They should make separate categories for scripts adapted from books and those that are original screenplays. It's a lot easier to write a script from a book because you already have all the dialogue written for you and you can just pick and choose which scenes you want. I'm much more impressed by someone who creates a script from scratch.

That's a very simplistic and unrealistic view of adaptation.

In fact, the poster of this post should know and appreciate that, after watching... Adaptation.

not necessarily. i've never written a scipt so i can't really say which is easier, and i would assume like you said adapted would be easier, but i really doubt they copt verbatim, plus they have to omit scenes, decide which people to take out, if they want to put two people together into one, etc. and still come up with a good movie that will attract people and make sense.

Nope. They are both difficult albeit in completely different ways.

I never said anybody adapts a book verbatim, but it is much, much, much, much, much, much easier when you already have the story, structure, characters, and dialogue to work with and you can just omit things and add a few things here and there. I would say, with very few exceptions, the best adaptations are the ones that stick closest to the original source material.

A bad screenwriter (ie. Akiva Goldsman) can write a good adaptation of a good book. But a bad screenwriter can never write a good original screenplay.

That's a very, very broad generalization. That's like saying that it's easier to write a book than it is to write an original screenplay. Or that it's easier to shoot a documentary than a narrative film. Sure, some books are easy to adapt. However, ask Charlie Kaufman how easy it was to adapt "The Orchid Thief." Or, ask Jean-Claude Carrière and Philip Kaufman about the process of adapting Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being." Or David Cronenberg and his adaptation of William S. Burroughs' "Naked Lunch."

While a lot of novels are easily translated into screenplays, the best adaptations are often those that stem from "unfilmable" novels...and I'd venture to say that those are just as difficult to write as an original screenplay, if not moreso since you're taking a chance with somebody else's work.

-JP

I agree and would also add 'The Ninth Configuration'

Looks like there is no love for seven or 12 monkeys. I think both movies were extremely well written.

Wow, could not disagree more about Eternal Sunshine. I think it is a dreadfull film. I know that it really connects with some people like you, but I have never gotten it. Guess it is a love/hate type of movie. I am solidly in the hate camp. Regardless, definitely not a "great" film, but certainly a different one that connects with certain people.

Even though I am not a huge Memento fan I agree it was a great script. Not sure how "Usual Suspects" is not top 10. The Hustler and Fargo should be much higher as well.

That's fine by me - I'm glad that you are in the vast minority though.

I guess since I am not in the "biz" I don't really know how much a script really comes into play for the final result. But in terms of great dialog I think one movie that is missing is Cider House Rules. It seemed like it had a good script.

Shawshank should definately be higher.

When Harry met Sally? Seriously? I think it had some great acting but I don't know if that is necessarily the script. Definately not as good as some of the others on the list.

Princess Bride should be higher. Pure comic genius.