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The MOVIE Was Better Than the Book ?
The Lord of the Rings movies. No incessant poetry. No Tom Bombadil. And the narrative flowed better imho.Not The Hobbit book vs movies though :P
And I'd agree with Jerry on Mark Millar adaptations. Not that the comics themselves aren't great, but the movies are another level.
Margaret wrote: "As a life long Jane Austen fan I thought the movie Sense and Sensibility was much better than the book. The BBC TV versions of Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion were accurate and delightful, the m..."Absolutely! The BBC miniseries of P&P (Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle) is the best adaption ever! The feature-length movie w/ Kiera Knightley totally missed the mark.
For Emma, you should watch the Gwyneth Paltrow/Jeremy Northram version of Emma, & you'll see that it's really about "Coming of Age", in the sense of "Growing the H*** Up & Realizing You Don't Know Everyything." Then you may have enough sympathy for Emma starting out, to stick with the book. It's awesome in its (I think)sympathetic portrayal of an unreliable narrator.
I've heard many people say that the Forrest Gump movie was much better than the book(tho I never read the book, so I wouldn't know)
Michelle wrote: "Margaret wrote: "As a life long Jane Austen fan I thought the movie Sense and Sensibility was much better than the book. The BBC TV versions of Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion were accurate and ..."It's funny that you mention Forrest Gump because according to this article the reason there was never a second book is because the author hated the movie so much he decided not to write it!
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31001/...
MissSusie wrote: "http://mentalfloss.com/article/31001/... ..."Oh! THERE'S where I read about how much Stephen King hated The Shining! I'd looked for where I'd read that but had trouble finding the exact quote I was remembering...
MissSusie wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Margaret wrote: "As a life long Jane Austen fan I thought the movie Sense and Sensibility was much better than the book. The BBC TV versions of Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion w..."Interesting link Susie. I have to say I was very sceptical when Cruise was cast as Lestat, but he did a wonderful job. That was when I began to rate him as an actor. The Queen of the Damned was a truly awful film.
The movie "ROOM" was fantastic! The book was equally amazing!
I loved the movie "Still Alice" but the book was far superior in helping the reader to feel the despair that goes along with early alzheimer's for the sufferer as well as the family.
I see a lot of people saying Martian movie equally good as book. I felt it more as a spoof of book.Whatney gets everything done in a jiffy, from Oxygen creation to potatoes to nuclear power source to pathfinder. Doesnt feel the struggle nor science.
Nasa is super chill, PR was useless, jus happened to be there. "Dont tell the crew, oh u did? Its ok."
Oh, the chineese one is lost, no problem. He will be fine.
I literally laughed out loud on Donald Glover solving rocket science.
I dont know , it was too cliche. I enjoyed the book for it felt more engineering, movie is more just drama. Movie isnt bad, but definitely not greater than the book. Again this is just my opinion
Jerry wrote: "I see a lot of people saying Martian movie equally good as book. I felt it more as a spoof of book.Whatney gets everything done in a jiffy, from Oxygen creation to potatoes to nuclear power source..."
I'd tend to agree although I did enjoy both. I do find it odd that people on this audio forum (with recommendations) had indicated they thought the book was humorous. I thought it was a serious book, and the whole tale of ingenuity and survival was very engaging. I felt the movie tended to miss it in terms of when they were trying to be humorous, especially with the incessant jokes about the disco music, which he idiotically kept on listening to. I heard someone say that was probably a studio thing trying to cash in on the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack phenomenon, which I think was a pretty good observation.
By default though I love ANY movie, fictional or non fictional featuring more or less realistic current, past or near future space exploration. And that includes stuff like Europa Report and I even dare to say Apollo 18 (that film did a phenomenal job on sets, and I finally got an understanding from that film on what it would have been like in the Apollo Missions LEM, which I never got from ANY other film or documentary - so I'll always defend that movie).
I have Apollo 18 on Bluray and really enjoy it. Like you I feel like I got a better idea of what it was like to actually be IN the LEM and more what life might have been like on the moon (minus the murderous moon rocks of course).
Jeffrey wrote: "I have Apollo 18 on Bluray and really enjoy it. Like you I feel like I got a better idea of what it was like to actually be IN the LEM and more what life might have been like on the moon (minus the..."YES Exactly! A fellow fan. That is exactly right on the LEM. I'm an Apollo nut, and devour everything visually I can find on it, and Apollo 18 was by far the FIRST that gave any idea of what it was like existing in the LEM, just spacially, hammocks etc. That film was incredible. Even the fictional soviet LEM was apparently from designs. But for some reason people couldn't get past "rocks" (which I didn't object to as a concept - what else would a lifeform do that existed in an airless cold environment when there was no activity?). Sure it is implausible but what movie isn't (very few...).
Lisa wrote: "The movie "ROOM" was fantastic! The book was equally amazing!"I just got that in the mail today can't wait to watch it tonight!
