10 Movie Adaptations That Were Better Than The Source Material

The Power of Visual Storytelling

It is often said that the original is always superior, but there are plenty of movies out there that actually end up being better than their source material. This can happen for a number of reasons, as the visual quality of cinema allows films to be imbued with qualities that just are not possible in the worlds of literature or other artistic mediums. The compelling performances of incredibly committed actors can also bring new layers of depth and intrigue to characters that weren’t there in the original source material.

Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather

Excellent adaptations often build upon the groundwork laid out by their source material and add something new and exciting that was not there in the original work. Film adaptations benefit from the fact that the story of the original has already been well established, the characters have been introduced to the world, and filmmakers can now create their own version of the story with the power of hindsight. There are plenty of reasons that movie adaptations can end up much better than the source material.

Michael at the baptism in The Godfather

Top 10 Movie Adaptations That Surpassed the Source Material

10. The Godfather (1972) The Godfather was based on the 1969 Mario Puzo novel of the same name. While Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel about a Mafia family in New York City was a powerful addition to the crime genre, it pales in comparison to Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece film adaptation of The Godfather. Coppola took the characters created by Puzo and imbued them with iconic performances by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino in a timeless classic whose influence has extended into the fabric of popular culture. As one of the most influential films ever made, The Godfather film was much better than its source material and laid the groundwork for its follow-up, The Godfather Part II, which was a rare sequel that managed to improve upon the original.

Al Martino and Marlon Brando in The Godfather

9. The Shining (1980) The Shining was based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel of the same name. Even though Stephen King did not like Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of his book The Shining, the film regularly ranks among the best horror movies ever made. The film version of The Shining makes several significant changes to the book and Kubrick’s expert direction and incredible performances by Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall improved upon the book in many ways. The addition of the hedge maze, which a crazed Jack chased his son Danny through, added extra layers of excitement and suspense to the film, and Kubrick added so many layers of symbolism and hiding meaning to his version of The Shining that it became a richer story that is open to many different interpretations.

Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance in The Shining maze

8. The Silence Of The Lambs (1991) The Silence of the Lambs was based on the 1988 Thomas Harris novel of the same name. As the most recent film to win all five major Academy Awards, The Silence of the Lambs improves upon the original novel primarily due to the exceptional performances of Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling and Anthony Hopkins iconic take on Dr. Hannibal Lector. Both actors deliver career-defining performances that, paired with the tense and atmospheric direction of Jonathan Demme, resulted in a film that rose above its source material to create unmatched suspense and tension. While the original version of The Silence of the Lambs was a thrilling novel, the film is today remembered as the definitive version of the story.

Sir Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter wearing his iconic mask in The Silence of The Lambs (1991)

Incredible Adaptations That Redefined Storytelling

7. 127 Hours (2010) 127 Hours was based on the autobiography Between a Rock and a Hard Place. 127 Hours was based on the true story of Aron Ralston trapped under a boulder for five days in Utah’s Bluejohn Canyon before amputating his arm with a dull pocketknife. Ralston outlined his experience in his autobiography Between a Rock and Hard Place. Boyle’s film was an impressive exercise in filmmaking that managed to turn the story of a man isolated and alone into a thrilling survival drama that had audiences on the edge of their seats. The adaptation, which starred James Franco, surpassed the autobiography and was an intimate movie that puts viewers into Ralston’s state of mind as he slowly realizes there is only one way out.

James Franco as Aaron Ralston trapped between boulders in 127 Hours

6. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was based on the 1962 Ken Kesey novel of the same name. The film version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was one of three films to win all five major Academy Awards and improved upon the original Ken Kesey novel in many ways. The most notable improvement was through the character of Randle McMurphy who, although an engaging addition to the book, became one of the best film characters ever due to Jack Nicholson’s incredible performance. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest expanded upon the humor and heartfelt resonance of the novel to create a cinema experience unlike any other.

R.P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) inside the Oregon State Hospital in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.