But that hasn’t stopped people from trying. With As I Lay Dying in theaters and Griffin & Sabine in development, let’s take a look at 20 seemingly unfilmable books.
100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Why it's so hard to adapt: The plot concerns seven generations of the Buendía family, which is a lot of terrain to cover. Character names are repeated over and over again. Some readers consult a family tree, but that would be tougher to reference while watching the film in a theater.
Has anyone tried: Not really. García Márquez has not sold the rights to his book, perhaps realizing no one could do it justice. The 1984 Japanese film Farewell to the Ark is a very loose (and not officially sanctioned) adaptation.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Why it's so hard to adapt: Footnotes within footnotes. The experience of reading the complicated novel is intentionally confusing and claustrophobic to mirror the subject matter. There are also multiple unreliable narrators, which make reading the book a fun challenge — but watching a film version unbearable.
Has anyone tried: Nope. Danielewski won't sell the rights, thankfully.
Griffin & Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence by Nick Bantock
Why it's so hard to adapt: It's an epistolary novel — and not only that, it's one in which the letters and postcards are largely removable. Reading it is an interactive and tactile experience, with the memorable artwork often doing as much work as the text.
Has anyone tried: It's happening! Renegade Films has bought the rights and will be bringing Bantock's story to screen. In a press release, the author said, "This is the first time I've felt comfortable that the essence of the story is understood. Transitioning this tale from a novel to a movie will test the bounds of dreams and creativity, providing an opportunity to create something intelligent, entertaining and visually extraordinary."
Ulysses by James Joyce
Why it's so hard to adapt: The so-called best English-language novel of the 20th century takes place on a single day with a stream of consciousness style that has confounded readers since its publication in 1922. It's a modern retelling of The Odyssey where nothing really happens — or does it? (I don't know.)
Has anyone tried: Yes, twice. The 1967 film Ulysses is very faithful to the novel and even won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. More recently, the 2003 film Bloom attempted to recapture the stream of consciousness technique visually.