Michael wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "I have Apollo 18 on Bluray and really enjoy it. Like you I feel like I got a better idea of what it was like to actually be IN the LEM and more what life might have been like on the..."I grew up in the Apollo era watching Neil Armstrong walk on the moon for the first time; watching the American and Soviet astronauts shake hands in space for the first time in the Apollos/Soyuz project, and of course we mustn't forget Skylab. When I had cable I used to watch the NASA channel frequently especially the ISS updates.
Apollo 18 should become a classic space movie, IMHO. I agree that the moon rock creatures were implausible, but I thought they fit well with the movie, and really are they any more implausible than the aliens in the ever popular Aliens series or Predator movies?
For me the movie Stardust was better than the book. Neil Gaiman is a good writer, but Stardust the book felt too long-winded at times, and I didn't like the ending.
MissSusie wrote: "Lisa wrote: "The movie "ROOM" was fantastic! The book was equally amazing!"I just got that in the mail today can't wait to watch it tonight!"
Hope you find it as riveting as I did!
Jeffrey wrote: "Apollo 18 should become a classic space movie, IMHO. I agree that the moon rock creatures were implausible, but I thought they fit well with the movie, and really are they any more implausible than the aliens in the ever popular Aliens series or Predator movies?"I know, people get caught up so much on odd things. Like a good friend of mine I lent him a J-Horror film Hypnosis which I found really creepy. He liked other horror and J-Horror as I did so thought he might like it. His explanation though on why he didn't like it was "I don't believe in hypnosis". He actually used the word "believe". Riiiight... So Sadoko coming out of a TV set was OK, ghosts of people are OK, zombies are OK, werewolves are OK, vampires are OK, aliens with molecular acid for blood that don't just digest themselves are OK. But hypnosis? That is just ridiculous...
Oh my goodness Room was AMAZING! Wow the little guy who plays Jack was absolutely fabulous and Brie Larson so deserved the Oscar for her role but feel like Jacob should have won too over all the adults! Most of this movie is word for word from the book I was very impressed!!
Stephen King's "Misery" was a better movie than book. Kathy Bates was phenomenal.
Have to think about it more. I think Trainspotting is better than the book because it's written in Edinburgh dialect that translates easier on screen. The memoirs of junkies really do have profound impact on screen. Another is Requiem For a Dream.
But not Naked Lunch. I haven't read all of the Hunger Games. I haven't seen all the movies either. Have to think about it.
The film trilogies for the Divergent series... those movies are pretty terrible, with the exception of number one which is so-so.
But not Naked Lunch. I haven't read all of the Hunger Games. I haven't seen all the movies either. Have to think about it.
The film trilogies for the Divergent series... those movies are pretty terrible, with the exception of number one which is so-so.
The Bourne Identity , film, much better than the book.
Specifically the character of Marie is better and Jason (in movie)
does not slap her around for being hysterical as he does in the book. The book is from 1980. The old technology can be jarring. Have not read anymore in the series. Put off by the slapping of the heroine.
Specifically the character of Marie is better and Jason (in movie)
does not slap her around for being hysterical as he does in the book. The book is from 1980. The old technology can be jarring. Have not read anymore in the series. Put off by the slapping of the heroine.
I enjoyed the film, "Children of Men " better than the book written by P.D.James
I think Coppola distilled Mario Puzo's The Godfather into a classic, once-in-a-lifetime movie. The book was fine, but the movie is legendary.
Agree with Cathy. I listened to "The Godfather" and the dialogue is very often the same. Coppola stayed pretty close to the book but the movie was better."Presumed Innocent" (Scott Turrow) was a pretty good book I picked up in an audible sale. I think Harrison Ford made it a better movie.
Sonja wrote: "I enjoyed the film, "Children of Men " better than the book written by P.D.James"Much agreement on this! I saw the movie first and loved it. I later went back and read the book. I have no problem with things being different. That is the nature of an adaption. But I just didn't enjoy it as much.
movie better than book:The Maze Runner
The Postman
movie and book were equal:
The Road
The Reader
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Martian
The Silver Linings Playbook
Shutter Island
Saeed wrote: "movie better than book:The Maze Runner
The Postman
movie and book were equal:
The Road
The Reader
[book:The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo|2429..."
Great list Saeed!
Cathy wrote: "I think Coppola distilled Mario Puzo's The Godfather into a classic, once-in-a-lifetime movie. The book was fine, but the movie is for all time."Funny, I liked the book better than the movie... <><
Hunger Games and Catching Fire were pretty comparable to each other. However, I preferred Mockingjay the movie because you were less in Katniss's head and saw more world building. I had a hard time finishing the book.I agree also that Stardust the movie is more enjoyable.
Most disappointed in the Harry Potter adaptations. There was so much to discover and they butchered the books creating the movies.
I completely agree about mockingjay movie, but I think they did a good job with the first and last HP films. IMO the order of the Phoenix was the worst of them.
