h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I want to take my son, though, he read the book, too. Funny, the very first thing I thought of when reading the book was 'Running Man' http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093894/

I don't think I ever watched Rollerball from start to end, so it didn't come to mind. I really enjoyed the Hunger Games books, even though the idea wasn't new.

Well, there's not a *lot* of Rollerball in it, just in some of the political stuff. This is just the latest in a long line of films based on books which I haven't read... I think the last book-adaptation I saw where I'd actually read the book was Harry Potter 7B, though I could be wrong.

As you say, this is not exactly virgin territory for films, but this one is efficiently put together if a bit too mindful of the box office to really have the impact it should have.

It's not necessarily a good idea to watch a film when you've read the book. I didn't like some adaptations (The world according to Garp, LOTR, to name but a couple). However, if it's been sufficiently long since I read the book, chances are that I can enjoy the film.

You didn't like the adaptations of LotR?

Apart from the fact that nothing happens in the final third of Return of the King (Aragorn stands outside a gate, ring goes in the fire, film refuses to end) I thought the films were far superior to the dull, sprawling mess of the books.

Then again, I'm of the opinion that LotR is just a buffed out, bloated money grab sequel to The Hobbit.