From pages to screens

Book or movie? Movie or book? It seems that this question can be put on a par with the famous "Chicken or egg". Book lovers prefer to read the book first, and only then watch its film adaptation. Movie buffs prefer not to waste time reading. However, there is no denying the fact that reading is much more interesting, especially if you have a rich imagination. And very often the adaptation of the book, alas, does not cause due delight among readers. But it also happens the other way around - when a film based on a book exceeds the expectations of even the authors themselves. We bring to your attention the most popular films based on the most famous novels.

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1. The Great Gatsby

The novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald "The Great Gatsby" has long been included in the treasury of American literature, and this work has been filmed more than once. In 1974, Robert Redford and Mia Farrow played lovers Gatsby and Daisy, and in 2013 Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan played them in a new 3D version of the novel. (Everett Collection)

2. James Bond

Ian Fleming created James Bond in 1953, borrowing the name from the author of a book on the birds of the West Indies. Fleming admitted to the New Yorker that he wanted to choose an uninteresting name so that Bond would become a neutral figure. He said that James Bond was "the most boring name he had ever heard". Seven actors have played the famed spy in 25 films, but Sean Connery (pictured in the 1964 film Goldfinger) is clearly a favorite among many Bond fans. (Everett Collection)

3. "Gone with the Wind"

Readers loved Margaret Mitchell's 1936 bestseller Gone with the Wind so much that they loved the on-screen Rhett and Scarlett as well. Cult roles were given to Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. Producer David O. Selznick urged Gable to take on the role for two years, and more than 1,400 actresses were considered for the role of Scarlett. (Everett Collection)

4. "Harry Potter"

J.K. Rowling went from rags to riches with her series of books about the young wizard Harry Potter. Once a single mother barely making ends meet, she is now one of the richest women in the world as a writer. Her seven books about Harry Potter and his adventures at Hogwarts School of Magic have sold over 400 million copies. The subsequent film adaptations were just as popular, and young actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson became real stars. (Warner Bros.)

5. "Twilight"

Like J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer was unknown until her dream came true to write a book about a girl and a vampire. In the pages of four novels in the Twilight saga, Bella and the vampire Edward relive their high school years, graduation, and the most unusual birth of a child together, which entailed real vampire battles. The film's stars Kristen Stewart as Bella, Robert Pattinson as Edward and Taylor Lautner as the werewolf Jacob sparked an eternal debate among fans about who is sexier. And Pattinson and Stewart's off-screen relationship has only sparked fan interest. (Summit Entertainment)

6. "Life of Pi"

Yann Martel's 2001 novel Life of Pi became a bestseller, but many thought the book was too fantastic to be filmed. Director Ang Lee proved otherwise, and the 2012 film of the same name won four Oscars, including a Best Director award for Lee himself. (20th Century Fox)

7. "All the President's Men"

The Watergate scandal swept the country in the early 1970s, and Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward began their investigation. Robert Redford played Woodward and Dustin Hoffman played Bernstein in the 1976 film based on the 1974 reporters documentary. (Everett Collection)

8. Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings book by J.R.R. Tolkien has long been a favorite among fantasy fans and has spawned numerous adaptations. But no film adaptation has been as successful as Peter Jackson's trilogy based on the book, starring Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins. (Everett Collection)

9. The Hunger Games

Readers devoured all three books of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins to the last line. Jennifer Lawrence played the main character Katniss Everdeen, who volunteered to participate in the Hunger Games in place of her younger sister. (Lionsgate)

10. "Shine"

Many books by famed writer Stephen King have been brought to the screen, but the 1977 book The Shining, which was filmed in 1980, has become one of the most famous. Jack Nicholson played the writer Jack Torrance, who slowly began to go insane after finding himself in a secluded hotel with his family. This horror film was directed by Stanley Kubrick. (Everett Collection)

11. The Da Vinci Code

In 2003, everyone at airports and bus stops seemed to be holding a copy of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. This bestseller became a movie in 2006 starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. (Everett Collection)

12. Firm

Before Dan Brown's books took over airports and subways, their place was taken by John Grisham, who took over bookstores with his legal thrillers. Grisham's 1991 bestseller The Firm became a movie in 1993 starring Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman. (Everett Collection)

13. "Jaws"

Peter Benchley's 1974 novel Jaws scared a lot of people, but the 1975 film based on it scared even more people. Starring Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw. Yes, then many were afraid to go into the water. (Everett Collection)

14. Jurassic Park

Michael Crichton's 1990 novel Jurassic Park created an unforgettable theme park with living dinosaurs. Of course, this was followed by disaster, as in the 1993 film based on this novel. Laura Dern and Sam Neill (as the main characters, of course) tried to warn park owner John Hammond that his park was doomed, but if he'd listened, there wouldn't have been a movie at all. (Everett Collection)

15. The Hunt for Red October

Tom Clancy's war thrillers are almost always bestsellers. And the submarine drama The Hunt for Red October was first a book in 1984 and then a thriller in 1990 starring Sean Connery. (Everett Collection)

16. "The Bourne Identification"

Robert Landlam created the character of Jason Bourne in the 1980 novel The Bourne Identity, while Matt Damon portrayed him in the 2002 film of the same name. Damon played Bourne in two more films, but the fourth, The Bourne Evolution, became a spin-off that tells the story of Aaron Cross, played by Jeremy Renner. (Everett Collection)

17. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Ken Kesey wrote One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 1962, and Jack Nicholson starred in the film of the same name in 1975. The film won five major Oscars - Best Picture, Best Actor (Nicholson), Best Actress (Louise Fletcher as Sister Ratched), Best Director for Milos Forman and Best Adapted Screenplay (Lawrence Haben and Bo Goldman). (Everett Collection)