Better Than the Book?

[TheRedQueen]

I'm guessing that most of you know that I'm a bit of a Puritan when it comes to book-to-movie adaptations. Books are more than just pages with words on them to me, as I'm sure many here would agree; books are an escape, a whole new reality, a brand new world, a dream come true and Heaven on Earth, all rolled up into one. They're magic, plain and simple. Possibly the purest and most subtle of magic.

So when some director decides to bring a book to life, I'm usually suspicious. But every now and then, I find myself surprised. Every so often, there comes a movie that's actually--gasp!--better than the book. For me, these movies are:

The Shawshank Redemption
The Green Mile
Stand by Me
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (US version)


In my opinion, the thing that makes these movies stand head and shoulders above the other adaptations, what makes them stand even taller than the books they were based on, is passion. Whoever was in charge of these films had a passion for the story, a passion that saw straight to the naked soul of the story and ripped it, whole, from the pages.
Even Peter Jackson didn't accomplish that, with all his special effects and years of filming. At least, not in my opinion.

So! Now that I've had my long-winded explanation, what do y'all think? Any other movies out there that are "better than the book"?

 

[DiO'Bolic]

Fifty Shades of Grey

 

[Out of Order]

The Dark Tower

 

[danie]

Sleeping with the Enemy. I liked the movie--it's one of those I can watch over and over again.
The book was HORRIBLE. I was very impressed that the film people made such a great movie adaptation from it.

DarkKrystl, I so agree about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I tried the book once and couldn't get into it. After watching the movie and really enjoying it, I was able to retry the book and ended up enjoying it, but only coz I'd watched the movie before.

 

[TheRedQueen]

Danie, I saw the movie before I read the books. But the movie drove me to find the trilogy, and I really really wish they would make the other two into movies! The next two books get really...weird. But they make you sit up and pay attention, and I'd love to see how Rooney Mara portrays the maturing Lisbeth. I still haven't seen the European versions of the movies. Its hard to see how anyone could top Mara.

 

[AchtungBaby]

Stand By Me
Shawshank
Green Mile
11/22/63 (so far-- I just love it so much!)
Forrest Gump
Clockwork Orange
Water For Elephants
The Fault In Our Stars (hated the book, thought the movie was marginally better)
The Outsiders

 

[danie]

Danie, I saw the movie before I read the books. But the movie drove me to find the trilogy, and I really really wish they would make the other two into movies! The next two books get really...weird. But they make you sit up and pay attention, and I'd love to see how Rooney Mara portrays the maturing Lisbeth. I still haven't seen the European versions of the movies. Its hard to see how anyone could top Mara.

I read the second book and liked it as well. I have the third downloaded, but haven't read it yet. I keep looking for the second movie too. Mara was perfect for the role, and I liked Daniel Craig also.

 

[carrie's younger brother]

The Ten Commandments
Moses and Rameses just don't come off as freakin' hot in the book.

 

[Patricia A]

The African Queen
The book is a fantastic read, but the movie has a much better ending.

 

[blunthead]

The Dark Tower

 

[amaunder]

I'm guessing that most of you know that I'm a bit of a Puritan when it comes to book-to-movie adaptations. Books are more than just pages with words on them to me, as I'm sure many here would agree; books are an escape, a whole new reality, a brand new world, a dream come true and Heaven on Earth, all rolled up into one. They're magic, plain and simple. Possibly the purest and most subtle of magic.

So when some director decides to bring a book to life, I'm usually suspicious. But every now and then, I find myself surprised. Every so often, there comes a movie that's actually--gasp!--better than the book. For me, these movies are:

The Shawshank Redemption
The Green Mile
Stand by Me
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (US version)


In my opinion, the thing that makes these movies stand head and shoulders above the other adaptations, what makes them stand even taller than the books they were based on, is passion. Whoever was in charge of these films had a passion for the story, a passion that saw straight to the naked soul of the story and ripped it, whole, from the pages.
Even Peter Jackson didn't accomplish that, with all his special effects and years of filming. At least, not in my opinion.

So! Now that I've had my long-winded explanation, what do y'all think? Any other movies out there that are "better than the book"?

Of course there are many factors that make a great movie...actors, screenplay and naturally the director. Frank Darabont directed the first two on your list (he also directed The Mist.) Stand By Me was directed by the brilliant Rob Reiner (also directed Misery.) and David Fincher directed TGWTDT (also some great Brad Pitt films: Fight Club, Se7en and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. At times I choose a film by who directed it...for instance if a film is directed by Clint Eastwood, Ridley Scott, Joel Coen, Ron Howard, Tarantino, Jackson, et al., chances are I am going to watch it.

 

[blunthead]

Of course there are many factors that make a great movie...actors, screenplay and naturally the director. Frank Darabont directed the first two on your list (he also directed The Mist.) Stand By Me was directed by the brilliant Rob Reiner (also directed Misery.) and David Fincher directed TGWTDT (also some great Brad Pitt films: Fight Club, Se7en and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. At times I choose a film by who directed it...for instance if a film is directed by Clint Eastwood, Ridley Scott, Joel Coen, Ron Howard, Tarantino, Jackson, et al., chances are I am going to watch it.

A member after my own heart. As for movies which I feel are superior to their books, I honestly can't think of any.

 

[80sFan]

Jaws was better than the book, but the book was really very good.
Psycho was also better on film than on the page.

 

[Patricia A]

Rosemary's Baby

 

[Patricia A]

Oh, and The Exorsist.

 

[blunthead]

Jaws was better than the book, but the book was really very good.
Psycho was also better on film than on the page.

Yes, Psycho, there's one.

 

[kingricefan]

Fried Green Tomatoes- taking nothing from Fannie Flagg as the book is very good, it couldn't compare to the emotional pulling at your heartstrings like the movie does.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape- the book doesn't even compare.
Interview With The Vampire- book is a classic, but the movie made it more exciting.
All of the Harry Potter movies- nothing like seeing all that magic stuff come alive on the screen.

 

[swiftdog2.0]

The only two movies that I have seen that I felt were better than the novels they were based on are Jaws and The Warriors.

Jaws was a good book but there were two subplots that almost drown it.

The Warrriors was an OK novel but nothing special.

 

[DiO'Bolic]

The only two movies that I have seen that I felt were better than the novels they were based on are Jaws and The Warriors.

Jaws was a good book but there were two subplots that almost drown it.

The Warrriors was an OK novel but nothing special.

My daughter's college team name is the Warriors. She is sooooooo very sick of me quoting that line from the movie.

 

[GNTLGNT]

...I haven't found one that exceeded any reading I've done, but a number of films have enhanced the reading experience because they were well done....