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


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