Question of the Day, Friday, January 2

Good morning and Happy Friday!   

I got into an interesting discussion with my co-workers on Wednesday about this and decided to post it to you as a QoTD.

In my right hand is a book. In my left hand is a movie, based on the book. Which one would you prefer? In other words, as a rule, would you rather read a book or watch a movie based on the book?

I'm such an avid reader that I will always choose the book. Why? Because I can create the world around the book in my own mind as I read. I "see" the characters and see how they interact. I "see" the environment (the room and how it's decorated, the rainy day, the flowers in the garden, the castle's environment, and so on.) I "see" how everything is arranged without having it already done for me to watch. In many cases, if I've read the book and then see the movie or the tv show, I'm generally disappointed in the latter and I think it's because I've already formed my own ideas about things.

A good example was the Harry Potter series. I had my own ideas about how Harry and his friends should look. When I saw the first movie, it all changed. Harry is now the Harry of the movie(s). And no matter how many times I re-read the books, it's always the Harry from the movies. Same with the Lord of the Rings. I had my own notions of how the characters looked. Since I saw the movies, though, my own ideas were kind of shattered (for lack of a better word) and now Frodo is the Frodo of the movie. I hope that makes sense. (And, while I'm sure that the LoTR movies were considered to be excellent, I was a little disappointed overall. I know you can't include everything, but some scenes, to me, were integral to the overall story and they weren't even included in the movies.)

So which would you rather do? Read the book or watch the movie or tv show?

I would rather read the book.
I also form my own visions of how the characters look.
I am always disappointed if I read the book then watch the movie.

Books always seem to be better then the movies. Look at the Godfather, it took 2 movies for one book.

I much prefer a book.  Not a fan of movies.  Last movie I saw was Avatar; and the one before that was more than 15 years prior.  I do not like sitting in the dark in the cinema, surrounding by folks eating popcorn, popping gum, etc.  I have seen a few movies when they come on TV, but just can't justify sitting staring at "the box" for long. 

A book lets me get immersed in another world, it is a way to escape for a time.  The story takes over!  I can stop to let dogs out (or in) and return without missing a thing.  I stop and ponder before continuing.  I tend to read murder mysteries --  British cozies -- lots of dead bodies, no blood and gore -- I enjoy trying to follow the clues and sort out 'whodunit' before the 'tec in the book does.  A movie just goes too fast for me to think things through.

Definitely the book. :nod:

The book, no question. It's extremely rare for a film adaptation to be as good as the book.

I enjoy both, but definitely want to read the book first.   And I can't think of any movies I preferred over the book.

With Harry Potter, I read the books before seeing the movies.  However, some of the movies were already out when I started to read the books, so I had the characters from the movie in my mind as I read, not my own idea of what the characters should look like.  But at least that way there was no way I'd be disappointed by the actors chosen for the roles when I finally saw the movies.

I also prefer reading the book first, in my opinion and through experience the book is always better.

I would definitely prefer the book.

We all agree - the book is definitely better. We hardly ever go to movies, but at times when I've watched a movie after reading the book I always am commenting on how the character doesn't look like I had pictured them.

Book!! Book, book, book, book!!!

Winchester said:

 
In my right hand is a book. In my left hand is a movie, based on the book. Which one would you prefer? In other words, as a rule, would you rather read a book or watch a movie based on the book?

I'm such an avid reader that I will always choose the book. Why? Because I can create the world around the book in my own mind as I read. I "see" the characters and see how they interact. I "see" the environment

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I prefer to use my imagination to create how a story unfolds.

It depends on the story.  In most cases I would chose the book.  I enjoy how the visuals unfold in my head.  

But some stories; particularly some classic litterature, just drags on!  For example (no one shoot me here...); Jane Austen is an old friend of mine's favorite author.  So I attempted to read Jane Eyer.  I love to read; but this was truly a chore.  The story dragged on and on and on.  I just couldn't get into it.  I probably would enjoy a condensed version.  I've watched several movie/tv versions of Pride and Prejudice and loved every one.  So in cases like this; I'll take the movie!  At least a first.  I might enjoy the books better after having a good visual of the plot.

Chromium Blues said:

 
Book!! Book, book, book, book!!!

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  In fact--it's almost a 'rule' that if I've read the book, I don't watch the movie.  It completely changes the scenario I've imagined.  Besides--why would I spend 2-3 hours watching a movie that I've already seen in my head?  I never watch anything twice.  

I think I'd read the book first and then go and see the movie.

I quite like to see how movie directors imagined scenes that I've already read about and pictured for myself.

I would read the book. I never can stay awake for the full movie. When we sit together to watch a movie on TV, hubby tells me to pick one I want to watch the first fifteen minutes of. :lol3: