Films v Books

[Marshy]

Has anyone ever seen a film that is as good or better than the book ?

I personally don't think its possible....

 

[Silent Bob]

They can't really compare, they're very different experiences.
LOTR and The Godfather are both as good as their book counterparts.

 

[Gully]

Not really, only read a few books and then seen the film too. Possibly the best was Trainspotting, both are good but the film is a modern classic, on the other hand The Beach was a superb read but the film was a bit of a let down.

 

[Silent Bob]

The Shining film has a lot of changes from the book but is still classic.

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

Films are always better as I cant be bothered to read the book.

I didnt know that most of the above mentioned where origonally books.

I knew there was a book Trainspotting, but I thought it was based on the film, so I must be wrong.

LOTR is shit - both book and film

Wouldn't mind a read of The Beach thuogh, or maybe some of the Tom Clancy books

 

[alan partridge]

the youth of today

films can never compare with books. How can you get everything that is in a book into 2-3 hours of film?

Having said that I did think High Fidelity was a better film than a book. But that's not saying much.

 

[SussexSpur]

Football Factory the book was shit. The film was okay.

Otherwise, the rule holds good.

Keep The Aspidistra Flying - may not have the greatest reputation of all George Orwell's books, but I love it.

The movie version was embarrassingly bad, though.

DESPITE the lovely Helena Bonham Carter.

Probably BECAUSE OF the twattish Richard E Grant.

 

[Halftime Oranges]

the youth of today

films can never compare with books. How can you get everything that is in a book into 2-3 hours of film?

Having said that I did think High Fidelity was a better film than a book. But that's not saying much.

Does the youth of today know what a book is

 

[brunswick]

i got one and its the ONLY one ever:



Basic Instinct.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

Jaws the film is better than Jaws the book.

The Shawshank Redemption is a better film than it was a novelette.

Rosemary's Baby the film is better than Rosemary's Baby the book.

In each of the above cases (and there must be many more I can't think of at the moment), the books are excellent but the films are absolute classics. That's in my opinion anyway.

 

[Stat Brother]

There's me going to say High Fidelity is a much better film & I'm beaten too it within 5 posts.

For light holiday reading I tend to take a 'Bond' with me. It's impossible to read them without picturing Connery or Moore.
Just read Casino Royale & although very good, I did find myself seeing Connery in the role, even though it should have been Niven.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Battle Royale the movie is better than the book.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

Battle Royale the movie is better than the book.

Slightly off-topic, but I read The Ring earlier this week. Very good it was to, but quite different to the films. The main character was a male reporter, and Sadako was a hermaphrodite!

 

[CHAPPERS]

Last Action Hero (The Book of the film) is much better than the film. The film didn't really live up to my expectations.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

There's me going to say High Fidelity is a much better film

What?! The film was awful compared to the book. For a start its meant to be set in LONDON not f***ing America.

I think it often depends which you have read/seen first. If seeing a film makes you then want to read the book you tend to imagine the scenes and characters looking like the ones in the film which limits the impact of the book in my opinion.

Also if you read the book first then you have in your head an idea about what the characters look and sound like which can be ruined by someone acting it in a different way.

I love reading and have got to the stage where I cannot sleep without reading for about an hour in bed first. Unless Im pissed.

 

[alan partridge]

High Fidelity the book just gets BORING. oooh yeah some amusing lists and some shitty pop psychology about men being anal. Turns out into a pretty good little film though. The fact it's in America is irrelevant in the end. It's not like it's some shoddy Hollywood rewriting of history with America saving the world.

 

[Stat Brother]

Plus, reading the book 1st, then the film, then back to the book again. You realise it's a very acurate representation irrespective which city it's sent in.
Cusack & Black add more character to the shop, which in my opinion adds more depth than the book.

 

[alan partridge]

I like the bit when the bald geek is about to go out on a date but sees Cusack is just about to start reordering his record collection and so asks if he wants any help

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I like the bit when the bald geek is about to go out on a date but sees Cusack is just about to start reordering his record collection and so asks if he wants any help

"biographical? No way?! I could stay around and help if you wanted..."

 

[Stat Brother]

The different ways of dealing with Tim Robbins always makes me laugh.

I feel a little trip to play.com coming on as I've not got it on DVD, & haven't seen it in a while.