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May 6th 2008RachelG
RachelGOn Writing!

When I popped onto the Goddess blogs this morning, I saw that there wasn’t a new blog and I thought: “Hmm, wonder what slacker forgot she was blogging today.” Then I went to our special blog calender and saw it was me. I am that slacker. For some reason I thought it was Claudia’s day.

So since I don’t have anything intelligent and informative planned, I thought I’d ask you all a question that has been rolling around in my brain.

Why can’t Hollywood make a decent romantic comedy? They really haven’t for years. Why don’t they just take a good romance novel and adapted it? I just don’t get it. The book already has a built in audience.

And what romance novel would you like to see made into a movie?

53 Comments »

53 Responses to “oops”

  1. SuzyQ on 06 May 2008 at 10:12 am #

    Gee Rachel, for a slacker you came up with a really good topic. I’ve always wondered the same thing. There are so many good romance novels out there that could be made into a movie. I for one would enjoy any of the goddesses books as a movie. :)

  2. cail on 06 May 2008 at 10:15 am #

    actually, Rachel, I’ve been thinking this myself. I think the problem would be the fact that most of our fav novels would end up being NC-17 instead of rated R. But seriously. I would DEFINITELY good see a good Malory series on screen, or a few Cynster novels.

    Why is LIFETIME the ONLY network/company that realizes this is a great resource, and WHY do they only do Nora Roberts suspense books.

  3. Kay on 06 May 2008 at 10:40 am #

    Great question, Rachel. You right great romantic comedy. Which of your books do you think would make the best movie?

  4. Kim on 06 May 2008 at 10:41 am #

    Rachel–GREAT question! I would really love to see some of SEP’s novels come to the big screen.

    Wasn’t Just Like Heaven based on a romance novel?

  5. Kasey on 06 May 2008 at 10:42 am #

    I would like to see some of Julia Quinn’s novels made into a Romanatic Comdedy. Her stories have a loto f humor in them already and I think there is especially a lot of potential for Brighter Than The Sun with alll the “accidents” that happen. Plus it has a good mystery plot too.

  6. Nicole P on 06 May 2008 at 10:51 am #

    I totally agree. I haven’t seen a really good movie in several years now, although I have high hopes for the Sex and the City movie coming out later this month.
    Out of your books specifically, I think the one that would best adapt for a movie would be Lola Carlyle Reveals All, since it has so many other elements, other than just romance. It has suspense, action, and of course a great leading lady who can hold her own as a real role model. (you know with the recovery from the eating disorder).
    Unfortunately, I started reading this blog because of you Rachel and I have never read any of the other authors books (sorry:(, I will get to them soon enough). So the only other books that I can think of that I would love to see adapted to a movie would be He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan….I love that book. Fantastic story plot that goes along with the romance. Faking It by Jennifer Crusie…more general fiction than romance, but has some romantic elements. And Stuck In ShangriLa by Kasey Mic

  7. Nicole P on 06 May 2008 at 10:52 am #

    Crap, I ran out of characters for my comment.
    I was saying, Stuck in Shangri-la by Kasey Michaels….I loved that book too.
    Okay, I am done.

  8. Meg on 06 May 2008 at 10:54 am #

    The first ones that came to my mind was the “Sin” series that Suzanne Enoch wrote! I think those would be great movies!!

    Very funny about the NC-17 rating, cail. You are absolutely right!

  9. Julia London on 06 May 2008 at 11:21 am #

    It’s funny you asked that. Some friends and I were talking the other day about the movie Made of Honor. Now, I haven’t seen it–and they hadn’t either — but we all agreed that any promo that shows a guy galloping on a horse to the wedding is not a good sign. If the promo is cliched, the movie probably is too.

    I am eager to stand corrected if someone has seen it, BTW.

    But we were talking about the same thing. There are some great books out there. Why not pick one of those? Or, maybe they have and screenwriters are the cliched writers.

  10. evlqn on 06 May 2008 at 11:33 am #

    I would love to see some good movies made from books, the problem arises when the scpritwriters get ahold of them. Case in point,several years ago our book store supplied MGM with copies of a novella by Margaret Crum “Forever”, when the studio was finished with it we had that Kelly McGillis godawful “Made in Heaven”. One of the worst adaptations in history.

  11. Meg on 06 May 2008 at 11:48 am #

    There should be a rule made that if a book is going to be turned into a movie, that only the author would have right to change anything. The script is already there right? Good descriptions, names, places, etc. etc. If “they” thought it was a good enough book to be made into a movie in the first palce, why change anyhting?

  12. Sabrina Jeffries on 06 May 2008 at 12:11 pm #

    I bet they could make any of KarenR’s books into movies, but those wouldn’t be comedies.

