What movies are better than the book?

Chocolat! The movie is just about as perfect as it gets and when I read the book I was horribly dissapointed. It is so much darker with some disturbing elements to it.
 
I haven't read ALL of The Lovely Bones, but the visuals of the movie completely astound me. The heaven scenes are just jaw-dropping beautiful, even trippy, and I think this is my favorite film in which heaven is visually portrayed, though I haven't seen very many that do.
I should read the entire book though before I decide which is better. If anyone's read the book and watched the movie, I'd love to know their opinion.
 
One I'd have to say is Jurassic Park ( first one) . Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Michael Crichton's book a lot but... I felt there was way to much math and science discussion in the novel. That's fine for a book or a college lecture, but not really a two hour movie. Then again I'm biased. Seeing that movie in theaters in 1993 was to me what seeing Star Wars was for my dad in 1977.

I'm probably one of the few who would say this, but I actually like the movies based on the books of Isaac Asimov ( Bicentential Man and I Robot) more then Asimov's original work. I thought he had some very interesting dieas on robots but parts of his work was very dry reading and felt very lecture oriented.

Also, Forrest Gump. The book Forrest was a depressed chain smoker who swore a lot and everything was spelt phonetically. Actually ins oem ways he was a bit like a dumber version of the Lt. Dan character except no redemption. I can barely get through a few pages when I read it. The film.. well it brings tear to my eye every time I watch it.

Planet of the Apes. The book, since it's translated into English from French feels I don't know weird. But the original 1968 film? That ending is just classic! In fact it gets better with each viewing. Tim Burton's film however... meh.

I have to agree on Great Mouse Detective. I remember reading the book as a kid and didn't enjoy it that much. The movie however is one of my favorites ( and you can't go wrong with Vincent Price as your bad guy! The only cartoon villain voice's who came close to his level were Jeremy Irons as Scar in Lion King, Mark Hamill as the joker in Batman the Animated Series, and Patrick Stewart and Ralph Feinens as Pharoah Seti and Ramses in Prince of Egypt.)

Actually on the note of Ben Hur, if I recall correctly General Lew Wallace ( the book's author) wasn't even a Christian when he started writing the book, but he came to faith as a result of writing it. But yes I have to agree in many ways the film was superior, especially with the slave ship scene and the chariot race.
 
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Sven-El said:
Actually on the note of Ben Hur, if I recall correctly General Lew Wallace ( the book's author) wasn't even a Christian when he started writing the book, but he came to faith as a result of writing it. But yes I have to agree in many ways the film was superior, especially with the slave ship scene and the chariot race.
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Actually he supposedly was young in his faith when he got into an argument with an atheist on a long train trip. Filled with furry and knowing he was right he started Ben-Hur. Hur is his baby, you can tell. I just wish he wan't all bogged into the historical details (7 pages describing an article of clothes or a handshake is a bit much). But, apparently the audience loved it seeing it was the best selling book until a little southern belle named Scarlet appeared in '36.
Hopefully I'll finish the beast, but I don't think I'll ever read it again.
 
From what my dad said the Star Wars movies are better than the book series. I personally have never read the books but my dad said he read the first one and heard that... well the books and the movies don't exactly stay together lets say.;)
 
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