Thread: Books that have been made into good movies

Ive seen a thread on books you want made into movies, and one books you dont want made into movies. who here has read a book and thought the movie was up to par with, as good as, or even better than the original?

Me?
Fear and loathing in Las Vegas: probably the truest adaptation ive ever seen, i dont know which i like better, the book or the movie, but their both excellent.

The Shawshank Redemption: While it wasnt a full novel, i like the movie more than i do the story by Steven King. i might as well mention Stand by Me, and The Green Mile too because theyre Steven King stories that have been turned into excellent movies as well.

Any others?

Lots, actually.

A Clockwork Orange.

Little Big Man

Thick As Theives

Harry Potter

Roger Rabbit

Ben Hur

Stardust

Forest Gump (I didn't LIKE the film as well as the book, it was a totally different story, but hey...

Lord of the Rings.

Nuff said.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Silence of the Lambs
Contact
Blade Runner (like Cuckoo's Nest, somewhat different, but still effective)
just a few off the top of my head. I disagree about FALILV, the filmmakers and/or the editors clearly didn't understand the book and concentrated on the drug incidents, changing the subtext.

BBC version of Bleak House

God...how did I miss Blade Runner? The CLASSIC example of a film that can be WAY better than the source literature.

I was wondering that myself.

More:

The Mist (ending was far better than the original)
The Lathe of Heaven
The Maltese Falcon
Jaws (much tighter)

The Lathe of Heaven is a film???? Whoa. Gotta look that one up.

Fun With Dick and Jane. Much funnier than the kindergarten picture book.

Originally Posted by lin

The Lathe of Heaven is a film???? Whoa. Gotta look that one up.

here-The Lathe of Heaven, done in 1980 for american public tv/PBS (under the aegis of WGBS-Boston and WTTW-Chicago), written by Diane English and Ursula LeGuin.

Here's a couple more in a different genre-Shane
When the Legends Die

The Golden Compass.

I've got a few:

First a few from Stephen King:

Children of the Corn - Sure it's a short story, and sure the sequels suck bigtime. But the first movie is really great in every way and well worth watching.

It - Yes, I love the movie. Yes, I like the book. Love beats like.

The Shining - Great book, even better movie. Jack Nicholson is just... crazy. You know what I mean.

Pet Sematary - Great book, even better movie.

And a two non-King:

Frank Herbert's Dune & Children of Dune - No, the mini-series, of course. I love them. It's pretty much perfect, although the names are a bit misguiding. They include Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. Unfortunately I haven't read Dune Messiah and Children of Dune yet, so I don't know where Dune Messiah fits into the mini-series. Still, unbelieveable series. Pure perfection.

Certainly not Harry Potter. I'd say Narnia, the Golden Compass, LOTR, and some of Shakespeare's works.

eh, I didn't like the Golden Compass adaptaion to film. it left off the end. it was a good movie until then, though.

First Harry Potter was ok. can't think of any others.