For the next two weeks, Michelle has asked us to discuss books-become-movies:
There are so many book-to-movie adaptations out there. Which are your
favorites? Which are your least favorites? Why? Do you make sure you've
read a book before you go see the movie adaptation, or do you prefer to
read it after, or not at all?
I don't have much to say about this topic because I haven't been to the movies since 2005. (The last movie I saw in the theater was Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Coincidence? No comment.) Even at home, I don't watch movies or TV in general due to child monopoly of the boob tube and lack of free time. (Writing must come first.) So my examples are going to be old.
Favorites/Least Favorites: I thought The Lord of the Rings was well done (at least the first movie; for some reason, I never got around to seeing the other two). I don't have a least favorite. The movies I recall as being poor weren't originally books--as far as I know.
Which Comes First: In general, I'm more likely to read the book first, because that's my preferred form of entertainment. While I might not spend a lot of time visualizing the characters or scenery as I read, I like how a book can give me a deeper POV than a movie can. I think there were a couple of instances where I saw the movie first, then read the book. One of those was The Color Purple. I hadn't heard of the book before I saw the movie. I recall getting more out of the book than I did from the movie, but that could be due to other factors, since I was older when I read the book.
Kate discussed this topic yesterday, and it'll be Christine's turn tomorrow. In the meantime, please feel free to continue the book/movie discussion in the comments section. I'm sure you'll do a better job than I can!
6 comments:
There are some books I like more than the movie and vice versa. A lot of it depends how faithful the movie is and how attached you are to what's in the book.
It's amazing how much the book and the movie can vary. Also, the movie can shape how you view the characters; you might picture them as the actors and actresses in the movie instead of creating your own picture of them in your mind.
really - no movie in how long??? I am a movie junkie!
Watching movies and TV just doesn't engage me as much as reading does, Christine.
Lord of the Rings did not thrill me, and it's probably because I didn't ever read the books on my own; they were my bedtime stories. I must have selectively forgotten the orcs, which dominated the screen and ruined the movie for me. The thing I enjoy about movies made from books is the chance to "read it again for the first time." Yes, it is a different medium, but the main themes are usually still there, as well as main characters and settings. It's interesting to see how the arc is adapted for a shorter time frame, even though it wounds me deeply when they remove my favorite subplots or secondary characters. :) I'm most looking forward to THE HOST by Stephenie Meyer, because she had learned her lesson after Twilight and carefully selected the director/writer for her adult book. It's the guy who did GATTACA!! He also recently put out IN TIME, which was right on par with his other work. I have hope it's going to be awesome!
I don't get to the movies that often either. Usually, it has to be something that I'm excited for - right now I can't wait to see Les Miserables.
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