I wasn't sure if I should put this under "watching movies" or "reading" but here it is. When a movie is based on a book, do you read the book and then watch the movie or watch the movie and then read the book?
I've done both and have noticed how it affected my opinion of the book or movie. Take "The Notebook" for example. I saw the movie first and thought it was just wonderful. I watched it over and over and always cried at the end even though I knew what happened. Then I read the book. I admit it was a sweet story and had I not seen the movie I probably would have enjoyed it but it didn't "touch" me like the movie did.
But then there have been times when I read the book first and then watched the movie and found that the movie didn't compare to the book.
So which way do you prefer?
[question posted by foxyfire33]
responses and comments:
now that you have this subject out, i am actually waiting for the movie version of Alice Sebold's "The Lovely Bones." i liked the book very very much and it had touched a lot of people. i sincerely hope the movie will have the same level of effectivity when it comes out hopefully in 2008. if not, i'd really hate the people behind the movie. heeh :) [fobiness]
It's nice to stumble upon your response. I recently got my copy of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones. I am going to start reading up on it really soon. I've heard great reviews on it and it has been highly recommended by a dear friend of mine. I heard its movie production is going to start soon. [MariaD]
when you are reading a book you can imagine anything it can be as grand as you want you can imagine anything what you see is all you imagination and no director or producer who may ever he be cannot show what your imagination can make you see so i think reading a book is always more interesting and exciting provided the subject of the books interests you i'll give a simple example you see a harry potter movie and read the book either you read the book first or see the movie first you will enjoy the book more [jitinchaudhary]
I completely agree about Harry Potter. I haven't read all the books (and not the last one so no spoilers) or seen all the movies but the movies I did see seemed kind of cheesy compared to my imaginations version from reading the books. [foxyfire33]
Yes, I did watch movies based on books. Some of Sidney Sheldon's books were made into movies. When I saw the movie, I didn't feel thrilled. I was more thrilled when reading the books. I don't know why. [friendship]
Probably because you could use your imagination while reading the book but during the movie it was all laid out for you. [foxyfire33]
I think both are different in their aspects. I like both reading the books and watching the movies. Sherlock Holmes is one of the book I have read and watched the movie. I also like some of the comic heroes turned into movie heroes and loved watching it in the big screen. Batman, Superman, Phantom, Spiderman, etc are some of the comic heroes that I loved watching in the movie theater. [ajithlal]
A funny case is 'Sin City' and '300', where the films are actually trying very hard to copy Frank Miller's original drawings - I haven't read the original but I'd guess that they overlap too much to really give different impressions. And some moviemakers seem to work like this, e.g. the Coen brothers start with a manuscript full of drawings and 'just' copy it to film. :) [VegieDactyle]
I think it totally depends on who does the movie and if they do it well. I have seen books that I wasn't interested in and then after I saw the movie, I just had to read the book and vice versa. I totally hate when they do a movie of the book and leave out really important stuff. That happened with one of the Harry Potter's. They left out something that I thought was really important and it ruined the movie for me the first time I saw it. In that case, I would have liked to see the movie first and then when I got to the additional stuff in the book, it would have been a nice surprise. I totally understand that they have to leave stuff out. Otherwise, the movie would end up being 7 hours long! [Trace86]
If I know that a story is going to be both a book and a movie, then I'd rather watch the movie first and read the book second. In my experience, a book is usually more detailed and more in depth than a movie. Therefore, if I read the book first then watch the movie, I am always disappointed when the movie doesn't portray certain things that were in the book. However, if I watch the movie first, then read the book, the book always gives me extra little surprises that were not in the movie. [betsyraeduke]
My general rule of thumb for this is that I never watch movies of books that I have read because I am so disappointed in the way the movie was done. There is only 1 movie that I can say I watched the movie after I read the book, and was not disappointed, was Christmas with the Kranks, the book was so very close to the movie, and the changes in the movie from the book only made the movie better and more funnier. A lot of times I don't agree with the casting of characters in the movie. But thats me. When I was in high school we use to read the book and then watch the movie, and more times than not the teachers at the end of the movie would ask us to list differences in the movie and the book, it showed them how much we paid attention to the movie and the book... Mooch [oneandonemakesix]
I prefer watching it on tv one than I must a huge wide of book to finish it. Oh GOd! it's gonna killing me. lol even the ending wouldn't be the same with the book version one. ;) [az03r4]
I never watched a movie AND read the book, somehow it made the other kinda boring and predictable (surely). I watch Harry Potter and never read the book. My friends also feel like that, some of them read Da Vinci Code and thought it was great and said the movie was boring, some of them watch the movie, thought it was great and said the book was boring. [ucancallmedissy]
