Films that were better than the books

raphaelnonsenso · 11-04-2009, 05:00 AM

We are all used to being disappointed with the film version of a book. The last big screen version of The Count of Monte Cristo was sooooo wide of the mark, it beggared belief.

So, my question is; Which Film(s) do you think were an improvement on their respective novels?

I'll start it off with The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

Raphael

Sweetpea · 11-04-2009, 06:23 AM

I"ve not yet come across a film that is an improvement on the book, but I do know one mini-series: Shogun by James Clavell.

kennyc · 11-04-2009, 07:18 AM

I don't think there are any if you are talking about books being made into movies, the opposite way around though Movies/Scripts that are "novelized" are sometimes horrible novels. --- Star Wars perhaps etc...

Pablo · 11-04-2009, 07:34 AM

"The Godfather" (I and II) are very close to the book and, in my opinion, excellent movies.
"Alive", the 1993 movie based on Piers Paul Read book (the story of the people who survived in the Andes after their plane crashed and rescue parties had given up hope of finding them), is also very good.

dynabook · 11-04-2009, 09:27 AM

"The Bourne Identity". Robert Ludlum is so melodramatic. His idea was obviously a good one though.

Mike L · 11-04-2009, 09:29 AM

One that comes to mind the The Third Man, by Graham Greene. (But it might now count because I think Greene wrote the book specifically with the screenplay in mind.)

Another is perhaps the Alfred Hitchcock version of The Lady Vanishes, which was based on The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White.

Off-hand I can't think of any others.

kennyc · 11-04-2009, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike L

One that comes to mind the The Third Man, by Graham Greene. (But it might now count because I think Greene wrote the book specifically with the screenplay in mind.)

Another is perhaps the Alfred Hitchcock version of The Lady Vanishes, which was based on The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White.

Off-hand I can't think of any others.

That's the feeling I from all of Michael Criterion's work after Andromeda Strain...

daffy4u · 11-04-2009, 11:29 AM

"Jaws". There was a relationship in the book that was not in the movie because it did nothing for the story. This is the only case where *I've* found the movie was better.

Now, "The Exorcist" was scary whether you read it or watched it on film.

Sparrow · 11-04-2009, 12:12 PM

'Moby Dick', '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea', 'The Turn of the Screw', and the last few Harry Potters (also, possibly 'Jarhead' - but I haven't seen the movie yet).

frabjous · 11-04-2009, 02:44 PM

I'm not sure I think they're better overall, but there are definitely certain aspects of The Lord of the Rings trilogy that are better in the movie than in the book (no Tom Bombadil or Glorfindel...)

Latinandgreek · 11-04-2009, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frabjous

I'm not sure I think they're better overall, but there are definitely certain aspects of The Lord of the Rings trilogy that are better in the movie than in the book (no Tom Bombadil or Glorfindel...)

I agree with you. While I find the books better overall, I thought the fighting scenes from "The Two Towers" (the movie) were excellent, whereas I couldn't really get into them in the book. This is coming from a person who really does not like fighting / war scenes in general.

Laz116 · 11-04-2009, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

I agree with you. While I find the books better overall, I thought the fighting scenes from "The Two Towers" (the movie) were excellent, whereas I couldn't really get into them in the book. This is coming from a person who really does not like fighting / war scenes in general.

Yes, there is no surfing-down-stairs elves in the book. Such a shame.

ardeegee · 11-04-2009, 05:13 PM

Blade Runner. The Terminator.

jaxx6166 · 11-04-2009, 08:57 PM

I'll go out on a limb and say The Postman and The Last of the Mohicans.

Also, Star Wars. But that's because George Lucas writes terribly.

I'll also throw in Marley and Me. Mostly because it makes me cry =)

RCR · 11-04-2009, 09:26 PM

In my humble opinion ---

James Hilton's "Lost Horizon". The story in the novel was muddied and weakened by the device of "this is a story someone told someone who told me". The 1937 movie used straightforward story telling and "show don't tell" and the photography was so atmospheric.

