Why do I bother!

United States
October 23, 2012 11:15pm CST
I told myself I would not see a movie based on a book again! I did and I wish i had not! I am talking about The Help! The movie was not as good as the book! Of course the movie is alot different then the book in some ways! I was convinced to see the movie after reading the book from a friend who did! He had read the book and then saw the movie! He told me it was a little different then the book! Not! It is alot different like I said before! I was disappointed and will recommend The Help to read not to see! Thank you for listening to me rant!!
3 people like this
15 responses
@marguicha (222994)
• Chile
24 Oct 12
I know that most movies that are based on books are not as good, unlessthe action is all that matters and you get a good thriller. But the movie comes, we say that we won`t see it as we know it will not be as good as we want it to be and then we watch it. I remember the first "worse that the book" movie I saw when I was a child. It was Little Women. In my dreams, Jo had my face
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Nov 12
My first encounter of a great book turned into a movie was one of favorite childhood books! It was "The Black Stallion" by Walter Farely! At that time I had no idea the movie makers did this! I was angry and disappointed! When I saw the "Message in the Bottle",someone said read the book. I did read the book. Boy was that weird! The book is way different and I didn't care for it! I did love the movie though! After "The Help" no more of being disappointed!
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
24 Oct 12
Its good to rant and offload. Sometimes it's better to watch the film first then read the book rather the other way round. I don't tend to watch a movie if I have already read the book with the exception of Harry Potter, but even with the films they missed out so much from the book and you keep comparing the two. If I know I am going to see the film then I purposely won't read the book first.
1 person likes this
• United States
1 Nov 12
Like in the discussion I was told it was alittle different! It was alot different! I was refering the book to the movie! I tried to have an open mind but it didn't last! The first time was when I was younger and went to see "The Black Stallion" movie. I have read most of that series and that book probaly 3 times! I had no idea the movie would be so different then the movie! I was confused and angry! When Seabiscut came out I didn't see it! I read the book and was not about to get disappionted again! With "A message in a bottle",I saw the moive and then read the book. I liked the movie better then the book! SO no more of this! Sick of this!
@anklesmash (1412)
24 Oct 12
I would agree that films based on books are usually nowhere near as good as the book.I have never read a book first and then preferred the film that was based on it.For that reason my favourite Harry Potter film is the first one.That is because it is the only film that I saw before I read any of the books.Because of that I don't have as many memories of being disappointed by the film,as I couldn't compare it to the book.And for that reason I didn't bother seeing most of the films at the cinema,I waited till I saw them on offer on DVD.
• United States
31 Oct 12
I saw the movie "Messege in a Bottle" then read the book. I loved the movie and the book disappointed me! After seeing all the changes in "The Help" I am going to really try and not do that again! I am sick of being disappointed! If I read the bbook,I won't see the movie. If I see a movie made out of the book,I won't read the book. I don't want to deal with the dissapointment! Again!
• Philippines
24 Oct 12
Reminds me a lot of StarShip Troopers, though it has nothing to do with your favorite book. but it had something to do with mine, like your situation, the movie was different compare to the book. though i have watch the movie first, i didn't realized with regards to the character that the main rico was originally a rich filipino in the bookand not puerto rican
1 person likes this
• United States
31 Oct 12
This is not the first time I have been disappointed by a book made into a movie. I grew up reading the Walter Farley series of "The Black Stallion" books. I had no idea the movie "The Black Stallion" was so different from the book! I could not understand why that happen back then! Then came the "Message in the Bottle". Loved the movie! Then read the book and didn't like it as much as the movie! When I watched "the Help" I was thinking "OK that happened in the book but not that way!","She didn't leave her husband that way"! "She never learnt how to cook even though she was shown time and time again"! "The maids wore all white uniforms! NOt blue ones"! I could go on! I won't do that again!
• Greece
24 Oct 12
I was also disappointed in the film having first read the book. The characters were so real in the book, but mere outlines in the film. It is probably not a good idea to do both, just stick to one or the other. Call the Midwife has just started in my area and although I have only seen 2 episodes so far I am already losing interest in watching the series. Authors write from the heart, they live the book and consider every word. Movie makers are just delivering a copy of the original and it is never going to be as good in my opinion.