    I think the problem with turning romances into movies is that a lot of the humor comes from the internal thoughts of the characters clashing with what they’re saying. And filmmakers just HATE doing voice-overs. Why, I don’t know, since some of my favorite movies have them. Heck, Sex and the City uses that a LOT.

    I’ll have to think about which book I’d like to see made into a movie. One I can think of, though, is Jennifer Crusie’s Welcome to Temptation. I love that book.

  13. Karen on 06 May 2008 at 12:19 pm #

    Book to movie has to be Suzanne Enoch’s Sam and Rick books! I loved all
    of these books. No idea about casting though but would absolutely want
    Suzanne involved in the screenwriting and make sure the contract says she
    has final word about the writing. I want the movie to follow the books.

  14. Karen Rose on 06 May 2008 at 12:49 pm #

    Thank you, Sabrina!

    I also love Welcome to Temptation. I think with CG they could really do a funny running gag with that water tower.

    I think one of the issues with Hollywood and romantic comedy is that their definition of romantic comedy may be different than ours. I talked once with a screenwriter about romantic comedies. I said one of my faves was Greek Wedding and he said that was NOT a romantic comedy because there was no conflict between the hero and heroine.

    I said, “Huh!?!?” I laughed. I cried. I watched Greek Wedding again and again. For me, it was good romantic comedy.

    So maybe they THINK they’re writing good RC’s.

  15. Lisa H on 06 May 2008 at 1:04 pm #

    I tend to just want a romantic film, it doesn’t have to have comedy.

    I really love Lisa Kleypas’ books, in fact I am reading her new contemporary right now, “Blue-Eyed Devil” I can’t put it down. I think any of her books would be great, love Karen H’s “To Scotland with Love” and Many other goddess’ books. The School for Heiress would make a great movie.

    Also Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum books would make a great movie, only who could ever play Joe Morelli? (A young John Travolta?)

    I know I tend to like the older romances, but I’d love to see KEW’s Shanna or A Rose in Winter made into a movie… they are such wonderful love stories.

  16. Suzanne Enoch on 06 May 2008 at 1:25 pm #

    Thanks, Karen and Meg! I think every writer dreams of seeing their characters come to life. The downside is of course that no actor looks EXACTLY the way we picture a character — though Hugh Jackman would be a good substitute for Rick Addison. I could live with that. Yep, that’d be okay. *g*

  17. Sarah on 06 May 2008 at 1:28 pm #

    I would have to say that I’d like to see “Brighter than the Sun” by Julia Quinn, or “The Trouble with Valentines Day” by Rachel Gibson. Probably the Gibson nove, actually. It was so funny, and so real. I just adore her. Then again I also think that “The Undomestic Goddess” by Sophie Kinsella would be great.

  18. Karen Hawkins on 06 May 2008 at 1:35 pm #

    Sam and Rick! Sam and Rick! Sam and Rick! They’re funny and yet fall into some honest-to-gosh capers. I love them!

    And Rachel’s writer’s group trilogy . . . I could see those twined into one longer movie. Wouldn’t that be awesome?

    There are so many movies I’d like to see made into romantic comedies . . . some of SEPs would be marvelous, too. They have such incredible tension between the characters and I think she’s good at using detail to prove that. And I’d like to see my MacLean series done because it would be fun to see the thunder ‘n lighting scenes!

    Btw, Rachel, one Saturday I COMPLETELY forgot my blog and ended up writing it on my tiny cell phone while sitting in a car going to the beach. Talk about S-L-A-C-K-E-R!

  19. Karen Hawkins on 06 May 2008 at 1:35 pm #

    And Suzie E . . . Hugh is MINE. Hands off, Yoda Lover!

  20. Kathy/Cookiedough on 06 May 2008 at 1:39 pm #

    I often wish that Julie Garwood’s Ransom would be made into a movie. Not enough comedy in it, but I can just imagine Gerard Butler as Brodick thundering down from the highlands on a huge horse.
    Gerard Butler is in many of my fantasies. can’t help it, he’s just yummy, or as I heard on tv once, “pretty darn lickable”

    I could see Sam and Rick up on the big screen. I agree that Suzanne would have to write or at least have final say in casting and screenplay!

  21. Claudia Dain on 06 May 2008 at 1:49 pm #

    I agree with Karen R, Hollywood screenwriters don’t seem to understand what it is we love about romantic comedies.

    Juila, my daughter saw Maid of Honor and enjoyed it, so there’s one vote.