C S Lewis's "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe". The book was thinner in characterisation and atmosphere than the 2005 movie. The opening scenes of the London bombings and the children being sent from the city...ahh. And the witch - so sexy!

Is it cheating to add "Cabaret" based on Isherwood's "Berlin Stories"?

11-04-2009, 05:00 AM	#1
raphaelnonsenso Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 104 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Berkshire,UK Device: Sony Touch, K3	Films that were better than the books We are all used to being disappointed with the film version of a book. The last big screen version of The Count of Monte Cristo was sooooo wide of the mark, it beggared belief. So, my question is; Which Film(s) do you think were an improvement on their respective novels? I'll start it off with The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje Raphael

11-04-2009, 08:57 PM	#14
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	I'll go out on a limb and say The Postman and The Last of the Mohicans. Also, Star Wars. But that's because George Lucas writes terribly. I'll also throw in Marley and Me. Mostly because it makes me cry =) Last edited by jaxx6166; 11-04-2009 at 08:59 PM.

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11-04-2009, 06:23 AM	#2
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I"ve not yet come across a film that is an improvement on the book, but I do know one mini-series: Shogun by James Clavell.

11-04-2009, 07:18 AM	#3
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	I don't think there are any if you are talking about books being made into movies, the opposite way around though Movies/Scripts that are "novelized" are sometimes horrible novels. --- Star Wars perhaps etc...

11-04-2009, 07:34 AM	#4
Pablo Guru Posts: 974 Karma: 4999999 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Rosario, Argentina Device: SONY PRS-T2, Kindle Paperwhite 11th gen	"The Godfather" (I and II) are very close to the book and, in my opinion, excellent movies. "Alive", the 1993 movie based on Piers Paul Read book (the story of the people who survived in the Andes after their plane crashed and rescue parties had given up hope of finding them), is also very good.

11-04-2009, 09:27 AM	#5
dynabook Techno-geek Posts: 225 Karma: 1116651 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: PRS-T1 (Black), PRS-T3S (Black), Kobo Aura ONE	"The Bourne Identity". Robert Ludlum is so melodramatic. His idea was obviously a good one though.

11-04-2009, 09:29 AM	#6
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	One that comes to mind the The Third Man, by Graham Greene. (But it might now count because I think Greene wrote the book specifically with the screenplay in mind.) Another is perhaps the Alfred Hitchcock version of The Lady Vanishes, which was based on The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White. Off-hand I can't think of any others.

11-04-2009, 11:29 AM	#8
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	"Jaws". There was a relationship in the book that was not in the movie because it did nothing for the story. This is the only case where I've found the movie was better. Now, "The Exorcist" was scary whether you read it or watched it on film.

11-04-2009, 12:12 PM	#9
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	'Moby Dick', '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea', 'The Turn of the Screw', and the last few Harry Potters (also, possibly 'Jarhead' - but I haven't seen the movie yet).

11-04-2009, 02:44 PM	#10
frabjous Wizard Posts: 1,213 Karma: 12890 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Amherst, Massachusetts, USA Device: Sony PRS-505	I'm not sure I think they're better overall, but there are definitely certain aspects of The Lord of the Rings trilogy that are better in the movie than in the book (no Tom Bombadil or Glorfindel...)

11-04-2009, 05:13 PM	#13
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	Blade Runner. The Terminator.

11-04-2009, 09:26 PM	#15
RCR Addict Posts: 334 Karma: 992487 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: 2 x Sony 505, iPad, Samsung 7 Tablet, ASUS Transformer, Nexus 7	In my humble opinion --- James Hilton's "Lost Horizon". The story in the novel was muddied and weakened by the device of "this is a story someone told someone who told me". The 1937 movie used straightforward story telling and "show don't tell" and the photography was so atmospheric. C S Lewis's "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe". The book was thinner in characterisation and atmosphere than the 2005 movie. The opening scenes of the London bombings and the children being sent from the city...ahh. And the witch - so sexy! Is it cheating to add "Cabaret" based on Isherwood's "Berlin Stories"?