What do You Prefer A Book or a Movie/Film Version of a Story?
By Muelitz
@Muelitz (1592)
Canada
July 27, 2008 10:46am CST
Some people I was able to talk to would prefer to read a book than to watch a film about it. They say, a film version is not complete and some of the book scenes are omitted to be able to fit in a 1 1/2 to 2 hour film. There are also people who does not like to read long novels because maybe they have bad eyes and gets a headache if reading too long. I would say I belong to the ones who prefers a movie version because I do get a headache when reading. I am also impatient and would like to see the ending right away, I hate to wait for another day to find out. Please don't tell me that you can do that by reading the last chapter of the book
. Seriously, I sometimes lack the imagination when I just read a book especially if there are no pictures. What about you, which do you like, movie or a book?Just Me,
SFC
. Seriously, I sometimes lack the imagination when I just read a book especially if there are no pictures. What about you, which do you like, movie or a book?Just Me,
SFC5 people like this
34 responses
@Alex42692 (167)
• United States
27 Jul 08
I prefer the book version, they are almost always better. An example is that I loved all the Harry Potter books, but the movies kind of blow. In books you can tell what the characters are thinking and things move at a much slower pace so you can understand them, plus books can be as long as they want to be, a movie can only be 2-3 hours long. The only movie series based off a book series that I have really enjoyed is The Lord of the Rings (now I want to watch it). The only downside to books is that they take longer to finish and it's hard for me to read for more than an hour and a half without getting really tired. Overall books are always way better than movies, if anyone says different it's because watching a movie instead of reading the book is easier.
@littleowl (7157)
•
27 Jul 08
HI Muelitz I am one of the people who prefer to watch the movie at least if they do miss some of the book out you get the gist of the story, not only that to me it seems to bring the book to life in a movie rather than reading a book..your friend littleowl
3 people like this
@horsesrule (1957)
• United States
28 Jul 08
I try very hard to keep an open mind when they make a movie from a book that I have already read. Sometimes the movie is ok, that is if I don't really compare it to the book too much. If I like a movie and I find that it was based on a book, sometimes I will try to find a copy of the book to read. Sometimes that is a total surprise because I wonder if the writers and directors actually even read the book! I love to read and I like to watch movies. Sometimes I prefer a book version because it has more details and seems more complete. Other times, I like a movie version better. For instance, I preferred the movie version of the movies Congo and Jurassic Park over the books. The books were too different and not quite as much fun to me.
2 people like this
@soleya (1100)
• Latvia
27 Jul 08
Well, it is a very difficult question. I think that when I read a book, I can imagine the heroes of the book just like I want them to be, but when I see the movie it is always how the director sees them. I prefer my own vision, so I think prefer book story rather than movie.
3 people like this
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
28 Jul 08
yes i agree that the film version is usually less complete. however, if there is a film version and a book version, i'd watch the film before reading the book. at least i'll be able to enjoy the film while watching. if i had read the book first, i'd be comparing the scenes with the book and feel upset that certain scenes are missed out. i like reading books as i like to visualise different scenes by reading the description. watching a movie takes that joy away somehow. cheers ;p
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
28 Jul 08
When someone gives me e choice between a book and a moie, I will choose he BOOK evey single time!! Right now I am eading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Great book, a real classic. Someone once told me there is a movie. I coudln't imagine!! Does't that defeat the point of reading a cclassic work of literature? I may watch the movie after I've seen the book just for the sake of omparisson (I did this with another faourite book of mine) but I will always read the book FIRST!
2 people like this
@SheliaLee (2736)
• United States
28 Jul 08
I have always liked the book version instead of the movie version of a story. I just feel like the book is better because it goes into all the details. If a movie were to give all the details that a book does the movie would last so long no one would be able to watch it probably.
2 people like this
@spiderlizard22 (3444)
• United States
28 Jul 08
I rather watch the film because I don't have to use a dictionary to look up words that I don't understand and don't have to use my imagination especially if they describe something you never seen before and describe it in a way you can't understand.
