Watching a film adaptation of a popular novel is a great way to add another layer to the learning process that allows a written text to truly come alive. It opens up questions about the art of adaptation, like why certain themes and characters are added or subtracted from the novel. It also provides a visual reference to navigate fraught topics. For libraries and teachers, a filmed version of a book also encourages students and younger film lovers to check out a novel they might not have read otherwise. The ten films below are a great mix of classic and contemporary films based on popular works of fiction.
Lord of the Flies
Based on William Golding’s 1954 novel of the same name, the 1963 adaptation follows a group of British schoolboys evacuated from England after an outbreak of war. Their plane is shot down and they become stranded on a remote island. One of the boys, Ralph, becomes the de facto leader and tries to instill law and order but he clashes with another student, Jack, who wants the boys to live without rules. The children are forced into adulthood whether they like it or not, and come to discover the difference between civilization and savagery.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: Lord of the Flies, the book and movie, are allegories about the desire for power vs. free will, as well as the role rules play in a functioning society. The violent themes make this better suited for late-middle schoolers and older, and can be applied to both literary and filmmaking curricula. The book also explores the loss of childhood innocence and can be paired with the film to discuss British cinema as well as the historical significance of Britain post-WWII.
Stream Lord of the Flies on Kanopy.
Buy a copy of Lord of the Flies on DVD here.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee’s is a profound coming of age story set in 1930s Alabama. Narrator Scout Finch recounts the story of how father, attorney Atticus Finch, set out to defend Tom Robinson, a Black man falsey accused of sexual assault. The events teach Scout about the ingrained racial prejudices of her town and the moral complexities found in seeking justice. Scout also hopes to learn more about mysterious next-door-neighbor Boo Radley, a shut-in who Scout and her friends perceive as a shadowy, monstrous figure.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: The novel and film pair wonderfully with history lessons on racial intolerance and race relations in the South post-Reconstruction. For libraries this is a must when doing theme tributes to book and film adaptations, iconic lead performances, or stories about standing up against racism. Younger viewers can watch with an emphasis on its lessons about morality, and its family-friendly life lessons against lying. Older students or those with an interest in the law can see how the film and novel depict a trial setting.
Stream To Kill a Mockingbird on Hoopla.
Buy a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird on DVD Here.
The Hunger Games
This dystopian young adult novel and movie follows Katniss Everdeen, a teen living in the fictional city of Panem. Once a year two teenagers from every district are selected to participate in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death tournament broadcast live for everyone to watch. Katniss’s self-sacrifice and determination to win makes her a hero to those watching, as well as a beacon of rebellion. This causes the Panem government to have even more reason for her to lose the Games.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: A dark story about violence against children, The Hunger Games is best suited to older middle schools and above. Its themes about government manipulation and authoritarianism make it perfectly suited for history, political science or government classes. English classes can utilize it as an example of dystopian or totalitarian literature. Libraries or classes can extend the context further by pairing it with other literature or films about authoritarian regimes like George Orwell’s 1984.
Buy The Hunger Games on DVD here.
Clueless
A modernized version of Jane Austen’s Emma, Clueless tells the story of Beverly Hills teenager Cher Horowitz. Her desire to turn matchmaker at her high school sees her pair up two teachers, resulting in better grades for the students. But the arrival of new girl Tai makes Cher wonder how much she knows about life and love.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: This makes a great example for library displays aimed at movies audiences might not know are based on books. The fact it is a modern-day take on Emma means the movie can be played not only alongside other versions of the story, like the more book accurate film from 1996, but watched alongside a reading of Austen’s book. English classes can use the movie’s 1990s LA lingo to explain and contextualize Austen’s 1800s-era dialogue. The PG-13 rating and harsh language makes this a movie aimed more so for entry level high schoolers. College classes aimed at book as lit courses, or those teaching the art of writing film adaptations, can also benefit.
The Grapes of Wrath
Based on the acclaimed 1939 novel by John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath follows the Joad family, Oklahoma tenant farmers displaced by the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. The family goes on a journey to California in the hopes of finding a better life. But their saga, and the tragedy that lies in its wake, tells a story of perseverance and what it means to be American.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: The Grapes of Wrath is a great way to explore the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl that drew farmers out of the South and into the West. Its 1930 setting also makes it perfect for discussions of the political landscape of the time, as well as labor rights.
