Is it just me or are the books always much better then the movies

November 24, 2011 1:52am CST
Don't get me wrong here I do enjoy very much how Holliwood took these characters for the books and made them alive for us all. Still, there is some things the imagination seems to conjure up while just reading these stories that the plastic world of movies just won't totally capture on screen. The first one was very good but usually is, the second was still pretty good. I haven't watched the third yet but want too just to see if they keep up the good work here. What do you think, all who have read all of the Twilight books like me do you enjoy the movies more than the readings? Thanks,A.B.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@zralte (4178)
• India
1 Dec 11
It is not just you. The books are always better. I can't say that about Twilight as I haven't seen the movies and only read one of the books. I have my own theory regarding Books turned into movies. When we are reading a book, we use our imagination and the story transported us to the imagination world. In movies, you cannot imagine it as everything is played out for us to watch. Just my theory though. I never liked a movie better than the book it is based on. John Grisham books, Harry Potter Series, Nicholas Sparks' books, etc.
1 person likes this
1 Dec 11
Hi zralte, so glad for your comment here too. i absolutely agree with the harry Potter and John Grisham comment here too the books are better. I have a similar theory too with books turned to movies myself now as well. My Sister and I both have almost always felt this way too, we will read the books and see the movies and talk about what we saw different too from the books. She was always much more passionate about much of these things then me however, but some of it has rubbed off too. Thanks, A.B. :)
@zralte (4178)
• India
1 Dec 11
My friend and I used to do that too. That is dissecting the movie and comparing against the movies. I can't remember the book/movie, I watch the movie before reading the book, and my friend was scolding me for that. She said the thumb rule everyone knows is you read the book first and then see the movie. Not the other way round. Apparently, you spoil the enjoyment when you see the movie first. 'The Princess Diaries' were the worst ever in terms of turning it into a movie. It was just loosely based at best and so is the Shopaholic series.
• Philippines
29 Nov 11
books are better for those who read the books wholeheartedly but then when one person just love watching the movie version but doesn't care what's the story inside the book then for them the movies are better. it's really hard to compare because many may have seen the movies but doesn't know that the books do exist. just saying...
1 person likes this
1 Dec 11
Hi tonette1984, I am so glad you brought this up here too. I have run into this same problem with both much younger and older peoples since many younger person's have not read the books this is tough to explain and older people are just the opposite and don't really see the thrill or value at all in our high tech. special effect shows and would rather just see old Hollywood of the black and whites return for them again. Both types of people are absolutely impossible to talk with on these topics at all. I have come to the conclusion we must tell them to try to give any one of the movies at all just one of these a chance and then we can all have at least this one little flick in common ground to disscuse when this rather strange topic comes up then we can all be quite excited either way that the future turns for our entertainment too since known of us ever really knows this one either. This, has helped a bit in groups of people for me anyway. Choose one of the children's animation movies like Cars,Alice in Wonderland,Pirates of Carabian, and so on. For some reason's young and older people alike always find common grounds here too really amazing to see this. Thanks,:) A.B.
• Sri Lanka
26 Nov 11
It is not just you, maybe it is you and me. I too fully agree with what you say. For instance let me think of some very recent movies and books I saw. i.e. Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. Lets also take a few examples sometime back, i.e. Day of the Jackal. Finally lets think of a classic of yesteryear like Wuthering Heights. I enjoyed the book in all these cases and much more than the movie. Sometimes the movie and the book is not the same. Adjustments are made to face limitations in presenting the stories in a visual manner.
1 person likes this
1 Dec 11
Hi josephperera, glad you commented here. I agree with the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons I have read these too. The movies were lacking in some areas too, some of yesteryear for me are Jane Erye and Pride and Pregidice although both great movies too me the books will always be better here too for me. Really like to see others share my feelings on this matter too we know Hollywood isn't always King when it comes to America's entertainment even in today's world within the more well read of us here that is. Movies are always good old fun, but books feed out minds more still in this way for sure. Thanks again, A.B.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
29 Nov 11
Books are better - Books or movies?
Well the books are better than the movies that is my opinion. And in most cases, all the book stories that were given movie versions were not given enough justice. Maybe because if they will really follow the book to the letter it will cost them a lot. So as for me whenever I've really liked a book series I never expect its movie counterpart to be as good.
1 Dec 11
Hi salonga, So good to have comments here from a fellow book lover too. I have come to expect this myself for some time now too with my experiences. I still end up just a bit disappointed somehow with the lack of what Hollywood is able to do for us all with budgets and now with so much computer technologies all the special effects at times can even take away from a good scene but I just know if there where higher budgets for these books we would probably be having a much different discusion here altogether about this issue too. Interesting, I suppose we are left to wait and see what the future holds for us here too. Thanks,A.B. :)
@romzz05 (572)
• Philippines
29 Nov 11
the books will always be better than the movie version. The time constraint in the movie will always limits the director and the writer. Some part will have to be limited or even removed from the movie which usually outrage the fan of the book. And we all have different interpretation of how the visual presentation should look like. I have not read the twilight series but ive seen the first movie. Not too impress though.
1 person likes this
1 Dec 11
Hi romzz05, thanks for the good comment here too. Great to have the view of just what and how the differences all come about this way here too. I did know this but at times we do seem to expect more since we have been doing this for so long now I guess but in times of budgets like with right now we do have to be much more patient with the whole process's so glad people are bringing all of these views up here. Perhaps this will be read by the right person to inspire big changes one day we can all hold a bit of hopes anyway. Thanks much again, :) A.B.
• United States
26 Nov 11
Books are always better than the movies. I've found that statement to be true with all books I've read. The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, The Last Song, Message in a Bottle and the Twilight books. When I read a book I can picture the characters and the places they are at. But when the movie comes out I'm always disappointed because the characters aren't what I pictured LOL. Sometimes, like in A Walk to Remember the movie completely leaves out the whole point of the book which really makes me mad. OR other movies, like The Notebook, have to change the ending up to screw it all up.
26 Nov 11
Hi jennastewart2482, I have noticed too that some books I have read do not quite deliver in the movie department like Eat,Pray,Love what was pictured in my mind turned out a bit different in some areas. This does always happen it seems though. Thank goodness for special effects right so you are not so bored with this:) Thanks,A.B.
@dodo19 (47034)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
25 Nov 11
I do agree that it's more enjoyable to read the book rather than watching the movie. There are times when the movie doesn't do the book justice. Sometimes there's something missing from the movies. This isn't always the case, granted. But even then you may get a little more out of the book.
@nyssa102 (748)
• United States
6 Aug 12
The book is sometimes better than the film, though not always. I really liked A and Es pride and prejudice, better than the book, as it had such nicely done visualizations. Black Beauty, however, was never successfully done as a film, it always fell short. I think it's hart because when you read a book you have your own pictures in your mind. That is the thing, when you read a book you have inside your mind, your own photos and almost a moving film of how it's supposed to go. It's hard to match a 90 minute film to the one in your head where the script is over 300 pages, sometimes. I think that is the reason.