The Book or the Movie?

[Dru Edwards]

I wonder if Friday the 13th Part viii Jason Takes Manhattan would have been better as a book.

[Caddy]

Originally Posted by Kerbie

The book... any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Ditto! Always. The book is nearly always better than the movie.

[fumei]

I read a LOT of books, so I would have to say generally I prefer the book. I have been disappointed so many times with film adaptions. But, there are exceptions.

Ted Chiang’s novella Arrival was interesting, but Denis Villeneuve’s movie starring Amy Adams was pretty sublime and really elevated the material.

Quite agree.

I absolutely loved "Game of Thrones" the film series. The production values were some of the best I have ever seen. My dad would have loved it; I am sorry he did not. However, afterwards I tried reading the books. Could not get into it at all. Too verbose and pedantic for me. Stopped. I think it is the first series I have started and did not finish.

[Jim Owen]

What are these “movies” of which you speak?

[rbock]

I've been reading James McBride's "The Good Lord Bird" while simultaneously watching the current Show Time production. I usually prefer books over movies, but I've been impressed with how well the series captures the tone and events of the book. It has been a struggle, however, to manage to keep ahead in the book so as not to spoil the more savory aspects afforded by reading.

[Neil K Walk]

With the passing of Sean Connery and mention of his role in The Hunt For Red October this question does beg the OP question quite clearly: do you prefer the book with all the details and minutia that would end up on the cutting room floor for a movie or the star power of the screenplay adaptation.

As a Navy vet I consumed most of Tom Clancy's novels because they had an authenticity and attention to detail that played right into my memories of military service at the end of the Cold War. That being said, when Hunt for Red October came out I went to theaters and seeing Alec Baldwin portray the hero didn't live up to expectations.

...Sean Connery as Captain Marko? LOL, I actually felt he was more believable as the former birdman of Alcatraz in The Rock. Still, he had many lines that only his Scottish brogue could deliver.

To sum up, I'd have to say the books. Hollywood just couldn't quite deliver that authenticity when they would constantly recast Jack Ryan with all too recognizable faces.

[flaggerphil]

The book, even if I've seen the movie first.

[Andromeda]

The movie. I’m not a novel reader. I read a lot but it’s always non-fiction. I’m a huge movie buff so I’d rather watch a movie.

[alnico5]

Book. I once read a book and then saw the movie. The movie left out parts of the book, naturally. A weird thing happened; I began to remember parts of the book not in the movie as being scenes in the movie.

[Mary]

Movie ... it goes better with popcorn.

[blue]

Let's talk Graphic Novels...

So I read Umbrella Academy and The Boys. Through my library. I'm not a billionaire!

In both cases the the Netflix and Amazon Prime Video versions, despite massive revisions, are as good. To many people better. The graphic novels just go soooooo far And not just in gore and violence. When "anything is possible" it can be hard to restrain oneself as an artist.

Sometimes Paul needs John to tag "It's getting better" with "It couldn't get much worse"

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by blue

Let's talk Graphic Novels...

So I read Umbrella Academy and The Boys. Through my library. I'm not a billionaire!

In both cases the the Netflix and Amazon Prime Video versions, despite massive revisions, are as good. To many people better. The graphic novels just go soooooo far And not just in gore and violence. When "anything is possible" it can be hard to restrain oneself as an artist.

Sometimes Paul needs John to tag "It's getting better" with "It couldn't get much worse"

Some here would call them "funnies" or "comics" but I agree: graphic novels bridge the gap and allow people to digest more elaborate plots at their own pace while also getting some visual cues.

Speaking of graphic novel vs. movie which is better in your opinion in Star Wars lore: the old Dark Empire comics series or the last Star Wars trilogy.

...

Okay, I say that partly in jest as they are different yet share many plot points (which is more likely a case of light plagiarism of the part of the screenwriters) but live action/CGI movies are more than just telling a story but also setting a mood.

I just happen to feel that movies tend to rush things and try to set a "pace" as opposed to letting people digest what they're seeing and take it in without hitting pause or rewind - or in my case putting on closed captioning because the music and foley are usually SO much louder than the dialog.

[blue]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

Some here would call them "funnies" or "comics" but I agree: graphic novels bridge the gap and allow people to digest more elaborate plots at their own pace while also getting some visual cues.

If I hand someone Watchmen, or some of Frank Miller's stuff and they come back with "funnies" or "comics"? I will forever question their judgement

[tinnitus]

Movie or book, if either is any good, I'll check to see if the other is available.

As a (super) slow reader, I get a lot more accomplished around the house by listening to downloadable audiobooks on my iPhone while I do other stuff. Something I've been curious about (just to see how it works) is listening to a story and reading along with the book in my lap.

[Willie_D]

My favorite game is to watch a movie based on a book my wife has read. I hit "pause" as soon as she says, "this is nothing like the book." Then I tell her how long it took.