Yes, you're right; books are superior to films in most cases. Books don't have to worry about time constraints or focus groups, meaning that novels are usually the purest form of a story.

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That being said, there are exceptions to this rule. For every adaptation that is far worse than the books (Pet Semetary, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, and Paper Towns), there is the odd film that not only lives up to the book's reputation but somehow exceeds it. It isn't easy; every aspect of the film needs to be of the highest standard to surpass the novels they are based on, but adaptations can truly stand the test of time when made right.

'Forrest Gump' — Eric Roth

Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump in 'Forrest Gump'

In most cases, the fact that novels can pack in significantly more detail than their film adaptations makes them so superior, but not in the case of Forrest Gump.

The book, written by Eric Roth, is overly long and almost drowns the reader in unnecessary detail, prompting people to skip ahead a page or ten. The film, however, only features the most exciting parts of Forrest's (Tom Hanks) life. In the movie, Forrest becomes a war hero, ping-pong star, and running phenomenon, but thankfully there's no mention of his trip to space, which, let's be honest, is a step too far. Even for Forrest.

'Jurassic Park' — Michael Crichton

Sam Neill vs a T-Rex in Jurassic Park

Ok, let's start this by stating the obvious. Jurassic Park, written by Michael Crichton, is an exceptional novel. It's intriguing, well thought out, and, most of all, entertaining.

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The film is better for one simple reason: Steven Spielberg. The director, who was at the peak of his powers in 1993, made the film one of the best blockbusters of all time, and it still holds up today, almost three decades later. The technology, mainly the animatronic dinosaurs, plays a huge part in bringing the novel to life, and it's hard to think of a more tense scene than the T-rex attack. Never forget, life finds a way.

'Jackie Brown' — Elmore Leonard

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Image via Miramax

If Quentin Tarantino wants to adapt a novel, it must be exceptional. The director's third film was based on the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard, and Tarantino gathered an all-star cast for the occasion.

Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Robert Forster, and Michael Keaton all starred in the ensemble, which earned Forster an Academy Award nomination. Much like Jurassic Park, Rum Punch is ridiculously entertaining, but when brought to life in the hands of legendary director Quentin Tarantino, it's no real surprise that the adaptation is more enticing than the novel.

'The Notebook' — Nicholas Sparks

When it comes to Nicholas Sparks novels, the world has a pretty good idea of what to expect by now. Complex main characters, a passionate but challenging romance, and an ending that guarantees tears of either joy or sorrow.

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Though The Notebook fulfills all audience expectations, it simply cannot compete with the incredible chemistry of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. The pair is irresistible on-screen, ensuring every scene is captivating. They are the main reason The Notebook is ranked so highly amongst all the other Nicholas Sparks adaptations.

'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' — Stieg Larsson

Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movie
Image via IMDB

Steig Larsson's novel is an absolute classic that not only provided readers with a riveting mystery but also blessed the world with one of the most unique, independent characters of the 21st century in the form of Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara).

David Fincher's adaptation of the novel is incredibly faithful to the source material, ensuring Salander and Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) are as flawed, driven, and enigmatic as they are on the page. Though it isn't Fincher's most appreciated film, it is a loyal, incredibly atmospheric adaptation filled with uncomfortable moments and mysterious characters, keeping the audience guessing until the very last minute.

'Fantastic Mr. Fox' — Roald Dahl

A still from Fantastic Mr. Fox
Image via 20th Century Fox

Let's be honest, Roald Dahl played a significant part in all of our childhoods. Whether it was Charlie And The Chocolate Factory or James And The Giant Peach, we all fell in love with some aspect of the magical worlds he created.

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If there's one director capable of bringing the eccentric weirdness of a Roald Dahl novel to the screen, it's Wes Anderson, and his adaptation of Fantastic Mr. Fox is one of the most inventive animated films of recent times. The film pleased children and adults alike, featuring stellar voice talent, including George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Bill Murray. Given the success of his first attempt, it's no surprise that Wes Anderson's next film is once again based on the works of Roald Dahl.

'No Country For Old Men' — Cormac McCarthy

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The Coen brothers have been refreshingly original throughout their entire careers, and no matter what genre of film they're working on, they always manage to attract the finest actors to their projects.

No Country For Old Men is no exception, as Joel and Ethan Coen recruited Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin to star in their darkly comedic adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel. The film currently sits at number 157 in IMDB's list of top-rated movies and won four Academy Awards. Bardem is exceptional as Anton Chigurh, the terrifying assassin whose performance is by far the stand out of the film.

'The Silence of the Lambs' — Thomas Harris

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Image via Orion Pictures

It can often be a matter of oversimplification to assign the success of an adaptation to one individual aspect of the project. But in the case of The Silence of the Lambs, directed by Jonathan Demme, Anthony Hopkin's bone-chilling performance separates the film from the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris.

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Nobody was surprised when he won the Academy Award for Best Actor In A Leading Role (Jodie Foster also took home Best Actress In A Leading Role for her excellent portrayal of Clarice Starling), and it's no surprise that Hopkins has returned to the role on multiple occasions, though no sequel has ever lived up to the original.

'Fight Club' — Chuck Palahniuk

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Image via 20th Century Fox

Much like Hopkins' performance in The Silence of the Lambs, Brad Pitt's effortlessly cool portrayal of Tyler Durden is impossible to look away from. Interestingly, this is another adaptation by Fincher, showing that he truly knows how to honor the source material while also incorporating it with his directorial style.

Fincher does not shy away from the brutality of Chuck Palahniuk's novel, including barbaric fight scenes graphic enough to make audiences cringe and pull off one of the best twist endings of the last few decades. Let's be honest; there's a little Tyler Durden in all of us.

'The Shawshank Redemption' — Stephen King

What is there left to say about The Shawshank Redemption, the best film of all time according to IMDB? Based on the classic novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by the king of horror Stephen King, the film is universally beloved. Frank Darabont undertook the daunting task of writing and directing a King adaptation, and he was incredibly loyal to the source material.

Darabont even manages to add extra weight and depth to the characters, ensuring they are more rounded, understandable people than they were in the short story. Both Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins are exceptional in the prison drama, and it will take an incredible work of art to usurp The Shawshank Redemption's spot at the top of IMDB's top-rated film list.

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