My normal habit on books made into movies is getting to watch the movie first. Often, I wouldn't even know that the movie is based on a book. I like those kind of movies but I am unable to read their book versions often as it can be quite costly in purchasing them. [MariaD]
I like movies based on books. if we read the books firstly and then watch movies, then we can have better command of the story. I like Pride and Prejudice, and now there is a movie of this name. I like it very much. [happygreat]
I've always read a book and then seen the movie.Many of Sidney Sheldon and Jacqueline Susan's books I've read and seen the movies too.I enjoyed reading the book more than seeing the movies.For me I feel when I read the book my mind illuminates and I imagine it my way.The director's perspective would have been different.But one book that I was glad I read before seeing the movie was 'God Father'.If I had not read the book I would never have been able to follow the dialogues because of that heavy Sicilian accent. [biggerb]
I do not watch movies very often, only on the rare occassion. I had read a couple of very excellent books, which I enjoyed immensely. When the movie was shown on TV I just had to watch it. I even set up the video recorder in case I missed it. What a let down that was. The movies were nothing compared to the books. Heaps and heaps were left out of the movie. So I will not watch another movie after reading the book. [Goodie123]
I prefer to read the book first and then see the movie because I like to see the differences in the movie. What I mean is, usually my mind sees the characters and the settings differently than the director of the movie sees them. On the other hand, sometimes I see a good movie and I know for sure that the book must be in more depth so, I read the book to find out more. [girlgonefishing]
I dont usually read the book and the movie the only one i have done wthat with was white oleander, the book was alot better then the movie but the movie was still KICK A*S Oh yea i watched the move flowers int he attic after reading the whole series, i must say... the movie sucked but i love every single one of vc andrews books...flowers in the attick was a veary! good book so my choice would be to read the book first, then watch the movie.... [xXxMikesWifeyxXx]
I almost always read the book first. The books usually have so much more details. The movies often have to cut out good parts to get the story to fit the time allowed. I have been doing a thing with my daughter. After she finishes reading a book we rent the movie and watch together. It is helping her to read more when she knows there is a treat at the end. [lightningMD]
I can't think of a single movie that was better than the book. I have done it both ways- book first or movie first. I am more of a reader than movie watcher, so I usually decide to watch a movie after reading the book. The book offers more in description, gives more of what the characters are thinking and feeling. But I admit, I cry more often when watching a movie than reading, partly, I think, because it is so quick in a movie. It can take a few pages to get the description across about a particular scene, the background of what is happening. It can be a couple of paragraphs to describe something being said, and then the reaction to it. So it may not have as strong an effect that way. Anyway, I like to read the book first, even though I know the movie will be a let down after reading the book, I watch it anyway. [Sillychick]
There is only one way for me.If the writer is someone i like, its simple.I never watch the movie first!Never!Even if all i can do is watch the news or the commercial break, i will do this instead of watching the movie.Not a single movie based on book is better than the book.Ok, maybe only The Green Mile, of Stephen King. So, if theres a movie based on book written by writer i like, i will try to read the book and then watch the movie. [makatas]
Actually, it would be what is first available to me. Like I have seen the movie "sound of music" before I read the book and with Narnia, I read the book first. There is no preference, and whether I read or watch the movie first, I can still say they did it wrong..lol [carmelanirel]
I always read the book first, so that I can see if the movie stayed true to the message of the book. I enjoy a good movie but sometimes they take creative license to far and the movie has little to do with the book, or they change the ending to make it movie friendly. [pastorkayte]
That's a good question. I think it largely depends on what kind of story it is for me. There are some storylines that are just better in a movie, other times, I was really, really disappointed in the movie because the book was so much better. I'd have to say I like reading the book first and see where it takes me. After that, then I'll watch the movie. Sometime I'll read the book over again to see if I get a different meaning too because of the movie. I think its funny how our preception changes from verbal to vissual when it comes to reading and watching movies. I prefer reading the story first though. [ljegbers]
To be perfectly honest I don't read often. Occasionally I will read a book, but I just don't have time. I hardly have time to watch movies, but watching movies takes a lot less time than reading an entire book. So, I usually watch the movie and don't read the book at all. The last book I read was a million little pieces. I don't believe there is a movie about the book.. but I would watch the movie if they had one... So, I guess really I'd prefer read the book and then watch the movie, but it never works out that way due to time restraints, so I just watch the movie. [brianandemily]
I have read books that are made into movies. I usually see the movie first then had read the book. On some I feel disappointed since the movies isn't complete or some had been altered. But of course movie has good visualization than picturing out things from the book through imagination. [liera0]
