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Any Movies Better Than Their Books?  

post #1 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:35am
Thread Starter 
NCDaddy and I were trying to think if there are any movies out there beter than the book or story upon which they were based. He said The Last of The Mohicans was probably as good as the book. Any others?
post #2 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:38am
The Shining.
Jurassic Park was way better than the book, but I don't remember if the book was written before or after the movie.
And then the Manchurian Candidate (sp?), the book was really difficult to read, but I didn't really enjoy the movie, but would say it was better than the book.
post #3 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:42am
Thread Starter 
The Jurassic book came first. I liked the two books better myself, but that was over 10 years ago, so I may feel differently as an adult.
post #4 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:48am
mary poppins
post #5 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:50am
IMO, both The DaVinci Code and The Firm.
post #6 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by suzysprite View Post
IMO, both The DaVinci Code and The Firm.
I agree! I forgot about those two.
post #7 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:52am
I thought The Notebook was a billion times better movie than book.
post #8 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:52am
The Heiress based on Washington Square by Henry James, the movie to me is better.
post #9 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MamaInTheBoonies View Post
The Shining.
Jurassic Park was way better than the book, but I don't remember if the book was written before or after the movie.
I have to disagree with you on both of these MITB.

While the Jack Nicholson Shining is scary, and the ABC Miniseries version is more faithful to the story, King's book is so much scarier and more intense than either of these film renditions could ever manage.

Also, Jurassic Park the movie was just eye-candy. They butchered Crichton's story of science-gone-amok and turned it into an amusement park thrill ride.

Sorry. Have to disagree.

IMO the only one that comes close to being as good as the book is The Last of the Mohicans.
post #10 of 71
11/16/06 at 1:00am
everything you always wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask*
















J/K
post #11 of 71
11/16/06 at 1:08am
Fight Club. The book is awful. The movie... if you like that sort of thing, it's awesome.
post #12 of 71
11/16/06 at 1:49am
Oh come on, Fenimore Cooper is cheating . Mark Twain said all that needed to be said on that count (he was good at some snark, eh?) Would that I'd read Twain first.
post #13 of 71
11/16/06 at 5:37am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy View Post
I have to disagree with you on both of these MITB.

While the Jack Nicholson Shining is scary, and the ABC Miniseries version is more faithful to the story, King's book is so much scarier and more intense than either of these film renditions could ever manage.

Also, Jurassic Park the movie was just eye-candy. They butchered Crichton's story of science-gone-amok and turned it into an amusement park thrill ride.

Sorry. Have to disagree.

IMO the only one that comes close to being as good as the book is The Last of the Mohicans.
NCDaddy is a Stephen King Connaisseur. It would be painful, I think, if a film version ever approached the novel!

Jurassic movie made Hammond the sweet naive grandpa which appeals more to the American movie viewer. You feel sorry for him and his misunderstanding of how life never sticks to the plan. Jurassic Book made him a real businessman, a greedy jerk you take pleasure in watching be consumed by dinosaurs. It was the vanity, not ignorance, of man that leads to tragedy. That made it darker than the movie, so I could see why someone would enjoy the movie more. There was no "happy ending." It was a cautionary tale. ALso, Jeff Goldblum is hilarious.
post #14 of 71
11/16/06 at 11:42am
I thought all the Tom Clancy novesl that were turned into Harrison Ford movies in the 90s were better than the book. I couldn't even get through the books b/c they were so technical!!
post #15 of 71
11/16/06 at 12:32pm
No movie will ever be better than the book...

Unless the book was written afterwards.
post #16 of 71
11/16/06 at 1:46pm
Movies leave out many details. Which in most cases makes them worse. However, if the reason you couldn't read a book was the details, but like the *idea* of the book, then you'll probably love the movie. Not "better" rather "more palatable". :
post #17 of 71
11/16/06 at 2:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewCrunchyDaddy View Post
Also, Jurassic Park the movie was just eye-candy. They butchered Crichton's story of science-gone-amok and turned it into an amusement park thrill ride.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stayseeliz View Post
I thought all the Tom Clancy novesl that were turned into Harrison Ford movies in the 90s were better than the book. I couldn't even get through the books b/c they were so technical!!
I thought the same thing when I first tried to read Clear and Present Danger. Then I kept reading, and they are LOADS better than the movies. I can still imagine the movie characters playing out the rolls, and the fact that you get to learn so much more about characters that are COMPLETLEY skimmed over in the movies.
post #18 of 71
11/16/06 at 3:39pm
Oh, there are lots of movies better than the book! The Graduate (did you even KNOW it was a book?), Jaws, The Godfather. Also, I would argue, Gone with the Wind.
post #19 of 71
11/16/06 at 3:40pm
The Shining? Awesome book- but the movie. Puh.

btw, I wouldn't say 'better than', but comparably excellent, the miniseries of The Stand.

And I have a guilty Tom Clancy pleasure, too.
post #20 of 71
11/16/06 at 3:48pm
Anne of Green Gables. The author is just too wordy for my liking. The movies are IMO.
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