Six Films Better Than the Books They’re Based On
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We asked The Atlantic’s writers and editors: What’s a film adaptation that’s better than the book?
The article explains why they consider the movies Jurassic Park, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Devil Wears Prada, The Social Network, and Clear and Present Danger each to be better than their source material.
wrote last edited by [email protected]The film makes substantial changes to the ending and some of the main plot though. The novel makes no mention of credit card companies, and the film ending is an atrocity.
Edit: this was supposed to be for the comment thread about Fight Club but apparently posted independently. Apologies for the confusion.
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The film makes substantial changes to the ending and some of the main plot though. The novel makes no mention of credit card companies, and the film ending is an atrocity.
Edit: this was supposed to be for the comment thread about Fight Club but apparently posted independently. Apologies for the confusion.
Which one?
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We asked The Atlantic’s writers and editors: What’s a film adaptation that’s better than the book?
The article explains why they consider the movies Jurassic Park, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Devil Wears Prada, The Social Network, and Clear and Present Danger each to be better than their source material.
The screenplay for the Princess Bride was written by the writer of the book iirc and just seems like a later draft of the same story but edited to be much better. And with the added bonus of having absolutely iconic performances.
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Having just rewatched Jurassic Park the other night for the first time since I was about 6 years old, my takeaway was mostly that the park needed a total overhaul of their EH&S department. Probably every single death was avoidable with less than a day's work to prevent it, starting with the very first scene when they release a raptor into the enclosure. That guy's death could have been avoided by simply
- Installing some rings into the posts on either side of the gate, and securing the shipping container to them to prevent unplanned movement of the container.
- Attaching some support posts to the rear of the container that would dig into the ground, rather than letting the container shift backwards.
- Have a pulley rigged up over the gate that could hook into the top of the door on the container, allowing the crew to lift open the container's door from a safe distance.
And that's literally the first scene. The entire main plot could have been avoided by not permitting a design with so many single points of failure, like only one individual being able to shut down critical safety systems without any additional oversight, and seemingly no fallback systems to account for either incompetent or malicious actors on the island.----
wrote last edited by [email protected]Probably every single death was avoidable with less than a day's work to prevent it
This is where I disagree with the idea that Hammond's culpability as a representative of capitalism was downplayed. He keeps saying "We spared no expense" but basically every problem is because they spared many expenses. Sure, they spent money on the little luxury details to make it an attractive park, but they overlooked or cheaped out on everything that wasn't directly part of the value stream.
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Idk I quite liked the book Jurassic Park, moreso than the movie I think but tbf it is a great movie too.
Yeah, I was surprised by this one, the book is great! The movie is great. They're both great for what they are. The movie isn't better.
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The screenplay for the Princess Bride was written by the writer of the book iirc and just seems like a later draft of the same story but edited to be much better. And with the added bonus of having absolutely iconic performances.
I have to disagree on this one. I loved the movie then immediately read the book, whereupon I discovered that as good as I'd found the movie, the book was even better. While I've ended up seeing the movie several times (when it happens to air), I've only reread the book once, but the book was, is, and will always be superior.
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So underrated/underappreciated this film I think! Pacey, funny, smart with an existential threat and Tom Cruise playing humble. Emily Blunt is perfect and Bill Paxton has a great time.
Yeah, it's action packed and with great pacing, really show off the premise well.
There's an anime based on the manga coming soon too!
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This is one of my favorite movies to catch people off guard with. Tom Cruise in a sci-fi blockbuster that actually turns out to have nuance and a brilliant time mechanic. Surface level, the box makes it look like schlock.
Yeah, the trailer and every promotional material really looks like a generic scifi stuff
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Blade Runner. I recently read through Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and really didn't like it much but the movie is phenomenal.
Opposite for me. I despise Blade Runner for all the missed opportunities and themes from Androids that never made it to the screen. I recently rewatched the movie too make sure that my 20-YO self wasn't wrong - he was right...
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Ehh I liked the book more.
Isn't the book super pro-fascism?
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Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk, perhaps? Not that it's a bad book by any means, and the idea is superb, but the execution isn't quite so great - it was his first published novel. The film is exceptional, though.
I read that Palahniuk prefers the ending in the movie.
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Both were entertaining, but the movie was more of a popcorn action flick while the book tried to explore the realities of war and a warrior led culture.
The Heinlein estate holders didn't like the movie so much, they have refused selling movie rights to any other book. So you won't see The Moon is a Harsh Mistress because of Starship Troopers.
Movie was some deep cutting satire.
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Isn't the book super pro-fascism?
That depends a lot on who you ask. All the weird propaganda in the movie is not there, but also the way that the main character explains how his society functions is perhaps incomplete.
We don't see their society being racist (except against aliens) or sexist, we don't see them suppress free speech or labor rights, we don't see them worshipping some kind of Fuhrer either.
Personally, I think that war makes fascists of us all and that's what the book tried to convey.
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Annihilation by Vandermeer/Garland. I really loved the Southern Reach trilogy but the film did a great job of capturing a book that was mostly vibe and reflection and used striking visuals to condense it and keep it powerful. Neither were perfect but I’m so glad both exist.
What did you think of the other books in the series? I found the second one to be a retread and didn’t bother with the rest. Wondering if they could ever make a sequel to the movie or if there really isn’t any good material from the other books. Might make a good streaming series depending on what’s extrapolated from the ideas in the first novel.
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We asked The Atlantic’s writers and editors: What’s a film adaptation that’s better than the book?
The article explains why they consider the movies Jurassic Park, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Devil Wears Prada, The Social Network, and Clear and Present Danger each to be better than their source material.
V for Vendetta.
The original graphic novel is good, but very dated to the feel of the Thatcher years.
The film has aged a lot better and it smoothed out the pacing, making it much more enjoyable IMO.
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No, I watched it only once and it was years ago
. I remember that I loved it, but it may have aged badly.It did age poorly, the movie is too slow…
I showed it to my wife recently and I was cringing, even though I love the movie
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What did you think of the other books in the series? I found the second one to be a retread and didn’t bother with the rest. Wondering if they could ever make a sequel to the movie or if there really isn’t any good material from the other books. Might make a good streaming series depending on what’s extrapolated from the ideas in the first novel.
I read them all at once in a single volume. I agree, they become a slog in the middle and hard to even differentiate; I guess it helps relate to the state of mind of the protagonist
️. I remember really liking the end of the 4th(?) book and thinking it was the perfect finish.Right after, I read the Borne series and Veniss Underground (most beautiful/gross scene I’ve ever read in English in this one) and found them incredible and way easier to get into.
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Isn't the book super pro-fascism?
I recall an authoritarian college professor in the book. When considered alongside Heinlein's other work, I suspect the text of the professor's lectures are meant to be examined critically.
Of course, Poe's Law says that someone will take any satire at face value. Or that I took as satire something not meant to be?
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I'm going to keep adding:
Stalker by TarkovskyAnd I will say that every work of Tarkovsky that is based on literature with the expiation of Solaris (it's my personal take). I believe that if Tarkovsky had a better budget Solaris would be the best sci fi film of all times. Some production of that film distracts me from the geniality of Tarkovsky.
I don't think it's strictly speaking better, (but I'm biased because I love Strugatsky), it's such a separated thing, it's completely different from the Roadside Picnic, the book it's supposedly based on
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Isn't the book super pro-fascism?
Yes, Knowing Better has done a great analysis on such
17:52 for the book
