Recreation

Books into film and television

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • Y
  • Z
Babe
From the novel The Sheep Pig by Dick King-Smith
Baby
From the 1993 novel Baby by Patricia MacLachlan
Bad apple (2004)
From the 1994 novel Bad apple by Anthony Bruno
The bad mother's handbook (TV-2007)
From the 2004 novel The bad mother's handbook by Kate Long.
Badjelly the witch
From the story Badjelly the witch by Spike Milligan
Baise-moi
From the 1995 novel Baise-moi, not yet translated into English, by Virginie Despentes
Ballad of the Sad Cafe
From the novel Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers
Balloon farm
From the 1994 novel Harvey Potter's balloon farm by Jerdine Nolan
Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress
From the 2001 novel Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress by Sijie Dai
Band of brothers
From the 1992 book Band of brothers by Stephen Ambrose
The Bank shot
From the 1972 novel The Bank shot by Donald E. Westlake
Barbarella
From the 1966 novel/comic book Barbarella by Jean-Claude Forest
Barbarians at the gate
From the 1990 book Barbarians at the gate by Bryan Burrough
Barefoot in the park
From the play Barefoot in the park by Neil Simon
Barfly
An original script by Charles Bukowski
Barry Humphries: Flashbacks
Tie-in book by Roger McDonald
The Basketball Diaries
From the 1978 novel The Basketball Diaries by Jim Carroll
Bastard out of Carolina
From the 1992 novel Bastard out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison
Battle of Britain
Based on the 1961 book The Narrow margin by Derek Wood
Battlefield earth
From the 1982 novel Battlefield earth by L. Ron Hubbard
The Battlers
From the novel The Battlers by Kylie Tennant
Be cool (2005)
From the 1999 novel Be cool by Elmore Leonard. About the Film
The Beach
From the novel The Beach by Alex Garland
Beaches
From the novel Beaches by Iris Rainer Dart
The Bears and I
From the 1968 book The Bears and I by Robert Franklin Leslie
The Beast
From the novel Beast by Peter Benchley
The Beast within
From the 1981 novel The Beast within by Edward Levy
Beat Route
Tie-in book Beat Route by Jools Holland
Beau Brummel (TV -2006)
From the 2005 book Beau Brummel by Ian Kelly
Beau Geste
From the novel Beau Geste by P.C. Wren
Beaumarchais
From the play Beaumarchais I'insolent by Sacha Guitry
A Beautiful mind
From the 1998 book A Beautiful mind by Sylvia Nasar
Beauty
From the 1996 novel Beauty by Susan Wilson
Because of Winn-Dixie
The 2000 children's novel by Kate DiCamillo was a Newbery Honor Book winner in 2001. It's the story of a ten year old girl in a small Southern town and Winn-Dixie is her dog. Wayne Wang, who directed the adaptations of The joy luck club and Anywhere but here, directs and the adult cast includes Jeff Daniels, Eva Marie Saint and Cicely Tyson.
Read the Book ~ About the Film
Becoming Jane (2007)
Based on the 2003 book Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence.
Bee season
Myra Goldberg's 2000 debut novel was a surprise success, a book where interest grew gradually until it became a bestseller and a book club staple. It is the story of a young girl who becomes a spelling bee champion. Her scholar father dedicates himself to her gift while the family tends to fall apart around them.
