Book Titles Changed For The Movie Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. John D. MacDonald's 1958 novel, "The Executioners," was the basis for this 1962 film with a different title.

Answer: Cape Fear

The 1962 version was directed by J. Lee Thompson, and starred Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. Another version was made in 1991, directed by Martin Scorsese, and starring Nick Nolte and Robert de Niro.

2. Director Stanley Kubrick based which of his movies on "Red Alert," by Peter George?

Answer: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb

"Red Alert" was the US title. It was published in Britain as "Two Hours To Doom," with George using the name Peter Bryant. Unlike the movie, which is almost completely tongue in cheek, "Red Alert" is very serious. "Full Metal Jacket" was based on "The Short Timers" by Gustav Hasford. "Lolita" and "A Clockwork Orange" were based on novels of the same name, by Vladimir Nabokov and Anthony Burgess, respectively.

3. Many times, modern filmmakers take a classic novel and set it in modern times. Which movie set Joseph Conrad's 1902 novel, "Heart Of Darkness," during the Vietnam War?

Answer: Apocalypse Now

"Apocalypse Now" was released in 1979, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and starred Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, and Marlon Brando.

4. The science fiction writer Philip K. Dick wrote a novel called "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?" This novel was turned into a movie in 1982. What is the name of this movie?

Answer: Blade Runner

"Blade Runner" was directed by Ridley Scott, and starred Harrison Ford and Sean Young. "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep" just seemed like too long of a title for the movie.

5. In 2002, Thomas Harris' 1981 novel "Red Dragon" was brought to the big screen for the second time, but for the first time with that title. What was it called when it was released for the first time in 1986?

Answer: Manhunter

Michael Mann directed the 1986 version, Brett Ratner the 2002 version. Will Graham was played by William L. Petersen in 1986, Edward Norton in 2002. Hannibal Lecter was played by Brian Cox in 1986, Anthony Hopkins in 2002. Francis Dolarhyde was played by Tom Noonan in 1986, Ralph Fiennes in 2002.

6. 1986 also brought us a big screen adaptation of a Stephen King novella. The adaptation was called, "Stand By Me." What was the novella called?

Answer: The Body

"The Body" was one of four novellas in Stephen King's 1982 book, "Different Seasons." The other three were "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" (made into a movie in 1994), "Apt Pupil" (made into a movie in 1998), and "The Breathing Method."

7. What 1988 action flick was based on the 1979 Roderick Thorp novel, "Nothing Lasts Forever"?

Answer: Die Hard

The movie changed more than just the title. The novel's hero was named Joe Leland, whereas the movie's hero, played by Bruce Willis, was John McLane. The bad guy in the book was Anton Gruber, whereas the bad guy in the movie, played by Alan Rickman, was Hans Gruber. Joe Leland was in the office in Los Angeles visiting his daughter, while John McLane was in the office in Los Angeles visiting his wife.

There were many other changes, but I don't want to spoil it for you.

8. 1988 also gave us the groundbreaking animated-live action film, "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" The 1981 book it was based on, by Gary K. Wolf, was called "Who ____________ Roger Rabbit?"

Answer: Censored

"Who Censored Roger Rabbit?" was a dark detective story about the ghost of comic strip, Roger Rabbit, hiring Eddie Valiant to find his killer. The novel was followed in 1991 by a sequel called "Who P-P-Plugged Roger Rabbit?"

9. W.P. Kinsella's 1982 novel, "Shoeless Joe," became a film in 1989. What was the name of the film?

Answer: Field Of Dreams

"Field Of Dreams" was directed by Phil Alden Robinson, and starred Ray Liotta, Kevin Costner, and James Earl Jones. The field still stands to this day just outside of Dyersville, Iowa.

10. Nicholas Pileggi wrote the novel "Wiseguys," and also co-wrote the screenplay of the 1990 movie based on his novel. What was the movie called?

Answer: Goodfellas

His screenplay was co-written with director Martin Scorsese. The pair was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 1991 Academy Awards, but lost to "Dances With Wolves," based on the novel of the same name by Michael Blake.

11. "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" was a French novel by Choderlos de Laclos that got updated and Americanized in a 1999 movie. What is the name of the movie?

Answer: Cruel Intentions

The 1988 film, "Dangerous Liaisons," with Glenn Close, John Malkovich, and Michelle Pfeiffer, was based on the same source material, but was a more literal translation of the book.

12. Another 1999 modernized adaptation of an old work was "Ten Things I Hate About You." Which play by William Shakespeare was the source of the story?

Answer: The Taming of The Shrew

Modernizing Shakespeare plays is a very popular practice in this day and age. It's been done with "O" (2001, based on "Othello"), "Romeo and Juliet" (1996, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes), "Scotland, PA" (2001, based on Macbeth), and so on.

13. Michael Crichton's 1976 novel "The Eaters of The Dead" became a movie in 1999. What is the name of the movie?

Answer: The 13th Warrior

The film was originally supposed to be released as "Eaters of The Dead" in 1998, but John McTiernan's version dissatisfied Crichton so much that he took over the project as director. The novel, by the way, was loosely based on the epic poem "Beowulf."

14. "O' Brother, Where Art Thou?" the 2000 movie by the Coen Brothers, was an updated version of which epic poem?

Answer: Odyssey

The Coens took the ancient Greek tale and translated in into early twentieth century America.

15. The 1998 Susan Orlean book, "The Orchid Thief," was actually a nonfiction account of a strange Floridian flower dealer. What was the name of the 2002 movie that was "based" on it?

Answer: Adaptation

"Adaptation" actually focused on screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (played by Nicholas Cage) and his struggle to adapt the book to the screen, as well as author Susan Orlean (played by Meryl Streep) and the process of interviewing the flower dealer.

Source: Author asutbone

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

There are a lot of movies out there based on books. This quiz only deals with the ones that changed the title for the big screen. The questions are in chronological order.

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