Best Adaptation Tournament

Going from one medium to another is hard. We're here to celebrate the ones that did it well.

[bestadaptationtournament]

Welcome to Best Adaptation Tournament

Adapting a work from one medium to another is hard, and fans are impossible to please, but occasionally, you get the adaptation that do the OG justice, perhaps even elevates it. We voted for what we hate at @book-was-better and @booktomoviebrawl, now we find the adaptions we love.

For the purpose of this tournament an adaptation is...

A work which transfers a piece of art from one medium to another.

Any medium counts as long as it's different from the OG

An adaptation must have the same protagonist(s) and share major plot points with the OG. There can be changes from the original but it should not be focused on whole new plot.

Exclusions:

The following were excluded from nomination:

LOTR

Harry Potter

Marvel/DC

Shakespeare

Fairytales

Manga to anime adaptations with no change in content

Organization

Polls are tagged with #tournament poll.

Polls will be queued at the rate of 4 posts per day.

Bracket

I don't feel like putting it in a bracket graph buuuuut the grouping will follow the order below. The 4 black lines in the middle divides the semi-finalist candidates. I tried to group by genre and target audience.

A full list of nominations can be viewed here.

Remember: You're voting on the better* ADAPTATION of the source material, not necessarily your favorite work.

Which means if you're not familiar with both adaptation AND OG of BOTH works, vote this:

*Better does not necessarily mean more accurate. If you feel like the adaptation has improved upon the source material or did well on translating the story/themes to its new medium in a compelling way, that's also a valid reason.

[rosencrantzsguildenstern]

Best Shakespeare Adaptation

Best Shakespeare Adaptation

since the 1600s, people have been rewriting shakespeare and writing spinoffs in good, bad, and frankly just kind of insane ways. today, they will compete until only one is left standing!

during the poll craze i ran a lot of brackets and had fun, but ended up with a couple spare blogs i ended up having to delete, so i'm running this one off my main.

q. is this a tournament for productions or adaptations?

a. adaptations! stuff that changes dialogue or medium (beyond play -> movie) or takes a really new spin on it! west side story counts, romeo and juliet (1996) doesn't.

q. will there be a limit on contestants?

i'll cut it at 64 or 32 depending on how many submissions we get! if we get a lot of adaptations of a few plays and less of others, i won't cut any of them out, but i'll make some of them face off in round one

q. are you biased?

yes. fortinbras sweep. i've been reading 'these violent delights' too and it's pretty good. oh and can't forget haider, and requiem of the rose king is an all timer... basically, yes i really like rosencrantz and guildenstern are dead, but i have much room in my heart

q. is it most best portrayal/analysis, or best on its own merits?

a. a little of both, but mostly the latter

q. does [x thing] (that's pretty different than the original inspiration) count?

a. if it is common knowledge that it's shakespeare inspired

q. does the lion king count?

a. yea

signal boosting! if yall great bracket blogs will help out @gayest-classiclit @byronicherobracket (this one's still in qualifiers, it seems cool!) @straightplayshowdown (this one's getting going again!) @bestadaptationtournament @gayestshakespearecouples

[bestadaptationtournament]

Best Adaptation Tournament: Finals

The Princess Bride (movie)

Adapted from novel by William Goldman

The Princess Bride is, as a novel, a complicated metatextual thing where a man recalls a fairy tale novel his father read to him as a child, and discovers the novel was a long, meandering political piece with moments of sparkling wit, action, and romance. His father just read him “the good bits”. It’s a commentary on growing up. As a movie, adapted by the novel’s author? There is no metatextual layer, it is just a pure adaptation of “the good bits”, with a light framing device to hold it all together. And it’s one of the best movies ever.

Holes (movie)

Adapted from novel by Louis Sachar

It was written by the novel's author Louis Sachar. The casting is phenomenal and the story basically doesn't change between adaptations. It's possibly one of the most faithful adaptations of all time. The only real differences are minor at moat and the differences that are there if anything improve it a little bit by giving characters more agency or heightening the drama effectively. —@ilikecrocssuckit

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

The Princess Bride (movie)

Holes (movie)

I'm not familiar with both sets of media

Voting ended onJan 28, 2024

Winner will go against LOTR when I remember to poll again

[bestadaptationtournament]

Belatedly, congratulations to The Princess Bride!

