Movie or Book

Why is it, that when they make the movie based on the book, nine times out of ten they are crap? Or if they're not really crap, they just have one or two scenes that are so significantly different from the book, that they make you shout out "That doesn't happen!' or "WTF - Who's he/she??? - They weren't in the book???" and "Why have they missed out my favourite part?". Worst of all is when they leave out a complete character and give his lines and actions to another character, which ruins everything.
Last night I watched the movie adaptation of Audrey Niffenegger's 'The Time Travellers Wife". If you haven't read the book you'll either enjoy this movie or be confused by the plot and then get into it just before it ends. But if you have read the book, you'll be screaming at the screen within seconds of the opening titles. I'm not saying this movie is crap, I actually did enjoy it, but it just can't compare to the book.



Another movie, based on one of my favourite books is 'The Golden Compass' - Phillip Pullman's Northern Lights (I should have realised it was going to be crap, when they used the dumbed down American book title for the movie version.).
Why doesn't Hollywood put all that money into making epic TV series from great novels? After all, the majority of the population watch movies on their massive HD LCD tellies. Instead they keep pumping out endless series' of shite, Lost, 24 and CSI. It's impossible to fit a book that can take up to 30 hours to read, into a screenplay of 3 hours or less.
The only exceptions to the rule is when a movie is made from a short story, one that you could read in the same time it takes to watch the movie. Or when the screenplay is so good it brings the movie up to the books standard ( Stand By Me). It's like a cover version of your favourite song. You imagine you'll hate it but somehow it grows on you and you end up liking it just as much or even liking it more. Although Madonna's cover of American Pie will never be in the same league as Don McLean's original tribute to Buddy Holly...
So my conclusion is this - If you enjoyed reading book, don't ever expect the movie to be anything like it. You'll always be disappointed. The best movies are written directly for the screen or are adaptations of plays.