Movies better than the book

Inspired by a comment made by buckweaver on the Shawshank thread, what are cases where you thought a movie was better than the book that inspired it? I know the rule works the other way, but what are some exceptions?
For me, Fight Club is the best example. As far as books go, it was good. As for the movie, it was absolutely incredible.

 

The Godfather movies -- the first two -- were better than the book. But the book was quite good.

The Right Stuff movie was exceptional, perhaps a tad better than Wolfe's book.

 

I'm pretty sure of all the books I've read, none were made into movies.

 

Hustler doesn't count as books, dude.

 

Cool. I inspired a thread.

As I mentioned on the other, Michael Crichton's "Jurassic Park" applies for me. It's a pretty good book, too, but the lengthy technical passages hurts it. The movie, of course, was spectacular -- then and now.

 

The Natural.

 

I was fairly young when Jurassic Park came out, but I read the book before seeing the movie. I remember thinking the book was pretty good and actually had more suspense than the movie.

 

I mentioned this already on the other thread, but I'll play along ...

The books "A Clockwork Orange" and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" are both written in a language/point of view that is virtually unreadable. Just getting through the first few pages literally made my head hurt ...

I'm sure I'll think of others as we go along ...

 

I think the Bourne movies are better than the books. The books were very ponderous, and the politics are fairly outdated now.

 

Disagree, but on these grounds:

The book was outstanding.
The movie was outstanding + 1.

The stories ... are not remotely the same.

 

Bridges of Madison County jumps to mind.

 

1.) To answer the question.... The Godfather.

2.) I have been lucky to see movies that almost surpass the book, but definitely hold their weight.
-"No Country for Old Men"
-"Lonesome Dove"
-"The Shining"
- "The General's Daughter"