Yes, these films were books first!

by Joanne Petty and Malgorzata Stankiewicz

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

This 1975 film directed by Milos Forman had in fact been based on a Ken Kesey novel of the same name. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was the second film in the history of cinema to win all five Academy Awards, including Jack Nicholson who won the award for the best actor in a lead role.

Trainspotting

Danny Boyle’s widely acclaimed picture portraying a group of heroin addicts living in ’80s Edinburgh was based on a novel by a Scottish writer Irvine Welsh. Gaining worldwide acclaim from film critics, it brought then relatively unknown Ewan McGregor, who stars in the lead role, to international fame.

Full Metal Jacket

This is one of Stanley Kubrick’s most famous films, and was based on the experiences of Gustav Hasford as told in his book The Short- Timers. The film follows a group of soldiers as they go through the ranks during the Vietnam war and it even gained an Academy Award nomination for its screenplay.

The Silence of the Lambs

Starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins The Silence of The Lambs was based on a novel of the same name by American author and screenwriter Thomas Harris. The 1991 thriller was the third film to win the big five Academy Awards.

Precious

The 2009 film Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire, was a box office smash and gained praise for the way in which it portrayed such a painful and tough situation. Young actress Gabourey Sidibe who played Precious was subsequently launched to international stardom.

Blade Runner

Based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, this was an early ’80s cult classic which starred Harrison Ford. The film was not an initial box office success but has gained popularity over the years for its special effects and mysterious storyline.

Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump was one of the most surprising box office hits in 1994 and was based on the novel by Winston Groom. Although the film won several Academy Awards, nobody thanked Groom in the speeches, and there was controversy over his payment from Paramount Pictures.

Jaws

Jaws was originally a novel written by Peter Benchley in 1974. The film, directed by Stephen Spielberg, is a classic and is renowned for its striking musical score and use of tension throughout.

The Green Mile

This was based on a series of Stephen King novels. Made in 1999 it starred Tom Hanks in the leading role and garnered much success, with many award nominations and wins. However, it was criticised by some for being just over three hours long.

The Fly

One of the most memorable film adaptations of this short story by George Langelaan is the 1986 version starring Jeff Goldblum. The film does not stick entirely to the original story, however it was a success and even won an Oscar for the special effects makeup used to show the dramatic transformation into the creature.

The Godfather

This classic film from 1972 was based on the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo. The film was such a success that it spawned two sequels and is routinely included in lists of the greatest films ever made.

The Thing

This 1982 classic sci-fi horror directed by John Carpenter was not only a remake of an earlier film The Thing From Another World by Christian Nyby but also an arguably more faithful adaptation of a novel Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell Jr. Despite receiving mixed reviews, The Thing was named as one of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time by Empire magazine.