Book or Movie Version: Which Is Better?

S

SifuPhil

R.I.P. With Us In Spirit Only
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
I just finished re-reading Stephen King's The Green Mile (his first attempt at a serialized novel) and was comparing it in my mind to the film version that starred Tom Hanks.

Now, while Hanks is a wonderful actor I still think I got more out of the book than I did from the movie. King's way with words is just too descriptive, too engrossing, to ignore. Don't get me wrong - I enjoyed BOTH versions, but the book just delved into details that were largely ignored or quickly passed-over in the movie.

The same thing has happened to me many times - with A Clockwork Orange, 2001 - A Space Odyssey, Fahrenheit 451 and others. While I enjoyed the celluloid versions there just wasn't the same attention to detail that the books offered.

Of course it may be a case-by-case thing, but in general do you prefer the book or movie version of your favorite stories?
 

There was a time when I eagerly anticipated movies because I had read the book and enjoyed it so much.

I was greatly disappointed each and every time. Nowadays if I like a book I probably won't watch the movie.
 
I generally prefer the book and watch the movie if it's on telly but won't go out of my way see it as I 'm usually disappointed but I do like some of the TV series of some stories I've read such as G R R Martin's series Song of Ice and Fire I 've read all the books and watched 2 seasons of Game of Thrones and reckon it's brilliant.:cool:
Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth is a book I enjoyed and the series has been good too
Lee Child is another author I like but I'm Sooooo disappointed that he'd choose Tom Cruise to play the part of main character Jack Reacher, I mean Cruise is almost a midget and 'Jack' is 6'4", blonde,rugged etc, definitely not spending money to see that ,:confused:
 

rkunsaw said:
There was a time when I eagerly anticipated movies because I had read the book and enjoyed it so much.

I was greatly disappointed each and every time. Nowadays if I like a book I probably won't watch the movie.
Click to expand...

I think I'm leaning in that direction as well. Still ... hope springs eternal. :D

maggis said:
I generally prefer the book and watch the movie if it's on telly but won't go out of my way see it as I 'm usually disappointed but I do like some of the TV series of some stories I've read such as G R R Martin's series Song of Ice and Fire I 've read all the books and watched 2 seasons of Game of Thrones and reckon it's brilliant.:cool:

Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth is a book I enjoyed and the series has been good too

Lee Child is another author I like but I'm Sooooo disappointed that he'd choose Tom Cruise to play the part of main character Jack Reacher, I mean Cruise is almost a midget and 'Jack' is 6'4", blonde,rugged etc, definitely not spending money to see that ,:confused:
Click to expand...

One exception for me is Titus Andronicus, a tragedy by Shakespeare. I tried reading it and got lost, but when the movie came out (with Anthony Hopkins in the lead, no less!) I was over-joyed.

I guess it depends not only upon the writing style of the author but also the talents of the scriptwriter. If everything gels then you have a good movie - if it fails then you have crap.

Maybe Cruise will wear thick socks ... :playful:
 
I have always loved reading the book and watching the movie. I usually find my imagination did a better job, or one I just enjoyed more.
It seems that now days there are no more "New Ideas" . They are remaking the fairy tales "Hansel and Gretel " . That is certainly sad. I think we have all lost some of our ability to create new ideas with all the technology, maybe our minds have become lazy.
 
pchinvegas said:
I have always loved reading the book and watching the movie. I usually find my imagination did a better job, or one I just enjoyed more.
It seems that now days there are no more "New Ideas" . They are remaking the fairy tales "Hansel and Gretel " . That is certainly sad. I think we have all lost some of our ability to create new ideas with all the technology, maybe our minds have become lazy.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with this..not much imagination happening any longer. I wonder if there will ever be anyone else that can fill the likes of Steven Spielberg or George Lucas' shoes, or even Ron Howard on a less spectacular scale, for that matter.
As for the remakes, they always seem to fall far short of the original version...Maybe that's just nostalgia on my part.


With a few exceptions have I ever enjoyed the movie more than the book. I tend to get a picture in my mind of the character's personality and physical appearance and am usually disappointed in the movie casting.

Two exceptions that come to mind are Lonesome Dove and Gone With the Wind. Superb casting of characters in my opinion, and both stayed very close to the story line. These are two of my all time favorite books, turned movie.

