You’ve seen the book – now read the movie!
Over the Christmas break, there were a number of movies released which began their life as literature. These included:
Beowulf, an old English poem dating from the tenth century ADEven Alvin and the Chipmunks began life in a different form – as a comic strip!
For some people, seeing the movie often spoils, or challenges, the images they held from their reading of a novel (did you really visualise Harry Potter in the image of Daniel Radcliffe?). Others watch the movie with the intent of picking up mistakes, critiquing missing parts, or trying to see if their personal images match those of the film-maker. And others simply reflect on the different aspects of each media, and what they can each bring to a tale.
What were your impressions of the latest release of Books-to-Film in the holidays? Were you satisfied? Challenged? Annoyed? Or do you simply hate to see the movie after reading the book? Or are you drawn to the book after seeing a good movie?
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February 27th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
In my opinon Books-to-Films lack the descriptions and the feeling that the books seem to be soaked with. By skipping a substantial part of the movie, they sometimes leave viewers questioning, which is the worst way to recreate a story in image form, for those who do not know the outline.
However for those who do, the movie can prove to be an enjoyable experience that allows you to see the characters from the book in real form. But seeing the characters you cherish isn’t always a good thing. Your image of the character might be ruined after watching a film. (Harry Potter an exception - which was made rather well). Reading a book beats watching a movie by far.