It’s a frequent critique of films adapted from novels that they just can’t live up to the general heft of the source material, either through removing elements for pacing reasons, arrogantly making changes to the story, or simply failing to capture the tone that the author had intended. However, occasionally, the opposite is true, and filmmakers have managed to transpose a story onto another medium in a way that enhances its meaning and resonance. Here are some such examples, and literary purists, feel free to sound off against us in the comments section below…
10. The Godfather
The Godfather – adapted from Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel – is one of those few films held in such high esteem for its overall heft, that it easily surpasses the novel, and is certainly the more memorable of the two (even if that’s not always a good thing). Stunning performances across the board – specifically from Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and Robert Duvall – alongside Francis Ford Coppola’s faultless direction keep the narrative bounding along, while Puzo’s original text is itself rife with pacing problems and a crucial lack of urgency.
Puzo, teaming with Coppola to write the film’s screenplay, elides much of the sagging fat in his novel – namely sub-plots which only bog it down – into a cohesive, quietly intense ride. The larger-than-life quality of the film, with its statuesque performers and enduring reputation as one of the greatest American movies ever made, makes it a foregone conclusion that it will be remembered as having surpassed Puzo’s original creation.
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11 Comments
Brilliant.
Ah, Shaun, I hate (love) you for writing this! Sparked by the recent/upcoming releases of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, On the Road, Anna Karenina, and Gatsby, I’ve had the idea in my head for several weeks to do a ’5 Best/5 Worst Adaptations’ article, but just haven’t been able to find the time outside of work, school, and my usual WC TV reviews to really write it. My point being that if anyone were to beat me to the punch (this is the second time this has happened to me in less than two months!) I’m glad it’s you as this is a fantastic article and I’m happy to say that your top two selections, Requiem and Fight Club, were on my short list for the five ‘best’ adaptations with FC, IMHO, definitely being superior to the novel and I’m a HUGE Palahniuk fan (the others I’d been thinking of were The Rules of Attraction, No Country for Old Men, and American Psycho). I find adaptations, media mash-ups (concept albums, comic books/graphic literature, etc.), and multimedia projects incredibly fascinating because it’s interesting to me to think about the various effects putting the same story into different mediums yields. Anyway, as usual, great work! :D
Great article. I have to agree with the majority of them. I wasn’t surprised to find Fight Club at the top with Requim and Shawshank.
I think that some Honorable Mentions should be handed outgo the other two Darabont/King collaborations The Green Mile and The Mist. TGM was a very dense book, being a five-part anthology, that had a lot of story to it that seemed almost too expounded upon. Darabont managed to create a great streamlined narrative that didn’t sacrifice any of the story or character arcs. And The Mist was at most in the “mediocre” bunch of King’s novella’s, but Darabont crafted an incredibly dark and terrifying look into the human condition. Even the movie’s ending, changed from the story’s, king has said was better than his own.
Another movie I feel was better than it’s source was The Runaway Jury. John Grisham is at best a mediocre writer, capable of creating passable entertainment but nothing absolutely remarkable (admittedly, he is a guilty pleasure), and the novel of Runaway Jury is low on the totem of his works. The film of this particular work especially stands out among other adaptations of his work not only because of it’s stellar cast (John Cusak, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman), but because of the narrative decision to change the case from a major lawsuit against Big Tobacco to one against the American firearm industry. It made the film more relatable in that the victim’s of gun violence really are helpless against their attackers, creating a sympathetic audience, whereas a person who smokes does so knowing full well the consequences, and therefore, a character not worthy of sympathy.
Lastly, I believe that Ben Affleck’s adaptation of Chuck Hogan’s The Town is leagues better than it’s source. Hogan is a masterful writer, no doubt about it, but his novel plods on and on over mundane details left better to a documentarian than a crime-novel enthusiast, the bits of action happening too far apart from each other to cause any real excitement. The movie takes all the best parts of the novel and brings them into a cohesive and exciting narrative that grabs the viewer and doesn’t let go, much the opposite of the novel.
I am very disappointed to not see The Prestige on this list.
Honorable Mention! Honorable Mention!
‘Let Me In’ should be on this list, too.
Yes definitely agree with these. If it was a Top Eleven then I’d probably add The Shining.
I’ll agree with RicheffinRank, The Town was much better than the novel. The movie also had a much better ending.
Excellent list. My vote for a #11 is “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
I’d agree with all of those. But I’d like to add Trainspotting and The Sweet Hereafter to the list. Oh, and Rumble Fish. And probably Mystic River too. (I could probably go on for much longer so I’ll shut up now…)
just seen this forum + love the concept
am sure these suggestions will get folks stirred up
HIGH FIDELITY – charming novel set in a record shop in London that had me shuddering when I heard JOHN CUSACK had bought the rights + transposed it to Chicago…..?!?! Durr?
It’s a fabulous interpretation + works perfectly – even funnier than the original + more poignant
Never thought it possible……
I also give you GET SHORTY – now I love Elmore Leonard yet this outdoes him
The characters come alive more with RENE RUSSELL outstanding in a superb cast + the dialogue sparkles
This is a rare example of a wonderful original art form that is IMPROVED in translation (to show this is possible I cite JOE COCKER’S cover of ‘with a little help from my friends’ and THE BYRDS ‘tambourine man’ as evidence)
Finally….irrefutably…..
This is a no-brainer
ALL THE BOURNE TRILOGY – the books are complete rubbish yet have begat my fave action thrillers ever! To my shame I ignored the first instalment as I couldn’t imagine Matt Damon as a hero figure….so saw the second one first (if you get my drift?) after being pursuaded by more open minded friends that it was well worth it
I am forever in their debt – quite simply magnificent
immediately went out + bought the DVD of the first, watched it, then realised the second movie was EVEN BETTER than I had first thought because it contained extra levels I hadn’t noticed….
so now I am completely smitten with this series yet the third final part is still in production…..so I go out + buy the book……DOH!
all set in Hong Kong+China with a dodgy James Bond type Bourne (who our hero had just assigned to movie history until the Broccolli’s were forced to copy us) and is complete dross from the get-go
so a relief that the final film starts back in familiar territory – Russia+London+New York – and kicks butt!
I rest my case m’Lud
You could almost make a top 10 out of just Kubrick’s filmography alone