What movies are better than the book?
- Thread starter Greensawmill
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SingingDryad~
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The Witcher Saga by Andrzej Sapkowski! Wiedźmin, as it's called here, is an amazing series.
But the movie was a complete flop. Lack of money, straying away from the original plot, and it's not really an easy thing to put on screen. But still, the Polish director who made it did a pretty horrible job. *sighs*
And...I guess I liked Slumdog Millionaire better than the book (first called Q&A, then renamed). The book was good, but it sort of didn't...have all the threads tied together at the end, I don't know. But the ending scene in the movie was pure Bollywood, so cheesy I liked it.
But the movie was a complete flop. Lack of money, straying away from the original plot, and it's not really an easy thing to put on screen. But still, the Polish director who made it did a pretty horrible job. *sighs*
And...I guess I liked Slumdog Millionaire better than the book (first called Q&A, then renamed). The book was good, but it sort of didn't...have all the threads tied together at the end, I don't know. But the ending scene in the movie was pure Bollywood, so cheesy I liked it.
Soldier of Aslan
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lets put Princess Diaries in the same category as PC. Very good for a film, horrible on adaptation. I've never read the princess Diaries, Meg Cabot has failed to win me over. But then again I'm a guy, so I'm out of her intended audience.
Greensawmill
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I've never read Princess Diaries but did watch the first movie with my kids, found it rather forgettable (I really have forgotten what it's about) except for seeing Julie Andrews act like a child again... I'm so used to seeing her prim and proper style in Mary Poppins that it was fun to watch her break out of that stereotype.
I REALLY like Julie Andrews, so maybe I just remember well any role she takes on.
I liked the movie Princess Diaries a lot. It was kind of cheesy, but I found it overall enjoyable. 
I picked up the book at the library once, and flipped through it a little bit. It was crude and... stupid. Perhaps the entire book was not like that, but I didn't care to find out. So yeah, I'd say that the movie was a LOT better than the book.
I picked up the book at the library once, and flipped through it a little bit. It was crude and... stupid. Perhaps the entire book was not like that, but I didn't care to find out. So yeah, I'd say that the movie was a LOT better than the book.
Soldier of Aslan
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Who Framed Roger Rabbit is much better than Who Censored Roger Rabbit? Even the author agrees and all the sequels have been to the film.
Soldier of Aslan
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Nancy Drew (2003) is much better than the gosh-awful series it's based on The Nancy Drew, on Campus (worthless love dribble I assure you). It's no where as good as the original Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, but much better than the spin off it's based on. Oh, and this is also a Disney movie that aired on The Wonderful World of Disney.
Just take a look at how bad it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A92oRg2ZIeo
Compared to the original series, it's a blonde teeny bopper version of a smart sassy teen detective. Veronica Mars was better at modernizing Nancy Drew, without being an adaptation.
It is not available on any home video format. But it did re-air on ABC family, the month the 2007, Emma Roberts film was released.
Just take a look at how bad it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A92oRg2ZIeo
Compared to the original series, it's a blonde teeny bopper version of a smart sassy teen detective. Veronica Mars was better at modernizing Nancy Drew, without being an adaptation.
It is not available on any home video format. But it did re-air on ABC family, the month the 2007, Emma Roberts film was released.
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SeaStar
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By fairy tales, I mean the original original fairy tales. Like where the sisters slice their toes off to fit the shoes, and Cinderella cooks them in a stew and gives it to the mother. I don't really like the Disney movie Cinderella, but it's better that THAT version!
I guess the Disney Little Mermaid doesn't count here, because I didn't see it, so...yeah. Basically I mean Beauty & the Beast, Tangled, and Sleeping Beauty. The original Sleeping Beauty was just plain...icky. Beauty & the Beast was OK, but the movie made it more interesting. Tangled definitely improved the original Rapunzel tale, which was, er, NOT family-friendly. And it made the characters more interesting, though that's an unfair criticism as a 2-hour movie is obviously going to have more time for characterization than a short fairy tale.
