Monday, May 17, 2010

Musing Mondays - Movies and Books

Musing Mondays2Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about movies based on books…

What happens when you see a movie based on a book/story, especially one you’ve not read? Do you feel the need to track it down and read it?


It depends. If I like the movie a lot, I'll be curious about the book; for example, when I saw Revolutionary Road, I decided to track the book down right away. I had to read Gone with the Wind after seeing the movie, and The Godfather too. If the movie left me with some questions about the characters and their motivations, or the plot, or anything else that's bothering me, I'll look around for the book. That's what happened with The World According to Garp. I might not get around to reading it right away, and there's always the danger that the movie is different enough from the book that I'll be disappointed or my questions won't be answered, but usually the book is a better experience for me than the movie. But then if the movie didn't appeal I won't bother with the book.

Musing Monday is hosted by the fabulous Rebecca at Just One More Page.

Graphic Novel Monday will return in a couple of weeks.

14 comments:

gautami tripathy said...

I agree. It depends. Sometimes the book is great, movie, trash and sometimes it is the other way round!

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caite said...

I like movies...but I love books.

I will read a book based on a movie I liked, but seeing a movie based on a book I loved is, in my opinion, asking to often be disappointed.

Anonymous said...

It depends. When seeing the film I try not to compare, and try to watch the film for what it is...notice that I said "try".

Zibilee said...

Usually if I see the movie, I lose my interest for reading the book, which totally doesn't happen if I get to the book first. It's kind of weird now that I think of it! I just recently finished reading Shutter Island, and am really anxious to see the movie!

Nise' said...

Yep, sometimes I like to check out the differences, other times I'd rather not know.

bermudaonion said...

I feel exactly the same way. The reverse is true too. If I didn't like the book, I have no interest in the movie.

Kathleen said...

I prefer to read the book and then see the movie but if I see the movie and haven't read the book I will tend to read the book at some point in the future. I'm like you in that I saw both Gone With the Wind and Godfather and then read the books!

Hannah Young said...

Sometimes when I hear a movie is coming out that is based on a book I will rush to read the book just so I have some common conversational ground with the movie buffs in my life (like my husband).

Hannah Young said...

Sometimes when I hear a movie is coming out that is based on a book I will rush to read the book just so I have some common conversational ground with the movie buffs in my life (like my husband).

Anonymous said...

Interesting question. I almost always refuse to see the movie until I've read the book. The exception is with What's Eating Gilbert Grape? I had seen the movie a bunch of times before even realizing it was based off of a book. I have since bought the book but haven't read it yet. Great movie though!!

Mystica said...

Sometimes the book and movie are both great for me e.g. Pride and Prejudice and sometimes the book wins hands down!

Rachel said...

I sometimes like to read the book if the movie is coming out but I never read the book after I've seen the movie. I'll see a movie if I liked the book, but only if I have forgotten the finer details of the book. Movies never fare well with direct comparison.

Anonymous said...

Revolutionary Road is a brilliant brilliant novel. SO amazingly written. The film is quite good but hardly compares to the desperation, despair and suburban ennui portrayed in the novel.

I don't read much Dennis Lehane, but as I'm sure you know, being in Boston it helps to read a few as they end up becoming films. I read Shutter Island so then was SO disappointed by the film. the book was also too long and slow at parts.

Frances said...

I can see how that would have happened with The World According to Garp. But it is a fine movie in its own right especially John Lithgow's performance as Roberta Muldoon. One of my favorite performances ever.