8. Captain Corelli's Mandolin
The Book: Allegedly (but vehemently denied by the author) based on Italian captain Amos Pampaloni, Corellis Mandolin is a classic wartime tale, but the main draw for audiences was its writing. Graphically describing war in uncomfortable detail, it dealt heavily with lust, passion and true love (quite a contrast dont you think). And even though it was just on the page, youd believe you were listening to the titular instrument.
Why It Shouldn't Have Been Adapted: Of course Hollywood wanted to adapt this; theres the Second World War, beautiful Mediterranean locations and the opportunity for some real tragedy. The 2001 version, made by the Oscar nominated John Madden, managed two out of three. Much of the novels heartbreak was lessened, with emotional distance leaving audiences unmoved. The problem with adapting heavyweight books like Mandolin is that theyre often too extreme to be marketable to the masses, even with big name casting. Its a sad paradox, but one that ensures instant classics will have to wait years for a worthy imagining.