Twenty Movies That Are Better Than the Books From Which They Were Adapted
(Yes, the opposite case is much more common, and yes, there’s an apples-to-oranges problem here, but some movies are plainly superior to their source novels—either because the book itself is mediocre or because the movie is a work of genius and the book, whatever its virtues, isn’t. Here I’ve included only book-first movies: adaptations, not novelizations. I’ve only listed a movie if I’ve actually read the source material, ignoring any mere hunches I might have. Finally, if I considered the match a draw, I decided in favor of the book, though at least half of my choices are still bound to inspire vigorous disagreement. I’ve arranged these by release date.)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Americanization of Emily (1964)
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
The Godfather (1972)
Fantastic Planet (1973)
Logan’s Run (1976)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
The NeverEnding Story (1984)
The Quiet Earth (1985)
Stand by Me (1986)
The Chocolate War (1988)
Die Hard (1988; based on Nothing Lasts Forever)
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
Fight Club (1999)
The Iron Giant (1999)
Elling (2001; based on Beyond the Great Indoors)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly—though one hates to say so, considering how much it took to write the book (2007)
Enemy (2013; based on The Double)
We Are the Best! (2013)
— October 27, 2020