The top 10: adaptations better than the originals

From Sherlock, Hercule Poirot and Father Brown to Mary Poppins

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes (BBC)

This list was proposed by Andrew Foster after a discussion on Twitter between Amanda Foreman and Oliver Kamm about Sherlock Holmes. “‏Like Poirot or Father Brown, Holmes is better on the screen than in the raw material provided by the author,” said Kamm. Which gave me the first three.

1. Sherlock Holmes. Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective starred in 44 films (according to Christopher Redmond’s A Sherlock Holmes Handbook), as well as in Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss’s TV series.

2. Hercule Poirot. Fifteen films including Murder on the Orient Express twice (1974 and 2001). Agatha Christie created him in 1920, described him as a “detestable, bombastic, tiresome, ego-centric little creep” in 1960, but continued to write about him for another 15 years.

3. Father Brown. BBC series 2013, based on GK Chesterton’s stories.

4. Mary Poppins. “The most ghastly children’s series of all time, but great film,” says Amanda Foreman.

5. Jaws. John Matrix recalls an early review of Peter Benchley’s schlockbuster which said the most sympathetic character was the shark.

6. ‏Fight Club. The film is incomparably better than the book by Chuck Palahniuk, according to Citizen Sane.

7. Morse. John Peters says the TV series is better than the novels by Colin Dexter (1975-99), and the same is true of The Forsyte Saga, from John Galsworthy’s novels (1906-21).

8. Life of Brian. There’s always one. This week it is Tom Joyce.

9. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. “The TV series is far superior to the original film, although they were written by the same writer [Joss Whedon],” says Andrew Foster.

10. The Godfather. ‏Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel is “nowhere near as good as the [1972] film”, says Nick Cohen.

Next week: I will be away, so you will be treated to another Top 10 Jokes.

Coming soon: Politicians in songs, such as “The Love Of Richard Nixon” by the Manic Street Preachers.

Listellany: A Miscellany of Very British Top Tens, From Politics to Pop, is available as an e-book for £3.79. Your suggestions, and ideas for future Top 10s, in the comments please, or to me on Twitter, or by email to top10@independent.co.uk.