Altho both of these finalist are quite obvious (for good reasons), it shows a good contrast when it comes to adaptation metrics. Change the content to optimize for its new medium vs. accuracy of portrayal.

The reason I held this tournament was because I think judging an adaptation takes a lot more than "they changed it and now it sucks". I'm glad there's a lot of love for adaptation and changes, when it's done correctly.

[bestadaptationtournament]

Best Adaptation Tournament: Finals

The Princess Bride (movie)

Adapted from novel by William Goldman

The Princess Bride is, as a novel, a complicated metatextual thing where a man recalls a fairy tale novel his father read to him as a child, and discovers the novel was a long, meandering political piece with moments of sparkling wit, action, and romance. His father just read him “the good bits”. It’s a commentary on growing up. As a movie, adapted by the novel’s author? There is no metatextual layer, it is just a pure adaptation of “the good bits”, with a light framing device to hold it all together. And it’s one of the best movies ever.

Holes (movie)

Adapted from novel by Louis Sachar

It was written by the novel's author Louis Sachar. The casting is phenomenal and the story basically doesn't change between adaptations. It's possibly one of the most faithful adaptations of all time. The only real differences are minor at moat and the differences that are there if anything improve it a little bit by giving characters more agency or heightening the drama effectively. —@ilikecrocssuckit

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

The Princess Bride (movie)

Holes (movie)

I'm not familiar with both sets of media

Voting ended onJan 28, 2024

Winner will go against LOTR when I remember to poll again

[bestadaptationtournament]

Best Adaptation Tournament: Finals

The Princess Bride (movie)

Adapted from novel by William Goldman

The Princess Bride is, as a novel, a complicated metatextual thing where a man recalls a fairy tale novel his father read to him as a child, and discovers the novel was a long, meandering political piece with moments of sparkling wit, action, and romance. His father just read him “the good bits”. It’s a commentary on growing up. As a movie, adapted by the novel’s author? There is no metatextual layer, it is just a pure adaptation of “the good bits”, with a light framing device to hold it all together. And it’s one of the best movies ever.

Holes (movie)

Adapted from novel by Louis Sachar

It was written by the novel's author Louis Sachar. The casting is phenomenal and the story basically doesn't change between adaptations. It's possibly one of the most faithful adaptations of all time. The only real differences are minor at moat and the differences that are there if anything improve it a little bit by giving characters more agency or heightening the drama effectively. —@ilikecrocssuckit

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

The Princess Bride (movie)

Holes (movie)

I'm not familiar with both sets of media

Voting ended onJan 28, 2024

Winner will go against LOTR when I remember to poll again

[fantasybooktournament]

Urban Fantasy Book Submissions

While definitions of genre can be vague, here are a few guidelines to think about for books you are submitting. 1. Do not submit anything s

Rules may be revised in the future!!

[fantasybooktournament]

@best-childhood-book @white-haired-freak-tournament @haveyoureadthisbook-poll @haveyoureadthisseries-poll @haveyoureadthisfantasybook @tournament-announcer @bestadaptationtournament @best-book-siblings @controversial-blorbo-bracket

[bestadaptationtournament]

Best Adaptation Tournament: Finals

The Princess Bride (movie)

Adapted from novel by William Goldman

The Princess Bride is, as a novel, a complicated metatextual thing where a man recalls a fairy tale novel his father read to him as a child, and discovers the novel was a long, meandering political piece with moments of sparkling wit, action, and romance. His father just read him “the good bits”. It’s a commentary on growing up. As a movie, adapted by the novel’s author? There is no metatextual layer, it is just a pure adaptation of “the good bits”, with a light framing device to hold it all together. And it’s one of the best movies ever.