I prefer to see the film, it may be due lo lack of imagination but it provokes more emotion and sensation to see the movie rather than read it [Grazor]
when I was in high school we'd read the book first and then watch the movie. there are a few books that's i've read first and then watched the movie, but not many. now i don't read much so i just prefer the movies. [2kidsandapup]
if i find the movie first i will watch the movie...otherwise if i have a lot of time i will read the book. normally i prefer to just watch the movie and get over it. [himoacs]
I have read three novels, one is love story, the other two are kungfu action, after completion of reading I saw they presented them into tv episode, but I felt they weren't that interesting as what I read from the books, also there were some changes even in the ending, after that I didn't read any book but looked through the brief introduction instead, however I still like watching movie or tv, since it's more lively... [lindazhao333]
If you have a vivid imagination, favor your own visualizations, and can devote the time to read a 300 page book, then I think books would be a better option for you. Otherwise, if your like me, who doesn't have the time, falls asleep when reading books, and enjoy seeing others' representations of the story, then i guess movies are for you. Nonetheless, I believe that it would be best to read the book and watch the movie to compare the similarities and differences. [Clickie]
For things like Harry Potter, I prefer reading the books first. For one, you can't get all the details unless you read the books. Without the books, the movies can sometimes be misleading. I saw Girl, Interrupted before even knowing it was a book, and I loved the movie, but I didn't feel that the book was so great. I mean, it was interesting, but the movie was an actual storyline, the book jumped around way too much. I read The Notebook because the movie looked awesome, but it just didn't reach the level that I thought the movie did. As a result, I have not brought myself to be able to watch the movie because I'm afraid of how bad the movie will be. So, really, for me it all depends on what I get ahold of first. [highflyingxangel]
i would read the book and then watch the movie,but if i watch the movie i would not read the book. i like read the books about loves.^^ [MagieL]
I don't enjoy reading books that much, I just go straight to watch the movie, i actually only watch movies. That is way better. I don't read much books. It is expressed better in the movies. [soumodeep]
i think watch movies first as they never as good as the really good writings ,then read the book ,u'll enjoy the book more and will have faster reading.it also depends whether u r a visual person or imaginative person. [aissha]
If I liked the book I'll usually see the film too, especially if there's a long time between reading it and watching it. But I don't remember ever watching a film and then read the book... Maybe it's because watching & reading are two very different states of mind, similar to the difference between surfing the web and watching tv - reading/surfing you're in control vs watching what someone else wants you to see. And since I watch less and less tv I was quite surprised when realising above that a movie version of a book would have the effect of stopping me from reading the original! Film is obviously a very powerful medium... [VegieDactyle]
So far it so happened that I have seen all the movies after reading the books only.One of the remarkable movie adaptation is God father.It is as good as reading the book.I will see The note book soon.thanks. [balasri]
There are many things left out when making movies based on books. I prefer reading the book first than watching the movie because I enjoy the events more while reading. [Lightlord]
I have never watch any movie which is based on a book before I'd read the book~ Don't know, those based on book movie, I usually had read the book before it come out with the movie.. Next time I should see, if I found a movie based on book but I have not read the book yet...what will I do..XD I think I'll read the book first~ [jean0827]
I agree with you. When I read a book first then watch the movie, I always feel like the movie wasn't very accurate. When I watch the movie first, it's wonderful to see so sometimes I don't even want to take the time to read the book since I've already seen what it's about! I've seen The Notebook and found the book at a garage sale, so I'm going to have to do this experiment myself. In the past, I've preferred to read the book first then watch the movie. If the movie isn't very accurate, I just have to remind myself that film makers can't possibly pack all that content from a book into a movie or viewers would be sitting there watching it for days! [JJ4Ever]
I usually see the movie first and then if I enjoyed it, read the book. Like for the Notebook, i saw the movie, fell in love with it,and then purchased the book, which i still haven't read though. And in some other cases, i read the book before, which i don't necessarily find that good, but then the movie is awesome..i just can't remember which one that was though, sorry. So i'm guessing it all depends, who writes the books, and who makes the movies. [jewel76]
I don't read a lot so I don't go to movies based on books either. :P I've seen three of the four Harry Potter movies and read the first two books. I think that the movie was pretty good. [blademaiden]
Usually I read the book then watch the movies. Most of time I am disappointed by the movies. The movies versions are often incomplete, missing a lot of interesting details and plots. It is always a challenge to make movies based on a book. Most time directors interpretation may not win the approval of most readers. [alexwander]