#BetterMovieExamples #BookVsMovie #ImprovingOnOriginalMedia
Have you ever watched a movie and thought, “Wow, that was even better than the book or comic it was based on?” 🤔 It’s a rare occurrence, but there are definitely some examples out there where the movie adaptation surpasses the original source material in terms of storytelling, character development, and overall impact. In this article, we’ll explore some notable examples of movies that have improved upon their literary or comic book counterparts.
Movies That Surpass the Book/Comic
When it comes to adaptations, it’s common for fans of the original material to be skeptical about whether the movie will do justice to the source material. However, there are times when the movie not only does justice, but actually surpasses the book or comic in terms of quality and impact. Here are some examples of movies that have managed to achieve this feat:
1. The Godfather
– The book by Mario Puzo is considered a classic, but many would argue that Francis Ford Coppola’s film adaptation is even better. The movie’s performances, direction, and iconic scenes have cemented its status as a masterpiece.
2. The Shawshank Redemption
– Stephen King’s short story “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption” served as the basis for this beloved film. While King’s story is certainly powerful, the movie’s performances and emotional resonance have elevated it to greater heights.
3. The Dark Knight
– While Batman comics have a rich and storied history, Christopher Nolan’s take on the Caped Crusader in “The Dark Knight” is widely regarded as one of the best superhero movies ever made. Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker alone is enough to elevate the film above its comic book origins.
4. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
– J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy novels are beloved by many, but Peter Jackson’s film adaptations brought Middle-earth to life in a way that surpassed even the most vivid imaginations. The sweeping scale, emotional depth, and breathtaking visuals all contributed to the movies’ success.
How Movies Improve Upon the Source Material
There are several reasons why a movie adaptation can surpass the original book, comic, or media it’s based on. Here are some factors that contribute to a movie being better than the source material:
1. Visual storytelling
– Movies have the advantage of using visuals, sound, and cinematography to convey emotions and information in a way that the written word or static images cannot.
2. Editing and pacing
– Filmmakers can condense and streamline a story, removing any unnecessary or slow-paced elements that may exist in the original source material.
3. Performances
– Talented actors and actresses bring characters to life in ways that can surpass the reader’s imagination, adding depth and complexity to the story.
4. Direction and vision
– A skilled director can interpret and enhance the source material, providing a fresh perspective that may improve upon the original.
5. Special effects and production design
– In the case of comic book adaptations, movies have the ability to visualize and realize fantastical worlds and characters in ways that simply aren’t possible on the page.
Ultimately, the success of a movie adaptation hinges on the talent and vision of the filmmakers, as well as the inherent strengths of the source material itself. When these elements align, it can result in a movie that surpasses the original media in every way.
In conclusion, while it’s rare for a movie to be better than the book, comic, or original media it’s based on, there are undoubtedly some examples where the movie has achieved this feat. Whether it’s through powerful performances, stunning visuals, or a fresh interpretation of the source material, these movies have managed to elevate themselves above their literary or comic book origins. As storytelling continues to evolve, we can certainly look forward to more examples of movies that surpass the original media in the years to come.
Do you agree with these examples? Can you think of any other movies that are better than their book or comic counterparts? Share your thoughts in the comments below! And if you’re interested in more discussions about the intersection of literature and film, be sure to check out our other articles on the subject. Thank you for reading! 🎬
Battlefield Earth. They both sucked but the movie only takes 2 hours.
The End of the Fucking Word and I Am Not Okay With This were executed so well and I enjoyed the series more than the graphic novels.
Bizarrely enough, The Princess Bride is a SLOG to read.
Lord of the Rings. I know that’s considered sacrilege but the books can be a slog at times.
Blade Runner.
Jaws and Jurassic Park.
Guardians of the Galaxy. Didn’t really follow the comic and thought that, out of all the potential Marvel ideas, bringing a space raccoon to the screen was a stupid choice. Turned out to be one of their better movies.
Shawshank Redemption was much better than the story it’s based off of.
The original Willy Wonka movie is better than the book.
Altered Carbon and Limitless
Devil Wears Prada. In the movie they actually kind of show why Miranda is that way, and of course Meryl Streep is amazing. In the book she is kind of like… _just_ evil.
Also the resolution of the movie is much better.
The Bourne 3 are better than the books if the book plots would have been made into movies. Does that count?
The Shawshank Redemption. The original writing is a just one of four novellas in Stephen Kings “Different Seasons” (and is still a fantastic read btw) but the movie is legitimately one of the best movies ever made.
