10 Movies That Are Better Than The Book

[@lollythegiant]

I think every book could be improved by adding the muppets

[@GentleReader01]

The Sound and the Fury. 2001: A Space Odyssey. Crime and Punishment. The Lathe of Heaven. “The Screwfly Solution”. Hypothesis fully confirmed.

[@Set666Abominae]

Dune but Duncan Idaho is a Muppet would be a beautiful thing.

[@GentleReader01]

@@Set666Abominae I want to see James Tiptree Jr stories but with muppets. And Kazuo Ishiguro stories. And of course Gabriel Garcia Marquez stories. And William S. Burroughs stories, though admittedly Meet the Feebles already exists.

[@MsPixieD]

Or puppets in general. I really liked Sarah Marshall until the vampire puppet musical at the end, at which point it went on my top comedies ever list. ❤️

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

😂

[@Zesty-dg9ko]

I thought Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was more focused on animals in general while Blade Runner was more focused on humans. Which kind of makes sense with the titles!

[@beththebookworm]

The Handmaiden is spectacular and one of the few films I tell people they must watch.

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

Baz ❤❤❤🎉❤❤❤ After being forced to read Shakespeare as a student, I refuse to read Shakespeare before I've seen it performed. Mercutio is my favorite character in all of literature and Perrineau is perfect 😍

[@ValeVin]

For a while, I did a book club with friends where we'd watch a horror movie and read the book and chat about it. It was fun! Sometimes you'd get good books with bad movies, sometimes you'd get good books with good movies that fans of the book didn't like, sometimes you'd get weird cases where the author of the novel wrote the screenplay and changed it. But there were a few cases where the movies were just flat-out better. Mimic is a short story written by Donald A. Wolheim, the founder of one of the biggest fantasy imprints of all time, DAW. It's... quaint, but the Guillermo del Toro director's cut of the film is AMAZING. Frozen Hell is the novel that was cut down into the short story "Who Goes There?" and made into a few films, then the original novel form was found and released. Frozen Hell and Who Goes There are fine. Carpenter's 1982 adaptation, The Thing, is way better... and also a sort of sequel to the original novel. In fact, we ended up comparing Frozen Hell to the 2011 version of The Thing which is a prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 The Thing. And for me, the biggest case where a movie took a terrible book and turned it into gold was Pontypool (film) vs. Pontypool Changes Everything (novel). Never has a novel started out so promising and gone so far off the rails. Listening to the director's commentary, the author and director clearly wanted to make a faithful adaptation of the novel but didn't have the budget, so they 'accidentally' made an amazing horror novel instead. I feel like if someone had given them $20 more, they would have ruined it. But if you love the film, DO NOT READ the book. As a runner up, we did The Descent film and the novel by Jeff Long. I think it's a coincidence that the exact same premise is used for both, just something in the cave air at the time. So this doesn't really count, exactly. That said, we had fun acting like the movie was based on the book. The opening to The Descent (novel) is epic, but the book doesn't live up to the potential. The film, though, is great all the way through. We did all agree that The Descent 2 (film) and Deeper (the novel sequel to The Descent book) were both pretty disappointing... but that generally, the novel wins out there.

[@ashleightompkins3200]

I saw Woman in Black on stage and spent most of the second act with my head between my legs, I was so SCARED! Also you can’t have Christmas Carol without Muppets. I won’t hear anything against it! Michael Caine gave his all in that film and you can see he just loves every scene he gets to perform with the Muppets.

[@MiruMSO]

The man in the high castle ❤. (series) i loved it. It added so much to the book.

[@Set666Abominae]

I had a not very good English teacher at one point in secondary school, but one of the best things they ever did was insist on showing us this adaptation of Romeo & Juliet rather than the official curriculum one (which was period). We were so much more engaged than we would have been, that’s for sure!

[@telercoi3234]

Yessss! Stardust is my go-to answer for this question!

[@ChainsawCheese]

I recently read & watched Poor Things. Honestly… I think I liked them both equally. I like how the endings differed. It was a nice surprise when watching the film. I enjoyed Lanthimos’s translation so much.

