Is nothing sacred, not even worms?
 

I just heard that there was a movie coming out based on a favorite childhood book "How to Eat Fried Worms."

Most that I've read about it is that it is nothing like the book, save for the kid's name and some worms.

What were your favorite kid's movies based on childhood books? What movies disappointed you?

In some ways I think kids today miss so much because of sophistication in technology and exposure to much more at a younger age.

If the old Charlie Brown specials had never been made until this day, would we have missed the innocence, the sweet humor, the caring lessons? If Winnie the Pooh and Tigger and Eeyore made their screen debuts as 3 dimensional computer-enhanced figures, would something be lost in the translation?

What are your opinions? Am I just an old fogey, or has our whimsy gone?

"Matilda" was pretty good.

I'm really hoping "Coraline" is good.

The very first movie I recall going to (with my mom) was SNOW WHITE. We ate nonpareils. I loved it. I was the most special girl in the world just then. :)

The next movie I recall is Jaws--I think there might have been a willful lapse of memory there, I dunno.

I LOVED Matilda. I love all the Harry Potter books and movies. I loved the first Freaky Friday (with Jodie Foster) and I loved Bedrooms and Broomsticks... I may not have all that in order!

I also loved that ballerina movie of the late 70's or early 80's--Turning Point!

i am SOOO Girly. Sigh.

No wonder you all hate me.

Little Miss Sunshine ROCKED.

That's "Bedknobs" and Broomsticks, sweetie. Bedrooms and Broomsticks was the porn version, I think.

Anyone else excited to see the big screen "Transformers" movie? I wasn't a kid when it was out, but my kid was a kid then.

:lol:

Willie Wanger and the Chocolate Pushers

Titti Longsloppy

Shitty Chitty Gang Bang (by the way I LOVE Chitty Chitty Bang Bang)

Sorry, went off on a tangent!

I loved the Pippi Longstocking movie when I was a kid. I rubber-banded wet sponges to my feet and tried to skate around "cleaning" the kitchen like they did in the movie.

Oh, there are so many ... Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was one of my favorite books in childhood, and I love both movie versions, for different reasons. The Gene Wilder because it's so joyous, and the Tim Burton because it retains more of the creepy moral teaching of the book.

The Phantom Tollbooth, although I liked the book better than the cartoon.

The new Narnia movie did not disappoint me at all ... thought that was like someone took the pictures out of my head and popped them up onto the screen.

The Black Stallion was phenomenal!

However, there are a lot of disappointing versions of Black Beauty out there ...

I was always disappointed that none of the CW Anderson horse books ended up being made into movies ... and I still haven't seen the film version of Marguerite Henry's Misty of Chincoteague. There are several other of her books that would have made good movies too, but I guess that she's fallen out of favor with young girls who are mad about horses, it's all internimably long series of boring stories about girls in Saddle Clubs or whatnot these days.

I always wanted to see a movie about Ramona the Pest (Beverly Cleary), but given what happened to Harriet the Spy (Louise Fitzhugh), I'm not so sure that's a good idea.

I didn't like the cartoon. However, that was my absolute favorite book as a kid, and still is one of my favorites. I still have a copy. Back in our 'salad days' I would read a chapter at a time to my ex (yes, he could read, it was just fun!) My sis-in-law also read it to my nieces/nephews at my recommendation. What an awesome book.

A friend of mine in college and I used to read children's books to each other. It was quite cool. I like audiobooks for the same reason.

One of my friend's reads to her kids every night. I occasionally get pressed into service as a pinch reader when I'm over around bedtime.

That reminds me of another series of children's books that I would love to see made into a movie, but I know it would get screwed up somewhere along the way ... the Green Knowe books by L.M. Boston. I'd be happy with just the first one, Children of Green Knowe.

Speaking of "of Green", the Anne of Green Gables movies were great, especially the first one.

Mrs Elspode and I often share audiobooks together. We are now listening to The Color of Magic. I don't know how I managed to get to this age without reading Pratchitt, but there it is. I'm an idiot. This stuff is seriously, seriously entertaining.

It is a shame you are getting into him so late in the game ... there are a lot of books to catch up on!!

(Reaper Man is excellent, and I'm sure that you'll like the Wyrd Sisters for a variety of reasons. You might also want to check out The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch)

the current wife and wicked stepdaughter are into Pratchitt in a big way. TBH, not my cup of tea.. I've read a few, but I like my sci-fi hard. They could make good films, though.

Childhood books? I loved the 'Biggles' books, but was so disappointed with the film. Time-travelling helicopters? The Captain would surely be spinning in his grave.

You mean that wasn't just a Monty Python bit?

I am always scared when I hear one of my childhood favourites is going to be made into a film.

Books I resented sharing with the non-reading world include:
The various Winnie the Pooh books - yup, my Dad read them to me. My Winnie the Pooh had a gruff East London accent, not a high pitched American one.
The Black Cauldron - Taran & Eilonwy were my Posh & Becks. I didn't appreciate them getting the Disney treatment.
Little House on the Prairie - Laura's life was hard work and strong morals, not talking back to her parents and rescuing people.
Archer's Goon - a TV series over here based on the wonderful book by Diana Wynne Jones. It just wasn't as subtle and complex as the book. And the magical siblings just didn't have the presence on screen that my mind gave them.
Howl's Moving Castle - again by Diana Wynne Jones. It was a beautiful cartoon, but no Howl could live up to my expectations.

The one I fear the most is a screen version of The Changeover by Margaret Mahy. I read that book to pieces in my early teens and would just hate to see Sorenson Carlise and Laura Chant as just another two whiny Kiwi kids.

I'm NOT looking forward to Coraline, but I would really like to be proved wrong.