Films that turned out to be more interesting than the books they were based on (14 photos)

The book is always better than the film adaptation! For many people, this is a law that is forbidden to even discuss. However, there are many films that have been able to equal their literary originals. And there are even those films that confidently surpassed them. In this collection we will look at just such films. Of course, the topic is debatable and you can look at the list. For example, Reddit and Quora users believe that Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy is significantly more interesting than Tolkien's great original. Tolkienists, naturally, were horrified by such blasphemy. However, many found the work very boring and difficult to read. The legendary writer still did not have a light style. And if you open The Silmarillion, then the non-flooded reader will go completely crazy. So, let's see which film adaptations made it onto this list. And feel free to express your opinion in the comments!

Prestige (2006)





Christopher Nolan directed a dramatic thriller based on the book of the same name by Christopher Priest.

“Prestige” definitely. The book is really weird in a bad way. I think the author himself said that the film is a much better version of his idea.

Wings of a Dove (1997)



The film received four Oscar nominations, including for Best Adapted Screenplay (based on the novel of the same name by Henry James).

Franchise "How to Train Your Dragon"





No one who has read the works of Cressida Cowell can deny the merits of her books about Hiccup and dragons, but still the films have surpassed the original. And some netizens even claim that “Toothless in the books is whiny and annoying.”

Child of Men (2006)



The film received three Oscar nominations: best adapted screenplay, cinematography and editing.

In my opinion, the film adaptation of the novel by P.D. James's Children of Men by Alfonso Cuaron is a huge improvement on the book. It takes the basic premise of the novel but focuses on multiple individuals and features remarkable performances from Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Caine.

Jules and Jim (1962)



An adaptation of the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by the French writer Henri-Pierre Rocher, for which director François Truffaut received an award at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival.

The novel is poorly written juvenile nonsense. The film and music by Georges Delerue are superb. I probably watched it 10 times and could have watched it many more times.

The Night Manager (TV series, 2015–…)



Tom Hiddleston received a Golden Globe Award for his leading role, and Hugh Laurie and Olivia Colman also received awards for their supporting roles. The series is based on the novel of the same name by John le Carré.

The Painted Veil (2006)



This is the second film adaptation of the novel of the same name by the English writer Somerset Maugham (the first was shown in 1934), and it surpasses the original in depth and emotionality.

Emotional performances from Edward Norton and Naomi Watts, as well as stunning imagery, make this one of my favorite films.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)



The film received four Oscars for visual effects and editing, as well as an Oscar for special achievement in cinematography. But Gary K. Wolf's novel did not achieve such success.

Petrovs in the flu (2020)



The film received the Cannes Film Festival's Volcano Award for technical excellence. Although Alexey Salnikov’s novel “The Petrovs in the Flu and Around It” was awarded the NOS and “National Bestseller” awards, the film has much more mysticism and drama achieved by the entire film crew.

Namesakes (2006)



Although the film, based on Jhumpa Lahiri's novel of the same name, did not win any awards, it received high ratings from the public.readers and positive reviews from critics.

Whoever made The Namesake clearly loves India and showcased it well. The film is exciting and conveys things that are exclusive to this country.

The Woman in Black (1989)



The Woman in Black, based on the novel by Susan Hill, is more of a generic ghost story, quite simple, and not at all scary (except maybe at the very end). However, the movie looks much better, and the best part is, it was SCARY most of the time.

Nugget (1984)



Sports drama based on the novel of the same name by Bernard Malamud.

Particular highlights include Robert Redford (starring) and one of the greatest endings of all time, which always brings tears to the eyes. And this is the case when the changed ending looks better than the original.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy



Many will argue the opposite: books are better or both deserve attention. But there is also another popular point of view, and we cannot fail to mention it.

I was heavily into science fiction and fantasy, so when The Lord of the Rings was being developed, I decided I would read the books. It was terrible. I found them incredibly boring. It was like reading a history book rather than an exciting adventure.

No Country for Old Men (2007)



The film won four Oscars: Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Director (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen) and Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem).

It's not Cormac McCarthy's best novel, but the Coen brothers did something special with it.