10 Kids Movies That Were Better Than the Book
Think the book is always better? Shrek and Bambi say, think again.
by Jeanne Sager
July 7, 2009
4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 version)
Now before you get your Dr. Seuss-loving panties in a bunch, it's not that the book was bad. But we're hard-pressed to imagine a time when the mean one wasn't voiced by Boris Karloff. The animated flick redefined one of our Seussian favorites, and helped our heart grow two sizes. The Jim Carrey version, however — and we quote — "stink, stank, stunk."
5. The Little Mermaid
Ursula the sea witch was a kind-hearted old soul next to the enchantress in Hans Christian Anderson's original tale. He cut the tongue out of the mouth of the Mer-King's youngest daughter and treated her with a potion that would let her retain her "graceful movements," but make "every step [she took] cause [her] pain all but unbearable." That Ariel of the Disney tale let go of her precious voice for the love of a boy is hard enough for parents of little girls to bear, but the lengths the original mermaid went to hook herself a man are best left in the 1800s, when the Anderson tale was written.
6. How to Eat Fried Worms
The 1973 book is a goofy send-up of little-boy antics, but Billy Forrester's tender tummy and worm-eating quest finds real meaning in the 2006 flick about a new kid at school faced with an impossible quest: He has to eat ten worms by seven p.m. on Saturday — or end up wearing worms in his pants to school on Monday. Instead of noshing on nightcrawlers for a measley $50 like his written counterpart (who ate fifteen, and ended up being "the first person who's ever been hooked on worms"), the live action Billy is a hero for new kids everywhere. He shows up the bully, realizes girls can be good friends, and starts getting along with his little brother.
©2009 Jeanne Sager & Babble Media Inc.
About the Author |
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Jeanne Sager is a freelance writer and photographer living in upstate New York with her husband and daughter, Jillian. She maintains a blog of her award-winning columns at jeannesager.blogspot.com. |
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