"True Blood" vs "The Southern Vampire Series". Sookies adventures have their charm in both venues. But is the Series better than the Book?
"Brooklyn" the movie was better than Brooklyn the book. I think even Colm Toibin might have agreed, reading between the lines in interviews with him.
I think they guys who made the HBO series for Game of Thrones did a better job then some of the books. I liked books 1-3 but 4 and 5 had too many characters that went no where and just dragged. The show cut a few things but since Martin never released book 6 you would never know.
Jurassic Park - I really enjoyed the movie. 14 years later, I finally read the book. I think I had seen the movie so much that I didn't like it when the book was different (which was a lot!) The book was well done, though.Am planning on reading The Lost World. Am interested in seeing how he brings 2 people back in the 2nd Jurassic book...
The Witches of Eastwick. I liked the movie, but not the book so much. It was so long ago, maybe I’d feel different now.
I think the award for funniest movie adaption has to be Jack Reacher. The idea of Tom Cruise playing that character was so ludicrous that at first I genuinely thought it was a hoax.As it happens the films were okay if you divorced Cruise's version of Jack Reacher from the book version and pretended you were watching something new.
Carol wrote: "Am planning on reading The Lost World. Am interested in seeing how he brings 2 people back in the 2nd Jurassic book......"They were only mostly dead.
J. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: "Carol wrote: "Am planning on reading The Lost World. Am interested in seeing how he brings 2 people back in the 2nd Jurassic book......"They were only mostly dead."
I just love Princess Bride references! Speaking of which, I've never read the book--last I looked only an abridged version was available on Audible--but I suspect I would be missing the movie voices if I ever read it.
Jeanie wrote: "J. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: "Carol wrote: "Am planning on reading The Lost World. Am interested in seeing how he brings 2 people back in the 2nd Jurassic book......"They were only mostly dead."
I just l..."
Ever listened to As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride?
J. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: "Jeanie wrote: "J. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: "Carol wrote: "Am planning on reading The Lost World. Am interested in seeing how he brings 2 people back in the 2nd Jurassic book......"They were only mostly d..."
I loved that book! Cary Elwes was wonderful along with the other narrators. I had no idea what a good mimic Elwes was until listening to this one.
J. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: "Jeanie wrote: "J. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ wrote: "Carol wrote: "Am planning on reading The Lost World. Am interested in seeing how he brings 2 people back in the 2nd Jurassic book......"They were only mostly d..."
As a matter of fact, your previous comment made me think of that very book and I just finished re-reading it last night! Absolutely love that book... makes me want to re-watch the movie! Of course, I'm always up for re-watching the movie, so just about anything can trigger that desire. ;)
My contribution would be that The Elegance of the Hedgehog gets rather drawn out. French film L'Herrison (The Hedgehog) makes for a smoother experience covering the story well.
John wrote: "My contribution would be that The Elegance of the Hedgehog gets rather drawn out. French film L'Herrison (The Hedgehog) makes for a smoother experience covering the story well."Yes! I agree with that one, I found the book off-putting but the film charming. And though I love Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility as created by Emma Thompson was more enjoyable than the book. Another is The Joy Luck Club, where I had trouble keeping the characters straight in the book, but not in the film.
I think some of the recent YA sci-fi adaptations, specifically both Divergent and The Maze Runner series are much better as movies than as books. This is probably because the action-packed writing and relatively shallow world/character development. Great for movies, not so much as books. It's almost as if the authors were planning to make them into movies to begin with.
I'm also going to throw in that the video of The Way We Live Now Starring David Suchet is as good as the book.
John wrote: "I'm also going to throw in that the video of The Way We Live Now Starring David Suchet is as good as the book."I thought that was a very good production, too, John.
After recently relistening to The Help I realised I enjoy the book and the movie both. And both are pretty good a second (or third) time around!
Most of you know I'm a data geek and a few of you have also confessed the same. So, I know at least a few of you will enjoy this. It is a comparison of Goodreads ratings vs. IMDb movie ratings that quantify which movies are better than the book. SO COOL!If you roll over the dots on the charts you can see the names of the various books. SO COOL!
Geek away!
https://public.tableau.com/en-us/s/ga...
Audiobooks
Books mentioned in this topic
Magpie Murders (other topics)Magpie Murders (other topics)
Magpie Murders (other topics)
Big Fish (other topics)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Diana Gabaldon (other topics)George Orwell (other topics)
Elmore Leonard (other topics)
Philip K. Dick (other topics)
It's really obvious that they're talking around certain subjects, and I figured out the twist to the ending in the first chapter. Perhaps I wouldn't have picked up on it, if I hadn't read certain other classics, but still... It's never a good thing when you can figure out the books secrets in Chapter One!
I would suspect that using POV camera angles and such would be a lot less obvious (and more spooky) than just talking around the issue like the book does.