[@ChainsawCheese]

I realize I said translation instead of adaptation, but sometimes these feel like translations to me.

[@fiberartsyreads]

Romeo + Juliet was the moment when it came out! I can’t even tell you how much I watched it back then-I was obsessed. I seriously need to rewatch!

[@martinelanglois3158]

How I looove your enthusiasm! ❤ Thank you!!

[@quentinkafka]

Coraline is my favorite movie it captured the themes of the story more successfully and imaginatively

[@dragonrambles]

“But the book doesn’t have muppets” 🤣 I agree with Sense and Sensibility. Emma Thompson did a fantastic job! I’m not a fan of DiCaprio but I agree, that version of Romeo and Juliet is an amazing adaptation. A film I think is better than the book: Princess Bride. Hands down! If I had read the book first, I probably would never have watched the film once let alone numerous times.

[@didiii90]

And I went on with my life thinking I just did not fully understand Phillip K. Dick’s novel 😂 Now it makes sense because I watched Blade Runner first! The only film I can think of that I loved more than the book is A Single Man. Isherwood’s novel is beautiful but the film is just next level.

[@badfaith4u]

I loved the film Stardust and Sense and Sensibility. I saw Romero + Juliet and the 1968 film in school after we finished reading the play.

[@gamewrit0058]

Great list, Willow! An addition: First Wives Club the movie is sooo much better than the novel, in my opinion. I agree we the the folks who suggest the first Jurassic Park, and The Princess Bride. I've tried to read The Hunt for Red October, but it's huge, and Clancy just isn't my cuppa. When I saw Romeo+Juliet in the theater, I came out saying, "Oh my god, they made the ending even more tragic!" Totes agree on The Muppet Christmas Carol. After we saw Stardust, my sister checked out the novel and was so mad about the ending!

[@MeGaTrOn1761]

100% agree~ (especially Stardust, I was so disappointed when I finally read the novel expecting the same quality as the movie)

[@karoletti]

I was hoping for that video to come and you delivered. More than that. I will rewatch Blade Runner and Romeo + Juliet tonight - they are truly amazing. Also can we talk about Harold Perrineau as Mercutio? When I watched the movie at the theatre back in the day (yes, I‘m that old) I immediately thought „give him an Oscar! He is mesmerizing!“… so…damn…good.

[@RichardCharter]

Thanks for this great list Willow! Even though I don't read or watch much horror, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining will always be, for me, significantly better than Stephen King's novel, and really the embodiment of the genre. The symbolism and spiritual realm of the work is so enhanced by Kubrick's cinematography, the use of colour, the addition of the labyrinth, etc.

[@helen_blanketsandbooks]

I think what I love most about Sense and Sensibility is it's portrayal of relationships within a family unit. The relationship of the two oldest and their mother, but mainly the sisterly relationship between Elinor and Marianne. How they are two completely different characters, with different outlooks on life, but how they rely on eachother and support eachother through life, and ultimately wouldn't be without one another or have survived trails without one another. I agree, maybe not her best novel overall (out of the ones I have read so far), but I don't think that any other family relationships are as well developed as the relationship between the two sisters. But then again, it is very parallel to the relationship between me and my sister, so it's the one I related to the most. I even named my second daughter Marianne, and her relationship to her elder sister also draws many parallels to the book. I suppose it's always going to hold a place in my heart for that reason. But, I will agree with you on the adaptation of the film. It's where I first fell in love with the story and characters, and I always return to the film. I love the use of music and extra depth of the characters, and it's what first drew me to go and try classic literature. I suppose ultimately I don't disagree with you, but I did and do love the novel still.

[@lisainbookland]

Completely agree about Stardust! I’ve tried to read the book at least twice and I just couldn’t manage it. Sense and Sensibility definitely does have some flaws but I prefer the television series of it 😊

[@jenniferlovesbooks]

Ooh, I love The Handmaiden! For me, it's probably as good as Fingersmith, I adore both, and the film is such a brilliant adaptation.

