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Erydian · 01-30-2002, 02:28 AM

I love books. I like movies. But, in my opinion, they rarely ever compare.

As others have said, books have depth (character, plot, setting) that most movies simply cannot ever hope to emulate. And, if you think about it, how could they? Movies are restricted to a general length, and there are a host of different factors that are involved in the making of a movie that simply aren't required when writing a book (special effects, actors, not to mention loads of money). Additionally, most of the depth that is seen in books is developed over time, in a series of events and interactions between characters, some of which aren't necessarily crucial to the storyline/plot. These are the sort of things that are often edited out of movies, and therefore, it really isn't surprising that the movies don't "feel" right to people who recall the book.

Granted, there are some movies where things aren't merely edited out, they're blatantly changed (Interview With The Vampire comes to mind), and that can be extremely disappointing, but quite honestly when I go see a movie based on a book that I've read, I do so fully expecting it to be a different experience. I still go see them, and I still enjoy them (well, some of them), usually because I'm interested in seeing the book in question through someone else's eyes.

When I read a book, I visualize the characters, the setting, and the events that occur throughout the story on my own terms. When I go see a movie based on that story, I no longer have to visualize, and I enjoy that. I'm not saying the movies are better than the books, because usually they aren't, but that doesn't mean that I can't, and don't enjoy both. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 01-30-2002: Message edited by: Erydian ]</p>

01-30-2002, 02:28 AM	#5
Erydian Manshoon Join Date: December 14, 2001 Location: the great beyond Posts: 172	I love books. I like movies. But, in my opinion, they rarely ever compare. As others have said, books have depth (character, plot, setting) that most movies simply cannot ever hope to emulate. And, if you think about it, how could they? Movies are restricted to a general length, and there are a host of different factors that are involved in the making of a movie that simply aren't required when writing a book (special effects, actors, not to mention loads of money). Additionally, most of the depth that is seen in books is developed over time, in a series of events and interactions between characters, some of which aren't necessarily crucial to the storyline/plot. These are the sort of things that are often edited out of movies, and therefore, it really isn't surprising that the movies don't "feel" right to people who recall the book. Granted, there are some movies where things aren't merely edited out, they're blatantly changed (Interview With The Vampire comes to mind), and that can be extremely disappointing, but quite honestly when I go see a movie based on a book that I've read, I do so fully expecting it to be a different experience. I still go see them, and I still enjoy them (well, some of them), usually because I'm interested in seeing the book in question through someone else's eyes. When I read a book, I visualize the characters, the setting, and the events that occur throughout the story on my own terms. When I go see a movie based on that story, I no longer have to visualize, and I enjoy that. I'm not saying the movies are better than the books, because usually they aren't, but that doesn't mean that I can't, and don't enjoy both. [img]smile.gif[/img] [ 01-30-2002: Message edited by: Erydian ]</p> __________________ Erydian<br />