It seems kind of quaint that Benchley thought he needed to provide any sort of justification for a public official to place revenue ahead of public safety.
The Jaws discussion makes me think that you'll probably find more examples among trashy or semi-trashy novels that aren't considered classics in their own right. I've never read the book, but apparently the classic French gangster movie Rififi is based on a super-trashy novel.
Books about gangsters were very popular in the early 70s, due to the success of The Godfather and The Valachi Papers, among others. I suspect Benchley dropped in the Mafia subplot to help sell the book. It reads that way, at least.
That makes sense. "Fish novel? What are you, crazy? Throw some gangsters in there and you've got yourself a deal!"
Too late to edit my post above but also Planet of the Apes. The book is very good but it’s quite different than the film so if I had to s]choose between the two the movie wins.
I'd say the same, but my two would be these: The Dualists, based on a story by Joseph Conrad. Much as I admire Conrad, I thought the movie better at evoking atmosphere and benefitted from the beautiful visual presentation. The Wrong Box, based on a short novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. Here, it's a case of exaggerating the comedy to the level of delicious camp. When I finally found and read the original source, it seemed a bit flat by comparison.
I remember reading The World According to Garp and eventually saw the movie. I have the DVD now and don't think I'd want to see the book again.
the same for me...when I first saw POTA at the movies it was mind blowing on screen but not as much when I read the book...
that was a great movie...I enjoyed the book, but the cast of the movie was perfect and it really moved well!
I've never seen a movie version of a book I've read that I like better than the book itself. Well, Maybe John Huston's "The Bible" because it didn't include Deuteronomy and Numbers.
There are several sections/subplots in 'The Godfather' book that were indeed wisely left out of the movie. The whole side trip into Vegas with Lucy Mancini and Johnny Fontane is garish.
I want to see it all... everything deleted and added in the series...I can't get enough...EVERYTHING that's filed away on the shelf, closet, vault, etc... a super deluxe mega killer edition! on 4K and Blu-ray!
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The book is brilliant, but the movie is no slouch either. I love them both.
I don't doubt that someday in the near future there will be a limited series adaptation of 'The Godfather' featured on some streaming service that will incorporate all the elements of the book. Some will scream heresy, others will embrace it as being better than the movie(s).
Generally, books are better. I agree. Two most important examples I think are The Last Temptation of Christ and Jurassic Park. Kazantzakis and Crichton wrote very noteworthy books that were not remotely done justice by the respective films. Didn't hold a candle to the books. Unbearable Lightness of Being was very close, I thought. But Forman doesn't like his film and Kundera doesn't particularly like his book, from what I understand. Still my favorite performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. He may have technically had some better roles, but none that were as enjoyable.
Jurassic Park the movie was far more entertaining than the book of which I read and quite enjoyed. BUT seeing the Dinosaurs on the big screen was priceless! BLEW MY MIND! especially the T-Rex! like wow, man...
