Book first or movie first?

[delsialdana]

I cannot watch a film and then choose to read a book. When you read a book first, you are allowed to create your version of the characters. To me, that is something unique. A book that is turned into a film is harshly being compared, and we can see why. Scenes that we once made up in our mind are actually visible now, and they either disappoint or satisfy us (same goes for the characters). I know that it would be impossible to fit everything from a book into a film, therefore, a lot of important detail is cut off. So yes, there will always be a wee bit of disappointment. I particularly don't watch a film first and then look for the book. If I would have known there was a book, I wouldn't have watched the movie first. Just for my own sake. Either way, I think it is cracking that we get to compare a book and film, all in one. BUT, book first!

[Sweetp120]

In most cases, if there was a book that I was lucky enough to have read and then found out that the rights were bought to be made into a movie, I will wait until all the hoopla dies down before I see the movie. If there was a movie that I see was adapted from a book, I generally will also wait till all the hoopla dies down before I will read the book. In both cases I like to forget what the general reviews were for either. I guess its because I like to form my own opinion.

DCMerkle

i totally agree about all the hypes on books or movies. For me I try to read the book first, but sometimes i watch a movie without knowing until i have seen it that it was based on a book. But for all the hype about a book or movie usually annoys me because as you noted i have my own opinions for example there was so much hype over the fifty shades series that i never read it then there was all the hype about the movie and after letting it die down i watched the movie and just didn't see what everyone else saw and disliked it so i never got the books to read. Another example, and one i have trouble with, is The Game of Thrones series. I began watching the tv series with my aunt not knowing it was a story i actually bought the first book at one point and struggled to get past the first chapter because i already had visions in my head of what it was adapted to and not what the author envisioned. So i guess it just really depends, but there definitely isn't nothing like reading the book first and seeing how accurate they get in the screen writes.

[prayz_]

I prefer the book coming first, it kind of lays the foundation for the movie

[Pammy1307]

I feel that the book should always be read before you watch the movie based upon that book. Books always have much more detail and imagination than what a movie presents. Movies based on books are commonly not near as good as the book. Movies lack the detail's that a book provide's.

[werecreature24]

Book first of course!

[Oputa Favour]

Book first,cause it contains some hidden details or explained experience and if it has a movie then it is better ,it makes it easier

[Roshel]

I love reading a lot but I will rather watch the movie b4 reading cos it's make me understand easily

[JordanKSmith]

I'll do one or the other, but I typically won't do both. For me, one experience spoils the other. The one exception that I can remember is the book The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn, and I didn't even finish it.

[Andrea Moran]

I tend to read the book first, I don’t really know why but I just can’t find myself to watch a movie based on a book if I haven’t read the book first.

[teresao]

I have to read the book first, but I think sometimes it comes back to bite me in the behind because then I can't stop myself from critiquing the entire movie and comparing it to the book. It's rare for the movie to be better than the book, so I end up driving myself (and my husband) crazy. However, the last book-made-into-movie I saw was Murder on the Orient Express, and I had read the book before and I don't think I would have liked the movie very much if I hadn't already loved the book.

[Samyfar]

Hi, I have always been a movie lover ....i would let myself indulge in the way movies take you...bt quite recently I came across a friend who suggested reading books of Harry potter...and i have never seen the movies too. I decided to start reading right from book 1..i finished the book in almost 5 days and was with the next book and went on till I finished all seven of them. I couldn't hold my curiosity on how the movie would be like, but I will tell you it was nothing like the book.The movie of course did justice but I loved the way I imagined the life of Harry . Then on I went for the books first and later the movies ..movies is all about that 2 hours of entertainment they can't elaborate it..bt reading takes you through a path of words that creates a world in you. Therefore I suggest books before movies .

[zaenaria]

Definiely like reading the book first!

But I recently watched The Girl with all the Gifts before reading the book and I honestly did mind much.

A book is more of a time commitment than watching a movie. Sometimes you just don't have the time to read the book first before someone wants to watch the movie with you!

[Lady-of-Literature]

Curious - I admit I am a movie lover and all ways will be. Truthfully, many of my favored movies I had no idea were even books first. So most, if not all, movies I have seen have been before the book. However, I remember some time ago on some social media website, someone commented and said something along the lines, "I will all ways read the books first before watching the movies because there is no way to construct the world by your own imagination after without the movie's influences."

I kind of agree with that. For example, Harry Potter came out with I was a baby, so for a long time I had no idea that their was even a book. Much less a series. So when I started reading (mostly fanfiction), I didn't really imagine the characters looking or sounding different apart from their actors. Granted the casting is amazing and talented - I can imagine no one else playing them - but it sort of proves the point of reading before watching. If I read the books then the characters would have been sculpted by my thoughts, seeing the movie after would have just brought the book to life.

But to each his own.

[BeautySuzy]

Movies, I love books and always so excited to read new ones and re-read old ones, but I just love the atmosphere when it comes to watching movies.

[BrittaniDJ]

I will almost always be disappointed in the movie, if I read the book first. I have come to realize that if I watch the movie first, I will love the differences and the details in the book. I love reading and that is not lessened in me by watching the movie first. I always expect the book to be better and I have yet to be let down. What I do find, is that I am much less critical of the differences made in the movie, and much more gracious of the things that needed to be cut out or changed, when I watch the movie first. I also find that I have a difficult time imagining what people look like. I like having some idea about the people when I read the book after, and I can use my imagination for the rest of the scenery and adventure in the book.
I am surprised by how many people are adamant about book first! My mother-in-law is also a book first person.