Do you prefer to read a book first or watch the movie? Have you ever read a book, only to be sorely disappointed by the correlating movie? Have you watched a movie and loved it so much you wanted to read the book to learn more & experience the story more deeply? I can remember the first time that I watched a movie specifically because I loved the book so much. It was Maeve Binchy's "Circle Of Friends". It is a sweet story about a woman who goes through many challenges while dealing with self doubt and a lack of self esteem. The character triumphs in the end by realizing her own strength and leaving the man she had been so dependent upon for her own self worth. I was appalled and disappointed when I watched the movie and the main character ended up staying with the guy. I could not believe that they had changed the story line so drastically as to have completely missed the whole point of the book! Well, the movie was a love story and if I had never read the book, it would likely have been a great movie with a happy ending (always have to have a happy ending at the movies...). This taught me about the latitude that movie producers have when making a movie out of a book. Sometimes it is a great thing and sometimes very disappointing!
I always suggest reading a book before seeing the movie. This allows you to create a vision of the characters & locations with your own mind before the picture in your mind is determined by the actors who play the characters and the producer's vision becomes your own. Also, a lot of a 350 page book must be left out of a movie. For instance, the movie Jurassic Park begins about 1/3 of the way into the book. The part that is left out is a fascinating description of how the dinosaur DNA is discovered and eventually used to create the real animals that will inhabit the soon to be dinosaur park. Usually, huge amounts of character development, behind the scene motivations, and back story need to be left out of a movie to keep it within a 2 hour time frame. Movies need to be more condensed as well as many nuances cannot be successfully translated onto the movie screen.
Do you read a book and then watch the movie? Have you ever seen a movie and then decided to read the book? How was that experience for you?
I always suggest reading a book before seeing the movie. This allows you to create a vision of the characters & locations with your own mind before the picture in your mind is determined by the actors who play the characters and the producer's vision becomes your own. Also, a lot of a 350 page book must be left out of a movie. For instance, the movie Jurassic Park begins about 1/3 of the way into the book. The part that is left out is a fascinating description of how the dinosaur DNA is discovered and eventually used to create the real animals that will inhabit the soon to be dinosaur park. Usually, huge amounts of character development, behind the scene motivations, and back story need to be left out of a movie to keep it within a 2 hour time frame. Movies need to be more condensed as well as many nuances cannot be successfully translated onto the movie screen.
Do you read a book and then watch the movie? Have you ever seen a movie and then decided to read the book? How was that experience for you?
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