    But I just read a review of Maid of Honor and the reviewer blasted it, saying cliches galore, Dempsey was too old for the part, lots of simple misunderstandings, the heroine looked like a “dim bulb” because she got engaged to a “bland” Scotsman she’d known 6 weeks.

    How to tell the reviewer about our Mt. Oly conversations about quick engagements and weddings? How to explain the lure of a Scotsman? How to explain that silly misunderstanding have a comic vibe?

    Plus, I agree with Sabrina in that the comic aspects of novels can often come from the dual nature of what the character is saying vs. what they’re thinking. I do that *a lot* in my books. I can’t imagine how it would work in a movie. Though I wouldn’t mind if they tried!

  22. Ann in IL on 06 May 2008 at 2:12 pm #

    I haven’t seen a movie in years, but would love to see SEP’s , Garwood or the Cynster series made into a movie.
    I can’t recommend any actors since I don’t know any, just PLEASE DO NOT have Tom Cruise. blech…..he’s just awful….. and I haven’t seen any of his movies. Just interviews are enough to know he’s a loser.

  23. RachelG on 06 May 2008 at 2:23 pm #

    I think just about any SEP book could be made into a movie.

    Some of the romantic movies that I was supposed to love but didn’t are,Wedding Planner, My Best Friends Wedding and Runaway Bride. Loved The Breakup until the end. The only romantic comedy I’ve seen lately that got it all right, was Juno. And I am not so sure that classifies as a rom com.

  24. Paula on 06 May 2008 at 2:31 pm #

    I would love to se Karen Rose’s books into mvies, ok I know they wouldn’t be romantic comedies but still.
    I agree with others that Sam and Rick would be good to see up on the big screen and yes Suzie would have to have a big say in the script.
    I am sure that there are many more but just can’t think of them just now.
    Karen H surely you could just lend Hugh to Suzie to play Rick and then you could have him back and then the rest of us can enjoy him up on the big screen?!!

  25. LisaK on 06 May 2008 at 2:38 pm #

    I think the general view on romances is that they are gooey and only girl’s stuff and that’s why no Hollywood director dares to adapt one. Shows they don’t have a clue.
    Like some others here I’d also love to watch a “Welcome to Temptation”-movie. The water tower alone is worth making a film of it.
    Does anyone here know Celeste Bradley? She writes all her books in a very funny way but I almost died of laughter when I read “To Wed A Scandalous Spy”. It’s just…CRAZY, and I absolutely LOVE it.
    Or what about “Romancing Mr. Bridgerton” by Julia Quinn? It’s so damned bittersweet, I felt like crying and laughing the same time. That would be a wonderful movie.
    Would.
    I think I already mentioned the clueless Hollywood directors above.

  26. Kim on 06 May 2008 at 2:46 pm #

    Rachel–I think this is the first time I’m not nodding in total agreement with you. I was really disappointed in Juno and the music drove me bat-$hit. It was a good movie but just not as funny as the previews made it seem and I totally hated Justin Bateman’s character.

  27. Karen Hawkins on 06 May 2008 at 2:52 pm #

    Kim, sometimes the best parts of the movie are flashed in the previews, then you go to the movie and you realize that while the trailer awesome, there’s not enough good parts left to carry the whole movie. I hate that.

    Ok, Paula, I’ll let Suzie borrow Hugh, but then I want him back. I just can’t go without him for long! Btw, have you see how he’s bulked up for the Wolverine movie? Yowza!!!

    On another note (this wasn’t a romance at all) I saw Ironman this last weekend and LOVED it! The main character was quirky, brilliant, and self-destructive. It was a LOT of fun!

  28. Suzanne Enoch on 06 May 2008 at 2:58 pm #

    Thanks for the vote and the loan of Hugh, Ka-Ha. I’m so excited about the “Wolverine” movie — Gambit’s going to be in it! Yay!

    And Ka-Ha, did you stay all the way through the end credits of “Iron Man”? Hm? I loved it, too.

  29. Claudia Dain on 06 May 2008 at 4:07 pm #

    KarenH, I just saw Ironman, too! It was great. It’s getting middling reviews, though, which tells me eveything I need to know about how jaded reviewers can get.

    And weren’t the scenes between Pepper and Tony amazing? That’s good sexual tension.

  30. Karen Hawkins on 06 May 2008 at 4:07 pm #

    NO! I DIDN’T! DARN IT! PLEASE email me and tell me what I missed! We had Nate’s daughter with us and she was in a hurry to get to the restroom.

    I hate it when I miss things.

    Btw, I had no idea Gambit was showing up! It’s about time — I mean, they gave us a glimpse of him as a kid at the school. But I am ready for the full grown, red-blooded version.