[@kayleighpoulter1023]

I am so here for the muppets christmas carol love, I adore that film

[@eliotopian]

you are both correct and incorrect with re to Romeo+Juliet... the film is AMAZING... but THEE scene is Harold Perrineau's queen mab scene... THIS IS SHE! THIIIIIIS IIIIIIIIS SHEEEEEE..........!!!

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Okay, yeah, can’t disagree with that 💜

[@eliotopian]

:D that like 10 seconds deserves a special Oscar. I need an Oscar for "best short blip in a film". I have so many winners for that picked out. lol @@WillowTalksBooks

[@FullyBookedMelissa]

Couldn't agree more with Muppets Christmas Carol. It's the perfect Christmas movie and the perfect adaptation.❤ To my list, I'd add Jurassic Park (book was fine, movie is almost perfect) and Arrival, based off the short story Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang. I absolutely adore Chiang's stories but that movie took an interesting premise and turned it into something truly moving.

[@ewapawluk7133]

Great examples! I would like to add to the list Drive by Nicolas Winding Refn with Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. I LOVE that movie and the book was so bland!

[@devonrexcatz]

Hi there. Can I please add 'The Talented Mr Ripley'. The book was written by Patricia Highsmith and is an ok read but the movie is brilliant in my opinion.

[@Nixx0912]

I had exactly same experience with "Blade runner" and I love the Captin Sheakspear and Septimus scean. You right about Marc Strong he's such an undarated actor. They should finally put him and Stanley Tucci in the same movie just to further confuse people who mix them up constantly 😂 I had huge crush on John Leguizamo after Romeo+Juliette, that's quite telling about my taste in men. Still like Leguizamo though, he seems much less toxic then Tybalt in real life.

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

Now i know I'm impossible to scare since Woman in Black bored me 😂🤪 The play sounds interesting though 🤔

[@samjaneparker]

Sadly The Woman in Black is no longer showing in London 😥 they finally ended the run in March last year. One of the best plays I have ever seen!

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Heartbreaking 😭

[@readandre-read]

I've loved Blade Runner forever. Phillip K. Dick's work has yielded some of my favorite science fiction movies. Muppet Christmas Carol is also fantastic. I really need to see Handmaiden. Great list!

[@GemmaDrue-zw3dw]

Oh, I love Sense and Sensibility, it's my second favourite after Northanger Abbey. I prefer the 2008 mini series to the film though. Great video, thank you.

[@mikkareads]

What! Why did I not know about "Handmaiden"?! I love "Fingersmith".

[@jenniferlovesbooks]

It's so good!!! Such a brilliant adaptation.

[@colinedescubes5571]

Awesome video ! I haven't watched/read all of those but I had been meaning to pick up Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep since I saw Blade Runner and now, I might not 😅The two movies that made me go "This is better" were the first Hunger Game movie, maybe because I really didn't like the writing style of the book when I first read it, and Dune. I read the book before the movie came out, because I usually try to do that, but it took me so long to get through. I am a little ashamed to say that I found it quite boring but the movie was excellent in my opinion. I also loved Celeste Ng's Little Fire Everywhere but the TV adaptation made me appreciate the story even more, it was really well done.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I’ve never read any of Ng’s books and I’ve meant to for so long

[@asterismos5451]

IDK if there'd be enough options for plays that were better than the book (since idk how into plays you are, beyond Shakespeare), but that would be a fun video!

[@rileyponpon6778]

I think it's Chuck Paul-uh-nik. I used to say it Puh-lahn-ii-uck too, but my bookstore manager corrected me ages ago. I found for my book club, the easiest way to learn author names is by pulling up interviews and hearing them say it because - chances are - they've asked him beforehand.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Yeah someone else commented saying it is “Paula-nick”. And you’re right, that’s a great way to do it. I actually did exactly that yesterday when starting a book by Bojan Louis.

