" I insure the final script five days before the premiere and only as a consequence of a juridic verdict in Munich . I was horrified . "
We’ve written before aboutinventors who lived to regret their own inventions, as well asauthors who grew to despise their own workandTV writers who didn’t like their own storylines. But what about writers who wish the movies they wrote — or the movies which were inspired by their writing — came out differently, even when critics approved? Here are 15 examples…
1.Truman Capote, author of the novellaBreakfast at Tiffany’s, hated the film because he wished they’d replacedAudrey HepburnwithMarilyn Monroe(alongside, er, himself).
2.Anthony Burgess, who wrote the bookA Clockwork Orange, seemed less-than-enthusiastic aboutwhat director Stanley Kubrickturned his novel into.
3.Speaking of Stanley Kubrick haters (okay, maybe that’s unfair), Stephen Kingseems to think the director misunderstood his book,The Shining, when he turned it into a movie.
4.Paul Rudnick, who had previously been known for writing plays and novels, was trying something new when he wroteSister Act.By the time it came out,he asked for his name to be removedfrom the project.
5.Michael Ende, the author of the novelThe Neverending Story’s film is based on,called the moviea “humungous melodrama of kitsch, commerce, plush, and plastic.” He held a full-on press conference denouncing and disowning the film he advised on.
6.P.L. Travers, who wrote the bookMary Poppins, despised the film.
7.Ken Kesey, author of the bookOne Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest,didn’t like the celebrated moviehis novel became — despite supposedly having never seen it.
8.Alan Moore, who wrote the comic bookV For Vendetta,said"I’ve read the screenplay. It’s rubbish."
9.Roald Dahl, who wroteCharlie and The Chocolate Factory,didn’t like the movie it became— despite the film being nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.
10.Tarantino wrote the script forNatural Born Killersbut sold it off.He disliked the end productso much, he begged people not to watch it.
11.Bret Easton Ellisthought his novel,American Psycho,was “unadaptable,” calling the film adaptation “fine.”
12.Peter Benchley, who authored theJawsnovel, disliked how the movie made people feel about sharks.
13.Alan Moore (from theV For Vendettaentry earier) also wrote theWatchmencomicsand said of the movie, “curse this wretched film and everything connected with it.”
14.Tom Clancy, who wrote the bookPatriot Gamesis based on,didn’t even want his name on the posterbecause he disliked it so much.
15.Richard Matheson, who wrote the book on whichI Am Legendis based,said"I don’t know why Hollywood is fascinated by my book when they never care to film it as I wrote it."
