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[NotTheGuyYouKill]

The latest news for Kick-Ass 2 inspired me to the ask the question (though I'm sure it's been asked before...), but when are adaptations of a previous work better than the original?

For example, Kick-Ass. The comic, in my opinion, is pretty crappy and depressing. Mark Millar's writing sorta sucks. And it's sequel is even worse. But the movie's fantastic, really fun, has great performances, and twists the tone and feel of the comic events to make it much more triumphant and enjoyable. It's a million times better than the comic.

So when has the adaptation outstripped the original for you? Is it BBC's Sherlock? Nolan TDK trilogy? The Bond films compared to Fleming's original works?

 

[Ninja Scooter]

The Departed.

 

[shadyspace]

All the time?

 

[XANDER CAGE]

Fight Club, in my opinion. I'm not a massive Palahniuk fan to begin with, but I feel like it's one of his weakest. Love the movie, though.

All the time?

If we adapt and remake the same thing over and over, clearly we will reach ARTISTIC PERFECTION.

 

[Cameron122]

In my opinion, The Crow.

 

[Lindbergh]

Paul Anderson's Mortal Kombat.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

All the time?

 

[hayejin]

Prestige.

 

[shadyspace]

If we adapt and remake the same thing over and over, clearly we will reach ARTISTIC PERFECTION.

I can't tell if you're joking or not but this is kind of true.

 

[PBalfredo]

Let Me In

All the good parts of Let the Right One In, but without the unnessecary fluff that only makes sense if you read the book, or bad CG cats.

 

[Khezu]

All though not really "good" the wanted movie was better then the comic.

Which is also by mark millar.

 

[Count Dookkake]

STARSHIP TROOPERS

 

[rekameohs]

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

 

[Devolution]

Watchmen

 

[Imm0rt4l]

Watchmen

UH OH......

Spoiler

I think the movie gets too much flack, it's good! not as good as the comic, but that's to be expected given the length of the source material

 

[Grakl]

I can't tell if you're joking or not but this is kind of true.

He was joking, and this is not at all true.

Watchmen

No.

 

[Finaika]

Iron Man

 

[XANDER CAGE]

I can't tell if you're joking or not but this is kind of true.

I'm joking. Adaptations are just as hit-and-miss as original works.

 

[Zeppelin]

The Departed.

 

[crimzonflame]

The Shining.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

Let Me In

All the good parts of Let the Right One In, but without the unnessecary fluff that only makes sense if you read the book, or bad CG cats.

I liked the original better.

 

[345triangle]

it's never better. it's always beholden to it.

that said, it's certainly possible for the derivative work to surpass the original in terms of quality of execution and impact on culture. perfect examples would be the godfather, jurassic park, and the shining. mediocre books, drop-dead amazing films that changed the medium.

 

[shadyspace]

He was joking, and this is not at all true.

Except that being the entire basis of the history of storytelling. Otherwise you're dead on.

 

[Chichikov]

The Godfather.
2001.
Jaws.

The Departed.

Yes.

STARSHIP TROOPERS

YES!

Edit:

The Shining.

And obviously this.
Probably my favorite example.

 

[Jimothy]

STARSHIP TROOPERS

I'M FROM BEUNOS AIRES AND I AGREE WITH THIS POST

 

[Grinchy]

Watchmen

I disagree but I'm really glad to see that someone else actually liked the movie.

 

[Transhuman]

Prestige.

This, this, and this. Even Christopher Priest said he liked Nolan's interpretation better than his own writing.

Then you have Blade Runner, natch.

 

[BigDug13]

I never read the Bourne Novels, but I've heard that the movies were a lot better? (not taking the latest movie into account.)

 

[XANDER CAGE]

The Godfather.

Oh yeah, this too. I tried reading the original Puzo books and just... couldn't.

 

[Count Dookkake]

PSYCHO

DIEHARD

DEATH WISH

THEY LIVE

 

[SolarPowered]

Cowboy Bebop

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

2001.

Absolutely.

I actually like the Coen True Grit better than both the original film and the book.

 

[Jimothy]

Does Apocalypse Now count?

If so, Apocalypse Now.

 

[Nappuccino]

Cowboy Bebop

Was an anime first...

 

[Devolution]

The Scarlet Letter

 

[rekameohs]

2001.

2001 doesn't count since the movie and book were being made at the same time. The movie is not an adaptation of the book.

Jurassic Park is a good response.

 

[DiscoJer]

The Crow, definitely. I read the graphic novel version (which I guess was a compilation of the comics?) and it didn't do that much for me.

I would also say Logan's Run.

Total Recall (the original movie). The short story was very short, pretty much just the visit to Recall.

Soylent Green and Planet of the Apes were also much better than their sources.

And going the other way around, when the novelization of the movie was better than the movie, I would say Dragonslayer which was novelized by Wayland Drew. The movie was so so, but the novelization was so popular that there was a printing of it a few years later without any mention of the movie.

Also the Riddick novelization by Alan Dean Foster. It was huge, like 400 pages and had a giant appendix. Made so much more sense than the movie since it wasn't cut.

 

[speculawyer]

Blade Runner.

 

[Rhomega Beta]

When it causes Adaptation Displacement

 

[Fry]

The Departed.

1st post strikes again.

 

[GurgleBot20]

Stalker and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. >Roadside Picnic

 

[Mairu]

Prestige.

What's the source material for The Prestige? Had no idea it was an adaptation

 

[ReiGun]

Iron Man: If only because RDJ made Stark actually fun and interesting. He's pretty boring in the comics.

I disagree but I'm really glad to see that someone else actually liked the movie.

I liked it as well. Never got the hate.

 

[Chichikov]

2001 doesn't count since the movie and book were being made at the same time. The movie is not an adaptation of the book.

You are correct.

Spoiler

I can weasel out and say I was talking about the short story both are inspired by, but I'm better than this.

 

[DMczaf]

What's the source material for The Prestige? Had no idea it was an adaptation

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0312858868/?tag=neogaf0e-20


And yes, The Prestige.

Also, The Departed.

 

[Discotheque]

The Godfather.
2001.
Jaws.

Yes.


YES!

Edit:
And obviously this.
Probably my favorite example.

this entire post

 

[UpperCaseN]

Stardust

 

[SolKane]

Almost any golden age Hollywood film.

 

[jaxword]

 

[DrForester]

Watchmen

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Stardust

All of these (along with Jurassic park) I'd say were did some things better, and some things worse.