MovieChat Forums > Crossings (1986) Discussion > Much better than the book

Much better than the book

posted 13 years ago by waldenpond88
5 replies | jump to latest

I watched the mini series "Crossings" at least 10 times in my life since it has been filmed (and finally got it from ioffer on DVD 2 years ago in very good quality...every nonsense gets a DVD release, it's a real shame that "Crossings" is still not available on DVD!).

So finally I read the book last summer, but was not as impressed as I am with the mini series.
What really adds a lot to the mini series is Armand's grown up son from his previous marriage (in the book he has no son, but Liane has two small daughters).

I wonder what other people think about the book in comparison with the mini series.

[–] IloveKoba 13 years ago

I bought CROSSINGS on 3 DVD'S about 5 years ago from an Aussie seller on eBay.
I've watched it countless times, just love it. I'm not really a big fan of
Danielle Steel, but this one Yes. and JEWELS as well, but only because I'm a big fan of Annette O'Toole. I didn't like the book Crossings at all. I thought it rambled a bit, and to be perfectly honest, it took all my patience not to discard it before finishing. I much preferred the mini-series.
Cheers from Australia.

[–] waldenpond88 12 years ago

I agree with you, the mini series is so much better than the book.
There are several examples where a movie or TV series is better than the book, for instance "Shining Through" (Michael Douglas) by Susan Isaacs was much better in the movie version and "Top of the Hill" (mini TV series from 1980) was also better than Irwin Shaw's novel.
And last but not the least "Dr. Zhivago" by Boris Pasternak. What a BORING novel and what a wonderful movie!!!
Of course all those who managed to read "War and Peace" will disagree, but I really tried very hard to read Pasternak's book and after 100 pages I gave up. Probably some of those Russian classic novels need 250 to 300 pages until the description of the house and the protagonists is finished and some kind of action starts :).
"If Tomorrow Comes" based on Sidney Sheldon's novel is also a very good TV series!

[–] tiburonbirdred 7 years ago

I saw it on Youtube (loaded in 3 parts). The story was thin to spread over 3 nights, although think the production values are quite good -- The clothes, set design, score by Michel Legrand, produced by Aaron Spelling.

[–] waldenpond88 7 years ago

Yes, it's 3 parts. I think it's among the best mini TV series from the mid to late 1980's together with "If Tomorrow Comes", "Deceptions" and "North and South".
Compared with other Cheryl Ladd TV movies like "Purple Heart" or "The Girl who came between them" I found it was much more appealing.
Later I've watched "Bluegrass", but didn't get into it like I did with "Crossings".

"Dead before Dawn" was another gripping thriller with Cheryl Ladd.

[–] waldenpond88 7 years ago

Danielle Steel and Anna Quindlen both have a tendency to ramble. They like to write sentences where they replace one word with two other synonyms.

For instance this sentence from Quindlen's novel "Black and Blue": "I was just glad to stand still, to stop moving, to stop running".
With the use of lots of synonyms in the same sentence an author of course can increase the page count.