2 people like this
@shewolf52002 (1214)
• United States
28 Jul 08
BOOK! BOOK! BOOK! Oh did I mention I preferred the book version? lol I have such an active imagination that I can dream up better visuals than 20th Century Fox, hhahaha. Plus there is a losing your self in the written word that I can not get from a movie. Hmmm.. maybe I am crazy too? 
2 people like this
@Raymond1342 (89)
• Canada
27 Jul 08
I prefer movies because reading just takes too long and I don't have that great imagination to make reading fun. I also fall asleep on the 5th or 6th page lol, and I can't really move my eyes to the words all the time; I would eventually lose track in a crap load of words and my eyes will start to get tired from moving continuously back and forth (that's usually when I fall asleep :P)
2 people like this
@capirani (2732)
• United States
28 Jul 08
It really depends on what it is. In most cases I probably would have watched the movie just because it is available and I might not have known that it was a book also until I see it listed in the credits. However, if I am going to end up doing both, I will read the book first because the movies are rarely like the book in every detail and I have trouble enjoying the book if I see the movie first. The only book I know of personally that the movie was very close to the book is TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD which has been over the years one of my favorite movies. I had to read it in school and had already seen the movie. Happily I was not disappointed in the book.
2 people like this
@darlene06 (284)
• Philippines
28 Jul 08
Well, i would brobably go for both.. it's because reading books enhances our ability to imagine and helps us to learn new words, but it takes me quite a long time to finish a book.. also, for me the book is more complete than the movie version.. But after i read the book i would also like to watch the movie version since it's where i see the effects and how the directors work on the story, however, it's not as complete as the book since some patrs of the story are cut off.. so for me.. it's nice to read the book first then watch the movie..
2 people like this
@welikemoney (383)
• United States
28 Jul 08
I have never found a movie that is better than the book version. I would prefer to read the book over watching the movie. Granted, if I watched the movie first I would probably enjoy it more than if I had read the book first simply because I wouldn't know there were things left out and it would seem complete to me. After reading a book though, watching a movie is always less fulfilling to me.
2 people like this
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
27 Jul 08
I am more entertained by reading books rather than watching movies. My attention is more focused on books. I do not wholly understand the silly acting in movies. I feel acting is more artificial and unable to follow the story well. It just doesn't give me the thrill unlike reading a book from cover to cover.
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
27 Jul 08
Books are usually better because you see the characters fleshed out in your minds eye. It gets you more involved. THat is not to say that there are no books made into movies that are well done. A good example is Anne Rices' Interview With A Vampire. That is a book turned movie that was done well. Just my opinion.
2 people like this
@paid2write (5201)
•
27 Jul 08
I feel more involved with characters in a book, rather than watching actors trying to show what the character is feeling or how they react to events in the plot. In a book I can really know what's going on inside their head. I also know what the author intends me to know, rather than what the movie director decides to show on the screen or how actors interpret their roles.
Movie making is primarily a visual art, created by many people with different skills in their own craft. A book can take the reader into the world of the author's imagination simply through words.
2 people like this
Keep posting. HUGZ!
@chennai_b02 (1735)
• India
27 Jul 08
Yes, Film is the best than reading the Stories.. because the Visual will give you more effect than reading and understand the story..
Some of the people having the habit of reading the books always.. but even though for them also, by watching the movie will give the more impact and intimate and understanding the stories, rather than reading the story books..
According to me, i dont like to read any type of books, even the weekly, monthly and also any of the magazines.. so, i like to wath the movies/visual effects, and also i really belive that visual will give you a more impact rather than reading and understand..
Infact, i thought that "why don't the Government can make the CD for the First standard to the Higher secondary and even for the degrees.., and the same can be distrubuted to the student, and this can be very easy for the students to understand the lessons very easily, rather than reading all those text books.. for examinations.."
What do you think about this idea..??
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
27 Jul 08
Hi Muelitz,
I prefer to read, I curl up on my sofa and read, read, read. I find wacting the movie is too much distractions and you kinda missed what the actor is saying, nope give me a book anytime eyes strain or not.
Tamara
2 people like this
