The movie was better than the book

[Pavel Mosko]

It's funny just 30 min ago got done watching that actor be a guest on Youtuber food reviewer rating the best burgers of Los Angeles with a few Lord of the Rings jokes and references thrown in.

 

[Halbhh]

We always hear that "the book was better than the movie." Somebody just said it to me, which prompted this question:

Are there any movies that were arguably better than the book?

I honestly can't think of one.

Any close though? I admit it's hard to think of many at all even close, imo.

So, if none, then how about the other way: what are some great novels that some tried to make a movie and even did a pretty good job on the movie, and still the movie just falls so far short anyway. That's an interesting category: great book, pretty great movie, and it's not even close.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Any close though? I admit it's hard to think of many at all even close, imo.

But that is just because of the amount of time or breadth to cover the topic, that is why I think trying to come up with high end TV series is cool and the way to go because you can do lots of stuff with character building and development, world building etc. So if you are going to compete with a large literary work that kind of is the way to go for a visual medium, because movies by nature have to be extremely streamlined and compressed.

 

[Paidiske]

I'd say The Life of Pi. The movie was reasonable, but book (which I read later) a disappointment in comparison.

 

[Halbhh]

I'd say The Life of Pi. The movie was reasonable, but book (which I read later) a disappointment in comparison.

Interesting. I didn't see or read those, because I couldn't quite get interested in the situation of being on a boat with a tiger, but maybe the details make it more interesting than I imagined.

here's a clip I just found. Is this representative? I admit it was fun to watch:

 

[public hermit]

Any close though? I admit it's hard to think of many at all even close, imo.

So, if none, then how about the other way: what are some great novels that some tried to make a movie and even did a pretty good job on the movie, and still the movie just falls so far short anyway. That's an interesting category: great book, pretty great movie, and it's not even close.

Close calls, where the book is great and the movie close, would be hard to call.

What about books that weren't great and neither were the movies? Left Behind

 

[Paidiske]

here's a clip I just found. Is this representative? I admit it was fun to watch:

It's been a while since I watched it now, but my main recollection is that the book dragged in comparison to the movie.

Part of the conceit - I hope this isn't spoiling anything for anyone - is that the tiger is a metaphor. And that's part of a much larger point the author is making through the character of Pi, which is actually interesting.

 

[Halbhh]

It's been a while since I watched it now, but my main recollection is that the book dragged in comparison to the movie.

Part of the conceit - I hope this isn't spoiling anything for anyone - is that the tiger is a metaphor. And that's part of a much larger point the author is making through the character of Pi, which is actually interesting.

So, now I'm curious about the movie, and may have to see more.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I know! Books are better. I mean, they just are. I'd rather read a good novel most times over see a good movie.

But, here's another of those wonderful LOTR movie moments, where after Gandalf had gone missing (was just about destroyed fighting the Balrog), now he's there with Frodo....

Nice, right?



Yah, the Ents! That was really fun in the novels.

Not that it changes the point you were making, but... wasn't that scene after Gandalf failed to meet Frodo at the Prancing Pony, because he was 'detained' by Saruman?

 

[Mark Quayle]

It's been a while since I watched it now, but my main recollection is that the book dragged in comparison to the movie.

Part of the conceit - I hope this isn't spoiling anything for anyone - is that the tiger is a metaphor. And that's part of a much larger point the author is making through the character of Pi, which is actually interesting.

Haha! my wife hated the books, because besides 'dragging' for so long, they were a constant drumbeat of doom doom doom doom.

 

[Halbhh]

Not that it changes the point you were making, but... wasn't that scene after Gandalf failed to meet Frodo at the Prancing Pony, because he was 'detained' by Saruman?

right! He doesn't have the white robe on there yet. Good catch. He'll be delayed in a more serious fashion yet later.

 

[Mark Quayle]

right! He doesn't have the white robe on there yet. Good catch. He'll be delayed in a more serious fashion yet later.

Oh, right. We meant "delayed", not "detained", precioussss.

 

[Bramblewild]

In my opinion and for whatever that's worth, Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle is some better than the book it's based on. The book isn't terrible, and if anything the story world is more intricate, but I like Howl and Sophie better in the movie version.

 

[DragonFox91]

The Shining
I got 1/2 way thru the book & grew bored, though really liked the first third. I haven't read a lot of Stephen King books but I generally find I like the movies a lot better. Horror just doesn't translate as well to the page.

 

[public hermit]

The Shining
I got 1/2 way thru the book & grew bored, though really liked the first third. I haven't read a lot of Stephen King books but I generally find I like the movies a lot better. Horror just doesn't translate as well to the page.

I think that's a helpful observation. There is something visceral about seeing it.

 

[Shane R]

ANY adaptation of Moby Dick is better than the book. This rule generally holds true for A Christmas Carol as well.

 

[bekkilyn]

The Shining
I got 1/2 way thru the book & grew bored, though really liked the first third. I haven't read a lot of Stephen King books but I generally find I like the movies a lot better. Horror just doesn't translate as well to the page.

I'm completely opposite. I read The Shining and Salem's Lot as a teenager and loved them both, but thought the movies, especially Salem's Lot, were really stupid in comparison. My claim is that horror doesn't translate as well from the page and then start going on about the wonders of Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft.

 

[angelsaroundme]

I looked up a list. Had no idea Drive came from a book. That is one example where the OST does a lot for the atmosphere and experience.

 

[DragonFox91]

A lot of the books you read in high school as required reading, I found I generally liked them a LOT better when they showed us the movie:
To Kill A Mockingbird
Lord of the Flies
Of Mice & Men (I did like the book tho)
The Great Gatsby
Death of a Salesman
A Raisin in the Sun

 

[Paidiske]

To Kill A Mockingbird
Lord of the Flies
The Great Gatsby

It's fascinating that these were all books I studied at school, too. I might have imagined more difference, given being in different countries etc.