Holes (movie)

Adapted from novel by Louis Sachar

It was written by the novel's author Louis Sachar. The casting is phenomenal and the story basically doesn't change between adaptations. It's possibly one of the most faithful adaptations of all time. The only real differences are minor at moat and the differences that are there if anything improve it a little bit by giving characters more agency or heightening the drama effectively. —@ilikecrocssuckit

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

The Princess Bride (movie)

Holes (movie)

I'm not familiar with both sets of media

Voting ended onJan 28, 2024

Winner will go against LOTR when I remember to poll again

[bestadaptationtournament]

Okay some other people tagging this blog is forcing me to stop procrastinating on the finale...

[bestadaptationtournament]

Best Adaptation Tournament: Semifinals

The Princess Bride (movie)

Adapted from novel by William Goldman

The Princess Bride is, as a novel, a complicated metatextual thing where a man recalls a fairy tale novel his father read to him as a child, and discovers the novel was a long, meandering political piece with moments of sparkling wit, action, and romance. His father just read him “the good bits”. It’s a commentary on growing up. As a movie, adapted by the novel’s author? There is no metatextual layer, it is just a pure adaptation of “the good bits”, with a light framing device to hold it all together. And it’s one of the best movies ever.

The Muppets Christmas Carol

Adapted from A Christmas Carol (Novella)

It’s a Muppets adaptation, so a few minor details like the number of Marleys and the species of most characters have been changed, and there are now musical numbers! But it’s really faithful to the original plot, even including the voice of the narrator. (It includes scenes/characters that other adaptations leave out.) And the costume design is absolutely top-notch. (Especially the three spirits.) Not only there is a lot of dialogue of the novel, it's the tone and spirit of the movie with the hilarious fact that Scrooge is the only human.

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

The Princess Bride (movie)

The Muppets Christmas Carol

I'm not familiar with both sets of media

Voting ended onDec 8, 2023

[bestadaptationtournament]

Semifinals: The OG authors were involved in these

Interview with the Vampire (2022 TV)

Adapted from The Vampire Chronicles (novel series)

Before she passed away, Anne Rice was heavily involved in the production of the TV show. After 5 decades, the older and wiser Rice gets her chance to retcon her first novel. The TV series is a good spiritual adaption, going for the essence rather than the literal, a fanfic retelling. The retcon is cleverly lampshaded in the show, by referencing the OG novel as Louis's breakup rant. The character feels much more rounded. Louis, in particular, finally has the tormented beauty the novel was trying to portray, instead of the charisma of a wet rag.

Holes (movie)

Adapted from novel by Louis Sachar

It was written by the novel's author Louis Sachar. The casting is phenomenal and the story basically doesn't change between adaptations. It's possibly one of the most faithful adaptations of all time. The only real differences are minor at moat and the differences that are there if anything improve it a little bit by giving characters more agency or heightening the drama effectively. —@ilikecrocssuckit

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

Interview with the Vampire (2022 TV)

Holes (movie)

I'm not familiar with both sets of media

Voting ended onDec 8, 2023

[bestadaptationtournament]

So I am hoping to get semifinals up tomorrow before I leave on a trip for 2 weeks but if I don't. Tournament postponed.

[dearestloveliestdarcy]

[katriniac]

Did I watch this several times?

Yes.

Did I giggle every time?

Also yes.

[sensicalabsurdities]

This is a masterpiece. I don’t think you need to have even read or watched Pride and Prejudice to appreciate this, though of course if you actually know Pride and Prejudice this goes from funny to hysterical.

[bestadaptationtournament]

Round 3: For the classic fans

Les Misérables (Musical)

Adapted from novel by Victor Hugo

I’m a novel lover at heart, but the stage play really is incredible. It trims the fat but still gets to the heart of what makes the novel’s story incredible. The scenes of the barricade are particularly great, where the live music thumping through you really makes you feel the pulse of the scene. The songs wonderfully capture the emotions and turmoil of the characters, standout numbers include “I Dreamed a Dream”, “Stars”, “Do You Hear the People Sing”, “One Day More”, and “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”. —@sanestlunaticyouevermet

The Muppets Christmas Carol

Adapted from A Christmas Carol (Novella)

It’s a Muppets adaptation, so a few minor details like the number of Marleys and the species of most characters have been changed, and there are now musical numbers! But it’s really faithful to the original plot, even including the voice of the narrator. (It includes scenes/characters that other adaptations leave out.) And the costume design is absolutely top-notch. (Especially the three spirits.) Not only there is a lot of dialogue of the novel, it's the tone and spirit of the movie with the hilarious fact that Scrooge is the only human.

