Famous Movies Better/Worse than Books They Were Adapted From

[ShogunRua]

I don't know how far you've delved into science fiction, ShogunRua, but if you enjoyed Dick's writing you should give some of his other stories a crack. Several of them have been made into movies, most of them aren't on par with the written version (*ahem* Minority Report).

This is the very first Dick novel I've picked up, but I intend to read many more. Despite being a scientist for a living, I have only gotten into science fiction during the last 3 years, and am still delving into many legendary writers for the first time.

Last year I read Sheckley, Harry Harrison, Stanislav Lem, Clifford Simak, and Ursula LeGuin, all writers I was either completely unfamiliar with, or had one one work by previously. And I liked them in that order; Sheckley is an extraordinary genius and one of the greatest writers to ever live, Harrison is one of the finest comedy/pure entertainment writers ever, and Lem is a tremendous intellect with outstanding imagination and the highest level of genuine science in his work. Simak and especially LeGuin were substantially weaker, but were talented and worthwhile, too.

While his style is unique, Dick is right up there with the likes of Lem and Harrison.

[VinegarBob]

This is the very first Dick novel I've picked up, but I intend to read many more.

I envy you, having all those great books to read for the first time I've read all of Dick's novels, and quite a few of his short stories. He's my favourite author. Check out 'The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch' - it'll blow your mind.

By the way, did you see the version that King got on board with after his disgust at Kubrick's? Count yourself lucky if you haven't.

No, I haven't, but I'm a big fan of Kubrick's version and didn't like the look of the other one at all, so avoided. From what I've heard I haven't missed much

[dunbar]

The mention of Sheckley got me thinking of a short story of his. I had to look it up, it's called Seventh Victim, which was later made into an Italian film (haven't seen it). That ties in nicely to the earlier mention of Stephen King in the thread, as his short story The Running Man has a similar premise. Then there's the Japanese Battle Royale and the Hunger Games series that follow the same idea.

[CMonster]

If you are getting into sci-fi I would also highly recommend Neuromancer by William Gibson. It's science fiction/cyberpunk. Gibson was the one to coin the term cyberspace and this is the first novel where he explored the concept. It doesn't go to deep into the science but it is a very cool, slick novel. It is also the first novel to win the Hugo, Nebula, and Phillip K. Dick Award.

[ShogunRua]

The mention of Sheckley got me thinking of a short story of his. I had to look it up, it's called Seventh Victim, which was later made into an Italian film (haven't seen it). That ties in nicely to the earlier mention of Stephen King in the thread, as his short story The Running Man has a similar premise. Then there's the Japanese Battle Royale and the Hunger Games series that follow the same idea.

Heh, this reminds me of something I posted on Facebook a few months ago;

"Had an amazing dream that I was watching a really good 50's black-and-white film about time travel. (And because my dreams can't be that normal, the writer/director was a young Asian woman that had formerly been a famous pornstar and prostitute) The film, like everything vivid I dream, was fucked-up, exciting, violent, sexual, and had a very evil ending. I was really excited to write it down when I woke up.

Then I realized all the cool parts were a simplified, inferior version of Robert Sheckley's story Slaves of Time. To be fair, a simplified/inferior version of that story would still make a pretty great (maybe even the best) time travel movie."

If you are getting into sci-fi I would also highly recommend Neuromancer by William Gibson. It's science fiction/cyberpunk. Gibson was the one to coin the term cyberspace and this is the first novel where he explored the concept. It doesn't go to deep into the science but it is a very cool, slick novel. It is also the first novel to win the Hugo, Nebula, and Phillip K. Dick Award.

Definitely one of my most anticipated reads of 2015. And tying it back to this topic, I'm willing to bet anything that Gibson's Johnny Mnemonic is vastly superior to the crappy Keanu Reeves adaptation.

[martryn]

The English Patient won Academy Awards like crazy, including Best Picture. It's a great movie. One of the few I can almost quote from one end to the other. I read the book after I watched the movie. Boy, the book expresses shit that just didn't make it in the movie, and focuses more on Kip. It is easily better than the movie, and again, I absolutely adore the movie.

Since it was mentioned, I read Battle Royale, I read the manga, and I watched the film (the first one, not the shit sequels). The manga is the best medium.

The Road was a very annoying read. Couldn't fucking stand it. Won't pick up another Cormac McCarthy novel. The movie was GREAT, though.

[ShogunRua]

Since it was mentioned, I read Battle Royale, I read the manga, and I watched the film (the first one, not the shit sequels). The manga is the best medium.

Interesting. I have watched both the Battle Royale movie and read the manga, but never the light novel. While the movie was excellent, the manga is an absolute masterpiece of the medium. I want to read the book one day, but might put it on the back burner after reading your post.

[TheDenizen]

The Road was a very annoying read. Couldn't fucking stand it. Won't pick up another Cormac McCarthy novel. The movie was GREAT, though.

The Road was a great book and McCarthy's Blood Meridian is one of the best books I've ever read. I hope to Christ they never attempt a film version of it.

[lilalex666]

My biggest pet peeve with movie adaptations is when a fantastic story is taken, and turned Hollywood for easier audience consumption. Biggest example of this in my opinion is I am Legend.
such. A. Terrible. Movie. So...bad... *spoiler alert*
the novella was probably the coolest horror story Ive ever read. Such a believable character for the situation that is painted for the reader. Such an amazing ending that really makes you go "wow" in one of those jaw dropping, why didn't I think of that? Sort of ways.
and the movie? Sucks. Its not even close to being good, or even watchable as a stand alone. If you have never read the book, the movie still sucks. The bad guys arent scary. They arent anything really. Ive spoken to several people that watched the movie that decision ribbed the bad guys as zombies. Zombies. And then to have Will Smith become "a legend" for saving the world? Garbage. I was so excited to see this adaptation, and so angry, that at the end, when the credits read "based on the novel by Richard Matheson" I started screaming in the theatre "Lies! This is not true! Liars!" Until my friend dragged me out of the theatre, apologizing to the other patrons.

[TheDenizen]

They cast Will Smith.

There's all you need to know about why I am Legend was fucking trash.