The Golden Compass (1995) – Philip Pullman

Having just recently rewatched the film version of Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, I was eager to revisit the novel, which I had read only once about twenty years ago. I remember enjoying the series, but can’t remember anything that happened in the third book of the trilogy, only recalling that I cried a lot….

A Wrinkle in Time (2018) – Ava DuVernay

Disney’s adaptation of Madeline L’Engle’s classic young adult novel is a mixed bag at best. The story’ ideas aren’t realised on the screen very well, but there is some nice talk about quantum physics, physics, and science as spiritualism throughout the film that I really enjoyed. Director DuVernay, best known for her documentary work, in…

Star Trek: Deep Domain (1987) – Howard Weinstein

It’s time to delve into strange new worlds, and new civilisations again as I boldly go venturing into the next novel in the Pocket Book Star Trek series. Set between the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the novel has a bit of an ecological theme,…

The Princess Bride (1987) – Rob Reiner

The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of The Fellowship of the Ring is this fantastic adaptation by William Goldman of his highly enjoyable novel, The Princess Bride. Director Rob Reiner gathers a fantastic cast that includes Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy…

The NeverEnding Story (1984) – Wolfgang Petersen

The first recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of The Fellowship of the Ring is Wolfgang Petersen’s 1984 adaptation of only a small part of Micheal Ende’s fantasy novel, The NeverEnding Story. It has been more than thirty years since I watched this one, so I was…

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) – Tay Garnett

The first title on the What Else to Watch list following my screening of Ossessione for The Movie Book, from DK Canada, is the first U.S. adaptation of James M. Cain’s novel, which also served as the basis for Ossessione. The film stars Lana Turner and John Garfield as Cora Smith and Frank Chambers. Frank…

Ossessione (1943) – Luchino Visconti

DK Canada’s The Movie Book brings me a tale of love and jealousy as I settled in to take in Visconti’s Ossessione. When a drifter named Gino (Massimo Girotti) arrives at a restaurant, he finds himself caught up in a romance with the repugnant owner, Giuseppe’s (Juan de Landa) wife, Giovanna (Clara Calamai). Both characters…

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) – Blake Edwards

Based on the novel by Truman Capote, and featuring music by Henry Mancini, this romantic classic stars Audrey Hepburn, and George Peppard. It is also the next stop on the Romantic and Melodrama chapter of the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film. The film, as solid as it is, features Mickey Rooney’s racist and…

To Have and Have Not (1944) – Howard Hawks

Bearing the loosest of resemblances to Ernest Hemingway’s novel, Howard Hawks directs Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall from a script penned by Jules Furthman and William Faulkner. DK Canada’s The Movie Book continues to bring me amazing films. This one is form the What Else to Watch list following the book’s recommendation of Casablanca. Bogart…

The Black Hole (1979) – Alan Dean Foster

I remember having this novel as a child. In fact, the soundtrack, the first recorded digitally, was one of the first albums I ever bought with my own money as a child. The film has been a favourite of mine for some time, flaws and all, so when I came cross the novel at a…