Books to Films

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Books to Films

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The Sash Now residing in Epsom - How Posh 02 Jun 15 11.25am
Very recently I picked up some second hand copies of Jaws and The Omen to read. Do like to read the source material for movies that I like and vice versa. Now I wasn't expecting Orwell or Greene but Jaws has simply got to be the worst book I have ever read. How Spielberg made such an astonishing movie out of it god only knows - mainly by cutting most of Benchleys turgid story telling and arse achingly painful writing out of it. I am stuck in the middle of it and am coin flipping on whether to continue and risk a brain haemorrhage or simply toss it to one side. The Omen actually stands up quite well as a book and marginally better than its movie counterpart. Pretty well written and the movie is relatively true to it. Anyhoo....anyone - books better than their movie counterparts - any recommendations ? As far as the rules go, it's a website not a democracy - Hambo 3/6/2014
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The Sash

Now residing in Epsom - How Posh 02 Jun 15 11.25am

Very recently I picked up some second hand copies of Jaws and The Omen to read. Do like to read the source material for movies that I like and vice versa.

Now I wasn't expecting Orwell or Greene but Jaws has simply got to be the worst book I have ever read.

How Spielberg made such an astonishing movie out of it god only knows - mainly by cutting most of Benchleys turgid story telling and arse achingly painful writing out of it.

I am stuck in the middle of it and am coin flipping on whether to continue and risk a brain haemorrhage or simply toss it to one side.

The Omen actually stands up quite well as a book and marginally better than its movie counterpart. Pretty well written and the movie is relatively true to it.

Anyhoo....anyone - books better than their movie counterparts - any recommendations ?

As far as the rules go, it's a website not a democracy - Hambo 3/6/2014

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npn Crowborough 02 Jun 15 11.37am
The Beach
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npn

Crowborough 02 Jun 15 11.37am

The Beach

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derben 02 Jun 15 11.39am
Most of the original books are better than the films. They are different mediums anyway, what makes one good doesn't necessarily make the other good. By the the way, the shark gets it in the end.
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derben

02 Jun 15 11.39am

Most of the original books are better than the films. They are different mediums anyway, what makes one good doesn't necessarily make the other good. By the the way, the shark gets it in the end.

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sa_eagle Just outside Cape Town 02 Jun 15 11.40am
I've not read Jaws but it sounds like you got hold of that rare book that isn't better than the film. The worst I've ever seen was Polanski's version of Tess of the d'Urbervilles (Tess). He cocked up the order of events so after Tess is raped she's seen with her attacker enjoying a row on the pond. For me that ruined the film. Another example of a film not being anywhere near as good as the book is 12 Years A Slave. A really good film I'll admit but not a patch on the book, mainly because it misses the main point which was Solomon Northup's unending quest to regain his freedom. The film seemed to prefer to revel in the baseness of the condition of the slaves which isn't the point of the book, though Northup does address it. Cynic or realist? It's a fine line!
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sa_eagle

Just outside Cape Town 02 Jun 15 11.40am

I've not read Jaws but it sounds like you got hold of that rare book that isn't better than the film.

The worst I've ever seen was Polanski's version of Tess of the d'Urbervilles (Tess). He cocked up the order of events so after Tess is raped she's seen with her attacker enjoying a row on the pond. For me that ruined the film.

Another example of a film not being anywhere near as good as the book is 12 Years A Slave. A really good film I'll admit but not a patch on the book, mainly because it misses the main point which was Solomon Northup's unending quest to regain his freedom. The film seemed to prefer to revel in the baseness of the condition of the slaves which isn't the point of the book, though Northup does address it.

Cynic or realist? It's a fine line!

