Movies better than the book

[Moniker]

Another thinking-out-loud topic. Kubrick features highly here.

The Shining
2001: A Space Odyssey
Dr. Strangelove (Not completely fair, since Kubrick only took the scenario from the book Red Alert)
Starship Troopers (May be biased. I can't stand Heinlein)
The Godfather
Silence of the Lambs

[dunpeal2064]

The Lord of the Rings?

I think the books are written well for their time, but now that we all can imagine an elf or dwarf in a half second, I don't think the massive amount of descriptions are needed. The movie streamlined it pretty nicely, although it did have its flaws.

One I have always wanted to read is Fight Club. That is a damn cool movie, but I never had the chance to read the book.

[rancor]

Only a few I can think off the top of my head.. Maybe others wont agree:

Trainspotting - Tried to read this ... It's incomprehensible. Scottish people don't really speak like that, do they?

The Last of the Mohicans ... Yeah, yeah - a classic I know, but I liked the movie better. That scene where the caravan is ambushed is still one of the greatest war scenes ever filmed.

Apocalypse Now / Hearts of Darkness ... Again, started but never finished the book. I will someday. The movie is pure sex.

[emphatic]

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher)
Fight Club (David Fincher again!)

[nZero]

This might be a little unpopular, but Hearts in Atlantis

[dunpeal2064]

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher)
Fight Club (David Fincher again!)

So you think Fight Club is better on film? How did you like the book? Is it still worth a read after watching the movie dozens of times?

[Necronopticous]

So you think Fight Club is better on film? How did you like the book? Is it still worth a read after watching the movie dozens of times?

It's hard to read after you've seen the movie because it is the book. The film is such a faithful adaptation that I almost felt as if I were reading the screenplay. I couldn't make it through the whole book--I just watched the movie again.

[Skykid]

The Shawshank Redemption.

[hzt]

Blade Runner/Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

[dunpeal2064]

Thats great to hear though! I've had some people tell me that the book was totally better than the movie... but I had a feeling that was because they read the book first.

OH! Not a movie, but Game of Thrones is INSANELY faithful to the book, and even adds in perspectives that you would not have seen, but that completely fit the book. I had just read this series last year, and I can't believe how spot on it is. It almost creeps me out.

[hzt]

No Country For Old Men
(Tarkovsky's) Solaris

[emphatic]

So you think Fight Club is better on film? How did you like the book? Is it still worth a read after watching the movie dozens of times?

The book's ending differs a lot, but If you have the US DVD you have a commentary track with both author and screenwriter together and Mr. Palahniuk really loves the film's ending. Better to pick up and read Survivor as it's unlikely to be filmed.

[njiska]

Another thinking-out-loud topic. Kubrick features highly here.

The Shining

I have such a hard time agreeing or disagreeing with that. The film has a better ending, but the book is far scarier at times and the moving Topiary tops the Hedge Maze any day. I tend to put them on par. Equal, but different. I'd love to see the more faithful adaptation done in 2000 to see how it compares.

[Moniker]

Another thinking-out-loud topic. Kubrick features highly here.

The Shining

I have such a hard time agreeing or disagreeing with that. The film has a better ending, but the book is far scarier at times and the moving Topiary tops the Hedge Maze any day. I tend to put them on par. Equal, but different. I'd love to see the more faithful adaptation done in 2000 to see how it compares.

That's sort of how I feel about Blade Runner/Electric Sheep. The feel is very different (film is more dystopian, book is more abstract), and there are different goals, but I'd be hard pressed to say which is better. I prefer the book, though, since I'm a Philip K Dick fanatic.

Apocalypse Now / Hearts of Darkness ... Again, started but never finished the book. I will someday. The movie is pure sex.

You need to finish the book. High among the most important books of the 20th century. Which isn't to say that the AN isn't completely brilliant, though. I tend to think of Heart of Darkness as more of a genre when it comes to films, since so many run with its ideas.

And yeah, (some) Scots really do talk like that. I remember even the first time I saw the movie I had to turn on subtitles. IIRC, Scottish was even considered a separate language (or at least a different dialect) by Brits in the 19th century.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Blade Runner/Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

The fact that Priss and another character are the same make & model in the book (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep)...at least the '82 film version gives two different faces for two different female characters. Would've been interesting to see how a 2019 version of San Francisco (& Bay Area in general) would look like with the famous iconic Golden Gate Bridge in the background instead of Los Angeles. If a proper prequel or sequel to BR ever comes around, it'll be interesting to see what other weaponry such BRs use in addition to their standard issued handguns.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[CIT]

Vertigo -> In fact the book it's based on has been completely forgotten today.
There will be Blood -> The Jungle seems to be the only book Upton Sinclair is remembered for.
The Woman in the Dunes -> Actually the book is great, the movie is just even more awesome.

I think there are many examples of films better than the book they're based on. What's really interesting however, are films that are better than the videogames they're based on. Are there even any?

[Vamos]

1984 i felt was at least as good as the book.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Blade Runner. Philip K. Dick's writing is bad.

[nZero]

Blade Runner. Philip K. Dick's writing is bad.