1 person likes this
• United States
31 Oct 12
Yes you got that right! The charecters in the book were so real! In the movie they were mere outlines! I am going not to do this again! If I read a book made in to a movie I won't see it. If I see a movie made out of a book,I am not reading the book! Plain and simple!
• Sri Lanka
24 Oct 12
some times movie makers do some changes while makeing the film. Reading is a good habbit. In a moive we can here and see both. but book are not like that. I enjoy both reading and watching moive.
1 person likes this
• United States
31 Oct 12
The Help was an awesome book and I recommend it to anyone! If you read the book and want to see the movie,my advice is not to do it! I keep seeing things in the movie I knew happened in the book but were do so differently done in the movie! Like the maids wore all white in the book. In the movie,they were blue. I could go on but I will stop now! I could go on forever!
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
26 Oct 12
OMG...almost never is the movie as good as the book!! If I know that a movie was based on a book, I will always go to the library and read the book first and maybe just maybe watch the movie. I think I loved the movie "Love Story" as well as the book and look how many years we are talking about and what a simple story. I think there was another one that I found to be good but I can't remember which one...it's really rare. I remember reading Clan of the Cave bear series....great, great story! The movie starred Daryl Hannah whom I imagined to be perfect for the lead role was a complete flop. I actually don't watch many movies or tv but I do read a lot.
• United States
1 Nov 12
I should of known better! My friend Chris was so hyped over the book and the movie he convinced me to se the movie! Never am I going to fall for that crap again! When I was younger I went to see "The Black Stallion" It was by Walter Farley and I loved those books and I read this book I think three times! I had no clue the movie makers changed things from the book when they made the movie! Boy was I pissed and confused after that movie! There was a second movie on the second book but there was no way I would see it! I had no idea the movie "message in a Bottle" was a book at first. I loved the movie but then someone suggested to read the book. Didn't care for the book! Hopefully I have learnt my lesson and wouldn't see a movie made out a book I read again!
@zhpshql (693)
• China
25 Oct 12
Yeah,I have the same feeling with you..but well,for these books,most of them have have hundreds of pages,they have enough time to tell the story,but for these movies,they have to tell us a detaled story in less than 2 hours..it's so hard..so I always prefer to reading the book than watching the movie...Until now most of these movies are so boring and dull ,I think..
• United States
1 Nov 12
I know the books are usually long and it can't be told in like 2 hours. So things get not told in the movie. I understand all this! What I realy hate is my friend said "THe Help" was just a tad different then the movie! I believe him! I am still angry at him and when he does finally ask I will tell him how disappointed I was! I am not falling for this ever again!
@celticeagle (166911)
• Boise, Idaho
25 Oct 12
I saw The Help and really enjoyed it. Not many movies are better than the book. They really have to pick and choose what to put in the movie. ANd they describe situation so much better than they can in the movie. I often see a movie and then read the book to get more of the story.
@celticeagle (166911)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Nov 12
BOoks are always much better than the movie. THey are more descriptive and real. It is hard to bring a book to life but yet they are so real. It is strange. From a writer's perspective the book lives in their mind and they translate it to the page. But trying to translate that still again to the screen is very difficult.
• United States
1 Nov 12
I loved "The Help" as a book! I was so pissed at the movie! Mostly because my friend said it was just a little different then the movie! I was angry the whole next day! I fell for it and when I get asked about it I will tell him how disappointed I was! When I saw "A message in a bottle" I had not read the book. I loved the movie and then someone suggested the book. I read it and I was not impressed! It is a good book but the movie was better!
1 person likes this
@sjvenden27 (1840)
• United States
24 Oct 12
Yes most of the movies that were based on books arent as good.. It would be nice it if could be but it can.. Here is why.. A book is filled with thoughts and ideas that are endless.. Techology is getting better but its no where close to what we can imagine in our minds.. Also most movies have a strict budget.. The orginal script is a lot longer then has to be shorten because of budget or lack of this or that..
