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Times when an adaptation was better than the source material.

Last posted Oct 30, 2020 at 04:34PM EDT. Added Oct 03, 2020 at 12:34PM EDT
18 posts from 13 users

Most adaptations tend to not live up to the same level of quality as the original.
But what about the times when someone else do it better than the creators.

Keep in mind,not spin offs or reboots,it has to be the exact same story even with some differences.
Explain why it's better than the original and give some background about it as well.
It can be anything from videogames,novels etc.

I'll start: The Boys TV series.

The comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis always had a divisive reputation,some liked it,other hated it,even Ennis fans agree that is one of his weakest works.
The premise of superheroes as celebrities is great but poorly executed in the comics where it just devolves into the usual dislike by the main writer for superheroes, the message and character development is put out of the way in order to shock the viewer even more,in fact the comic is extremely gory and politically incorrect but really gets old and feels too gratuitous.

The TV series on the other hand gives more space to other characters who barely had any personality or nuance,making them far more interesting and compelling. It still maintains its edgy vibes and some parts are still sickening but overall is far more focused.

I've heard that the Revenge of the Sith novel fixes a lot of the issues the movie had and expands on some scenes. I haven't read it myself of course so this all hear say, but it presents a much stronger story than the one we got in the film.

The Shining (1980), Metro 2033, and Witcher 3 are way better than their book adaptations and the only reason people have read said books. Cyberpunk 2077 is already leagues better than the extremely dated aesthetic and terrible mechanics of the original ttrpg.

These have been my spicy takes thank you very much.

Sealab 2021, an absurdist comedy from the creators behind the more popular Archer series. 2021 repurposed stock animation from an obscure animated kid show from the 70's, Sealab 2020. It's one of my favorite shows, the silly and bizarre humor, running gags, eccentric characters, and choppy/stilted animation. This style would carry over to their following works, Frisky Dingo and Archer.

Another one from me:

Oldboy (2003)

For those who don't know,this is an adaptation of a manga from the 90s.
Overall it brings some of the aspects like the punishment and someone they met during their younger years but other that is almost completely different and just not nearly as engaging. In fact the manga is mediocre at best.

It's not nearly as disturbing or crazy,in fact is more grounded in our reality but the writing was all over the place. The only thing that kept it interesting in the second half was the art which is good.

That Superman Red Son movie was pretty good too, keeping the idea of the original comic (Superman landing in soviet russia instead of kansas, but still as moral as the Superman we know and love), while also getting rid of that dumb, unnecessary, and confusing ending that made clark a descendant of the luthors instead of an alien for some reason.

Coraline, the book was something nice I read once and moved on, while the movie left much more of an impression with the great decision to use stop-motion!

Last edited Oct 18, 2020 at 09:52AM EDT

Suspiria (2018(
The original Dario Argento film was a breathtaking work of colorful horror, and as cheesy as its giallo roots may be, it's still an amazing movie.

That said, the 2018 movie is the perfect example of a remake that nearly eclipses the original, like John Carpenter's The Thing. It takes the original premise and really fleshes it out in a way the original only dared dream of. The original movie was dazzling and nightmarish, but it was mostly a showcase of style. The new movie has substance to go along with a totally new style that diverges from the original's but pays homage in its own way with 70's era camerawork.

Perfect example of something that pays homage while maintaining its own identity.

Last edited Oct 26, 2020 at 03:41AM EDT

@JukeInTheBox

While I didn't like it as much as the original I surprised by the stylistic choices and the atmosphere as well. It doesn't feel like it tried too hard to replicate the original and managed to stay original as well.

I say this show.

Doom Patrol the comics is an obscure and underrated DC team that is well remembered for its weirdness and unorthodox story telling. The Grant Morrison run is infamous for displaying this as the stories from his run often confuse the readers upon first reads (as per the course of a typical Morrison book) and tend to focus heavily on deconstructing comic book tropes (again per the course of a Morrison book).

The tv adaption of this story is, well, arguably better then the comics they were inspired from which deviates greatly from the source material to tell an effective character driven story involving terrible and broken people learning to accept who they are and learn to grow as better human beings. It kept all of the weirdness and deconstructive elements the comics showcase, as well as the chacters powers and origins, but still manage to produce an original story that doesn't alienates newcomers and fans alike.

I would say it is objectively the best comic book show ever made that needs more attenetion.

@BigK64

I heard about this series and the reviews seems to be extremely positive as well.
It seems to be a Guardians of the Galaxy case,where it takes an obscure team and makes it memorable and great

Btw about the comment to JukeintheBox,I just noticed that I repeated "original" too many times,I've meant to say that it doesn't try to replicate the original while it still manages to deliver a terrifying aesthetic either way.

Skeletor-sm

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