[@LauraPalmerD]

It's not a film, but a series, but I think the tv series, Station Eleven is much better than the book. It feels like a good editor grabbed the book and pulled all the pieces together. Also, Trainspotting! One of my favorite films. I'm not sure if it's fair to compare the two, there are many differences between the two + 'having to read Scottish" can make he novel difficult for many (I read a translation first, so it wasn't my experience). But the film is fucking ICONIC. I was born in the early 80s and this film is one of the most important films of my lifetime. I've seen it hundreds of times and I'm not even joking. It's perfect. (Btw, Shallow Grave is also awesome from Danny Boyle. He is generally great, but his first 2 movies are my favorite!) Finally, while I'm not sure if the book or film is better, I love Requiem for a Dream (film) so much that when I started reading the book, I put it down quickly. I've heard it's good, so I may need to give it another shot, but I felt so attached to the film, I just couldn't. I usually like books > movies/series. But sometimes it's just done so well.

[@skeller61]

Second comment, about Romeo and Juliet. I haven’t read it, and I haven’t seen your version of the movie. What I can say is that I really loved the 1968 (Olivia Hussey) version. Has anyone seen both? Thanks.

[@Guguchina]

Readers tend to poop on movies, but I also love movies. Often ill read a book after the movie - loved the new hunger games film added to the setting and brutality in a way the book didn't. The book did explore the themes of nature and control a little better though. Hearing the music rather than reading the lyrics is also a great experience

[@yosoymilk]

I have exact same thoughts about Stardust. Movie is so much better

[@listenann]

Oh! What can you say about Anansi Boys? I've had a copy given by a friend for years and never got to read it.

[@rachel1021]

I've been meaning to watch The Woman in Black, and now it's a higher priority :) In my opinion the movie for Matilda is better than the book.

[@helen_blanketsandbooks]

Yes to Matilda! I was so disappointed when I read the book and I Love Roald Dahl!

[@gingerdoll]

I always felt the same way you do about DADOES, and Blade Runner is my favorite film. I thought I was going to be stoned at the gates of science-fiction to admit it.

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

Yeah I read Electric Sheep before Blade Runner. It's always different when it's book first. Blade Runner is my favorite film though 🤪

[@lonercm]

Some to add: Fincher’s Dragon Tattoo and Reeves’ Let Me In are both infinitely superior to both the books and original movie adaptations. Manhunter > Red Dragon (book and 2002 movie)

[@micaelagonzalez71]

Mine are: Misery, Stand by Me, and Dexter (I know it's a series but it's still better than the books).

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

Alan Moore is a genius and yes Civil War is brilliant. Captain America has the best character arc in the MCU.

[@artbyandia]

I agree with all of the ones I have both read and watched: Blade Runner, Stardust, Sense and Sensibility, A Christmas Carol and The Handmaiden. Well, the exception is Romeo and Juliet but I love neither the play or the movie. I was so disappointed by all of those because I watched the movies first... I am glad Lord of the Rings isn't here because I love the books maybe a little more than the movies and most people prefer the movies.

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

Poor Things should have won the Oscar for best picture.

[@krisprepolec5616]

In my opinion the film for Bullet Train is better than the book. I may not understand all the cultural references in the book, but I think the character work in the film is fantastic. I agree that The Woman in Black play is fantastic. It is the only play, besides Ghost Stories by Jeremy Dyson, that I have ever seen that has given me a jump scare.

[@tanyaestes6276]

Agree with a lot of this list, but both this Romeo and Juliet and Titanic would have been better with Christian Bale, in my opinion, who was also up for both parts. Leo was THE Hollywood darling though

[@Luckyfoxoval78]

As much as Romeo + Juliet stuns and astounds in its explosively modern take on the play, I prefer the Zefferelli version, even though it omits Juliet's speech she has before taking the poison. That movie just captures what I find so mystically brilliant about the script.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

And you see her boobies :)

[@readingfuriously]

Shawshank and The Shining are two books that def have better cult classic remakes Also there is Jaws I’m always surprised when people have no idea Jaws was based on a book, (which is not great) Other contenders are Crazy Rich Asians and The Devil Wears Prada the women in these films CARRY THE DANG PLOT

[@bookofdust]

Wait, I’m confused, when you talk about Blade Runner the movie are you talking about the commercial release version or the director’s cut version, because they are two very different films that have different endings?

