Movies From Books Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Princess Bride

"The Princess Bride" by William Goldman is a wonderful novel and an excellent movie. Some parts are better in the book (read the lightning sand scene or the Pit of Despair.) But the movie has such great performances, excellent sword-fighting, etc. Both book and movie are worth your time.

The movie stars Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Christopher Guest, Andre the Giant, Wallace Shawn, Chris Sarandon, Fred Savage and Peter Falk.

Answer: Holes

The book "Holes" by Louis Sachar won the Newberry Award for writing in 1999. The book was very interesting and turned out to be a great novel to be made into a movie. Few movies are so exact to the book, but "Holes" did a masterful job. It starred John Voight, Sigourney Weaver and Shea Labeouf.

Answer: Contact

If you are really interested in science, check out "Contact" by Carl Sagan. It is an intriguing story, that is possible, not just science fiction. The movie is wonderful, with an excellent portrayal of Dr. Arroway by Jodie Foster. Your beliefs will be expanded. It also stars Matthew McConaughey, Tom Skerritt, William Fitchner, David Morse and Jena Malone.

Answer: October Sky

This true story is told in the book "Rocket Boys" by Homer Hickam, Jr. It is a great story of living up to your potential, even in a small town. The movie, by the name "October Sky" is a great feel-good flick. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern. "October Sky" refers to Homer's first sighting of Sputnik.

Answer: The Outsiders

"The Outsiders" is a realistic portrayal of a lifestyle many are not familiar with. Gangs are usually frowned upon, but this book is a great read, especially for teenage boys. The movie is almost as good as the book, with great stars such as Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe and Emilio Estevez as young guys.

It also stars Ralph Macchio and C. Thomas Howell. Watch with a box of tissues.

Answer: The Lord of the Rings

It's hard to boil such an amazing story down to a quick description. J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is the crown of all fantasy novels. Everyone else tries to be as good as the "Ring". Peter Jackson's masterful movies are all that fans and non-fans alike could hope for. With the stunning landscapes of New Zealand and the fabulous performances by Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, John-Rhys Davies and Orlando Bloom as the Fellowship, these movies will be classics forever. (For complete list of stars, you'll have to go to imdb.com.

There is not room to list them all.)

Answer: Sense and Sensibility

Jane Austen, in one of her finest stories, really captures the romanticism of 19th Century England. Of her many stories, "Sense and Sensibility", has some of her most interesting characters. The Ang Li movie does not disappoint. Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman star in this masterful adaptation.

Answer: Madeline

The successful series of "Madeline" picture books by Ludwig Bemelmans have been beloved by children for years. The original book "Madeline" won a Caldecott Honor in 1940 and "Madeline's Rescue" won a Caldecott Medal in 1954. The movie captures the ingeniousness of the books with a fine performance by Hattie Jones in the lead role.

It also stars Frances McDormand, Nigel Hawthorne, Ben Daniels and Kristian de la Osa.

Answer: Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan's book is a fascinating collection of vignettes wound into a whole that only makes sense when the book is over. Each story lets the reader glimpse a little of Old China and the transition into a new life in America. The movie tells only some of the stories, but it does it well, effectively mixing the lives of eight women trying to understand their mothers/daughters. Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin, France Nuyen and Lisa Lu play the mothers with Ming-Na, Tamlyn Tomita, Lauren Tom and Rosalind Chao as the daughters.

Answer: To Kill a Mockingbird

Mentioning this classic by Harper Lee usually elicits groans from high school students forced to read it. But it is one of the most fascinating books of the twentieth century. The writing is so descriptive, and the movie - possibly one of Gregory Peck's best roles (he won an Oscar for his performance) is a good watch. Mary Badham is amazing as Scout - one of the greatest female literary characters of all time.

It also stars Robert Duvall and Phillip Alford.