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Adaptations that threw the source material out the window for the better
- Thread starter cj_iwakura
- Start date
Wait, what? If it was an accident, A) that would be blamed on the "reckless experiments" being conducted, and B) wouldn't imply any sort of ongoing threat.
I thought the implication was that there were alien squids with teleportation tech and the one in New York was a scout or probe, meaning more might be on the way?
The experiments weren't reckless as far as anyone could tell and it was reported in the end of the book as seemingly having been an accident. It was the fact that one of these things accidentally showing up and dying was enough to kill three million people that put the world on guard. Because the first incursion wasn't intentional, as far as anyone could tell, but now they (whatever species this was) knew that humanity was there and could be a future threat.
If people thought it was a deliberate invasion then no follow up would cause people to start asking questions. It being an accident that was still catastrophic meant they would have to be ever vigilant just in case.
Tarkovsky's Stalker. Of course Roadside Picnic is a great novel, but Tarkovsky's interpretation/adaption is on its own very interesting, especially with his themes of metaphysics.
Same goes for his adaption of Solaris.
If the current comics are anything to go by, then a 100% original Power Rangers could be pretty good.
Though I do like the tradition of using the Super Sentai suits and robots. I would hope they'd continue that in some form.
I'm confused. Neville being a potential Chosen One is part of the books. Or are you being sarcastic?
I preferred the ending of The Town over Prince of Thieves. The book ending was too much melodramatic love-triangle bullshit for my tastes.
In the "adaptation wasn't super good, but better than the original" category:
"Hannibal" the novel ended with Clarice and Hannibal Lecter fucking and then running away together to go be cannibal serial killers in the Carribbean. Think fans of the Silence of the Lambs film would have been thrown if Hannibal the film ended that way.
The "Dexter" novel series had an entire chapter where Dexter's "dark passenger" (in the show a metaphor for his urge to kill and sociopathy) is revealed to be the child of an old God poisoning his mind and making him (and others) into serial killers. I think even Dexter becomes a Lumberjack is a better plot twist than that.
"Hannibal" the novel ended with Clarice and Hannibal Lecter fucking and then running away together to go be cannibal serial killers in the Carribbean. Think fans of the Silence of the Lambs film would have been thrown if Hannibal the film ended that way.
The "Dexter" novel series had an entire chapter where Dexter's "dark passenger" (in the show a metaphor for his urge to kill and sociopathy) is revealed to be the child of an old God poisoning his mind and making him (and others) into serial killers. I think even Dexter becomes a Lumberjack is a better plot twist than that.
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The Vampire Diaries. Mainly the first 3 seasons but the show blows the crappy books out the water.
I'd guess, but TC says "for the better". The EU is infinitely better than the ST, and the EU has Jacen Solo, a better-written Kylo Ren, and most importantly, No TLJ. You can't have TLJ on your side and be superior.
To answer the question at hand, it doesn't throw it out per se, but The Expanse/Leviathan Wakes. If you've seen the show, it's great, but there's three main characters: Holden, Miller, and Avasarala. The last one isn't a character until book 2, but the showrunners threw her in from the get go, a full season and a half before she shows up in the books. It works for the better.
My point was that it was a very faithful adaptation to the source material even if one important part is changed.
Generator Rex was a bland and obscure comic book but the adaptation was a vast improvement over the original source.
The Wizard of Oz is better off for dedicating part of the movie to establishing Dorothy's home life in Kansas as the book has the tornado come in almost immediately. The film also introduces the Wicked Witch of the West earlier and makes her the main antagonist whereas in the book she only comes in after Oz asks Dorothy to kill her.
There's also the small matter of changing some shoes from silver to red...
There's also the small matter of changing some shoes from silver to red...
What did you like about it? I felt like it missed pretty much everything about what made Death Note good, except for maybe the very last scene.
My favorite adaptations are probably still the Japanese movies, because they actually follow the manga quite closely until a... certain point, when they decide to just cut the bullshit second half of the whole series and give it a better ending.
He did. He was also a completely unlikable prick who is a clear author avatar for Michael Crichton to tell everyone how wrong they are and dies a martyr. Movie Malcolm is a much better character.
Didn't he die in the book?
Concerning Jurassic Park as well--the middle of the book is basically a long slog through the park that the movie was wise to cut, and the book also had an extended and completely unnecessary ending sequence where they blow up a raptor nest that the movie axed for the better. The movie's choice to kill the lawyer Gennarro and have Ellie play most of his roles was a wise choice too, Ellie does basically nothing the entire book despite being one of only two main female characters. The choice to change the kids by making Lex the older one and giving her Tim's computer skills from the novel was a smart change too, book Lex was worthless.
I think on the whole the film doesn't really get the books' themes across quite as well as the book does but the film works much, much better as an adventure story where the book is slow and ponderous.
Snyder's Watchmen ending makes zero sense and misses the entire point, much like the rest of the movie.
Yep. Movie doesn't mention the spree of supposedly random kidnappings that are happening in the background.
Yep. Movie doesn't mention the spree of supposedly random kidnappings that are happening in the background.
It's fairly different. It keeps the surreal environment and that's about it. The book has it's own charm though. I wouldn't say one is better because the book managed to make me unsettled which I think is pretty impressive for a media you largely have to imagine through description.
I love the movie though because it visualizes the unknown so fucking well. And I like that it added the overarching theme of change after a traumatic event whereas the book was more open ended.
LOL
The idea was good, but the execution had fata fundamental flaws.
So Snyder.