    I love the XMen movies. They just rock. Fantasy. Romance. Unrequited love. Adventure. Really, really evil villains and super strong (yet wounded) heroes and heroines. Sigh. What’s not to love?

  31. Margaret Garland on 06 May 2008 at 4:09 pm #

    I’ve been out and about all day and missed checking in early this morning. So, I just want to say ditto to everything that’s been said. I’d love to see SEP’s “Breathing Room” done. If it were done well. It’s be great to watch Isabel in her flaming red dress standing on top of those ruins and holding the fertility goddess. Wow.

    I don’t have the imagination to cast anybody in anything. I don’t even know half the young actors around today. Dennis Leary from Sunday’s FROS would be great as Lorenzo Gage. For Isabel? shrug

    Karen H, I want to see the Mclean’s and their weather doings on the big screen. Or the little one via DVD. I’m in the middle of re-reading Gregor/Venetia at the moment.

  32. Margaret Garland on 06 May 2008 at 4:11 pm #

    I am also royally ticked. I schlepped all the way out to the Walmart Super Center. I had some things I wanted from there. But I was sure I could get Claudia’s book there today. Claudia who? Nobody by that name on the shelves there today. Dad rat it! By the time I was done shopping, I just wanted to come home and put my feet up a spell.

    So, I’m going to wait for my Mother’s Day gc and order from Amazon.com. I know they have it on their shelves!

    Sorry Claudia.

  33. Kim on 06 May 2008 at 4:12 pm #

    K-Hawk–totally true on the movie trailers. Sometimes the trailer makers are way better than the movie makers ;) We saw Ironman last night. Loved it! And yup, we saw the very end. Although we didn’t get it and had to ask someone else in the theatre what it meant. We’re SO stoked about Gambit being in the new X-men! He’s our favorite. Will Rogue be grown up then too?

  34. Karen Hawkins on 06 May 2008 at 4:18 pm #

    Claudia, I thought the tension was great and THANK GOODNESS it didn’t go any further! He’s a disaster waiting to happen and she really has her feet on the ground. If he wants a woman like that, I wanna see him work for it and there wasn’t time in this movie.

    MargaretG, I hate it when I go allllll the way to the store — any store — and the book I’m looking for isn’t out. It’s like having your taste buds set for chocolate perfection only to find out they’re out of al deserts, but you can have all of the spinach you want. It just doesn’t work.

    Kim, darn it, but now I’m going to have to see it again just to catch the ending. Poor me! :) And Rogue had better be grown up; she’s got a Gambit to handle!

  35. Suzanne Enoch on 06 May 2008 at 4:22 pm #

    IRONMAN SPOILER — don’t read if you don’t want to know what happens AFTER the credits roll…………..

    Seriously….

    There’s a man in the shadows waiting for Tony Stark in his house. It’s the eye-patched Nick Fury, leader of SHIELD, and he wants to discuss the Avenger Initiative with Tony. Nick Fury is played by…Samuel L. Jackson.

  36. Meg on 06 May 2008 at 4:25 pm #

    Add me to the list of those eager to see the Wolverine movie. Hugh is great in that part. And I LOVE Gambit!! When is it coming out?

  37. doglady on 06 May 2008 at 4:25 pm #

    Margaret, don’t tell me that! I am off today, but will be back at work tomorrow and I wanted to get Claudia’s book )*)()* it! Oh well. I know Tammy at the Book Basket will have it.

    Mary Janice Davidson’s Undead and Unwed would make a great movie! Connie Brockway’s Skinny Dipping would too!

    I agree that JQ’s Brighter than the Sun is a definite candidate. How about To Sir Phillip With Love? Those terrible kids!!

    Karen Rose’s books would be fabulous, but would scare the CRAP out of people!

    And Sabrina, how about Jennifer Crusie’s Anyone But You ? Loved that book!

  38. Sheridan LA on 06 May 2008 at 5:45 pm #

    Wolverine Movie?!?!?? How in the hell did I miss hearing about that?!??? WHEN??? I need to know when to preorder tickets and camp outside the theatre :D

    There are many stories I like.. but I am afraid that they will be ruined if made into a movie. I think the only time I was more impressed with the movie then the book was The Devil Wears Prada - I felt Miranda was more evil in the book, but the movie was told better.

    I just finished my first Karen Rose book (Don’t Tell) and all I gotta say is wow. I was duly impressed.. great suspense.. I’d go see one of those in a movie if they could recapture some of the tension. Now to order more of K-Ro’s books… this blog is dangerous to my bank account.. ;)

  39. Sabrina Jeffries on 06 May 2008 at 6:31 pm #

    Rachel, none of the three you list did it for me either. I loved Sabrina and While You Were Sleeping, however.