Starship Troopers.
The book is alright.
The movie is timeless.
**”Planet of the Apes”** – La Planète des singes by French author Pierre Boulle is a good book, but nowhere near as good as the movie. (Thank Rod Serling).
*The Godfather* novel is great. *The Godfather* movie is arguably the best ever.
Anything Stephen King. He made fun of himself for it in the new It movie, with the “can’t write a good ending” gag. They always did better in the movies, even if still not top notch.
“The Godfather”
The book is… not great. It has several paragraphs about one character’s dick. No, really. It’s a bad book that is nearly unreadable in spots.
< cue “Family Guy” quotes in the replies >
A Clockwork Orange. Yes the book was fucking amazing, and in many ways superior. But I think Kubrick’s film is so visually stunning. As well as actually hearing Beethoven’s music with Alex’s reactions compared to just reading it on paper is incredible.
A History of Violence is another one. The original graphic novel is not that great. Much of the graphic novel is nonsensical for a crime story. The movie was superior.
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Jaws. Again the soundtrack plays a big part here, and the movie builds suspense far better. Much of the book side plots don’t really work. Like the chief’s wife cheating or the mafia part.
I would say The Godfather or Fight Club
The Shining
The Hunger Games films created so much background and structure for the world that did not happen in the books. The books are fine, very easy but compelling reads. But the films were just way better than they would have been if they’d stuck to the text.
honestly, the hunger games movies. yes, the books are “better” but i found all the movies changes better.
Out of Africa
Howl’s Moving Castle. The book is good, and has its charms, but the Ghibli movie is a fucking masterpiece.
Fight Club – hands down
The graphics and visuals I think really took the movie to a whole other level than the book.
I am number 4
It’s a half decent young adult action movie with some lukewarm romance. The one thing I remember from watching it in high school was how good the action was. The other thing I remember was how *painfully annoying* the romance was to read in the book version.
Not a movie, but the TV series of The Expanse was, in my opinion, a perfect book-to-screen adaptation. Every change they made makes perfect sense, they take a lot of the characters to a whole new level, and overall, I like the TV series better than the books.
Die Hard.
The first season of Altered Carbon was superior to the book by a mile. I was so disappointed by the second season.
The God father. Read Puzo’s novel and you will appreciate the editing done by Coppolla. Jaws is another that comes to mind.
Annihilation. I thought the book was just alright but the movie blew me away.
*Drive (2011)* is far better than the book, but the book is pretty good too.
In general, I don’t think it’s rare at all for the movie to be better than the book.
*The Hunt for Red October*. The book was great. The changes from the book to the movie were even better.
(Also *The Princess Bride*.)
The Dark Knight was better than any comic book I ever read…..
stardust
Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Technically, the movie is only an “in name only” adaptation, keeping the core characters from the book (Eddie, Roger, Jessica, and Baby Herman), but changing the story and setting (the book takes place in the 80s and is about Eddie searching for the person who murdered a film exec and trying to find a magic lamp, the movie takes place in the 50s and is about Eddie trying to clear Roger’s name after a movie exec is killed and uncovers a bigger conspiracy involving city planning).
That said, the book is still worth a read, but it’s immediately obvious as to why the story was changed. The book, as written, is unfilmable. It’s not a matter of special effects, either, there are plot points that would be impossible to depict on screen without becoming utterly obnoxious, specifically that Toons speak in speech balloons, and those balloons often get left behind after a Toon’s death.
Practical Magic. It’s been one of my favorite movies my whole life. It’s just so cozy to me and I was so excited when I found out it was a book! I wanted to dive deeper into the characters and their lives. I couldn’t make it passed the first 30 pages. The cute, quirky aunts were just neglectful and awful people and their whole “meddling in peoples love lives” thing was way darker and more fucked up. I just hated all of the characters and the story was just totally different
Silver Linings Playbook
Jaws. The book is just so boring, but the movie is amazing.
Heinlein’s Starship Troopers – Heinlein spends crazy amount of pages going on and on about military rank, their duties and nuance and exceptions.
The Boys. The series is way better than the comics imho.
Forrest Gump. When I finally read the book it was so hard to wrap my head around the fact that they managed such a successful screenplay while drawing inspiration from such awful source material.
*Blade Runner* is much better than *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?*
I liked the story, but the movie is just far and away better.
Anything by Philip K Dick.
Iron Man.
He’s so popular now that people forget how forgettable he was prior to that first film. The movies genuinely took him from a B-list hero to practically the poster child of Marvel.