Good Book to Film Conversions?

[Postman Dave]

The more books I read, the more I realise the films adapted from them are tripe.

In the last 6 months, I've read Sideways, A Clockwork Orange, Watchmen & V for Vendetta, plus others I'm likely forgetting. With Sideways & Clockwork, I then watched the films and realised neither are as good as the books made originally, and I'm stunned Sideways had Oscar nominations.

It's worse with Watchmen & Vendetta though. I actually liked the films originally having seen them before reading the graphic novels. Now I've read them though, I now dislike both, Vendetta more so, I see why Alan Moore basically disowned the movie.

What's strange is that World War Z & Pirates! An Adventure With Scientists are two of my most anticipated movies of the year, but history dictates I'm probably gonna hate both.

So are there any films that match up to the books they've adapted from? Are there any even better?

 

[Kushikimi]

In spanish there are few books that are actually adapted to movies... thought Love in the time of Cholera is a great adaptation from the book of the same name. It doesn't surpass the novel by Nobel award winner Gabriel García Márquez but it still the best movie adaptation that I have seen as of yet.

 

[Lover Boy]

I really liked the Film and Book Millions, It might not be the best film but I liked it quite a bit.

 

[Catfish Billy]

I think A Clockwork Orange is excellent.

 

[Postman Dave]

I think A Clockwork Orange is excellent.

It's a good film no doubt, but it's got nothing on the book. The film was notorious when I was in school because of being banned for so long, yet I watch it for the first time as an adult and I'm like "meh".

 

[Krisis]

If made for TV movies count, then all of the Stephen King ones are awesome.

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[Wang Chung]

The closest movies to the books have to be the Lord of The Rings trilogy.

 

[Fuji Vice]

The closest movies to the books have to be the Lord of The Rings trilogy.

And yet even those take massive liberties with the source material. Thank God though, I wouldn't have sat through 9 hour films.

The honest answer here is none. Reading a book is such a different experience than seeing it brought to life on film, because you create the images and scenarios in your head. A film can never hope to match that personalization that comes from reading.

 

[TroyTheAverage]

And yet even those take massive liberties with the source material. Thank God though, I wouldn't have sat through 9 hour films.

The honest answer here is none. Reading a book is such a different experience than seeing it brought to life on film, because you create the images and scenarios in your head. A film can never hope to match that personalization that comes from reading.

This is what I was going to say. Even as much as I have enjoyed many films that have been derived from books, they just don't compare. I like thinking of how a certain person looks or how the area around them looks etc...

On that note, the Swedish versions of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movies are some of the best adaptions and honestly, they fit looks wise much more than any I have ever seen.

 

[Krisis]

People who enjoy reading will always prefer the book over the film adaptation... and people who don't will enjoy the movies.