# Movies superior to the books they are based on

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-superior-to-the-books-they-are-based-on/153524>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 7, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-superior-to-the-books-they-are-based-on/153524 "2003-02-07T18:36:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![dwmacg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwmacg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwmacg)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-superior-to-the-books-they-are-based-on/153524/81 "2003-02-10T18:42:59Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Splanky \*  
> \*\*I can’t add anything, but I want to say that I was actually going to post a topic identical to this, and mention the very book the OP posted: The Godfather. Good book, better movie. \*\*

Personally I found the book to be an embarrassing piece of hackwork. But I agree with you about the movie.

One that always comes up is “To Have or Have Not”. Since I haven’t read the book, I can’t comment, but Hemmingway considered it his worst, I believe, and challanged Howard Hawks to make a good movie of it. Which he did.

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**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-superior-to-the-books-they-are-based-on/153524/82 "2003-02-10T20:54:01Z")

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Speaking of Stephen King, I second Carrie (eh, the 1976 version), Stand by Me, and the Shawshank Redemption, but I also add Misery and Pet Cemetary.

I also second Bladerunner as the book bored me to tears.

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**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-superior-to-the-books-they-are-based-on/153524/83 "2003-02-10T21:22:34Z")

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_Rising Sun_. I remember hearing that Michael Crichton was a tad upset at the casting of Snipes as Lieutenant Smith, saying that he’d never envisioned the character as black, but I think it improved the story.

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**Author:** ![johncole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f9b8f/32.png) [@johncole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johncole)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2003, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-superior-to-the-books-they-are-based-on/153524/84 "2003-02-11T08:10:14Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by NoClueBoy \*  
> I wish I could remember the name of the book about the making of the 2001 story… I seem to recall it had some details of the movie/book creation. Plus, many alternate plot points.

Maybe this is what you were remembering:

The Making of Kubrik’s 2001  
edited by Jerome Agel  
Signet Film Series W4205 - pb - published in 1970 - 368 pp

includes the original short story, many interviews (including Kubrik), photographs and graphics - and much more

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