The film ONE DAY is released on both DVD and Blu-Ray on Monday 6th February, and being such fans of the original novel, we here at The Hollywood News thought we’d countdown our favourite book to movie adaptations.

The novel ONE DAY is a book that I managed to grab a hold of on my last summer’s holiday in Greece last year. I jumped on the bandwagon after seeing dozens of commuters reading the thing on the tube on my own journey into work and was eager to find out what it was all about. What was also interesting to me was that the author, David Nicholls, was to adapt the film into a film, not an easy task considering the plot’s structure. I reviewed the film theatrically here, so won’t go into too much detail, but in short, despite it’s flaws, I really liked it as a film too.

So, here’s the question; what are the best book to film adaptations? Here’s my answer to that question…

#10 JURASSIC PARK
Dir. Steven Spielberg – Auth. Michael Crichton

The box-office hit of the summer of 1993 was based on a lengthy novel by Michael Crichton which was first published in 1990.  I particularly love the film, and it’s tickering on the edge of my top movies of all time and I also love the fact that the popcorn flick was released in the same year as Spielberg’s Oscar-laden SCHINDLER’S LIST,  indeed a very different film altogether.

#9 – AMERICAN PSYCHO
Dir. Mary Harron – Auth. Bret Easton Ellis

I was turned onto the book by a former brother-in-law and was intrigued as to how they would turn this very controversial novel into a film, but in the year 2000 that is what Mary Harron did, and the result is a film that contains Christian Bale’s finest performances as the film’s central character, serial killer Patrick Bateman. AMERICAN PSYCHO spawned a sequel a couple of years later. Which was awful.

#8 – ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST
Dir. Milo Forman – Auth. Ken Kesey

Great film, based on a great book. The film garnered five Oscars, which just so happened to be for best actor, best actree, best picture, best film and best adapted screenplay. It was only the second film ever to do so, and deservedly so as Milos Forman’s film is wonderfully crafted and exceptionally adapted from the source material. Jack Nicholson at his best? We think so.

#7 – THE HARRY POTTER MOVIES
Dir. Chris Columbus, Alfonso Curaon, Mike Newell, David Yates – Auth. JK Rowling

I can’t pinpoint one movie, but if I had to, I think that it would have to be the third film in the series HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN as a stand out. The films have made a ton of cash for Warner Brothers (and JK Rowling), made stars out of their actors and done wonders for the British film industry. Pretty much every major British actor working today has appeared in at least one of these movies, all of which are lovingly adapted from Rowling’s series of books.

#6 – WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
Dir. Lynne Ramsay – Auth. Lionel Shriver

One of the most recently released films on our countdown is Lynne Ramsay’s difficult to watch movie based on Lionel Shriver’s novel of the same name. Released in cinemas in 2011, the film differs from the novel as to how it tells the story, but it’s every bit as horrific and devestating as the book. Tilda Swinton also gives one of the performances of her career, cruelly overlooked by the Academy in this year’s Oscar rundown. Shame on them.

#5 – CHILDREN OF MEN
Dir. – Alfonso Cuaron – Auth. PD James

Look at Alfonso getting two mentions on this list! Who’d have thought it? This 2006 science-fiction effort from Cuaron focusses on one man’s effort (Theo, played by Clive Owen) to save the future of mankind. I’ve read the book, and it’s a great book, and I have obviously seen the flick, and it’s a great one. Unforgettably touching with some genius camera work and set pieces that will blow your mind.

#4 DRIVE
Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn – Auth. John Sallis

That’s right, the film of 2011 is based on a novel by one John Sallis called The Driver. The novel does not follow a linear structure, which the film does, but nothing is lost in this stylish film from Nicolas Winding Refn. There is a lot of stand outs in this movie, particularly the acting and stunning direction, but the music is one part of the film that is simply amazing, and pivotal. The film almost plays like a musical with the music saying a thousand words. We love everything about it.

#3 – THE GODFATHER
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola – Auth. Mario Puzo

We like THE GODFATHER PART II (III, not so much), but the original still stands as being one of the best book to film adaptations of all time. Mario Puzo’s book is brought to the screen by the man himself in terms of screenplay with master director Francis Ford Coppola holding the directing reigns. The film won three Oscars including Best Adapted Screenplay. Deservedly so. One of the best films of all time.

#2 – THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
Dir. Jonathan Demme – Auth. Thomas Harris

He applies the lotion. Another one of those films to win the top five at the Oscars, and the last film to do so and one of only three to EVER do so. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is adapted from the Thomas Harris novel of the same name by Ted Tally. Jonathan Demme directs a superb cast in this 1991 juggernaut of a movie. The book was actually a sequel, following on from Harris’ previous effort Red Dragon, which was turned into a film a couple of years previous in MANHUNTER from director Michael Mann. It was also re-adapted following the success of THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS in a film by Brett Ratner, which wasn’t quite as good. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is easily the best stand-alone book to movie adaptation, and would top our list if it wasn’t for…

#1 – THE LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIES
Dir. Peter Jackson – Auth. JRR Tolkien

The man who undertakes such a challenge and embarks on such a massive journey as adapting THE LORD OF THE RINGS books is quite a man. That man was Peter Jackson, and along with Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh, they set about adapting these three gargatuan novels in the late 1990′s with the first film hitting screens in 2001. The films were Oscar nominated for Best Writing, but went unrewarded until the last of the films THE RETURN OF THE KING came out in 2003. It cleaned up that year, winning eleven Academy Awards including Best Adapted Screenplay… The unfilmable masterpiece became the filmed masterpiece and my mind is the greatest book(s) to film adaptation of all time.

ONE DAY is released on UK DVD and Blu-Ray from Monday 6th February 2012.