    I haven’t seen any recent comedies I loved, though. The last one I loved was Chasing Liberty, and that’s old.

    doglady, I haven’t read Anyone but You yet.

    I too think that Rachel’s and SEP’s books would make great movies. We need to start our own movie company and make our OWN romantic comedies. *G*

  40. Lisa H on 06 May 2008 at 8:20 pm #

    Ah inspiration just struck…Santa Fros would make an excellent Joe Morelli!

  41. doglady on 06 May 2008 at 8:22 pm #

    Santa FROS! SIGH!!! Fan fan fan ! Yes, he is still laminated and displayed prominently on my desk!

  42. ladydawgfan on 06 May 2008 at 8:52 pm #

    Doglady, “Anyone But You” was my first thought on reading this blog, other than the Goddess’s books. Sabrina, you absolutely HAVE to read it!!! It isn’t too long, but it is absolutely HILARIOUS!!! I read my copy when I am feeling blue and need a quick pick-me-up.

    But DL, the actors in this case are inconsequential. Where are they going to find a proper “Fred???”

  43. Karen Hawkins on 06 May 2008 at 9:08 pm #

    ****Happy sigh!!!**** Thank you, Suzie E!!!! Now I’ll sleep tonight.

  44. doglady on 06 May 2008 at 10:38 pm #

    ladydawgfan, you are SO right! Is there a dog alive who can play Fred???

  45. Santa on 06 May 2008 at 11:06 pm #

    I’d love to see Jennifer Crusie’s ‘Bet Me’ on the big screen or small screen for that matter. And, yes, the McLean series would ROCK on screen, especially Jack’s affection for booties. And Suzie I’d love to see ‘England’s Perfect Hero’ on the big screen. I so love that book! Let’s see….who else…..

    any SEP book
    Eloisa James’ TOD tavern scene
    pick any Lisa Kleypas book you’d like
    and YES Skinny Dipping on screen. I visualized the whole book while I was reading it.

  46. kendra on 07 May 2008 at 12:30 am #

    Nothing ruins a good book like having it made into a movie. I’ve already created the characters in my mind and Hollywood never matches up. Like Diana Gabaldon’s books. Hollywood would never get Jaime right.

    Did anyone else love Enchanted? I just watched it with my kids and thought it was charming. I thought I’d heard that she doesn’t end up with Dempsey, so I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. Maybe that made it better for me.

  47. evlqn on 07 May 2008 at 2:01 am #

    We saw Ironman this weekend and loved it! The characters were absolutely terrific. We didn’t stay through the credits because we were expected elsewhere, dazzlefrazz!

    Enchanted was really a cute movie ,my granddaughter and I watched it four times the weekend I spent in Portland.

  48. gillian on 07 May 2008 at 3:02 am #

    It’s funny you mention Enchanted. Evidently it was the movie playing on my mom’s recent flight, and she loved the ballroom scene so much she said she forgot she was over the “great big ocean.” :)

  49. Margaret Garland on 07 May 2008 at 7:00 am #

    “But DL, the actors in this case are inconsequential. Where are they going to find a proper “Fred???””

    Just about any Bassett Hound I’ve ever seen could play Fred. LOL Long ago, before any of you were born, there was a tv show starring Jackie Cooper. The star was a Bassett Hound. I wish I could remember the name of the show but, heck, it was 45+ years ago. I think it was “The People’s Choice” but not sure.
    Anyway, the dog of the show was a Bassett and she/he stole the show from all the seasoned actors. Bassetts are just naturally funny because they look so blase.

  50. Laura on 07 May 2008 at 10:52 am #

    Margaret I found it on imdb.com! The series was named The People’s Choice and the basset hound was named Cleo. I have faint memories of this series, primarily because of the voice over of Cleo’s thoughts on her master. Fun stuff.

  51. stephers on 07 May 2008 at 11:12 pm #

    Amen to that! There are so many choices out there that I’ve thought would be fantastic movies. Recently, I’ve been taking up with the Cynsters and the the Bastion Club. Those would be great!

  52. ilovetoread on 14 May 2008 at 2:26 pm #

    I know that I’m a little late, seems to be the norm lately!, but I personally think that Karen H’s series — The MacLean Curse– would be a great movie series also for the Romantic Comedy column!! I can imagine all the things from the books happening on the screen….RC’s don’t necessarily have to be contemps, do they???

  53. BeatriceYoung on 14 May 2008 at 5:25 pm #

    I love all of Julia London’s books. They should be made into a movie. But SHE has to be the director. And she has to pick out the actors. It would be great. I’d like a bit of a consent though…

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