 Read the Book ~ About the Film
Before and after
From the novel Before and after by Rosellen Brown
Before he wakes
From the 1994 book Before he wakes by Jerry Bledsoe
Before night falls
From the 1993 book Before night falls by Reinaldo Arenas
Before Women had wings
From the novel Before Women had wings by Connie May Fowler
The Beggar bride
From the novel The Beggar bride by Gillian White
The Beguiled
From the novel The Beguiled by Thomas Cullinan
Behind the mask
From the 1955 novel The Pack by John Rowan Wilson
Behind the sun
Loosely adapted from the 1990 (translated) Albanian novel Broken April by Ismail Kadare
Being Julia (2005)
From the 1937 novel Theatre by Somerset Maugham. About the Film
Bejewelled
From the 1981 novel Bejewelled death by Marian Babson
Believe in me (2006)
From the 1971 novel Brief garland by Harold Keith
The Believers
From the novel The Believers by Nicholas Conde
Bella Mafia
From the novel Bella Mafia by Lynda La Plante
Besieged
From a short story by James Lasdun
Best actress
From the 1998 novel Best actress by John Kane
The Best little whorehouse in Texas
From the musical play The Best little whorehouse in Texas by Carol Hall. Abridged version in The Best plays of 1977-1978
Ben Hur
From the novel Ben Hur by Lew Wallace
Betty Blue
From the novel Betty Blue by Philippe Djian
Beyond fear
From the 1995 book Beyond fear: my will to survive by Stephanie Slater
Beyond reasonable doubt
From the book Beyond reasonable doubt by David Yallop
Bhowani Junction
From the 1954 novel Bhowani Junction by John Masters
The big bounce
This is an early (1969) novel by Elmore Leonard about a drifter who gets taken in by a beautiful woman who's up to no good. About the Film
Big Cat diary
Tie-in book by Brian Jackman
Big fish
From the novel Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
The Big sleep
From the 1939 novel The Big sleep by Raymond Chandler
Big women
From the novel Big women by Fay Weldon
Billy Bathgate
From the novel Billy Bathgate by E.L. Doctorow
Billy Liar
From the 1959 novel Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse
Biloxi Blues
From the play Biloxi Blues by Neil Simon
The Birdcage
A remake of the French film La cage aux folles which was based on a play by Jean Poiret and a score of Jerry Herman's Broadway musical version of the play
The Birds
From a short story (but only loosely adapted) The Birds by Daphne Du Maurier
Birdman of Alcatraz
From the 1955 book Birdman of Alcatraz by Thomas Gaddis
The Biscuit eater
Based on the short story The Biscuit eater by James Street
Bishop's wife
From a short story Bishop's wife by Robert Nathan
Black and blue
From the novel Black and blue by Anna Quindlen
Black and blue
From the 1997 novel Black and blue by Ian Rankin
Black Beauty
From the novel Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Black Dahlia
James Ellroy's 1987 novel has been a contender for film adaptation for years. It is a fictional treatment of a famous case from 1947 when the body of a tortured woman was found on a vacant lot in Los Angeles. The novel looks into the sordid underbelly of Hollywood in the postwar years and has become known as a leading example of noir fiction. Brian De Palma directs a cast headed by Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Swank.
Read the Book ~ About the Film
Black hawk down
From the 1999 book Black hawk down by Mark Bowden
Black Robe
From the novel Black Robe by Brian Moore
Blackrock
From the 1996 Australian play Blackrock by Nick Enright
The Black stallion
From the novel The Black stallion by Walter Farley
The Black stallion returns
From the 1945 novel The Black stallion returns by Walter Farley
Black Sunday
From the novel Black Sunday by Thomas Harris
The Black tower
From the novel The Black tower by P.D. James
Blackboard jungle
From the 1954 novel Blackboard jungle by Evan Hunter
Blade Runner
Based upon the Philip K. Dick novel Do androids dream of electric sheep?
The title is taken from an unproduced screenplay by William S. Burroughs
Mr Blanding builds his dream house
From the 1946 novel Mr Blanding builds his dream house by Eric Hodgins
Bleak House
The Dickens classic has been brought to the television screen before, most recently in an impressive version in 1985 with Denholm Elliott as John Jarndyce and Diana Rigg as Lady Dedlock. The new BBC version is adapted by Andrew Davies who has scripted virtually all major literary adaptations in recent years. This version is to be made up of 16 half-hour episodes to be shown twice a week and it is being filmed from February through to July 2005. Anna Maxwell Martin plays the main character, Esther Summerson and the cold and sinister Lady Dedlock, who has a very dark secret in her past, is played by Gillian Anderson. Denis Lawson is lawyer John Jarndyce, Timothy West is Lord Dedlock, comedian Johnny Vegas is the shady shopowner Krook, Charles Dance is the ruthless lawyer Tulkington, comedian Alistair McGowan is Kenge, the slimy lawyer, and even Stars in their eyes compere Matthew Kelly is in the cast, making his acting debut as a ballet teacher. The supporting cast includes Pauline Collins, Anne Reid, Richard Griffiths, Liza Tarbuck, Alun Armstrong, Nathaniel Parker, Warren Clarke and more.
Read the Book ~ About the Film
Bless the child
From the novel Bless the child by Cathy Cash Spellman
Blessed assurance
From a short story in the 1991 book White people by Allan Gurganus
Blind date
From the novel Blind date by Frances Fyfield
Blokes and sheds
Tie-in book by Jim Hopkins
Blonde
From the 2000 novel Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates
Blonde bombshell
Apparently based onDiana Dors' out of print autobiography
Blood and sand
From the 1913 novel Blood and sand by Vincente Blasco Ibanez
Bloody Sunday
From the 1997 book Eyewitness Bloody Sunday by Don Mullan
Blott on the landscape
From the novel Blott on the landscape by Tom Sharpe
Blow
From the 1993 book Blow by Bruce Porter
Blue planet
Tie-in book by Andrew Byatt
Blue river
From the 1991 novel Blue river by Ethan Canin
Blueprint (2003)
From the 2000 novel Blueprint by Charlotte Kerner
Body and soul
From the novel Body and soul by Marcelle Bernstein
The Body in question
Tie-in book by Jonathan Miller
CoverBody of lies
A former journalist turned CIA agent is sent to Amman to work with Jordan’s intelligence chief to track down an Al Qaeda leader who is rumoured to be planning a major attack on the U.S. in the 2007 novel by David Ignatius. Ridley Scott is making the film version on location in Morocco with Leonardo Di Caprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Carice Van Houten. Simon McBurney and Oscar Isaac leading the cast.
