Reading before watching a film
By zelle_gatoc
@zelle_gatoc (496)
Philippines
July 28, 2008 4:56am CST
Most movies shown in our cinemas are adapted from books usually of the same title. Some prefer to see it in print first before watching the film while others would assume that, given the same storyline, the movie format would be more convenient (given a 3-hour film duration and a 3-months reading period). I used to join the bandwagon of people who relentless proclaim the superiority of this one over that one until our professor in Literature briefly gave us her statement on this, which is actually the most sensible idea ever conceived on this matter: a book and a film are two different literary medium and either of these two can outshine the other simply because each has its inherent flaws and strengths.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@lolllypop (15)
•
29 Jul 08
I prefer reading the book rather than watching the movie.. Better thing is tat read the book b4 watching it onscreen.. A film cant capture the details as it is in the book..
@philjas (1134)
• United States
29 Jul 08
I think "the book" is always better than "the movie" at least in the sense that it's longer and tells a more complete version of a story. That being said, however, sometimes movies sum it up better. In the first Lord of the Rings movie, for example, there are certain parts of the book I'm just as glad they cut out of the movie because I didn't personally like those parts anyway. But on the other hand I often find when I've already read the book then see the movie I'll be disappointed because they cut this and that part out.
@brimia (6581)
• United States
28 Jul 08
I love to read and I also love movies.
I agree, you don't always have time to read compared to a seeing it on screen in 2 hours. I think though that the book is almost always better than the movie. There's something about being transported to another place and using your imagination to picture characters and such that you just don't get in a movie.
@CinderInMySoul (4717)
• United States
28 Jul 08
yeah your professor really hit the nail on the head there! each medium has its better qualities..obviously movies are going to be more visually stimulating and can be quite exciting with todays movie special effects! the books are mentally (imagination) stimulating..cause you have to create the image in your head using what the author has handed you..and if you want the full/true vision of what the author is trying to portrait then you definitally read the books.
not everybody has that kind of attention span to be able to get truly involved with characters in a book, whereas in a film you see whats happening to them and can usually immediatly relate to them in some way.
though if you read the book and expect to be wowed by the movie version, you will almost always be disappointed..its just not possible to make a movie that encompasses everything the book does without the movie being 4 (or more) hours long. and im betting there arent many ppl in the world who could sit thru a 4hour movie in one sitting!
if you see the movie first..then read the book, you will probably be happy with both versions that way..it might even clarify some of the things from the movie for you!
