I was helping my friend pack up her stuff to move recently, and at one point she asked me if I wanted one of her books...What's Eating Gilbert Grape, by Peter Hedges.  I was completely shocked and thrilled, because the movie What's Eating Gilbert Grape is one of my all-time favorites, I have watched it many, many times.  But, I honestly had no idea it was first a book!!  I am embarrased to admit that, but it's true. Of course I glommed the book (it's even hardcover!), and I can't wait to read it.  But, it made me wonder....

I know of course that many movies are based on popular and/or best-selling books.  But there are probably also lots of movies based on books that are just not all that well known.  Can anyone else out there think of some?  I am just curious...

Thanks!

I love that book!  It, and An Ocean in Iowa are on my keeper shelf.  Also, he wrote that Katie Holmes movie, something about April.  It was about Thanksgiving.  And, this has not answered your question, but I just had to comment because I just yesterday dusted off the Hedges books.

The book of 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape?' is among my favorites... I don't think I've seen many movie w/o knowing they were books... I think I was surprised that 'Ghost World' was a comic.

I didn't realize I Am Legend was a book until I heard it somewhere.  I usually don't find out that movies were based on books until way after the movie has been out. 

This is really old school but I had no Idea "The Neverending Story" was based on a book until I found it at a used book store.  I picked it up a couple of years ago and still haven't read it yet.  I'd like to see how much it differs from the movie.

This is very, very old but maybe you've seen it on AMC or something. "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir." Somehow I didn't know that it was a book before they made a lovely movie out of it. IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039420/ I did read the book then some years ago, and it was charming.

Boy, did you make me laugh, Les, as usual.  This is very, very old...

Gee, I remember The Ghost and Mrs. Muir very well.  Book, movie and TV show.

The Last King of Scotland! I LOVE that movie, and when I found out (after a while) that it was based on a book I quickly snatched up a copy.

Rosemary's Baby and Paper Moon.

That happens to me all the time.  One I can think of was The Notebook.  Then I read the book and didn't like it half as much as the movie.

I just assume anymore that most movies were books. I guess people write screenplays but it seems that most of those are ideas that came from a book. My parents were bit Lovejoy fans (BBC). I wanted to get them a different gift (they are impossible to buy for anymore) and assumed that Lovejoy had been based on someone's books. I did some research and found the author, Jonathan Gash and his books. All of us were pleased with my gift as now I am reading them. Fun mysteries.

Have you found books that are really different from the movie?

My best example was Forrest Gump. I watched the movie and then read the book. They were night and day different. I kept looking at the front cover of the book to see if I was reading the right book. lol  They were both great stories though but not really too similar.

I adore Antonio Banderas, so I made a point of seeing his film The 13th Warrior when it came out.  I learned later that it was based on a book called Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton (who also wrote Jurassic Park).  He wrote it as a retelling of the Beowolf legend.

I do agree that The 13th Warrior is a much more appealing title than Eaters of the Dead!

I love that movie Something About April! I hate Katie Holmes too so that means it really was a good movie, haha.

P.S. I Love You, I still haven't seen the movie because the book was so incredible I'm scared they ruined it.

Also, the movie No Reservations is a remake of the movie Mostly Martha which is a book.

The Princess Bride...

If you've liked the movie at all, you really should read the book.

Most of the time I get angry with the differences between the book and movie, but this one didn't make me yell at all.  (If I've already seen the movie, I tend to tell the book how much the movie messed up the story (though there's been a rare occasion where the movie is better than the book...and if I've been known to yell at the tv.)

The Katie Holmes movie is Pieces of April http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311648/

I agree I could not believe the Princess Bride was a book, but on the other hand...of course it was!!  I can't wait to read it.

Phantom of the Opera..that was a great great book, very different from the play or movie.

Forrest Gump by Winston Groom. I didn't realize it was a book until after the movie came out. Also, I liked the movie better which is unusual. I think the book is available on my bookshelf.