Read the Book ~ About the Film
The Body snatcher
From the short story by Robert Louis Stevenson
Body Snatchers
From the 1954 novel Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney
Body story
Tie-in book by David Williams
The Bombmaker
From the 1999 novel The Bombmaker by Stephen Leather
The Bone collector
From the novel The Bone collector by Jeffrey Deaver
Boom
From the play The Milk train doesn't stop here anymore by Tennessee Williams
Born on the Fourth of July
From the 1976 book Born on the Fourth of July by Ron Kovic
Born yesterday
From the play Born yesterday in the volume Comedy tonight by Garson Kanin
The Borrowers
From the novel The Borrowers by Mary Norton
Boss of bosses
From the 1991 book Boss of bosses by Joseph F. O'Brien
The Bourne identity
From the 1980 novel The Bourne identity by Robert Ludlum
The Bourne supremacy (2004)
From the 1986 novel by Robert Ludlum. Read the Book ~ About the Film
The Bourne Trilogy coverThe Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
The Bourne stories are a franchise that can do no wrong in movie terms and this is the third Jason Bourne film, based on the third novel, published 1990, in Robert Ludlum’s action series. The novel was the last actually penned by Ludlum and Bourne didn’t turn up till much later under another name writing under the Ludlum brand name. Paul Greengrass is directing again and Matt Damon once again plays Bourne. To show that this isn’t a run of the mill thriller, playwright Tom Stoppard was roped in to write the screenplay. The large supporting cast includes Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Daniel Bruhl, Paddy Considine and Edgar Ramirez.
Read the Book ~ About the Film
The Bounty
Based on the 1972 book Captain Bligh and Mr Christian by Richard Hough
The Boys
From the 1991 play The Boys by Gordon Graham
The Boys from Brazil
From the novel The Boys from Brazil by Ira Levin
The Bravados
From the 1957 novel The Bravados by Frank O'Rourke
The Brave
From the 1991 novel The Brave by Gregory McDonald
Brave little toaster
From the 1986 novel Brave little toaster by Thomas J. Disch
Brave little toaster goes to Mars
From the novel Brave little toaster goes to Mars by Thomas J Disch
Braveheart
Not based on a book. There is a paperback novelisation by Randall Wallace. There are biographies of William Wallace and a novel by Nigel Tranter called The Wallace
Breakfast at Tiffany's
From the 1958 novel Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
Breakfast on Pluto
Irish director Neil Jordan adapted Pat McCabe's novel to the screen in 1997 and he has now turned his attention to McCabe's 1998 novel about an eccentric recording his memoirs. His story begins with being abandoned in a Rinso box and brought up in a terrible foster home from which he escapes with dreams of stardom and eventual life as a transvestite rent boy in London. A black comedy with real originality, the novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize of its year. The film, set in the 1970s and filmed in Belfast, has Cillian Murphy as the lead character along with Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson and Stephen Rea.
Read the Book ~ About the Film
Breaking the code
From the play Breaking the code by Hugh Whitemore which was based on the 1983 book Alan Turing: The enigma of intelligence by Andrew Hodges
Breaking the surface: the Greg Louganis story (1997)
From the book 1995 Breaking the surface by Greg Louganis
The Breakthrough
From a short story The Breakthrough by Daphne Du Maurier. In her collection Not after midnight
Breathing lessons
From the novel Breathing lessons by Anne Tyler
The Bridal path
From the 1952 novel The Bridal path by Nigel Tranter
Brideshead revisited
From the novel Brideshead revisited by Evelyn Waugh
Brideshead revisited
It is hard to imagine why anyone would want to bring Evelyn Waugh’s 1945 novel to the screen given that the television adaptation in 1981 is regarded as near perfect and is still watched on DVD and television. It was first announced last year as a film with Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly in the leads but that went nowhere and now a lavish adaptation by Andrew Davies is coming up under the direction of Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane). Charles and Sebastian (originally Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews) are played by Matthew Goode and Ben Whishaw.