I guess the Disney Little Mermaid doesn't count here, because I didn't see it, so...yeah. Basically I mean Beauty & the Beast, Tangled, and Sleeping Beauty. The original Sleeping Beauty was just plain...icky. Beauty & the Beast was OK, but the movie made it more interesting. Tangled definitely improved the original Rapunzel tale, which was, er, NOT family-friendly. And it made the characters more interesting, though that's an unfair criticism as a 2-hour movie is obviously going to have more time for characterization than a short fairy tale.
Kaleb Dampf
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Lord of the Rings, first of all.... then The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal, both very disturbing......
Here's a flip-flop for you....when the BOOK is inspired by the MOVIE. In the case of Arthur C. Clarke's "2001", the book explained a few of the more puzzling aspects than the screenplay it was based upon. Since both were by the same author, it wasn't exactly heresy. Call it more of a saving afterthought.
Having the author's insights in the book helps the storyline make a lot more sense. As such the book is better storytelling, though the movie with its stunning visuals is better drama.
Having the author's insights in the book helps the storyline make a lot more sense. As such the book is better storytelling, though the movie with its stunning visuals is better drama.
Greensawmill
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I just pulled down and blew the dust off my copy of "Grimm's Fairy Tales" and read the ending of Cinderella. The little song by two doves to the prince as he is riding away into the sunset with first the one stepsister and then the other after they have cut off their toes and their heel respectively (before he turns around and drops them back off at home), is particularly lovely:
"Backwards peep, backwards peep,
There's blood upon the shoe;
The shoe's too small, and she behind
Is not the bride for you."
As Elvira says in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, "What a disagreeable little verse!
Miss.SunFlower
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I don't know if it's been said but I wholly enjoyed Stardust the movie better than Stardust the book - and I lIKE Neil Gaiman, usually.
HighQueenKaty
Member
Peter Pan, doesn't matter who made it into a movie, always better than the book. Ever tried reading it? Good luck. It's partially worse than some of the Narnia books. For quotes, you know, when people are talking, it's an apostrophe. That really made me mad when I 'read' it. It's like, 'But we can't go!' said Wendy. Try it. I dare you. 
Soldier of Aslan
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European books do this for some reason. At first I thought it was just some of my British books, but my German books do it too!Peter Pan, doesn't matter who made it into a movie, always better than the book. Ever tried reading it? Good luck. It's partially worse than some of the Narnia books. For quotes, you know, when people are talking, it's an apostrophe. That really made me mad when I 'read' it. It's like, 'But we can't go!' said Wendy. Try it. I dare you.
Wow! It sounds a lot better in German, and sounds quite clever, but in English it a bit hokey soundingI just pulled down and blew the dust off my copy of "Grimm's Fairy Tales" and read the ending of Cinderella. The little song by two doves to the prince as he is riding away into the sunset with first the one stepsister and then the other after they have cut off their toes and their heel respectively (before he turns around and drops them back off at home), is particularly lovely:
"Backwards peep, backwards peep,
There's blood upon the shoe;
The shoe's too small, and she behind
Is not the bride for you."
As Elvira says in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, "What a disagreeable little verse!
My copy translated it a bit better:
Rook di goo, rook di goo!
There's blood in the shoe.
The shoe is too tight,
This bride is not right!
I know that several book adaptations of films are actually quite different from the films themselves, due to the fact the author gets a very early copy of the script. So a deleted sub-plot, or scene gets into the book!
Mrs Gil-Galad Took
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Definitely Ben Hur. The book is so wrong with the facts. It says Maria was a blond girl with blue eyes around the age of 17 and she married the Joseph who was not only much older but also a family member and the marriage was arranged. And she gave birth to her child surrounded by other people who all watched her closely and made sure the birth would go well. The movie is sooo much better and loser to the truth
Soldier of Aslan
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Which version? I'm going to assume you haven't seen the 1907, 1910, or 1917 versions, so do you mean the 1926, 1959, or 2010 film?
skandycandyboykeynes
Member
Really? I loved the book! It was more descriptive. Just don't read it with your parents or children...
Mrs Gil-Galad Took
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The great 1959 movie with Charlton Heston. I love that movie. It is great. And who tells you I haven't seen the 1907 version? Maybe I was there at that time