If books transport us to a world of imagination, animated films let us kick back, relax, and enjoy dreams first-hand. When you combine the gifts of these two mediums, you almost always get masterpieces. Indeed, DreamWorks, Pixar and several other studios have worked wonders with animated adaptations of books and made characters come out of the pages larger-than-life! Amping up that excitement, we present you a list of 5 amazing Hollywood animated movies based on books.
The Bad Guys: DreamWorks Animation is bringing an exciting slapstick crime comedy titled ‘The Bad Guys’. Adapted from the eponymous book series by NYT bestselling author Aaron Blabey, the film is about a group of meanies such as a wolf, snake, piranha, shark and a tarantula wreaking havoc in the city. But the tables turn when gang leader Mr Wolf suddenly thinks of turning good, for good! . Will the others follow him? Find out as the movie hits the Indian theatres on 20th May.
101 Dalmatians: This 1961 box office success by Disney was based on the equally famous book The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith. The film is ahead of its time in terms of animation. It has given kids one of the most loathsome villains in Cruella De Vil, who kidnap a litter of Dalmatian puppies for a fur farm and have Pongo and Missis after her to save their family, If you love Disney films, you can’t miss this one.
Alice in Wonderland: This Disney adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ promises some magnificent visuals and most importantly, stellar performances by Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp. The film narrates how a misadventure down a rabbit hole tags Alice along fantastic encounters. Watch it if you are a fan of the book!
How to Train Your Dragon: This film is touted as one of DreamWorks’ best animated flicks ever! The film is based on the children’s novel series by British author Cressida Cowell, this film shows the bond between a Viking boy and a dragon caught in the crossfires of eliminating each other as arch-enemy species. Lauded for ridding the plot off cliches, this film was followed with two sequels and should be on your to-watch list
Tarzan: Another Disney flick, this 1999 title is adapted from a series of adventure novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Reigning over as the “Lord of the Jungle”, the film shows Tarzan go through a whirlwind of adventure, romance and realisation about his humanity when he is forced to choose between civilization and the jungle. The film carries weight by giving a rare glimpse into death and trauma amongst wildlife and is one of the reasons why it’s relevant to older audience as much as it’s fascinating for children.