Have you ever read a book and then watched a movie of that book?
As an elderly student of history, I am very interested in then accurate accounts relating to the events. However, it is understandable that when making a film of the event, the film maker may indeed make certain alteration that can add to the visual effect achieved by the film media. The trouble is that the younger generation attach no importance to the accuracy of the event, and sadly end up believing in the utter tripe portrayed by the film as the lack of accuracy is never brought to the notice of the viewing public. This results in some of the hilarious comments and opinions often expressed on mediums such as here on Yahoo Answers. Its not to much that the education system is particularly thick in the history department, as that the general medium for knowledge appears to be the 'comic' variety provided by visual entertainment mediums which have no relationship or interest whatsoever to the truth.
What do you prefer,read a book or watch a movie?
There is no question about it I prefer to read! I did not know there was a book about Bridge to the Tarabithia and I promise I will read it thank you for letting me know.... I hate to watch the movie after I read the book because you know when you read the book you imagine it for yourself and as good the movie might be the director might never get it as you imagine.... I dont mind reading the book after I ve seen the movie cause there are loads of things getting missed in the movie and I can find them in the book....
Personally I prefer reading books over watching movie adaptations, but the problem is, I don't come to know if a movie is an adaptation until I read the reviews somewhere or someone from my friend-circle tells me. If I would have known that, I would pick books first and then buy the movie tickets, ALWAYS!!However after much comparison among the two I have realized that the two are totally different art forms. They evoke different kinds of pleasure and enjoyment. A film adaptation can make an apt homage to the original literary work. It is not merely an ‘illustrated book’, but a new creation, one that offers a different experience from reading. In telling the story from a visual and sound perspective, it offers a multidimensional take on the original work. By doing so, it may need to alter the source material. But then again, how do you know the images on-screen are not those already conjured up in some readers’ minds as they interact with the text or wait... are they your images?While a film is the artistic expression of the filmmaker’s interpretation, it is also a collaboration of talents and perspectives, as cast and crew contribute their expertise, in cinematography, set design, costume, writing, sound, music, editing; all under the artistic direction and insight of the director. It is an alchemy of sights and sounds. On top of that, there are the key agents of delivery. An intelligent performance can bring out the literary essence, presenting the thematic matter, characters and the soul with which the book was written.If people strongly believe that the books are the ultimate sources of entertainment for those addicted to generate imaginative powers and reading experience then they should rethink because in that way even the translations are worthless. Why not enjoy them in their native language in which they were written? All the best for learning all the languages in the world.P.S.- Now I enjoy whatever comes first to me. Either book or movie. But I do both. Whatever I wrote in the 1st para was what I thought a couple of years back.Cheers!!
I usually work it the other way around, I read a book and then watch the movie made from it. But occasionally I do see a movie and learn of the book afterwards. In those cases, if the movie was a good one, I will often read the book. Quite normally the book contains plot lines the movie doesn’t have due to the time constraint of a film. Usually, reading the book enhances the movie, unless the book and movie are totally unconnected.For example: the Ian Fleming books have little to do with the James Bond movies, particularly the everything before the Danial Craig’s ‘Casino Royale’. Since then, the movies have nothing to do with any of the novels except for using some of the same characters. Gerald A. Browne’s ‘11 Harrowhouse’ had a few similar items, but a radically different ending, I actually prefer the movie to the book, I think it was the more humorous take for the movie. Tolkien's ‘The Hobbit’ book and the movie trilogy are even further apart and I would place the book well ahead of the films and probably never see the films again.So, sometimes reading the book after seeing the movie can be a disappointment, either in the book or movie, so you are always taking a risk. A better book might ruin a movie for you, an awful book might make you think twice about seeing any future movies based on books by the same author. So while you might run the risk, the chances are you may enjoy the books as well at the movies. For example the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies are excellent and while they do depart of the books in some minor plot lines, both the movies and the books are enjoyable in their own right.So the chance is there for both further enjoyment or possibly disappointment, but it’s always a chance worth taking!
Thanks for A2A. I would definitely suggest — perusing the novel before watching the movie. I have no shame in admitting this that I always used to do the reverse and then someone advised me not to.Often the Literary works are extremely well written, exhaustively detailed and consists of very well-written characters.The movie script is a sub-sub-set of the theme of the book. In most cases, key developments to the characters and scenes are left out.In every novel that I have read which has a corresponding Superhit Block-Buster Hollywood movie — the experience of perusal of the novel was infinitely more pleasing than watching it on-screen.E.g. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, I recently finished reading. It is a million times better to read the three novels and a detailed Appendices rather than simply watching the movie. The movie script of all the 3 movies combined would be less than 40% of the actual novel in terms of depth, interactions and dialogues.Same goes for Stephen King’s IT and The Shawshank Redemption. Same applies to Che Guevara’s The Motorcycle Diaries. Same goes for all the Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park novels. Same goes for Jumpa Lahiri’s Namesake. And a few dozen others I could think of.In short, the following I loved reading; some of them made into really famous movies as well:The Lords of the RingsITThe Shawshank RedemptionJawsThe Pelican BriefA Time to KillJurassic ParkThe Lost World: Jurassic ParkBram Stoker’s DraculaThe Silence of the LambsReading the original novel before watching the movie is infinitely times better than watching a movie and then deciding to read the novel.
Would you rather...read the book or watch the movie?
Read the book. Once in a while, a movie is better. Usually, the movies change too many of the important details, and then try to reach the same ending as the book. It just doesn't work. Does anyone remember that dreadful miniseries that was made out of "The Thorn Birds"? The only thing they got right was casting Richard Chamberlain as Father Ralph. "The Dead Zone" is one of my favorite King novels. The movie made a lot of changes, but all the changes were in keeping with the spirit and intent of the book. I loved the movie and thought Christopher Walken was perfect as Johnny. "Misery" is one of those books that I can't read very often. The intensity is too draining. And the reality. We all know that "The Shining" is fantasy. But "Misery" could really happen. There really are crazy people like that moving around society. I never saw the movie. All the reviews convinced me that it was fabulous, but that it was also just as intense and psychologically gripping as the book. Stanley Kubrick butchered "The Shining" so badly that he turned the movie into a comedy. The book gave me nightmares. The movie left me and my husband laughing until we both hurt. And I won't even start on the idiots who attempted to adapt "The Stand." All the Harry Potters books have been vastly better than the movies, but the movies for the most part have been ..... good. "HP & the Order of the Phoenix" is my favorite of the books and movies. The movie was far too short - but I also thought the book was too short! - but what they captured on screen was marvelous. With the exception of Bellatrix using Avada Kedavra on Sirius. That is NOT how he died. One more example of fabulous book and fabulous movie: Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea. The Disney Channel did a mini-series of each book that starred Megan Followes as Anne and Colleen Dewhurst as Marilla. If you read the Anne books as a child, you HAVE to see these miniseries. My own daughter is a redhead, so we have always been partial to the Anne stories. :-)
Will watching "the shining" movie before i read the book affect my reading experience?
Just embarking on a Stephen King odyssey? I envy you! Be sure to read The Stand. Heck, read 'em all. He has also written several excellent short story collections. Watching the movie first will affect your reading experience and vice versa, but I don't know that it would be a negative effect. Two different experiences. In general, books are way better than movies, richer and more nuanced. And, if you do see any of the movies first, don't let them turn you off from the books. Happy reading! EDIT: As I was laboring over my answer, 4 people snuck in ahead of me! And they're right: read the books first!
Do you prefer reading books or watching movies?
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