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I’ve only ever seen the Final Cut, which I think is another-nother version again. Also, and I can’t stress this enough, 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@dantsav]

Have you read/watched Dune? I have a feeling the film takes it up a notch even though I haven’t read the book.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Yeah I mentioned it in my video before this one

[@GentleReader01]

I don’t think Romeo + Juliet beats the play, but it is a superb production. Have you seen the Macbeth with Patrick Stewart and Silent Hill-style nurses, love that thing.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Yessssss that Macbeth is tremendous! The vaguely World War I setting and aesthetic

[@ashleightompkins3200]

There’s also Richard III with Ian McKellen at his scummiest and he’s so damn enjoyable in it as well.

[@GentleReader01]

@@ashleightompkins3200 Also a favorite of nnine. :)

[@skeller61]

I have to disagree with your first take. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was short, but very interesting to me (I read it last year). I got Blade Runner to watch after I read the book. A major part of the book, the religion of Mercerism, was just taken out of the film. In addition, the omnipresent TV, radio, etc., personality briefly flashed by in the movie, but was integral in the meaning of the book. In the book, you kind of get into the head of the protagonist, understanding what makes him tick. The whole real and artificial animal thing in Dick’s book was also only lightly alluded to in the flick. I’m not saying Blade Runner is a bad movie, but I thought the book was much better and contained a richer post apocalyptic world. The atmosphere in the movie seemed better matched to the cyberpunk starting Neuromancer than DADOES. I’ll do a separate comment for another of your picks. Thanks for your videos!

[@andrewturley9295]

As much as i like PKD do androids etc i dont think is one of his best, i completely agree the movie is better

[@primam8927]

Big agree for Blade Runner. I probably will get bricked for this, but I think the LOTR movies are better than the books (all that walking...)

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Now that I’ve finally read the books, I do think they’re worth reading. But you’re right, the walking 🙄 And the cast are so bland. Legolas’ whole deal being that he can see real good

[@MSheekey]

I still love Stardust the graphic novel, but the film is just soooooooo good

[@Adeodatus100]

I'd pretty much agree on all the ones I've experienced. I'm glad you went for the "Woman in Black" stage play, which is terrifying, but have you seen the 1989 tv movie? - _very_ good, and very scary. You spent quite some time telling us how great Romeo+Juliet is, but as far as I'm concerned you could have gone on for another half hour - it's pure genius.

[@XOXOLOLA100]

I saw The Woman In Black in London about a year ago before they stopped putting it on and I still remember how the crowd unanimously felt its 🍑 shut on the first jumpscare 😂😅

[@_Mike.85]

you can add Children of Men to this too!

[@mandarina4157]

Imo I Am Legend is a better movie than book, except for that stupid ending. I wish they’d kept the other ending they had filmed where the MC basically understands that humans have become obsolete and he just goes his own way and leaves the "vampires" be (although it’s different form the book). The book ending is fine, but otherwise it was so boring and just terribly paced (like the author just went "oh hey why don’t I explain the whole entire plot and mystery in a two page letter written by one of the characters to another?? groundbreaking!") Also I do love the 2005 Pride and Prejudice more than the book 😂 But I also do love the book. They’ve just got completely different vibes.

[@DangerMoo]

Really interesting video, 100% agree with Blade Runner. From the list its the only one I have watched as well as read. I haven't read much Marvel apart from a year or two of reading X-Men comics so Civil War was a surprise. For me a film that I would add to the list is 30days of night, when I saw the film was like great premise had to track down the graphic novel and was just utter disappointment didn't like it apart from the artwork. Generally its the other way around with books and comic adapations. There are sometimes things an author prefers about a bad adaptation I find interesting.... Philip Pullman on Nicole Kidman's Mrs Coulter being blonde always springs to mind "I was clearly wrong. You sometimes are wrong about your characters"

[@ChainsawCheese]

My answer to this question is ‘The Last Picture Show,’ so much prefer Peter Bogdanovich’s film. It brought the heart & ennui of living in a dying Texas town better than the novel which was filled with gross, boring self-obsessed characters. The best Goodreads review: “The farm boys having sex with a blind cow was, like, the fourth worst part of this book. Impressive?”

