To be quite honest– I'm a wimp. And horror movies are terrifying! Every time I watch one, I huddle up next to my friends or family and hold their hand in such a death grip that when I let go, they most definitely are left feeling like I've dented more than a few bones. However, as much as I love a good thriller, I find that horror books can be just as entertaining (and sometimes, easier on the nerves). So here are some spooky movies you didn't know were based on books! AKA: You can read the book first, brag, and then watch the movies without feeling too apprehensive :)
TWIB is a pretty self explanatory title: it is about a woman in black who is haunting the local people of a town and kidnapping their children after she lost her own son, a tale a bit similar to La Llorona. This movie is rated PG-13 and came out in 2012, and it stars Daniel Radcliffe! He went to the town of Crythin Gifford in order to keep his job and mourn the death of his wife on the down low, after a few incidents made his professional status uneasy. This movie even has a sequel.
TWIB was based on the book called The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. It is a short, 148 page novel and centers around the same theme: a woman in black terrorizing a remote moor in England. A lot of people say that this book is amazing and even compare its writing to Jane Austen's, especially with its gothic tone and descriptions. Thanks to length, this is the perfect book to pick up the night before halloween and finish in time for a movie-watching party with your friends!
This movie is one of my all time favorites! It centers around Cecelia, the girlfriend of a rich man who is stuck in an abusive relationship. However, after she breaks up with him and secretly escapes his house, she finds herself and even her loved ones being stalked and hurt by some 'invisible' apparition or figure. Cecelia learns that her ex-boyfriend committed suicide after she left him. Her family is convinced she's going insane and is mad with grief while these attacks get more and more intense and suspicion and strife arise between Cecelia and her loved ones. This movie DEFINITELY kept my attention the whole time (my nails were probably gone by the end of the movie) but didn't rely on gore or any crazy shock factor to make you scared. It is a really good but deceptively simple movie! This movie was based on the book by H. G. Wells, which was a science fiction and horror novel published in 1897. It follows the same premise and general plot as the movie, but has some key differences, including how side characters react and how the ending is resolved. Both the movie and the book have real life implications and lessons and I love how they can be a tense story and lesson in one! This is another short but very packed book, ending at 192 pages. I definitely recommend this one!
This is more of an unconventional horror story– and to be honest, its not horror at all, though it does include ghosts. A lot of them. If you've needed a little break from the horror of the first two recommendations, this is the book (and series) for you! This book was adapted into a 6 part netflix series which is rated TV-14. The Ghost Bride is about Li Lan, the daughter of a fading family who agrees for her marriage to one of the wealthy families in town's deceased son. This story takes place in colonial Malaysia, where superstition is supreme. The family asks Li Lan to marry their son because they believe his spirit will be restless until she does so. However, after she feels his spirit haunting her, and more mysterious presences, Li Lan is taken into the underworld herself, where she has to go through many trials. This is one of my most favorite novels thanks to its characterization of Li Lan: she goes from timid to strong, as she discovers herself over the course of the novel. Additionally, the writing style of the book is absolutely gorgeous and introduced me to a new setting and culture I'd never seen before! The Netflix series does a great job at showcasing the amazing culture and settings.
Although the more popular Henry James adaptation on Netflix was The Haunting on Bly Manor, which was also based on his novella The Turn of The Screw, The Turning is a lesser known adaptation of it. The novel is also short, at 191 pages, and was published in 1898.
The Turning also focuses on a remote and old manor, with a nurse and two oddly behaving children, with a twist. It has a pretty famous actors in it, including Finn Wolfhard! This movie is different in comparison to a lot of my other recommendations in that it changes up a lot of the atmosphere from the book, but keeps a lot of the central elements! Additionally, they dramatically changed up the ending. In fact, they filmed multiple ending for the movie since it and its source material were so complex.
You will definitely like this book if you enjoy classics with a modern twist!
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