Hi ya'll Tank here!
I hope everyone is had a great weekend. Allie and I watched a lot of movies this weekend. It was great to snuggle on the couch and have all the attention to myself. My bro, Finn, likes to sleep on the floor when we are watching movie. Weird, dontcha think?
I have my absolute favorite movie adaption of books. They all include animals and are in no particular order.
**101 Dalmatians**
It is based on the book 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith. I love both the Disney version and the 1996 version with Glenn Close as Cruella. She was fantastic! The music and animation were so well done in the Disney version, it is no wonder that it is a classic. The movies themselves were freely adapted from the book, but that doesn't bother me!
If you have never read the book, please do. It is an on the edge of your seat kind of read.
Book Blurb of 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith
Pongo and Missis had a lovely life. With their human owners, the Dearlys, to look after them, they lived in a comfortable home in London with their 15 adorable Dalmatian puppies, loved and admired by all. Especially the Dearlys' neighbor Cruella de Vil, a fur-fancying fashion plate with designs on the Dalmatians' spotted coats! So, when the puppies are stolen from the Dearly home, and even Scotland Yard is unable to find them, Pongo and Missis know they must take matters into their own paws! The delightful children's classic adapted twice for popular Disney productions.
Pongo and Missis had a lovely life. With their human owners, the Dearlys, to look after them, they lived in a comfortable home in London with their 15 adorable Dalmatian puppies, loved and admired by all. Especially the Dearlys' neighbor Cruella de Vil, a fur-fancying fashion plate with designs on the Dalmatians' spotted coats! So, when the puppies are stolen from the Dearly home, and even Scotland Yard is unable to find them, Pongo and Missis know they must take matters into their own paws! The delightful children's classic adapted twice for popular Disney productions.
**Black Beauty**
The 1994 version of Black Beauty is another fave of ours. The movie is based on the book Black Beauty by Anna Swell. What is fascinating about the book is that Anna wrote it as she was sick and dying. It is her only work but it transcends generations. The story was written to show the horror of animal abuse and how poorly people were treated back in her time. While we don't have to worry about drunkards riding their horses to the ground, the lessons still apply today. Before I get on my soapbox about how horrible it still is to crop ears on puppies and what some people do to their horses, let's talk about the movie.
The movie itself is wonderful. The storyline follows the book. The horses are beautiful and the acting is great. Not to mention, Allie cries at the end. Every single time. She knows what is going to happen and still cries!
Book blurb of Black Beauty by Anna Swell
Black Beauty spends his youth in a loving home, surrounded by friends and cared for by his owners. But when circumstances change, he learns that not all humans are so kind. Passed from hand to hand, Black Beauty witnesses love and cruelty, wealth and poverty, friendship and hardship . . . Will the handsome horse ever find a happy and lasting home?
Black Beauty spends his youth in a loving home, surrounded by friends and cared for by his owners. But when circumstances change, he learns that not all humans are so kind. Passed from hand to hand, Black Beauty witnesses love and cruelty, wealth and poverty, friendship and hardship . . . Will the handsome horse ever find a happy and lasting home?
**Homeward Bound**
This is based on the novel The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford. We like the 1993 film made by Disney. The film is very loosely adapted. Disney couldn't even find the right breeds of dogs to match the book. It still is a good movie and the character Chance always makes us laugh.
Book blurb of The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford
Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time--and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961.
Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time--and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961.
**The Black Stallion**
This is an all time favorite of ours. The movie follows the book closely. Mickey Rooney does a fabulous job in this movie! Plus my favorite scene is when he is coming down the backstretch and takes off his helmet and outstretched his arms. I so wish I could ride a horse. Alas, I have 4 legs and no hands.
Book blurb of The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
Published originally in 1941, this book is about a young boy, Alec Ramsay who finds a wild black stallion at a small Arabian port on the Red Sea. Between the black stallion and young boy, a strange understanding grew that you lead them through untold dangers as they journeyed to America. Nor could Alec understand that his adventures with the black stallion would capture the interest of an entire nation.
Published originally in 1941, this book is about a young boy, Alec Ramsay who finds a wild black stallion at a small Arabian port on the Red Sea. Between the black stallion and young boy, a strange understanding grew that you lead them through untold dangers as they journeyed to America. Nor could Alec understand that his adventures with the black stallion would capture the interest of an entire nation.
Have you seen any of these? What are your favorite book to movie adaptations? Do any of them have animals?
Licks and tail wags,
🐾
🐾
Tank
I've always felt sorry for Anna Sewell knowing how little she was paid for her book and that she died just five months after publication, especially with all the money her book has earned from adaptations, etc. Although I actually hated the TV series. I think one of my favourite adaptations is The Princess Bride - there's a whole range of weird animals in it :-)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that Anna Sewell died so soon after her novel was published. That's so tragic -especially considering how big it has become.
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love Homeward Bound - although it never failed to make me cry as a kid.
I had no clue 101 Dalmatians was based on a book!
ReplyDeleteYou cannot go wrong with lovable and clever fur babies
ReplyDeleteoooo i love 101 dalmations although ive never read the book.
ReplyDeleteI've read Black Beauty and The Black Stallion and have seen the movie versions of them (as well as both 101 Dalmatians movies).Thanks for this great post!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that 101 Dalmatians was a novel! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete