Films that Transcend the Book

[RockyBanks]

When I saw this thread title, the first film that came to mind was Jurassic Park. Glad to know I'm not the only one. The book is terrible.

Another big one for me--and I know I'm committing heresy by saying this on a comic book forum--is Watchmen. Zack Snyder's film completely transcended the graphic novel IMO, in particular by changing the novel's offbeat (read: WTF?) climax.

[Ood Omega]

I'm surprised people haven't mentioned more comic adaptations. I recently watched Batman: Under the Redhood and am wondering how it stands up to the Under the Hood story arc.

[SephirothDZX]

I'm surprised people haven't mentioned more comic adaptations. I recently watched Batman: Under the Redhood and am wondering how it stands up to the Under the Hood story arc.

My opinion, I think both the story arc and the movie are both pretty entertaining. My only gripe with the movie is that I dont like Batman basically dodging a bullet, almost Superman style.

[Ood Omega]

My only gripe with the movie is that I dont like Batman basically dodging a bullet, almost Superman style.

That made me go WTF too

[dupersuper]

My opinion, I think both the story arc and the movie are both pretty entertaining. My only gripe with the movie is that I dont like Batman basically dodging a bullet, almost Superman style.

If that bothers you, surely the Amazo fight raised an eyebrow...

[The Batman]

My opinion, I think both the story arc and the movie are both pretty entertaining. My only gripe with the movie is that I dont like Batman basically dodging a bullet, almost Superman style.

Is it really Superman's style to dodge bullets? Seems like the sort of thing he need not worry about....

[Ood Omega]

I don't know if its a generational thing but alot a great books were turned into iconic films like Gone with the Wind, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Of Mice and Men, etc, etc. To me it seems that they used to be turned out in greater volume where as today I only notice a handful of books being adapted (including comics) and most of the time the outcomes are various levels of meh, with a few shining examples of how to do it correctly.

Has movie making changed so much that they are now unable to make films that are as iconic as past generations? Don't get me wrong I enjoyed movies like Marvel's Avengers and The Dark Knight but I'm not sure breaking new box office records is the same as influencing pop culture for generations. I'm also wondering if Hollywood has simply run out of ideas? Reading was obviously more popular back then so no surprise that many books were adapted to the big screen. Books are still being adapted to day but I'm not sure if it's in the same volume.

[NuBatFan]

Interview With The Vampire

Ehhh, I dunno. I think they are about the same. "Interview" is one of the most faithful adaptations I've ever seen int that it completely captures the same tone as the book while keeping most key events the same too.
The movie ending was a bit peculiar however...

Totally disagree with anyone who says the Jurassic Park novel was terrible. The movie had to tone down all the messages of the book and while it ended up keeping them intact, you lost a lot of the value to those messages. The science and ethics of what they were trying to do is a big reason I like JP in the first place and the book simply had a lot more room to stretch its legs in both those areas.

[idlewildered]

I don't know if its a generational thing but alot a great books were turned into iconic films like Gone with the Wind, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Of Mice and Men, etc, etc. To me it seems that they used to be turned out in greater volume where as today I only notice a handful of books being adapted (including comics) and most of the time the outcomes are various levels of meh, with a few shining examples of how to do it correctly.

Has movie making changed so much that they are now unable to make films that are as iconic as past generations? Don't get me wrong I enjoyed movies like Marvel's Avengers and The Dark Knight but I'm not sure breaking new box office records is the same as influencing pop culture for generations. I'm also wondering if Hollywood has simply run out of ideas? Reading was obviously more popular back then so no surprise that many books were adapted to the big screen. Books are still being adapted to day but I'm not sure if it's in the same volume.

I think there's still a large amount of adaptations being made, but a lot more diversifying from their original content. Sometimes it works, other times..........

[Ood Omega]

I think there's still a large amount of adaptations being made, but a lot more diversifying from their original content. Sometimes it works, other times..........

....other times they make Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters LMAO

I think culture itself has changed to the point where we as society are not asking our art to make us think or feel for the most part. Sure you can find that stuff still but its not what drives big box office sales anymore and its not the kinda of stuff at the top of The New York Times Best Sellers list either.

[The Green Condom]

It was way worst during the 80's.

[listenuscrewheads]

Awhile ago I was telling someone about how much I liked the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Someone else interrupting uttered the cliche "The Book is Better", which I don't doubt.

It has been twenty years since I read it, and the book is very good indeed, but I prefered the film. The book is told from the p.o.v of the Cheif, which is interesting to read after having watched the film, but the big reveal in the film of the chief being compus mentus is so good, it is better to have seen the film first.
The way they handle that in the book is lame compared to the film as well, in the book, they have it that McMurphy just magically figures out that the Chief is faking his condition, and says so to him one night just before he goes to sleep. Whereas the film's method of McMurphy trying to get through to the cheif throughout the movie, before the chief coming to the rescue followed by the chewing gum scene is sublime, and i am getting an emotional rush here just thinking about it.

There are other things too, Christopher Llloyd's character is absent from the book, he is merely referred to once or twice as having been a patient who was there in the past who was like McMurphy, so they brought him into the movie and his character is hilarious. 'Play the game Harding!...play the game!!' lol

and of course the movie has Jack Nicolson's tour de force performance, which transcends the McMurphy on page.

I don't recall what other differences there are from the book.

Fight Club.

As far as Fear and Loathing... goes, the book is a favourite of mine, and while the film is a good take on the material, maybe the closest a film could get to the book, for me it still isn't as good. I've read the book three or four times (and will read it again many times in the future, I'm sure), but have only seen the film once and don't feel the need to see it again. But YMMV, and all that.

You should watch Fear and Loathing again. I had read the book a few times before seeing the film and loved the book, but as much as I enjoyed the film, at first I kind of just thought of the film as a companion piece to the book. But after seeing the film again and again, I came to appreciate it more, the visials and the performances, do not take the chemistry and performances of Del Toro and Depp for granted, forget who they are as famous actors and just go in watching them as two hilarious maniacs on the loose. I think it's Terry Gilliam's best movie, it is pretty mind blowing visually, and TG has never taken acid, he said he thought about trying it when he took on the film, but decided against it, some people don't need to take it, Philip K Dick didn't need to take it either, lol, he only dropped it 5 or 6 times and didn't like it.

and in regards to PKD, Total Recall and Minority Report are very good short stories, but the film's expanded scripts do transcend them.As for DADOES and BR, it has also been twenty years since I read that novel, they are so different, but equally valid as far as I recall my opnion being.

[The Green Condom]

you seriously think that the Hunger Games movie "transcends" the book ?

Haha, this one made me scratch my head too. I just don't see how is that possible to think that this movie transcends the book. Not saying that the movie is bad, it's a decent entertainment. But...

Anyway, as much as i like Pierre Boule's original novel, i do think nevertheless that the movie adaptation of planet of the apes managed to really turn a good concept into a great, great story.

[Mormel]

L.A. Confidential

In my opinion the film trimmed a lot of bloat from the novel and did a better job at humanizing the characters.

That's one of my favourite movies, but I haven't yet been able to make it through the book. It's been a while since I picked it up, but I don't remember it doing much for me. I should really give it a second chance.

[David Walton]

I'm surprised people haven't mentioned more comic adaptations. I recently watched Batman: Under the Redhood and am wondering how it stands up to the Under the Hood story arc.

I think the film is better, given the more grounded explanation for Jason's return and the satisfying climax (the comic leaves certain things up in the air).