Julia Flyte, Lord and Lady Marchmain, Charles Ryder’s appalling father, Lord Marchmain’s mistress, Cordelia Flyte and Rex Mottram (played so memorably by Diana Quick, Laurence Oliver, Claire Bloom, John Gielgud, Stephane Audran, Phoebe Nicholls and Charles Keating in the original) are now in the hands of Hayley Attwell, Michael Gambon, Emma Thompson, Patrick Malahide, Greta Scacchi, Felicity Jones and Jonathan Cake. The locations have been done at – where else? – Castle Howard. All it needs is the famous score by Geoffrey Burgon and the copy is complete.
Read the Book ~ About the Film
The Bridge
From the novel The Bridge by Maggie Hemingway
The Bridge at Remagen
Based on the 1957 book The Bridge at Remagen by Kenneth Hechler
The Bridges at Toko-Ri
From the 1953 novel The Bridges at Toko-Ri by James A. Michener
The bridge of San Luis Rey
Thornton Wilder's classic 1927 novel is about the collapse of a bridge in 18th C. Peru. Five people are killed and a missionary priest who witnessed the tragedy asks the question as to why it was these five and in doing so explores the lives of the five deceased people. It was made into a silent film in 1929 and again in 1944. The new version features Robert De Niro, Kathy Bates, F. Murray Abraham, Harvey Keitel, Geraldine Chaplin and Gabriel Byrne.
Read the Book ~ About the Film
A Bridge too far
From the book A Bridge too far by Cornelius Ryan
Bridge To Terabithia
Katharine Paterson’s 1978 children’s novel, a Newberry prize winner, was first filmed for Canadian television in 1985. This new adaptation is a much bigger budget item, a co-production between Disney and Walden Media, makers of the very successful first Narnia movie. The story concerns a ten-year-old boy in rural Virginia whose life expands when he becomes friends with a newcomer who subsequently meets an untimely death trying to reach their hideaway, Terabithia, during a storm. Josh Hutcherson (from The polar express) plays the lead character and co-stars include Ann Sophia Robb (from Charlie and the chocolate factory), Zooey Deschanel and Robert Patrick. The film is the directing debut of notable animator Gabor Csupo and the author’s son, David Paterson, has adapted the novel. Wellington’s Weta Digital is in charge of the effects and locations have been done in other parts of New Zealand.
Read the Book ~ About the Film
The Bridges of Madison County
From the novel The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller
Bridget Jones's diary
From the novel Bridget Jones's diary by Helen Fielding
Bridget Jones: the edge of reason
Based on Helen Fielding's 1999 sequel to her bestseller. The story picks up four weeks after the end of the last film (and book) and once again Renee Zellwegger is the title character with Hugh Grant and Colin Firth reprising their roles. Read the Book ~ About the Film
Brief encounter
Based on the play Still life in his Plays Three by Noel Coward
A Brief history of Time
From the book A Brief history of Time by Stephen Hawking
Bright angel
From the short stories Children and Great Falls by Richard Ford. In his collection Rock Springs
Bright young things
This is an adaptation of the classic 1930 comedy, Vile bodies, by Evelyn Waugh, a satirical story of high society. Read the Book ~ About the Film
Brilliant lies
From the 1993 play Brilliant lies by David Williamson
Bringing out the dead
From the novel Bringing out the dead by Joe Connelly
Brokeback mountain
Annie Proulx's 1998 novella is a short (a mere 58 pages) work about a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy who meet at a ranch near Brokeback Mountain, Wyoming, and fall in love. A gay western is considered a daring prospect for a mainstream American movie and it represents a departure for Chinese director Ang Lee from his last movie, Hulk. Read the Book ~ About the Film
Broken arrow
From the 1947 novel Broken arrow by Elliott Arnold
The Broken cord
From the book The Broken cord by Michael Dorris
Broken English
Novelisation Broken English by Johanna Pigott
Broken trust
From the novel 1991 Court of honor by William P. Wood
Brother orchid
From a short story Brother orchid by Richard Connell
Brothers in law
From the 1955 novel Brothers in law by Henry Cecil
Brothers in trouble
From the story Return journey by Abdullah Hussein
The Browning version
From the play The Browning version by Terence Rattigan
The brush off (2004)
From the 1998 novel The brush off by Shawn Maloney
The Buccaneers
From the novel The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton
Bugsy
Based on the 1967 book We only kill each other by Dean Jennings
Bully
Based on the 1997 book Bully: does anyone deserve to die? by Jim Schutze
The Burger and the King
From the book The Burger and the King by David Adler
Burglar
From the 1978 novel The Burglar in the closet by Lawrence Block
The Burning season
Based on the book The Burning season by Andrew Revkin
Burnt offerings
From the 1973 novel Burnt offerings by Robert Marasco
The Butcher boy
From the novel The Butcher boy by Patrick McCabe
Butterbox babies
From the 1990 book Butterbox babies by Bette Cahill
By love possessed
From the 1957 novel By love possessed by James Gould Cozzens