Book vs Movie
Submitted by mwilliams on Mon, 2007-07-30 14:28.I like to read a book before seeing the movie, but movies have done their part to boost the sales of books and to help keep them alive. This page takes a brief look at the relationship between the written word and film.
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After the Potter madness dies down, I hope the new film version of The Dark is Rising (www.seekthesigns.com) will reignite interest in the Susan Cooper series. I think film exposure is especially important these days, as we're used to huge hype driving our reading choices (e.g. Harry Potter, Da Vinci Code). Just wish the hype would reliably pick well-written books :)
I hear ya! Huge hype tends to turn me off a book (e.g. Harry Potter) Perhaps they should get us wordsy people to pick the recommending reading, eh? :)
I agree. The best thing about Harry Potter is that it turned lots of kids into readers.
Hi putneydew. It's good to meet another new member to talk books with.
I don't want to turn this thread into a Potter debate, but you made me think of something I read in the news (NY Times) recently that suggests that HP didn't really do all that much to get children reading:
“federal statistics show that the percentage of youngsters who read for fun continues to drop significantly as children get older, at almost exactly the same rate as before Harry Potter came along.”
I guess, though that it would have dropped more drastically in that period if he hadn’t come along.
I get the idea to read a book from the movies. Example: I never even thought of reading Harry Potter or Pride & Prejudice until their movies came out.
Hello there cami, welcome aboard! I'm curious...do you find you prefer the book or the movie? I always hear people saying they enjoy the book more, but those people--like me-- usually read the book first.
I can’t read the book after seeing the movie; it feels like I’m going over a text book.
Best film adaption was "Lord of the rings", worst was Bryce Courtney’s "the power of one" I hate that Bryce let someone else play with his work like that, the book was a meaningful read, the film was a quick flick.
What about Blade Runner? It was significantly different from Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep but it's one of my favorite movies. The title is pathetic, and the explanation behind it is even worse... but the movie rocks. I enjoyed it far more than I enjoyed the novel.
I love being exposed to new authors through film -The Razor's Edge and Maugham, Fight Club and Palahuinak (or however it's spelled), etc etc.
Isn't it unrealistic to expect a book and movie to be even similar? It seems like the best way to enjoy both is to view them as totally unique. Anyone else into tearing the cheesy film covers off of books? I thought to make a collage of the Kate Winslets, Brad Pitts, and others I've ripped out of books. Any other strategies for cleansing the pallate?
As a guilty pleasure, I enjoy dogging the failed translations of book to film. I've never heard anyone admit it, but the zeal with which book fanatics deride movie versions MUST go beyond intense hatred -into pleasure, even?
I confess, as someone who teaches mythology, I had a lot of fun thrashing the movie Troy.