Bringing any literary work to the big screen is no easy task. An author may often feel like they can't trust just anyone to bring their vision to life. So, it makes sense that some authors would follow the old adage of "if you want something done right, do it yourself."
You'd be surprised just how many authors made the transition from page to screen. Some of the greatest films of all time were inspired by literary works, though not all of them had the author's pen involved in the process. To celebrate these multitalented wordsmiths, here is our list of ten authors who wrote the screen adaptations of their work.
Tim Burton (Vincent)
Though he's now one of the world's most well-known directors, Tim Burton has worn many hats during his eccentric film career. Before he was the brain behind Beetlejuice and Batman, he was also an animator and poet. One such work, Vincent, made it into a Disney short film in 1982.
Vincent is a creepy little masterpiece worthy of the director's palate. It has all the markings of a Burton film and his style carries over in the animation as well as his writing. The narration from the master of horror Vincent Price is just the icing on the cake.
William Peter Blatty (The Exorcist)
Though the original Exorcist is quite possibly the most terrifying and influential horror film in existence, it wouldn't nearly be as infamous as it is without the equally terrifying novel on which it's based. William Peter Blatty not only wrote the novel and screenplay for his demonic tale but produced the film as well.
The film probably wouldn't be as successful or scary as it still is today without Blatty's involvement. The film is definitely a great representation of the title and is well worth the acclaim. Also worth mentioning is Blatty's third entry in the series inspired by his novel, Legion, for those who can't get enough terror.
Frank Miller (Sin City)
Definitely, one of the greatest and certainly most stylistic noir films of all time, Frank Miller's Sin City is almost literally a comic book come to life. From the design and semi-animated film style to the gripping and grizzly storylines, Sin City is nearly identical to the source material.
Comic book adaptations are rarely identical to their source material and vice-versa, but Miller went the extra mile with everything this film has to offer, to the point where it even feels like a comic book in motion. What can we say, sometimes author control is a great thing.
Katsushiro Otomo (Akira)
Otomo's Akira broke through more than just language barriers when this anime film hit the big screen. Not only is it arguably one of the most influential and iconic animated and science fiction films of all time, but it also helped define the cyberpunk genre and bring the anime medium to a wider audience.
Based on Otomo's manga of the same name, Akira smoothly makes the transition from page to screen. It's a gritty and at times grotesque sci-fi epic set in 2019 Neo-Tokyo. With a futuristic biker gang, advanced technology, telekinetic powers, and dystopian themes, it's definitely not your average animated feature.
Clive Barker (Hellraiser)
Based on his novel, The Hellbound Heart, Clive Barker's Hellraiser gave the world of horror movies a new breed of demon with Pinhead and his gang of Cenobites. Though the film adaptation makes a few changes from the book, most notably changing the gender of its famous villain, Barker's writing and brand of terror is thoroughly present.
When it comes to gruesome, grizzly, and gory content, Clive Barker is the absolute man. We believe he recognized the difficulty in bringing a story like The Hellbound Heart to the big screen, so he adapted to suit the slasher-fed audience of the '80s. It's still just as gnarly as the book.
Michael Crichton (Various)
Known for his Jurassic Park series, Michael Crichton adapted many of his works from his decorated career. Though the famous dinosaur-populated adventure is arguably his most famous work, it's his adaptations of his works Binary, Congo, and Westworld that were all penned by the man himself.
These are just a handful of the various screen adaptations Crichton wrote, and they all reflect his gift for sci-fi and speculative fiction. If Jurassic Park is your only exposure to his work, you are definitely missing out on some fascinating films and shows. We highly recommend the critically underrated Thirteenth Warrior.
Agatha Christie (The Wasp's Nest)
The magnificent maven of the murder mystery, Agatha Christie, was never truly fond of the screen adaptations of her short stories and plays. However, she did pen a teleplay script of her Poirot mystery, The Wasp's Nest in 1937. Known for famous works such as And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express, this is one of her few lesser well-known screenplays.
Like many of her stories involving the famous Hercule Poirot, The Wasp's Nest has been adapted along with the several stories starring her Belgian detective. Though not nearly as popular as some of her other works, you can't go wrong with anything by Christie.
Ray Bradbury (Something Wicked This Way Comes)
Ray Bradbury is one of the undisputed champions when it comes to science-fiction and horror. He's written nearly hundreds of TV episodes and short stories that made it onto both the big and small screen, but we think his most fantastic film has to be Disney's Something Wicked This Way Comes.
Though the film lacks major scares present in the book, the screenplay penned by Bradbury himself definitely has more than a few of his iconic tricks and treats. The movie itself is still unnerving and chilling, especially for something under the Disney name. If you're looking for a basic taste of Bradbury's work, this is a good place to start.
Stephen King (Maximum Overdrive)
Based on his short-story, Trucks, Stephen King went above and beyond the call of duty to give his fans his own personally made horror film. Maximum Overdrive was a petroleum-fueled B-movie that only the madness of Stephen King could produce, and it definitely shows.
King not only penned the story in his book Night Shift but sat in the director's chair as well. The result was an over-the-top horror-comedy involving possessed big-rigs, killer lawnmowers, and a group of survivors trying to escape the mechanical revolution. It's definitely one of King's most outrageous productions, but it's an icon of his work nonetheless.
John Patrick Shanley (Doubt)
Responsible for the play, the screenplay, the direction of the film, and the operatic adaptation, John Paul Shanley has taken his award-winning play, Doubt: A Parable, to the moon and back. Though the playwright is responsible for other notable works, Doubt is perhaps the man's masterpiece.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning period drama was made into a feature film starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Philip Seymor Hoffman which was nominated for four Academy Awards. This tale of suspicion is steeped in shadowy intrigue. Who knew one play could be so versatile in its mediums? We tip our hats to you, Mr. Shanley.