Band of Brothers. Poster of the 2001 TV series and cover of the 1992 book
VS3
Band of Brothers
Stephen E. Ambrose, 1992
TV series vs book
Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, 2001

Band of Brothers is a dramatized account of the Easy Company (part of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment), assigned to the United States Army’s 101st Airborne Division during World War II. Major Richard Winters is the central character, shown working to accomplish the company’s missions and keep his men together and safe.


Schindler's List. Poster of the 1993 movie and cover of the 1982 book
VS3
Schindler's List
Thomas Keneally, 1982
movie vs book
Steven Spielberg, 1993

In Kraków during World War II, the Germans have forced local Polish Jews into the overcrowded Kraków Ghetto. To better protect his workers, Schindler bribes Göth into allowing him to build a sub-camp. As the Germans begin to lose the war, Göth is ordered to ship the remaining Jews at Płaszów to Auschwitz concentration camp. Schindler asks Göth to allow him to move his workers to a new munitions factory he plans to build in Brünnlitz near his home town Zwittau.


Saving Private Ryan. Poster of the 1998 movie and cover of the book novelization
VS3
Saving Private Ryan
Max Allan Collins, 1998
movie vs book   [NOVELIZATION]
Steven Spielberg, 1998

On the morning of June 6, 1944, American soldiers land at Omaha Beach as part of the Normandy invasion. Captain John H. Miller of the 2nd Ranger Battalion leads a breakout from the beach. Three days after D-Day, Miller receives orders to go behind enemy lines to retrieve James Francis Ryan, from the 101st Airborne Division, whose brothers have been killed in action.


Raiders of the Lost Ark. Poster of the 1981 movie and cover of the book novelization
VS3
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Campbell Black, 1981
movie vs book   [NOVELIZATION]
Steven Spielberg, 1981

In 1936, American archaeologist Indiana Jones overcomes an ancient booby-trapped temple in Peru to retrieve a golden idol. Jones travels to Nepal to recover the headpiece of the staff of Ra, an artifact used to locate the Ark, from his old mentor Abner Ravenwood. The sadistic Nazi commander, Arnold Toht, flanked by mercenaries, arrives at Marion’s bar to recover the headpiece.


Five Came Back. Poster of the 2017 TV series and cover of the 2014 book
VS3
Five Came Back
Mark Harris, 2014
TV series vs book
Laurent Bouzereau, 2017

The documentary explores the experiences of five U.S. film directors – John Ford, William Wyler, John Huston, Frank Capra, and George Stevens – and their frontline work during the Second World War. Each modern director discusses the impact and legacies of one of the five earlier directors: Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Guillermo del Toro, Paul Greengrass, and Lawrence Kasdan.


Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Poster of the 1989 movie and cover of the book novelization
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Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
Les Martin, 1989
movie vs book   [NOVELIZATION]
Steven Spielberg, 1989

In 1938, when Dr. Henry Jones Sr. suddenly goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, eminent archaeologist Indiana must team up with Marcus Brody, Sallah and Elsa Schneider to follow in his father’s footsteps and stop the Nazis from recovering the power of eternal life. The artifact is much harder to find than they expected, and its powers are too much for those impure of heart.


Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Poster of the 1989 movie and cover of the book novelization
VS3
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Rob MacGregor, 1989
movie vs book   [NOVELIZATION]
Steven Spielberg, 1989

In 1938, when Dr. Henry Jones Sr. suddenly goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, eminent archaeologist Indiana must team up with Marcus Brody, Sallah and Elsa Schneider to follow in his father’s footsteps and stop the Nazis from recovering the power of eternal life. The artifact is much harder to find than they expected, and its powers are too much for those impure of heart.


West Side Story. Poster of the 2021 movie and cover of the 1595 book, Romeo and Juliet
VS3
Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare, 1595
movie vs book
Steven Spielberg, 2021

Teenagers Tony and Maria, despite having affiliations with rival street gangs, fall in love in 1950s New York City. An adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.


Jurassic Park. Poster of the 1993 movie and cover of the 1990 book
VS3
Jurassic Park
Michael Crichton, 1990
movie vs book
Steven Spielberg, 1993

Industrialist John Hammond has created a theme park of cloned dinosaurs, Jurassic Park, on Isla Nublar, a Costa Rican island. After a dinosaur handler is killed by a Velociraptor, the park’s investors, represented by lawyer Donald Gennaro, demand that experts visit the park and certify its safety.


Catch Me If You Can. Poster of the 2002 movie and cover of the 1980 book, Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake
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Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake
Frank W. Abagnale, Stan Redding, 1980
movie vs book
Steven Spielberg, 2002

Frank Abagnale Jr. idolizes his father, who’s in trouble with the IRS. Frank runs away when his parents divorce. Needing money, he turns to confidence scams to survive and his cons grow bolder. He impersonates an airline pilot and forges Pan Am payroll checks. Soon, his forgeries are worth millions of dollars.


Jurassic Park. Poster of the 1993 movie and cover of the book novelization
VS3
Jurassic Park: the Junior Novelization
Gail Herman, 1993
movie vs book   [NOVELIZATION]
Steven Spielberg, 1993

Industrialist John Hammond has created a theme park of cloned dinosaurs, Jurassic Park, on Isla Nublar, a fictional Costa Rican island. After a dinosaur handler is killed by a Velociraptor, the park’s investors, represented by lawyer Donald Gennaro, demand that experts visit the park and certify its safety.


Jaws. Poster of the 1975 movie and cover of the 1974 book
VS3
Jaws
Peter Benchley, 1974
movie vs book
Steven Spielberg, 1975

During a beach party at dusk on Amity Island, a young woman, Chrissie Watkins, goes skinny dipping in the ocean. Meanwhile, consulting oceanographer Matt Hooper examines Chrissie’s remains, and confirms her death was caused by a shark—an unusually large one.