Stream The Grapes on Wrath on Criterion.
Buy The Grapes of Wrath on Blu-ray here.
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet
William Shakespeare’s acclaimed play focuses on warring families the Capulets and Montagues and the love that blossoms between Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. The pair struggle to see each other and eventually marry. But the on-going war between their families causes them to sacrifice themselves.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: Shakespeare’s play is one that is read while being performed, making it perfectly suited for both English and theater classrooms. It’s an opportunity for English classes to explore how Shakespeare’s text translates to the spoken word. The modern-day setting, soundtrack, and A-list stars in Baz Luhrmann’s movie makes it a gateway towards inspiring teens to take an interest in Shakespeare. Libraries are able to utilize this in curated collections of movies based on Shakespeare’s work and films based on plays.
Stream Romeo + Juliet on Hulu.
Buy Romeo + Juliet on DVD here.
The Color Purple
Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, adapted into a feature by Steven Spielberg, is a groundbreaking exploration of the experience of Black American women in the 1900s. Heroine Celie is an uneducated and repressed young woman forced into a marriage with an abusive man she refers to only as Mister. As the years pass Celie tries to stay strong and eventually learns how to love herself with the help of Mister’s mistress, Shug Avery.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: The Color Purple explores themes of racism, sexism, and abuse in the Jim Crow South, making this best suited for high-school level history or government classes. College-level classes looking at gender, specifically the history of Black women in America, can also benefit. Celie’s relationship with Shug Avery is an opportunity to teach it in the context of LGBTQ+ history, as well as queer literature classes. Coupled with the 2023 musical, there’s an opportunity to explore how the movie changes from book, to narrative film, to musical film.
Buy The Color Purple on DVD here.
The Great Gatsby
Jay Gatsby is a wealthy man known for throwing lavish parties in the fictional town of West Egg, near New York City. Neighbor Nick Carraway is fascinated by Gatsby, and his shadowy past, and soon befriends him. Nick realizes that Gatsby is in love with Nick’s cousin, the flighty Daisy Buchanan, and has made his fortune in the hopes of winning Daisy once and for all. Through Nick’s eyes, he sees the shallow and unhappy lives of the people who surround him.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: The book is a seminal piece of 1920s literature, generally read during high school, exploring the nature of the American Dream. Libraries should house the film as both the 1974 and 2013 versions offer opportunities for readers to seek out the book. Educators can pair it with readings on wealth disparity in the 1920s and biographies on author F. Scott Fitzgerald, or the works of other Lost Generation writers like Ernest Hemingway.
Buy The Great Gatsby on DVD here.
The Outsiders
This coming of age story, directed by Francis Ford Coppola and based on S.E. Hinton’s novel tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis, a teen from the wrong side of the tracks. Set in 1960s Oklahoma, the narrative looks at the war between the Greasers—of which Ponyboy and his friends are members—and the wealthy Socs. Ponyboy is forced to grow up in the wake of the tragedy he sees between the two groups.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: The film and book both explore social and economic divides of the time. Considering its young characters, and the role cliques play in their lives, it’s perfectly suited to older-middle school or high schoolers navigating friendships, or those struggling with issues of identity.
Buy The Outsiders on Blu-ray here.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
The adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel follows Chief Bromden, a man residing in a mental hospital. He spends his days watching the oppressive power dynamics perpetuated on him and the other patients by Nurse Ratched. When a charismatic man named Randle P. McMurphy arrives, Bromden embarks on a quiet friendship with him. But Randle wants to change things in the hospital, putting him on a collision course with Nurse Ratched.
Why it’s great for classrooms and libraries: Outside of the movie being a quintessential piece of cinema for its expert filmmaking and Jack Nicholson’s enigmatic performance, Cuckoo’s Nest also explores authoritarianism and social conformity. The countercultural background on Kesey and the social issues at the heart of the 1960s makes it worth teaching to older high schoolers and college-age students.
Buy One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest on DVD here.