I had promised myself that in 2013 I would not undertake any new Challenges … but this one created by Katie over at her Doing Dewey blog proved irresistible. I selected the Movie Aficionado level (a dozen books to be reviewed and their accompanying film versions too) but seem to have got a bit ahead of myself … On reflection it seems dominated by a lot of great French movies and what can only be described as an unexpected surfeit of Michael Crichton …
“Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to review books and the movies which they’ve been made into”
Astute readers will note that one of the titles is not strictly speaking eligible as I added a small extra in the shape of Bill Pronzini’s Proof of Guilt, which is not a novel but a short story with its TV adaptation only half-an-hour long so not feature-length either – here is the full list with links to book and film reviews presented separately when I didn’t do a single post covering both. So, in order of original publication:
- The Four Just Men (1905) by Edgar Wallace: book and movie
- The Case of the Late Pig (1937) by Margery Allingham: book & TV movie
- If I Die Before I Wake (1938) by Sherwood King: book and movie (The Lady from Shanghai)
- The Big Sleep (1939) by Raymond Chandler: book & movie
- The Winter Murder Case (1939) by SS Van Dine: book & movie
- The Big Clock (1946) by Kenneth Fearing: book & movie
- Dreadful Summit (1948) by Stanley Ellin: book and movie (The Big Night)
- The Drowning Pool (1950) by Ross Macdonald: book and movie
- Death in Captivity (1952) by Michael Gilbert: book and movie (Danger Within)
- Someone is Bleeding (1953) by Richard Matheson: book and movie (Les Seins de glace)
- The Living and the Dead (1954) by Boileau-Narcejac: book and movie (Vertigo)
- Maigret sets a Trap (1955) by Georges Simenon: book & movie
- Badge of Evil (1956) by Wade / Miller: book and movie (Touch of Evil)
- This Sweet Sickness (1960) by Patricia Highsmith: book and TV movie (Annabel)
- Memos from Purgatory (1961) by Harlan Ellison: book & TV movie
- The Hunter (1962) by Richard Stark: book & movie (Payback)
- A Case of Need (1968) by Michael Crichton: book and movie (The Carey Treatment)
- Fuzz (1968) by Ed McBain: book & movie
- A Magnum for Schneider (1969) by James Mitchell: book and movie (Callan)
- The Siege of Trencher’s Farm (1969) by Gordon Williams: book and movie (Straw Dogs)
- The Hot Rock (1970) by Donald Westlake: book & movie
- Jigsaw (1970) by Ed McBain: book & TV Movie
- The Naked Face (1970) by Sidney Sheldon: book & movie
- Binary (1972) by Michael Crichton: book and TV movie (Pursuit)
- Proof of Guilt (1973) by Bill Pronzini: book & TV movie
- The Great Train Robbery (1975) by Michael Crichton: book & movie
- Dick Barton: The Case of the Vanishing House (1978): book & TV movie
- Brainwash (1979) by John Wainwright: book and movie (Garde à vue)
- Cat Chaser (1982) by Elmore Leonard: book & movie
- Heat (1985) by William Goldman: book & movie
- We Need to Talk About Kevin (2003) by Lionel Shriver: book & movie
Thank you Katie for organising this great Challenge and I look forward to taking part in the sequel Challenge in 2014.
Tipping My Fedora 
What a great list. I remember reading and enjoying your take on many of these this year. Can’t wait to see what else you have in store.
Thanks Kelly – might you be tempted in taking part in 2014?
I loved all the Michael Crichton you reviewed and am excited to see what you do next year. Thanks for joining in! 🙂
Thank you Katie – O dare say there may well be a couple more Crichton in there 🙂
Sergio – Well done! I am truly impressed. And your reviews have been really helpful. I’m glad you took up the challenge.
Thanks as always for the kind words Margot, greatly appreciated.
Are you sure that there are more books to movies out there for you to watch and review? I cannot believe you did so many in 2013. Looking forward to the posts for 2014.
We’re in this together TracyK 🙂
I won’t be able to keep up with you, but I will do more in 2014 than I did in 2013. That is my goal.
Well, that sounds like an excellent plan to me – and I really enjoyed your Big Sleep review this yea, especially as you had the tie-in edition – perfect syncronicity!
Thanks for a year of great reading and chat – for a chance to discuss some old favorites and completely new material too.
Thanks chum – and as always, great to be able to have you provide such untertaining chatbacks all over the topics raised – makes it all worthwhile.
Well done! Brilliant collection of books/films there!
Thanks Karen, that’s really good of you – well, I can’t wait to get strarted in 2014 now!
I’m with everyone above, Sergio. A great and impressive list it is! You have reviewed an awful lot of books and movies this year and I’m wondering what you’re going to come up with in 2014. You know, Sergio, by this time next year you ought to seriously think of putting all your reviews into a book, perhaps a Kindle edition for a start. It’s just an idea.
Much too kind of you Prashant but thansk, as always, for the genrous feedback, greatly appreciated.
Nice list to have around when you start wondering about this question. I just got the first Parker book after your last discussion.
That’s great – thanks very much Patti.
That’s quite a list! I am impressed as ever by both the film and book buffery.
Good one – ‘Buffery’ just about sums up my life really – thanks Ela!
Congratulations…and thanks for letting us know what you found…
Well, I just had to share Todd! I was just pleased that I had a respectable run frankly …