I have a very hard time though believing that Larry McMurtrey actually wrote such a superb book as LD. I have read nearly all of his books, and with very few exceptions they were not memorable. Diana Ossana co-authored it, but McMurtrey got most of the credit. He must have fallen asleep and woke up when she was finishing the last chapter.

As for Tom Cruise...fuggedaboutit...not a fan. The reason he has even been employed past "Risky Business" escapes me.
 
Lonesome Dove and Terms of Endearment are my all time favorite movies. The one book that I thought was exactly like the movie was Lord of the Flies.
 
pchinvegas said:
Lonesome Dove, North and South, Tombstone, Gotta love them dirty ol' cowboys !
Click to expand...

Oh yes..all of the above, and add to the list, The Sacketts (Tom Selleck and Sam Elliot, two major hunks). Although, the movies loosely followed the books, I enjoyed both.

The N & S was awesome..it closely followed the book and the cast was excellent. Patrick Swayze, was at the top of the hunk list. He used to raise and show Arabian horses, so got to see him and his lovely wife, Lisa at some of the shows. He showed halter classes and Lisa rode in western classes He was a very nice, unassuming, regular sort of guy. He was passionate about his horses, which endeared him to me even more .:love_heart:

I was at a show in Kentucky in the late '90's, sitting ringside watching a friend's stallion in a halter class. I glanced over to see who had just sat next to me, lo and behold it was Patrick. Oh Go, oh God heart be still!!!

We started talking about the class in which a colt he had bred was also showing. I was trying very hard to be cool, but I was mush inside to think I had him all to myself for a few minutes. His colt didn't win and neither did my friend's, and I couldn't tell you who did! LOL

I was very sad for his passing. It was much too soon, as happens with a lot of the good'ns:(

Check out Patrick's poster with Tammen..talk about two stud muffins!! :playful:

http://tuesdayshorse.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/swayzitammenpollyknoll1.jpg
 
Yes Patrick was a great actor and very handsome. What a thrill to sit and talk with him. I agree. I was really sadden at his passing.
 
As a librarian I do hear this from people, that they liked the book better than the movie. Personally, I read much more than I watch so there is no direct connection between the two. However, I read a book a few months ago that after only a few pages I thought "This would make a great movie!" Then I come to learn that the day before the author signed the book deal he signed a movie deal - with Steven Spielberg as director!

It's called "Robopocalypse" by Daniel H. Wilson. If you read it you will not be buying a self driving automobile!
 
SifuPhil said:
He was the de facto role model of bouncers in most of the clubs I worked in.

Well, him and Sam Elliot ... :cool:
Click to expand...

Careful how you disparage my boyfriends..:love_heart: (well in my fantasy world anyway)...You have no idea how hard it was for me to sit next to Patrick at that horse show and not be reduced to some babbling, drooling, pee my pant idiot. All the while I was mentally kicking myself for being what I detest...an idol worshipper at the alter of someone rich and famous.:rolleyes:
 
Ozarkgal said:
Careful how you disparage my boyfriends..:love_heart: (well in my fantasy world anyway)...You have no idea how hard it was for me to sit next to Patrick at that horse show and not be reduced to some babbling, drooling, pee my pant idiot. All the while I was mentally kicking myself for being what I detest...an idol worshipper at the alter of someone rich and famous.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Not disparaging - heck, Patrick did T'ai-Chi in Roadhouse, so that right there made him a Bro-For-Life. He actually did it quite well, too.

As for Sam Elliot - he seems to be a major crush for a LOT of women. Heck, I have a lined face and a gravelly voice, too, but the chickies don't come flocking to ME!
 
Book to Film Lord of the Rings.

Game of Thrones, is the other way round. After seeing the first 2 season DVD`s, i had to start reading the books. Just cant wait till the end of the year to find out what happens next.
 
Still believing that books are always better then movies. "Rosemary's Baby" did a pretty decent job of portraying the book. Except in the end. She was standing by the window with the baby and thinking about either jumping out the window with it or throwing it out the window, I forget which. Anyway, in the movie she was just standing by the window. Maybe we were supposed to infer from her behavior what she was thinking . . .
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top