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Movies better than the book

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by ADifferentOkie, Feb 19, 2008.

  1. That's exactly what I was trying to say, but didn't. Thank you.
     
  2. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    I considered making this claim, but thought I'd get blasted for it. I'm really torn on which is better. I read the book(s) for the first time when I was 12 and have done so at least a half-dozen times in the 20-plus years hence.

    All that said, the movies exceeded my expectations. I'll always be grateful to Peter Jackson for that ...
     
  3. Piotr Rasputin

    Piotr Rasputin New Member

    Because a true critical, modern reading is impossible based on their lofty reputation?

    Have you read these books? "Gotta get rid of this ring! I'll just hang for a few months in the Shire first . . . "

    The movies took a leisurely - at times boring and meandering, even when talking about the march of unspeakable evil - set of books, and create constant menace.

    And all it took was something as simple as cutting most of the Hobbits' BS after leaving the Shire, and having Frodo leave the Shire the moment he found out that this ring was the root of all evil.

    No tea, no crumpets . . .destroy the damn thing.
     
  4. Beaker

    Beaker Active Member

    I can think of a bunch where the movie comes close, but not quite there, say, No Country for Old Men, Mystic River, The Cider House Rules, etc.
     
  5. My wife and I bought the first LOTR without ever seeing it - we never imagined we wouldn't like it. We gave it away and never saw the next two. Just couldn't sit through it.
     
  6. I've read the books repeatedly. I'm in the middle of The Two Towers at the moment, in fact.
    I think you're overstating Frodo wasting time. He was told to wait by Gandalf and he didn't really fully understand the ring at that point.
    Don't get me wrong. The movies are great. In fact, I've often said if you put all three extended cuts together into on monster epic, I consider it the greatest movie of all time.
    But those books, man, there is a reason it's over 100 million copies sold.
     
  7. buckweaver

    buckweaver Active Member

    Hmm, good point.

    The reason I brought it up -- I'm not sold on my claim that the movie's better, so I could be convinced otherwise -- is that the movie is so good, so memorable, filled with such great performances, that it leaves the superior impression in my mind.

    Obviously, the movie glosses over a lot of detail, condensing about three years' work into 2 hours (and the complete absence of Kay Graham, with or without her approval, is blasphemy), but the movie is etched into my memory a lot more than the book.
     
  8. John

    John Well-Known Member

    I'm always scared to see movies of books I really love, two recent examples being Into the Wild and No Country for Old Men. I essentially had to talk myself into seeing those movies. I'm glad I did, though neither surpassed their books.
     
  9. buckweaver

    buckweaver Active Member

    The second movie is the best of them all, IMO. I didn't like the first too much.
     
  10. I must watch the movie about once a week. If there's nothing else on, I just put it on in the background.
     
  11. As I've made clear on here, I love the films, but I'm most partial to the third. I know people complain about multiple endings, but I just love the epic wrapup.
    When Aragon says, "For Frodo" and runs to what looks like certain death, well, let's just say I have a similar reaction to most guys watching the catch seen at the end of Field of Dreams.
     
  12. I loved the book, "midnight in the garden of good and evil" and knew there was no way the movie was going to be any good. I fought the urge to see it until one day I finally just rented it. What a piece of shit.
     
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