films that were better than the book

[Purple Stickpin]

Back to A Clockwork Orange for a bit. Unfortunately, I saw the movie before I read the book, so I can't comment without bias as to how I would have imagined the book to play across my eyes, as it were. But to me, there's something so very appropriate about the pseudo-cheezy portrayal of the near future in Kubrick's rendition that is very satisfying to me. I think Kubrick also captured the "trivialization of violence" (as preceived by Alex and droogs) very well by his choice of music and the occasional dose of black humour (Look here, Sonny, that happens to be a very important work of art!, said all posh).

When I finally read the book, I would say that it was at least as good as the film, which in this one case, was a tall order for me. The NADSAT is brilliant as well, and faithfully delivered in the film.

Book: 10/10
Film: 10/10

 

[Bukfan]

Most of the time the book is always better but with the Godfather the book and film are equally as epic in my opinion.

I think the book is better than the film - not that the film wasn't good, of course. There's a lot of stuff in the book that did'nt make it into the film. For that reason alone the book is better, plus you get a better understanding of the characters.
Btw, the second Godfather film was better than the first. That's rare, usually the sequels to a film don't match up to the original film...

 

[Cowboy]

Oh yeah, that movie was much better than the book! Only a profoundly retarded deaf mute could think that book can hold a candle to the cinematic masterpiece that was the Fear and Loathing film. The film is so great it makes the book look like a sad, impotent afterthought. I've often wondered why the film is not part of the curriculum required for every English degree.

Obviously the literary bigwigs flexed their muscle and kept it off the Academy Award ballots and lobbied against Gilliam at Cannes. Well, fuck them! They wouldn't know genius if it crawled up their ass and illuminated them from within. Those flag burning, TV dinner zombies only seek to destroy what is beautiful...what they don't understand...

Exactly mjp , your words are right, in this way !!!

 

[HiddenFormula]

I think the book is better than the film - not that the film wasn't good, of course. There's a lot of stuff in the book that did'nt make it into the film. For that reason alone the book is better, plus you get a better understanding of the characters.
Btw, the second Godfather film was better than the first. That's rare, usually the sequels to a film don't match up to the original film...

Yeah I love the flash back sequences with De Niro as the young Vito and how it contrasts against the modern day family. i.e the rise of the family, and the graudal/painful corruption after Vito's death. Reading the book afterwards really helps tie everything together, which is why I can't really say one is better than the other. They are completely different formats anyway.

I agree think as a film on it's own it is better than Part I, but I generally try and see both I&II as the same film. III - want a pathetic waste. I just pretend it was never made.

 

[MeNoHary]

Trainspotting.
The book was good but hard to follow because of all the scottish slang.
They are both good but the movie is easier to follow...for me.

 

[Ambreen]

No problem of scottish slang for me : I read it in french. :D :D :D

 

[Mark73]

Trainspotting the movie was kind of boring because there was no Scottish slang in the German translation - whatever happened to authenticity?
The Dutch are doing it right, they can spend the whole movie reading subtitles listening to the real voices without actually seeing too much of the film :cool: .

 

[Ambreen]

Translation usually kills the movie. I personaly watch them (when it's possible) in their original language, whatever this latter is. I like hearing words, sentences that have no meaning for me ; some foreign languages sounds really beautiful, others funny.
I remember having seen masterpieces like Johnny got his gun and La Strada in french...they lost everything, just looked like jokes.