The Godfather (1972)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Written by: Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola
Based on: The Godfather (1969) by Mario Puzo
Why it’s better: The Godfather is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of all time. Mario Puzo’s pulpy novel is definitely fun, but Francis Ford Coppola elevated it to a breathtaking cinematic accomplishment. It’s also a more streamlined story, with Puzo’s history of Don Corleone (Marlon Brando) incorporated in The Godfather Part II.
The movie sucked
#25... I don't think better as such, but more so, brilliantly capturing the true essence of the books, yet Mr Tom bombadil is much missed
The movies are weak on it's own, but they are crap adaptation. It's plastic-cheap game cutscene-level, which is way more obvoius when you (try to) watch The Hobbit.
Overall you have very little idea on what makes movie better than book. Cutting things and simplyfying plot does not make them better story teller.
About the other books and movies that I've read and watch:
Godfather:
Both movies are great on it's own but it does not make them better than books.
The Prestige:
The book seems to be good until finale which is crap.
Movies are typical Nolan-like pulp, he's crappy storyteller.
Jurassic Park.
Movie is great on it's own, but book is much wider and Spielberg have to cut good part of it to make reasonable size movie. Other plots were included in part III.
As for Starship Troopers (I didn't read the book) - the movie was dumb. Satiric tone was nicely made (as Verhoven did in Robocop), but the rest was huge pile of crap.