10 Films BETTER Than The Book They Were Based On

The novel opens with a chapter introducing us to Norman Bates, an unreliable narrator to say the least; our first impression is of a misanthrope contending with a domineering mother and alcoholism.

However, Alfred Hitchcock’s adaptation waits until almost a third of the film’s runtime has elapsed to introduce Norman Bates, taking that time instead to flesh out the character of Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), making her death later in the movie all the more shocking.

When Marion stops off at the Bate’s Motel, it’s as if she’s entered another world; the Bates residence - a dilapidated and ominous house on the hill - overlooks the motel.

When we finally meet Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), he presents as a shy bumbling loner. Marion’s murder in the shower is of course one of cinema’s most iconic scenes but the film’s crowning horror comes just before as Marion and Norman talk in his parlour over supper; during the conversation there’s a creeping sense of dread as Norman’s polite façade starts to slip.