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jamiemartin721 Reading 02 Jun 15 11.58am
Usually adaptations to the screen lack the depth of the book, and in order to truly excel need to be based on very poor source material or be excellent adaptations. Apocalypse Now is actually better than Conrad's, admittedly very good novella. True Blood as a series far exceeded the frankly s**t books. The Godfather I+II is actually cheapened by a very poor throw away book. Nothing Lasts for Ever - Was remade as the first Die Hard movie. The Shinning - Whilst there is a lot more to the book and the characters are more well rounded, it suffers from Stephen King ten thousand page overload, and lacks the vision of Kubrick and Nicholson. Goodfella's is better than the book, but its actually not a bad book per se, it just 'pops' more as a fictional movie based on an informants story.. The Exorcist - Good novel, better movie. Children of Men - PD James foray into Science Fiction isn't all that good but its interesting enough to help spawn one of the best dystopian movies in the genre. Also the TV series Game of Thrones is actually a lot better than the books, something even the author agrees. Requiem for a Dream / Last Exit from Brooklyn - I love Hubert Selby jnr's novels, but both of these exceed even his ability to translate the bleakness of the world and its careless horror. "One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug" [Link]
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jamiemartin721

Reading 02 Jun 15 11.58am

Usually adaptations to the screen lack the depth of the book, and in order to truly excel need to be based on very poor source material or be excellent adaptations.

Apocalypse Now is actually better than Conrad's, admittedly very good novella.

True Blood as a series far exceeded the frankly s**t books.

The Godfather I+II is actually cheapened by a very poor throw away book.

Nothing Lasts for Ever - Was remade as the first Die Hard movie.

The Shinning - Whilst there is a lot more to the book and the characters are more well rounded, it suffers from Stephen King ten thousand page overload, and lacks the vision of Kubrick and Nicholson.

Goodfella's is better than the book, but its actually not a bad book per se, it just 'pops' more as a fictional movie based on an informants story..

The Exorcist - Good novel, better movie.

Children of Men - PD James foray into Science Fiction isn't all that good but its interesting enough to help spawn one of the best dystopian movies in the genre.

Also the TV series Game of Thrones is actually a lot better than the books, something even the author agrees.

Requiem for a Dream / Last Exit from Brooklyn - I love Hubert Selby jnr's novels, but both of these exceed even his ability to translate the bleakness of the world and its careless horror.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

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johnfirewall 02 Jun 15 12.00pm
Interesting that Jaws came from a book. Just need Moby Dick 3D now. There needs to be a comprehensive list of books which you should bypass and go straight for the film. That said, there are some stories which should be skipped in any medium. I can only be winning in having saved a week of my life in avoiding Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings. And that's just the films. On the other hand, I feel having watched Trainspotting first enriched the reading experience. Knowing the characters from their style of language before they've been introduced is pretty cool.
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johnfirewall

02 Jun 15 12.00pm

Interesting that Jaws came from a book. Just need Moby Dick 3D now.

There needs to be a comprehensive list of books which you should bypass and go straight for the film.

That said, there are some stories which should be skipped in any medium. I can only be winning in having saved a week of my life in avoiding Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings. And that's just the films.

On the other hand, I feel having watched Trainspotting first enriched the reading experience. Knowing the characters from their style of language before they've been introduced is pretty cool.

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The Sash Now residing in Epsom - How Posh 02 Jun 15 12.01pm
Quote sa_eagle at 02 Jun 2015 11.40am I've not read Jaws but it sounds like you got hold of that rare book that isn't better than the film. The worst I've ever seen was Polanski's version of Tess of the d'Urbervilles (Tess). He cocked up the order of events so after Tess is raped she's seen with her attacker enjoying a row on the pond. For me that ruined the film. Another example of a film not being anywhere near as good as the book is 12 Years A Slave. A really good film I'll admit but not a patch on the book, mainly because it misses the main point which was Solomon Northup's unending quest to regain his freedom. The film seemed to prefer to revel in the baseness of the condition of the slaves which isn't the point of the book, though Northup does address it. I think the worst I know is To Kill a Mockingbird...as a book its a sublime journey through a young kids rite of passage - the film is just turned into s simplistic courtroom drama with the rest tacked on... As far as the rules go, it's a website not a democracy - Hambo 3/6/2014
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The Sash

Now residing in Epsom - How Posh 02 Jun 15 12.01pm

Quote sa_eagle at 02 Jun 2015 11.40am

I've not read Jaws but it sounds like you got hold of that rare book that isn't better than the film.