1 person likes this
• United States
29 Oct 12
No one has ever discribed why a movie is not like the book the way you do! It makes sense and it is more understandable! I am sure when I read more of the respondes I will get an ear full on how dumb I am and so on! thanks for your response!
@sriroshan (2585)
• India
24 Oct 12
Its happen my friend when we read the Novel and then we go to watch the movies which was based on the same story. This is because we know what will happen the next in the scene or we expect what should be the next scene whether it is what we have read. But when the scene is not as described in the book we get disappointed. What I feel most of the time producer of the film tries to shoot the scene as explain in the story but suddenly they change thinking audience in their mind. After all film maker wants to make the money from their film. I am sure you will agree with me in this context.
• United States
31 Oct 12
When I saw my first movie made out of a book I read I was like "Why did they do this?" "They aren't following the book"! I didn't understand this! I saw "Message in a Bottle" before I read the book. I liked the movie better! When "Seabiscut" came out I refused to see it and still do! I read the book and figured the movie would not follow the book! How you explained this makes sense. The film maker just wants make money with the movie even though it is different from the book! I know it would be hard to follow some of the scenes in the book but when I saw in "The Help" was way off from the book! At least most of the movie was! I won't do that again with a movie made from a book I read!
@prashu228 (37524)
• India
24 Oct 12
hello friend, i too feel the same , many books are written so good, we expect the movie to be that good ,as we like the book , but if it doesn't meet our expectations,we get irritated and loose our hope and never wanted to do that again , but we do it sometimes. Well i too have read a book of Indian writer, the book was good i felt, recently the rights were sold and the movie was made , i didn't like it. may be its not according to my imagination , as what i felt while reading the book. so i too recommend always to read books than watching movie.
1 person likes this
• United States
31 Oct 12
The first time this happen I was in my 20's when the movie "The Black Stallion" came out. I had read the book two or three times. I loved that book and all the books in the series! I saw the movie and I was like "Why did they change the story"? "That is not what happen in the book!" I have gottan over that and never did see the second movie about the Black Stallion! Anyway I didn't realize until lately alot of movies are made out of books I never have read or even heard of! Seeing the movie "The Help" was very frustrating and I swear I will not let myself fall for that again! This is why I won't see "The Lucky One" and "Seabiscut"! Enough said!
@koopharper (7601)
• Canada
25 Oct 12
My last experience with watching a movie after reading the book was not a good one either. I wasn't expecting great things from the movie but it was even worse than I had expected. Honestly I can't think of any redeeming qualities the movie had. As a wannabe author though I'd love to have one of my book turned into a movie... even a lousy movie. Have you ever seen what some authors get for the movie rights? That would feed me and mine for a long time.
• United States
1 Nov 12
J.D.Rowling,the author of the Harry Potter series sure did do that! She is set for life! Big time! I am sure Kathryn Stocket the author of "The Help" did the same thing and is going to be setting pretty good for the rest of her life! Maybe it will happen to you!
25 Oct 12
I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks this too! I find a film never lives up to my imagination, it always seems to disapoint. I love films but if I have read the book before I watch the movie I just know a little bit of me is going to be disapointed by it. Especially when they leave bits out that I am looking forward to or change it altogether, it's like a different story entirely! Any way thats my rant over and I so agree with you. :)
• United States
1 Nov 12
Thank you Wrenfrost! Thank you for agreeing with me! I hope I never do this again! I have done this enough times to know it bites when seeing the movie after reading the book! My oldest neice is the same way! What I don't get,it doesn't bother her mom! That is crazy!
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
1 Nov 12
It is always a mistake to read a book and then watch a movie based on it. The problem is that when reading the story you picture the scene and the character along with a very personal interpretation of the book. The creators of the film are totally unable to reproduce the creation in your mind, so it will always seem very different and wrong. There is no problem when reading a book after the film because you will envisage pretty much what you have seen, although it would probably be a little uneventful. I remember reading the H G wells novel First Men in the Moon, which was a brilliant science fiction. The film was later shown on television so I was determined not to miss it, but after about20 minutes I gave up because it seemed appalling.