does he commit murder, cheat and steal but he does all of these things for his personal gain. In medival scandinavia a "hero" simply could be a normal man with good fighting skills. Famous Icelandic Saga hero "Asmund Kappabani" actually got his name (Kappabani meaning sort of Slayer of Heroes) from killing several powerful figther in a duel called "Holmgang" - two guys have a dispute, go on an island all by themself and one gets back, no further questions asked. Rashomon - yes fantasy because there is a medium invoking a ghost :) / Despite Kurosawa butchering the two original stories at the same time he intertwined them in such a perfect way that the movie became something completly new while paying respect to the originals Negative: Kull the Conquerer - well ... no, Kevin Sorbo is THE worst casting for the character and the whole doesn't even come close to what the original actually is Red Sonya - even boobs can't save that pile of garbabe, the original is set in the 18th centuary and not a fantasy world each and every single Philip K. Dick movie because all of them just use names and basic ideas from the stories, that includes Blade Runner (despite being on of the greates SciFi movies of all time) and Total Recall - yes I understand the difference between fantasy and SciFi all Edgar Rice Burroughs movies - and I totally love the John Carter movie

They could have made the Hunger Games dogs work by making the contestants look like a type of werewolf. With "The Princess Bride" I thought it was the book that was based on the movie With "Lord of the Rings" did you get Sauron and Saruman confused? As far as I know Sauron doesn't show up in the books except as an eye.

I think my top five favorites would be 1) Jurassic Park, 2) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 3) The Hunger Games, 4) His Dark Materials (the television show, not the movie The Golden Compass), and 5) The Lord of the Rings. (Unfortunately, I still haven't gotten around to reading The Princess Bride, but I expect that once I do read it, it will take a place in my top five.) I think my five least worst would have to be 1) Artemis Fowl, 2) Percy Jackson, 3) Eragon, 4) The Black Cauldron, and 5) Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Ugh, The Hobbit. Seriously, they could've made a great single movie, even bloated like Peter Jackson loves to do with movies nowadays, but... so much needless additions, like an extensive barrel ride, love triangle, Laketown politics, extensive Smaug fight, showing way too much of the Battle of the Five Armies when Bilbo was knocked out... and y'know, the Necromancer makes for a good lead-in to The Lord of the Rings, but it seems more like something that should be looming in the background, right? And... I don't know, looking back, I think a lot of the Harry Potter adaptations were pretty bad. But seriously, what was up with everybody's hair in Harry's fourth year?

All the Earthsea adaptations broke my heart.

E-ragon lol Good review :)

Book to movie adaptations is my catnip. Can’t believe all the major sci fi/fantasy shows based on books that came out this year. Foundation, Wheel of Time, Rings of Power. I haven’t read the books or seen the shows but I still recognize the rich bounty that streaming has brought us. Netflix has a bunch too (shadow and bone, Witcher) and on and on.

My favorite is Deitch’s 1967 adaptation of The Hobbit; it’s so bad it’s entertaining.

I figured you just weren’t a huge Harry Potter fan when the Chris Columbus films weren’t at the top of your list. I only put The Fellowship of the Ring at the top of my list, not because the others are bad, but there’s just so many changes that just annoy me. I can see why just about all were made, though some were certainly more justified than others. (No, I’m not complaining about the Scouring of the Shire, the films couldn’t have handled the ending better! That scene in the Green Dragon was beautiful!) The whole plot of books two and three were altered, and that I can get because it made the pacing work so much better for the movies and gave characters such as Theoden and Faramir arcs, but it resulted in so many instances of tactical absurdity, and while we got some incredibly cinematic moments, we also got some bafflingly retarded ones. And of coarse the dead men of Dunharrow... so yeah, the first installment of the LotR trilogy is just about as good as adaptation gets (though I would tweak some things here and there), but the second two, while incredible, don’t quite hold up for me. Also, it’s 2022 now, and The Wheel of Time has easily claimed the bottom of my list.

The Artemis Fowl movie was pretty bad as a movie, besides being an adaptation. All/most of the characters had very different personalities and motivations. Plot lines from multiple books were squashed into an hour and 35 minutes. They leaned on a narrator to make sure the audience knew what was going on at certain points of the film. They set it up for a sequel even though they knew there was no way in Hollywood that would happen. Very sad. I hope they reboot it as a series.

#2 worst *Eragon* & #1 by a large margin *Ender* but ... I'll accept your list :) Good Post !!

Star Wars should have made the top 5 list, except it was a Book adapted from a Movie (here the movie is better). I put it #1 with LoTR 2nd. Prisoner of Azkaban was worse, IMHP, than Goblet of Fire.

I’ll add another best and worst, though I know I’m stretching to consider these as SFF (they are, and I’ll fight anyone about it :D ) Best: The Martian (Andy Weir) WORST WORST WORST WORST WORST!!!! “A Prayer for Owen Meany” (John Irving) (“Simon Birch” is the movie adaptation)

I definitely agree with HP goblet of fire…The golden compass is on my list of worst adaptation

I’m surprised that GoT isn’t on your top list. The Witcher is a good adaptation of the prequel book. It seems to me that most movies are done poorly in adapting books.

Ready Player One is a huge contender contender for Worst Adaptation, for me

Holes was so dope

Prisoner of Azkaban was my Harry potter movie I was disappointed in. 3rd was best book and worst movie

I hated "Half-Blood Prince" more than any other HP movie.

The top of my list would definitely have to be Battlefield Earth. The movie was awful and so far from the book it was obnoxious.

Princess Bride is one of the finest movies ever made.

Honorable mention for worst movie adaptation of anything ever: Avatar the Last Airbender. They took everything good about that cartoon and flushed it in the toilet. I agree wholeheartedly on Goblet of fire, also very disappointed in that one.

Do you need money for pants? kidding. Keep up the great content.

My list: Best 1: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (honorable mention to Prince Caspian) 2: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 3: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone/Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (it should be noted I’m not even a Harry Potter fan) 4: To Kill a Mockingbird Worst 3: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Theif/Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters 2: Eragon 1: The Wheel of Time Honorable mention for worst adaptation to the new Fahrenheit 451, which I also haven’t actually seen

Eragon is correct for the worst adaptation ever.

Artemis Fowl is hands down the worst adaptation ever.

The Hobbit=money grab