When films are adapted from books, more often than not, I tend to find the books a lot more enjoyable. So I have skipped watching a lot of films in the hope of reading the books later.
So what are some great films not adapted from books? Or what are some films that are significantly better than the book they were adapted from?
Christopher Nolan has done some good big movies not based on existing book or IP: Memento, Inception, Interstellar, and Tenet.
Interstellar is in my top 5 favorite movies. Fuckin’ blew my mind the first time I saw it.
It’s the music and sound design. F’n masterpiece.
It’s maybe the best theater movie I’ve ever seen.
It’s just completely overwhelming in that setting.
But… op asked for “good” movies.
Tenet is terrible.
Anything by Martin McDonagh, especially
- In Bruges
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
- The Banshees of Inisherin
Also, just thought of some others that aren’t based on books but have quite a literary feel:
- Tár
- The VVitch
- There Will Be Blood
There Will Be Blood is loosely based on Upton Sinclair’s “Oil”
Thanks for the heads-up, I wasn’t aware of that.
I’ll still keep it on the list as it’s an amazing movie anyway 😄
- Pulp Fiction
- Donnie Darko
- The Big Lebowski
- The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
- In Bruges
- The Matrix
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- Ocean’s Eleven
- Indiana Jones original trilogy
- Get Out
- Bladerunner (a book, apparently)
- Bladerunner 2049
- 28 Days Later
- American Beauty
- The Usual Suspects
- Gladiator
- Schindler’s List (also a book??)
- Saving Private Ryan
- There Will Be Blood (dammit, a book!)
Gonna get pedantic here:
Blade Runner is based on “Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep” by Philip K Dick.
There Will Be Blood is based on “Oil” by Sinclair Lewis.
Both were acclaimed in their own right before the film adaptations.Okey dokey then… carry on!
Completely fair!
Also Schindlers List was a book first
2001 Space Odyssey might be an interesting candidate here, just because of the way in which the book and film were more or less born together and diverged in their own separate ways, though the genesis of the whole thing was apparently in a short story by AC Clark that I know nothing about.
Fargo. Even the “true story” that it’s based on never happened.
Forrest Gump is apparently better than the book. I haven’t read it but the people who did unanimously agree that the protagonist in the book is too much of an asshole.
Reservoir Dogs
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
King Kong
Little Miss Sunshine
The Raid 1 & 2
Beetlejuice
The Goonies
E.T.
American History X
Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein are very loosely based on the original story (ostensibly Mary Shelley’s verbal retelling of the story before she penned the novel) and both are good in their own right.
Rambo - First Blood
Book adaptation.
It’s not
Yes, it is. It’s adapted from First Blood, by David Morrell.
Also, the movie wad just called First Blood, not Rambo - First Blood. You’re confusing the title with the first sequel, Rambo: First Blood Part II.
It’s a recent animated film, but I enjoy The Legend of Hei.
It’s an animated Chinese film based on an animated web series of a similar name about a little cat spirit trying to find a home and ending up on a long journey.
Memento. Technically was an unpublished short story rewriten for the screen.
Some Wes Anderson stuff: isle of Dogs, Grand Budapest Hotel (loose influence), Royal Taenbaums
M (1933)
Short Term 12
Shawshank is based on a short story too
Interrogation (1989)
Funny Gaes (1997 version!!!)
A lot of Powell and Pressbruger’s stuff… Red Shoes, Colonel Blimp
Coen bros stuff-Fargo (strongly recommend this), O Brother Where Art Thou (inspired by Homer, but a bit different from the book lol), Big Lebowski
Just a few to start you with. I basically pulled some fine examples across cinema history. I ignored a lot of great silent stuff, especially the comedy. If you reply to this one day, I’m sure I can follow up with more refs!
Free Guy, just for being the first original IP in I don’t even know how long
Great films not adapted from books - most of David Lynch’s work would count here: Mulholland Drive, Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Lost Highway, Inland Empire, and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (though that’s a prequel to the TV show, obviously)
Or what are some films that are significantly better than the book they were adapted
One of my favourite books, High Fidelity. I think I am in the age range and demo it was written for, so much rings true. When I heard there was a film coming out I was so excited, and then I read it was being moved from London and re-set in Chicago, and my heart sank.
Boy was I wrong. John Cusack was great, Todd Louiso was histerical, and it was Jack Black’s breakout performance. (I honestly am not sure he has been funnier since)
And the Chicago setting 100% worked, better than London would have
Synecdoche, New York Being John Malkovich Unicorn Wars Puss in Boots: The Last Wish Mad God House (1977) Susperia Videodrome
