Films that are better than the books they are made from?

octatonic

Can anyone think of one?

dafuzz

The Godfather? Someone told me that but I've not read the book

Antique_Guitars

I have not read it but I hear that the books slumdog millionaire was based on was rubbish...........

axisus

I preferred the film of Sphere to the book. Not saying either were good mind you.

The end of Watchmen (one of my favourite films) was better than the comicbook.

Fazer

i preferred the film of atonement to the book.

jd0272

Larsson trilogy original movies were pretty close as far as adaptations go. The American remake (I mean why ffs?) paled in comparison.

Watched The Iceman this week, was canny, but nowhere near the "Fuckin hell-ness" of the book. If you like psychotic true crime, read it.

gusman2x

Virgin suicides was a far better movie. The book was sleazy/creepy.

dindude

Herbie goes bananas

When I was a child I read the book before seeing the film, and thought that was the order they came in.

True storey. I'm better know.

Bellycaster

Interesting one, Oct. Amongst what I have read has been some James Herbert and Stephen King Books and I have preferred the Books, but my favourite film ever is The Shining and I have never read the book. I always think about reading it, but can't bring myself to.

octatonic

Thanks belly, it came to mind reading the movies thread.

Interestingly Stephen King said he hated the film of The Shining- said it was 'cold', which he didn't write the book to be.

Lixarto

As I said in the film thread, the film of "The Shining" is poorly sketched compared to the book, and focuses too much on Jack at the expense of the rest of the family.

Hey, in the book, Wendy has a personality!

IanSavage

Not 'better than', but for 'surprisingly just as good as the book in a different way' I vote 'High Fidelity'. 

octatonic

IanSavage said:

Not 'better than', but for 'surprisingly just as good as the book in a different way' I vote 'High Fidelity'. 

Oooooh, good call.

I love the book, I like the film, though.

octatonic

Lixarto said:

Hey, in the book, Wendy has a personality!

Another criticism King levelled at the film.

monquixote

Plenty 

The Da Vinci Code - I haven't seen the film, but unless it's a two hour closeup of a putrefying wound it's a pretty safe bet. 

A number of Stephen King books including: The Shining, Lawnmower Man (which is a shit film and a worse book), Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption.

American Psycho 

Controversial, but I'd also say Blade Runner is better than Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.

2001

There are also any number of shit film tie in books for most action films for example the book of Terminator 2 is total wank. 

thumpingrug

Cloud Atlas.

octatonic

monquixote said:

American Psycho 

Duuuuuuuude.

No way.

The book is a masterpiece.

The film is turgid and absolutely misses the point of Ellis' discourse.

monquixote

octatonic said:

monquixote said:

American Psycho 

Duuuuuuuude.

No way.

The book is a masterpiece.

The film is turgid and absolutely misses the point of Ellis' discourse.

I thought the film was mediocre and the book was about twice as long as it needed to be.

octatonic

monquixote said:

octatonic said:

monquixote said:

American Psycho 

Duuuuuuuude.

No way.

The book is a masterpiece.

The film is turgid and absolutely misses the point of Ellis' discourse.

I thought the film was mediocre and the book was about twice as long as it needed to be.

I'm a huge fan of BEE so maybe I am biased but American Psycho is as close to a perfect novel as I can think of.

monquixote

octatonic said:

I'm a huge fan of BEE so maybe I am biased but American Psycho is as close to a perfect novel as I can think of.

I thought it was very clever for the first few pages then it just keeps repeating the same scenes over and over again.

WYNIR0

Jaws.