Also half blood prince definitely benefited from that added action scene. The book itself is more of a prologue to Deathly Hallows
I disagree, the first book is great in itself, but the trilogy is worsened by the direction book 2 and 3 take.
book 1 > the film
The trilogy < the film
If that makes sense
Jurassic Park. Spielberg did an adaption but merged and changed parts of the book, removing a fairly gruesome death of Nedry, and changing personalities of certain characters, Alan is more amiable toward children in the book, but in the film he grows from hating children to tolerating them, and Hammond is a horrible man in the books, using his own grandchildren just to get his visitors to sign off on his park, Gennaro's character, he's a badass in the book, he punches a fucking raptor, and survives, where in the film he's more Gerry Harding, a coward. Malcolm, as a previous user stated, is an asshole in the novel, whereas the film makes him into this rockstar mathematician, and it's Jeff Goldblum.
I end up liking V for Vendetta more because they made a lot of liberties with the source material, especially with V, making him more of a charismatic freedom fighter rather than this ruthless brutal anarchist.
I end up liking V for Vendetta more because they made a lot of liberties with the source material, especially with V, making him more of a charismatic freedom fighter rather than this ruthless brutal anarchist.
The Boys.
I hate the comic so much. The show is fantastic.
I would also say Wanted was much better than it's source.
Kingsmen as well.
I hate the comic so much. The show is fantastic.
I would also say Wanted was much better than it's source.
Kingsmen as well.
Like I said pretty much any Millar adaptation counts
Though I haven't seen Kingsman 2 or read kick ass 2
He didn't change that much, I don't think it really applies to this topic.
For me, the choice to turn Hammond from Evil Capitalist Walt Disney to Tragic Hero Walt Disney in the film Jurassic Park is just one of many, many better ideas they had. Crichton could make some good set pieces, but the film understands what it should be about and does it, ignoring all the terrible stuff that would have died on screen.
The Mask.
The original comic book is basically Stanley Ipkiss - the loser nerd who spends his time watching cartoons - using the mask's powers to get gruesome revange on everyone who ever made fun of him or who he simply dislikes. From the moment he puts the mask on, to the very end, it's basically a bloody murder spree.
The original comic book is basically Stanley Ipkiss - the loser nerd who spends his time watching cartoons - using the mask's powers to get gruesome revange on everyone who ever made fun of him or who he simply dislikes. From the moment he puts the mask on, to the very end, it's basically a bloody murder spree.
It's better for it in so much as the book is impossible to adapt into a movie as written
I would say there is a kind of existential dread in the book that the movie tries to capture the spirit of, but the book conveys it in a deeper, more abstract way.
Starship Troopers will always be my go-to for this.
Also, I'm gonna catch a lot of hell for this, but I think the first live action Rurouni Kenshin film is a better version of that arc than the manga or anime versions. I like the second and third films just fine, but in particular I think the first movie adapts its material really really well and cuts the fat.
Also, I'm gonna catch a lot of hell for this, but I think the first live action Rurouni Kenshin film is a better version of that arc than the manga or anime versions. I like the second and third films just fine, but in particular I think the first movie adapts its material really really well and cuts the fat.
Didn't he die in the book?
What's funny about this is that The Lost World (book), also by Crichton, has him in it. So his book is more a sequel to the movie than his original novel.
Wasn't he forced by the studios or publisher to make it
Didn't read the books but I think that's probably why
You are absolutely correct. Fuck me that manga ending is something else.
People are fucking awful.
Probably not forced, but I imagine he made bank.
I really like TLW book, still.
Annihilation - I think the film melts the book down into the most philosophically interesting bits and assembles them in a visually interesting way. The book as written is pretty much impossible to adapt.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Fuck the fans, don't @ me. The film adds way more tension that wasn't really present in the book and is told in a super visual way that adds to the story.
Jurassic Park - Controversial take but I think juxtaposing the horrific nature of the dinosaurs with the wonder they inspire is something that works better for the story. The books more straightforward approach always felt too one dimensional to me, right down to the silly Mary Shelley way that John Hamond dies to his own creation. The film has elements of optimism regarding the reemergence of dinosaurs that the book remains mostly cynical about.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Fuck the fans, don't @ me. The film adds way more tension that wasn't really present in the book and is told in a super visual way that adds to the story.
Jurassic Park - Controversial take but I think juxtaposing the horrific nature of the dinosaurs with the wonder they inspire is something that works better for the story. The books more straightforward approach always felt too one dimensional to me, right down to the silly Mary Shelley way that John Hamond dies to his own creation. The film has elements of optimism regarding the reemergence of dinosaurs that the book remains mostly cynical about.
Preach. I think the point* of the squid was to show how the only thing that could unite mankind was this ridiculous Lovecraftian other dimensional being rather than something more predictable than diplomacy or Dr Manhattan. But the visual of the squid monster and the magical nature of it just seems so... Out of place? I'm sure there are people who think that's the point but it just comes off as incredibly corny to me.
I wouldn't say it hits the philosophical points of the book though. He basically took the imagery and made his own message out of it.
I think the story was Spielberg called Crichton (they were good friends) and said a sequel was going to happen no matter what so if Crichton had any ideas he better get to work.
God no.
There is....room for a faithful mask adaptation.
But that is a horror comedy opposed to what the Jim Carrey Mask was.
This gives me hope for the Body Bags adaptation that's being made, because that comic just feels like a reason to draw a 14 year old with huge breasts.
I just really didn't like the anime and thought the US movie was fine. It's been over a year so I can't go super deep on why but I do remember the anime being waaay too long and collapsing under the weight of how convoluted it got. The Japanese movies sound like they'd be more up my alley.
Honestly I am generally mixed to antipathic to Disney adaptation decisions, but I'll always enjoy the cartoon world and the fact that the bad guys are the bank.
Speaking of Disney adaptations, is Frozen still considered an adaptation of HCA's the Snow Queen? Because they changed that completely. Though i guess you can say that about most of their animated adaptations (but hey, Lion King is original, really!)