I think the worst I know is To Kill a Mockingbird...as a book its a sublime journey through a young kids rite of passage - the film is just turned into s simplistic courtroom drama with the rest tacked on...

As far as the rules go, it's a website not a democracy - Hambo 3/6/2014

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The Sash Now residing in Epsom - How Posh 02 Jun 15 12.05pm
Quote derben at 02 Jun 2015 11.39am Most of the original books are better than the films. They are different mediums anyway, what makes one good doesn't necessarily make the other good. By the the way, the shark gets it in the end. Of course but some like I discovered with Jaws are so arse wrenchingly awful and so far removed from each other plot wise as to be unrecognisable. Jaws spends most of its time (where I have got to so far anyhoo) with some ridiculous unrequited f*** fantasy between Brodys wife and Hooper the oceanographer. She has just run through her rape fantasy to him and come all over the seats in a diner... Edited by The Sash (02 Jun 2015 12.10pm) As far as the rules go, it's a website not a democracy - Hambo 3/6/2014
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The Sash

Now residing in Epsom - How Posh 02 Jun 15 12.05pm

Quote derben at 02 Jun 2015 11.39am

Most of the original books are better than the films. They are different mediums anyway, what makes one good doesn't necessarily make the other good. By the the way, the shark gets it in the end.

Of course but some like I discovered with Jaws are so arse wrenchingly awful and so far removed from each other plot wise as to be unrecognisable.

Jaws spends most of its time (where I have got to so far anyhoo) with some ridiculous unrequited f*** fantasy between Brodys wife and Hooper the oceanographer. She has just run through her rape fantasy to him and come all over the seats in a diner...

Edited by The Sash (02 Jun 2015 12.10pm)

As far as the rules go, it's a website not a democracy - Hambo 3/6/2014

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jamiemartin721 Reading 02 Jun 15 12.10pm
Quote derben at 02 Jun 2015 11.39am Most of the original books are better than the films. They are different mediums anyway, what makes one good doesn't necessarily make the other good. By the the way, the shark gets it in the end. Great novels don't usually adapt well, but s**t books tend to do quite well, probably because there is more scope for the film maker to do what they want. "One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug" [Link]
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jamiemartin721

Reading 02 Jun 15 12.10pm

Quote derben at 02 Jun 2015 11.39am

Most of the original books are better than the films. They are different mediums anyway, what makes one good doesn't necessarily make the other good. By the the way, the shark gets it in the end.

Great novels don't usually adapt well, but s**t books tend to do quite well, probably because there is more scope for the film maker to do what they want.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
[Link]

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ghosteagle 02 Jun 15 12.15pm
Quote johnfirewall at 02 Jun 2015 12.00pm Interesting that Jaws came from a book. Just need Moby Dick 3D now. There needs to be a comprehensive list of books which you should bypass and go straight for the film. That said, there are some stories which should be skipped in any medium. I can only be winning in having saved a week of my life in avoiding Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings. And that's just the films. On the other hand, I feel having watched Trainspotting first enriched the reading experience. Knowing the characters from their style of language before they've been introduced is pretty cool. Harry Potter is garbage in any medium. The Lord of The Rings is an all time classic book and a very good series of films, although even with the special editions they still missed bits out, but i suppose you can't have everything.
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ghosteagle

02 Jun 15 12.15pm

Quote johnfirewall at 02 Jun 2015 12.00pm

Interesting that Jaws came from a book. Just need Moby Dick 3D now.

There needs to be a comprehensive list of books which you should bypass and go straight for the film.

That said, there are some stories which should be skipped in any medium. I can only be winning in having saved a week of my life in avoiding Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings. And that's just the films.

On the other hand, I feel having watched Trainspotting first enriched the reading experience. Knowing the characters from their style of language before they've been introduced is pretty cool.

Harry Potter is garbage in any medium. The Lord of The Rings is an all time classic book and a very good series of films, although even with the special editions they still missed bits out, but i suppose you can't have everything.

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