Authors and comic writers will often complain about how badly their work is translated by filmmakers; they get the tone wrong, they cast the wrong actors or they completely betray the spirit of the book. It must be heartbreaking for a novelist to see the story they spent years toiling over get butchered on the big screen, while they have to sit there helpless. Be it having a hand in casting, writing the script or, in some cases, even getting to direct, a lucky few are powerful enough to keep creative control over a film adaptation. Writing and directing are two very different tasks, though, and a lot of writers quickly find the story they envisioned from the comfort of their desk doesnt translate very well to the screen. In fact, some of the very worst adaptations of a book can be attributed to the authors themselves, especially when theyre behind the directors chair. This can be a result of clinging too tightly to the original material, or just having a poor grasp on telling a story visually. Whatever the case, the result is a terrible movie, and this time the writers cant use Blame the filmmakers! as an excuse.
