Any film adaptations that are better than the books?

[Walkthroughthefire]

I know it's a very rare case but have you ever thought a film as better than the book it was based on. Controversial, I know.

I've always thought Breakfast at Tiffany's was better and more recently, the Hunger Games.

I feel like I had another but I'm drawing a blank just now.

[notenoughlicorice]

P.S. I Love You
Cry every time i see that film. Still. Love it.
Book was excruciating to sift through in places. Very glad whole sections were removed.
Did like the original setting of the coast in the book.
Think the film did an amazing job of keeping the best bits of the book yet transferring it to the USA.

Agree Devil Wears Prada was a horrid book.
James Bond books - dreadful. Bought them for my dad. Very dissapointed.

[SandyMumsnet]

Hi everyone,

With the OP's kind permission we're going to sweep this great thread into films

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

Any film of a Henry James novel

The English Patient

Jaws

[ThunderInMyHeart]

'American Psycho', 'Bonfire of the Vanities' (although Melanie Griffiths is DIRE) and 'Apocalypse Now' (not saying much though as I nearly killed myself reading 'Heart of fucking Darkness'

Book version of 'Memoirs of a Geisha' far better though

[Walkthroughthefire]

I do love LotR & Got but have to say the adaptations have been fantastic also.

Harry Potter is a tough one, I don't think you can understand the films without reading the books but some people obviously have. They're my comfort films but there are elements that they changed that I hate (ie the Burrow scene - you know the one!)

I love Stardust as a book and a film, I think it was adapted really well despite the changes.

I haven't read some of these and don't think I'll bother now!

[BeautyGoesToBenidorm]

Hannibal Rising. Mind you, that's hardly an achievement, because the book was fucking DIRE. There was a real air of 'Right, we've got an idea for a film, Mr. Harris. Here's your cheque, now knock out a book for it ASAP so people can get excited and think it came before the film. Off you pop now, there's a dear'.

Game Of Thrones, absolutely. DH has read all the books, and going by what he said, he might as well have just read the first one and left it there, they're so bloody repetitive. George R. R. Martin is a dreadful writer, really cringeworthy.

[burnishedsilver]

I thought that the ending of Gone Girl worked better in the movie.

[maggz1967]

Waiting to watch girl on the train Paula Hawkins and room Emma donahue books where best I've read in a long time

[honeysucklejasmine]

Agree with The Devil Wears Prada. Andrea is such a bitch in the book, and thoroughly deserves everything Miranda throws at her. Her boyfriend is also too holier than thou.

LOTR books annoy me sooooo much. I love the films, but feel like Tolkien based Ents on himself. His philosophy seems to be "why say 'a tree' when I can spend 3 pages describing it?" which bores me silly.

Dbro got me the GOT books for Christmas. If pp are right, not sure I have the patience to read them!

[Canyouforgiveher]

Bridges of Madison County. Book was a piece of horrible crap. Film made me cry (I was jetlagged and watching it on a plane with a glass of wine but still)

[kateandme]

deff not as good but I did still love the harry potter films

[doublechocchip]

Agree about LOTR all those lengthy songs in the books so boring, much better as a film.

Went to see Room yesterday at the cinema that was a bloody brilliant adaptation of the book.

[MotherBluestocking]

Absolutely agree with other posters on Game of Thrones - books so much less sharp and witty than the TV series.
Also: Sense and Sensibility, anyone? Not only stars the late great Alan Rickman but also manages to make some of the characters and motivations more convincing than the book.

[YouBastardSockBalls]

The Harry Potter films are utter garbage, they tainted the books for me.

[LomboDePorco]

What about Harry Potter? I loved the books (read them first) and thought the films were also brilliant. But I suspect that the films can't stand alone, especially the later films, where I spent much of them whispering to DH explaining character motivations, plot points/holes, magic rules etc that just weren't included. Can they be watched and enjoyed without reading the books?

[FeliciaJollygoodfellow]

God, 100% agree with Game of Thrones. I hate books where I have to keep a finger in the index to remind myself who people are - it was just so turgid!

I used to read books till the end even if they were dire - I just don't bother now.

[Moln]

Game of Thrones - agree totally. I've read the first two, and at times it was as if I was punishing myself so much waffle for so little story progression. Just get ON with it George!!!

[Margoonyawill]

No way. Peter Pan was originally a play, but most people now know it as some form of adaptation -- book, film, cartoon. I still think that the original version, the play, tops all other versions.

[LadyBaelish]

Not a book but on TV, I enjoyed Hannibal's Red Dragon story much more than the book. Might be because it involved a lot of Richard Armitage in tiny boxers though

[seafoodeatit]

game of thrones - I don't mind the show but the book is just unreadable, I haven't been able to get very far into it, it's just awful.

I agree with the poster on stardust, the book is nowhere near as entertaining as the film.

[MalmseyWhine]

Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day is a lovely film but I didn't like the book at all.

[SlightlyJaded]

I asked a similar question a while back.

Here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/films/2327199-Films-that-were-better-than-the-book

[NotNowBono]

The Wolf of Wall Street - saw it at the weekend and was interested to see what the original book had been like.

The original book is compellingly, irredeemably dreadful. Like The Nick Leeson story written by the Daily Mail but x 1000000, and with Quualudes. There is no item mentioned which isn't described by its price tag or its cup size.

[Clawdy]

Whistle Down The Wind was a wonderful film, but the book ,written by Hayley Mills's mother was nothing like the film,and a very poor read.

[HopeClearwater]

The Graduate - a something and nothing novel. Love the film.
Catch Me if you Can - boring book, fun film.
The English Patient - stunning film, but how the writer/director ever got through the book and was then able to turn it into such a great movie is beyond me.