Comicbook movies you wouldnt think are comics.

With the Dark Knight rises and the Avengers due out this summer its fairly safe to say comic books movies are still going strong but you dont have to dawn tights and fight crime for hollywood to pick you. With that siad heres some flicks out there that chances are you wouldnt think are based on comics at all.

Road to Perdition
Sam Mendes adapted Max Allen Collins graphic novel into to could only be described as Oscear fodder.
While the film wasnt bad it seemed to drop alot of the tone and mood of the comic in place of Mendes own style of story telling yet the main permese remains the same Mob enforcer goes on the run with his son after his boss kills his family and seeks vengance. The comic has a number of follow on books yet these seem that they will never to be made into features.

A History of Violence

Based on the dark and gritty comic buy the great comic writer John Wagner this is one of my prefered adaptions and while it dosent stick to the source that well it does grip the main theme of the comic such as how violence dosent just effect those you hurt and kill but those you set out to protect. Cronenberg rightly landed a number of awards for this film and Id put it up there with one of the best comic books adaptions of the last 10 years.

From Hell
This movie was one of the worst attempts to adapt an Allen Moore comic for a number of reasons (1) The book is an almost document epic about the jack the Ripper slaying (2) Johnny Depp acting is cat in this movie and (3) its an Allen Moore story. Moore poured his blood sweat and tears into this book and some how they thought that they could embody that in this murder/mystery box of trash....come on for fuck sake.
Check out this marvel of a book buy all means but appraoching the movie would be a big mitake.

Ghost World

Based on the cult comic buy Daniel Clowes the movie still has the witty quirky vibe of the books. The story is a bittersweet tale of life, love and growing up. while ill never know how this flick got the green light Im glad it did and I suggest either the flick or the book to anyone who is in a place in their lives where they dont really know where they are or what they want to do because this little gem just goes to show your not the only one in that pickle.

So just to remind you guys that you dont need to be Zack Snyder to direct a comic book movie you just need the right story and a love of good graphic novels.

A History of violence published buy Paradox Press/Vertigo

Ghost world Published buy Fantagraphics Books

From Hell Published buy Knockabout Comics

Road to Perdition buy Paradox Press