Any opinion on whether Second Variety is still worse than Screamers?

[Mortificator]

I said a while back that the movie adaptions of Planet of the Apes and The Godfather were better than the novels. But I totally disagree with some of the other names you guys are bringing up. (heavy spoilers for the titles in bold)

The Shawshank Redemption - The movie simplified and sensationalized various elements. Instead of there being several wardens and chief guards over the decades, those roles are are crystallized into one supervillain-y example of each. It's not enough for Andy to escape either, he has to single-handedly bring down the entire corrupt prison organization. Morgan Freeman was great, though.

The Shining - Creepier ghost playmates, but the movie versions of kid and wife were so annoying. Dick Halloran wasn't very effective either, while in the book he was pretty hardcore. Jack Nicholson is better suited to playing a Randall Flagg than a Jack Torrance. And I could have lived very happily without actually seeing a naked old lady.

Starship Troopers - Are you shitting me?

What's really interesting however, are films that are better than the videogames they're based on. Are there even any?

I'd be more willing to rewatch the first Mortal Kombat movie than to replay the first Mortal Kombat game.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Any opinion on whether Second Variety is still worse than Screamers?

Actually I sort of liked Second Variety. Screamers seemed okay from what little I saw (very little).

[Randorama]

Only a few I can think off the top of my head.. Maybe others wont agree:

Trainspotting - Tried to read this ... It's incomprehensible. Scottish people don't really speak like that, do they?

Well, they do. There are more uncomprehensible dialects of English, though (...that I can understand).

The tenth victim, with its glorious theme by Piero Piccioni, was better than the stringy short novel it was based upon (by Robert Sheckley, I believe). It featured a terrible-looking Mastroianni with platinum-blonde hair.

[EllertMichael]

The Running Man
I read it like 15 years ago and remember not really enjoying it. I love the movie though! Schwarzenegger speaks entirely in one-liners. Bad ass.

Trainspotting - Tried to read this ... It's incomprehensible. Scottish people don't really speak like that, do they?

haha I loved reading Trainspotting with all the dialect. It helps to read some of the dialog aloud. No joke reading that book actually fucked up the way I talked for months. My friends still make fun of phrases I unintentionally pronounced with an accent from years ago. I also read the sequel, Porno which I think should really be made into a film. ( ) I've been meaning to check out more of Irvine Welsh's work...

[Obiwanshinobi]

The Third Man (film) can't possibly be worse than the book, can it?

[EllertMichael]

The Third Man (film) can't possibly be worse than the book, can it?

I've never read the book but I loved the film

[CMoon]

(Tarkovsky's) Solaris

This is effectively an argument that Tarkovsky is a better director than Lem is an author. Lem was actually rather unhappy with the shift that Tarkovsky made in the plot--suggesting to me that one is not a superior take on the other, but each stand as separate works.

I have the same feeling toward Blade Runner/Electric Sheep because once again they are so different from one another (completely different themes in fact), that it is hard for me to call one better than the other. Dick is clearly not a very good author (though he had the best ideas), so its easy to say virtually any adaptation of his works are more enjoyable than his books, but few actually capture his intense level of creativity. Blade Runner, despite being a good movie, is no exception.

For me, Plague Dogs movies vs book finds the book being rather badly beaten.

[xbl0x180]

None. One may prefer reading a book to watching a movie, but the comparison is flawed since books aren't movies and vice-versa. If I were to make that comparison, then movies will always be better than books by merely counting the number of differing artistic talents involved in the making of a movie: screenwriting, cinematography and photography, music and sound engineering, costumes and make-up, set designs, acting, etc. Books don't have that

[njiska]

None. One may prefer reading a book to watching a movie, but the comparison is flawed since books aren't movies and vice-versa. If I were to make that comparison, then movies will always be better than books by merely counting the number of differing artistic talents involved in the making of a movie: screenwriting, cinematography and photography, music and sound engineering, costumes and make-up, set designs, acting, etc. Books don't have that

That's not a completely fair statement. Yes movies and books are different things with different expectations, but enjoyment is ultimately enjoyment. Unless you really hate one form or another you should be able to fairly compare your enjoyment levels. Such as I and Moniker have been doing with The Shining.

[xbl0x180]

None. One may prefer reading a book to watching a movie, but the comparison is flawed since books aren't movies and vice-versa. If I were to make that comparison, then movies will always be better than books by merely counting the number of differing artistic talents involved in the making of a movie: screenwriting, cinematography and photography, music and sound engineering, costumes and make-up, set designs, acting, etc. Books don't have that

That's not a completely fair statement. Yes movies and books are different things with different expectations, but enjoyment is ultimately enjoyment. Unless you really hate one form or another you should be able to fairly compare your enjoyment levels. Such as I and Moniker have been doing with The Shining.

"Enjoyment" is not the same as "better." I may enjoy reading the book more than watching the movie, but the movie will always be better than the book based on the different types of talents displayed (i.e., there is just more art involved in the making of a movie than in the writing of a book)

[CIT]

But "more stuff" also doesn't equal "better".