[@tomatobee1768]

Agree on pretty much everything except Fingersmith. Waters’ novel blew my young mind when I read it. And the BBC adaptation was cute. This seems a minority opinion, but I was very bothered by the overt male gaze of Handmaiden. Everything else was great, but all of the sensual / sexual elements played out like a male fantasy of lesbian sexuality. I found it laughable, then off-putting, and increasingly uncomfortable to the point it broke my immersion in the story. It was a few years ago and that feeling is all I can remember about the film now.

[@BenRogersWPG]

Excellent!

[@skeletonkeybooks]

I have been consistently disappointed in PKD's writing, so despite any problems the film adaptations may have (which are plentiful, even in Blade Runner), I always prefer them to the stories.

[@chuckles222]

respectfully disagree on the handmaiden being better than fingersmith (though I was impressed at how they adapted such an English story to Korea), but hard agree that the stardust movie is better than the book. I read it after I saw the movie and I was so disappointed.

[@tomdriscoll7830]

I thought the movie on the left side of your thumbnail was going to be 'Babe'.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

lol Tommy :)

[@ymn9738]

Love your takes. No shade at all, but: You're wrong about Stardust and Anansi Boys books and I'm ready to fight you in a Denny's parking lot. I'll buy us burgers later. Does Denny's even sell burgers? I'm not American

[@WillowTalksBooks]

Yeah I dunno what a Denny’s is either, pal

[@panikiczcock2891]

It's The Godfather for me. The book was fun but it's very trashy, the film is much more elegant lol

[@WillowTalksBooks]

I’ve heard people say that, yeah! I’ve never read the book

[@AnnNovella]

Disobedience is a very mediocre book.

[@WillowTalksBooks]

What’s that?

[@AnnNovella]

@@WillowTalksBooks A movie (and book obvs) about two girls who fall in love in the very conservative Jewish community.

[@toriadz38]

The book is written by Naomi Alderman. I love the movie, and have the book waiting in my TBR pile. Since I haven’t read it yet, I can’t comment on which is better, but the movie is definitely worth watching

[@MsPixieD]

Just yesterday for no apparent reason I was remembering how the guns were named in Romeo + Juliet (I'm a precog). I like this movie as part of Lurman's Red Curtain Trilogy, but feel that if you watch them in order they get progressively better. The third one, Moulin Rouge, is the best ❤️ (Love Ewan McGregor, Leo not so much, and not a fan of Claire Danes, so there's that.) As for Blade Runner, I remember how excited we were when we first saw it (vcr, yes that long ago). A friend's wife didn't "get it," and that told me everything I needed to know about the quality of her mind and taste level. 🫤 Having listened to the book, I'm really looking forward to Poor Things coming out on dvd, even though I didn't particularly care for the director's previous films. And on your recommendation I have ordered Handmaiden and Woman in Black from the library (love Daniel Radcliffe!) Maybe I'll rewatch Sense and Sensibility too -- love so many actors in that version! Thanks as always for a thought- and action-provoking video, Willow! Next xmas I'll have to re-read A Christmas Carol and decide if I like it better with Muppets 😄 My first movie memory, although I didn't know it was a movie at the time, much less an adaptation, was crawling to the TV (not quite a toddler), turning it on for the first time, and seeing Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, so that is my Ur Christmas Carol. It blew my little mind and set my expectations very high that it or something equally excellent it would be on every time I turned on the TV (it was a golden age for animation). Decades later, now that we have pretty much everything at our fingertips, with some effort that has become more or less true.