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

Les Misérables (Musical)

The Muppets Christmas Carol

I'm not familiar with both sets of works

Voting ended onOct 29, 2023

[bestadaptationtournament]

Round 3: fun for the whole family

A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV)

Adapted from novel series by Lemony Snicket

The show keeps the story and tone faithful to the novels, and elevates the work with the addition of the excellent songs, added depth to characters such as the librarian-turned- carnival-fortuneteller Olivia Caliban and her involvement with the secret society instrumental to the plot, as well as introducing the secret society earlier and explaining it better than in the novels. —@donut371

The Princess Bride (movie)

Adapted from novel by William Goldman

The Princess Bride is, as a novel, a complicated metatextual thing where a man recalls a fairy tale novel his father read to him as a child, and discovers the novel was a long, meandering political piece with moments of sparkling wit, action, and romance. His father just read him “the good bits”. It’s a commentary on growing up. As a movie, adapted by the novel’s author? There is no metatextual layer, it is just a pure adaptation of “the good bits”, with a light framing device to hold it all together. And it’s one of the best movies ever.

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV)

The Princess Bride (movie)

I'm not familiar with both sets of works

Voting ended onOct 29, 2023

[bestadaptationtournament]

Round 3: for the cinephiles

Holes (movie)

Adapted from novel by Louis Sachar

It was written by the novel's author Louis Sachar. The casting is phenomenal and the story basically doesn't change between adaptations. It's possibly one of the most faithful adaptations of all time. The only real differences are minor at moat and the differences that are there if anything improve it a little bit by giving characters more agency or heightening the drama effectively. —@ilikecrocssuckit

Little Shop of Horrors (1986 movie)

Adapted from stage musical of the same name

Double Adaptation. Big Puppet. A fun romp, with a happy ending (released) or a more bleak original ending (Was shot and lost for a while, but I think currently available to view)

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

Holes (movie)

Little Shop of Horrors (1986 movie)

I'm not familiar with both sets of works

Voting ended onOct 29, 2023

[bestadaptationtournament]

Best Adaptation Tournament Round 3

Mob Psycho 100 (Anime)

Adapted from manga by One

it's mob psycho 100

Interview with the Vampire (2022 TV)

Adapted from The Vampire Chronicals (novel series)

Before she passed away, Anne Rice was heavily involved in the production of the TV show. After 5 decades, the older and wiser Rice gets her chance to retcon her first novel. The TV series is a good spiritual adaption, going for the essence rather than the literal, a fanfic retelling. The retcon is cleverly lampshaded in the show, by referencing the OG novel as Louis's breakup rant. The character feels much more rounded. Louis, in particular, finally has the tormented beauty the novel was trying to portray, instead of the charisma of a wet rag.

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

Mob Psycho 100 (Anime)

Interview with the Vampire (2022 TV)

I'm not familiar with both SETS of works

Voting ended onOct 29, 2023

[bestadaptationtournament]

Round 2: Musicals

Little Shop of Horrors (1986 movie)

Adapted from stage musical of the same name

Double Adaptation. Big Puppet. A fun romp, with a happy ending (released) or a more bleak original ending (Was shot and lost for a while, but I think currently available to view)

The Lightning Thief (musical)

Adapted from novel by Rick Riordan

The musical understands the themes, characters, and tone of the novel perfectly! The villain has way more nuace with the reprise he sings vs his portrayal in the novels. The show embraces the silly puns of the novel but doesn't lose the emotion of it and the main characters have songs that beautifully illustrate the characters. And although they cast aduls, they play the characters as kids, and it works so well. Also, the bonus song Try perfectly encapsulates the relationship between the three main characters.

Which is the better adaptation of its source material?

Little Shop of Horrors (1986 movie)

The Lightning Thief (musical)

I'm not familiar with both sets of works

Voting ended onOct 16, 2023

[bestadaptationtournament]

A narrow win for Little Shop of Horrors! Congratulations!