Would you read a book after seeing the movie?

[Sara]

So the topic title pretty much says it all. Would you read a book after seeing the movie based on that same book. For me, I wouldn't mind seeing the movie after reading the book. But vice versa? hmm.. so what do you guys think?!

[Stephanie]

I tend to like the movie better if I see it before I read the book :) if i read the book before seeing the movie I get mad or cranky because they either change things in the movie or leave stuff out, lol :-)

[Pragya]

I prefer reading the book before watching the movie but have done vice versa when I didn't knew there was a book. Case in point - P.S. I love you. I ended up liking the movie more.

[Travis]

I don't really watch movies but I orefer to watch the movie first since the book is better than the movie often, but not always. Field of dreams is way better than Shoeless Joe even though they aren't that different

[Debra]

Yeah, I prefer to read the book first. But, I also get cranky when they change stuff in the movie, or put stuff in that doesn't belong. However, if I didn't KNOW there was a book and saw the movie first, I'm often tempted to read the book if I really liked the movie.

[CFDeeDee]

I'm having this case now !! I've watched the movie to find out later there is a book for it and it is a trilogy .. So what I did is that I just bought the second and the third book !!
But now I feel like buying the first one just to complete the collection !! But would I ever read it ?!

I would rather read the book after watching the movie if it was one if the most legend books/movies or one of my most favourite books/movies, other than that I don't think I would bother myself !!

[Kerri]

I don't usually watch the movie then read the book but will do the reverse. I don't like reading a book knowing what's going to happen in the end. I only just recently read Water for Elephants which I put off reading since I'd already seen the movie. I really enjoyed the book though, so have added others to my TBR based on their movie conterparts.

[Lisa]

Until very recently I was definitely a 'must read the book before seeing the film' person. However, I found that it was starting to suck some of the enjoyment out of watching the film because I would spend a lot of time nitpicking over what had been left out or changed so now I just take it as it comes. If I read the book first, fine. If I see the film first, that's fine too. I tend to find that I prefer the book to the film but there have been cases where I have enjoyed the film more. I have never been the biggest fan of Pride and Prejudice but I enjoyed the 1995 mini series and the 2005 film quite a bit.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I rarely watch movies based in books.

[Janice, Moderator]

Sometimes I'll watch a movie and be intrigued by it and then read the book to get the real story. There have been a couple of times where I watched a much beloved movie several times and then read the book, only to be hugely disappointed. The Princess Bride and Ghost Story were two that stick out the most in my mind.

[Kazen]

Janice wrote: "Sometimes I'll watch a movie and be intrigued by it and then read the book to get the real story."

This! I'm so glad I read Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 after seeing the movie Apollo 13 - it added so much to the narrative. I also read The Green Mile after seeing the movie as I had never read a Stephen King novel (scary!) and figured it was a good place to start.

[Sarah]

I've done it both ways. But I think now I'm of the opinion of film first as if I do it the other way around I can get bored and annoyed they left my favourite part out or didn't explain something better. Book is generally better than the film.

[Almeta]

[Sam]

I usually try to read the book before watching the movie (and then spend most of the film picking out bits that they've changed, added in or removed!). A few times I have seen the movie before reading the book but even then I find that I prefer the book. There always seems to be so much more going on in the book than they get in the film.

I think Sarah might be right about seeing the movie first though, as if you know what's changed you end up enjoying the film less (if at all).

[Debra]

Good one, Almeta!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Janice wrote: "The Princess Bride"

My god yes. Love love love love the movie. Hate the book

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I'm the same. I try and read the book before the movie. If I can't, or find out it's a book later, I leave it a while and then read it.

[Travis]

If you ever read Timeline amd love it as I did. Never watcj the movie. Theovie was so bad ot ruined the bpook

[Peggy]

I try to read the book before watching the movie (other way around happens as well though), but I too get annoyed about things that don't fit my expectations.

Watching the movie first would remedy that, but the disadvantage of that is that the characters in the book already have the faces of the actors who play them in the movie, and I like it better if I can just imagine what people or the setting looks like myself. Also, I rather read the book and know how the movie ends, then see the movie and already know how the book will end.

Ah well, I'll just take it as it comes. But if I have the choice, book first.

[Janice, Moderator]

So true, Almeta! I know a couple of people who figure that if they watch the movie they've "read the book".

[Pragya]

Peggy wrote: "I try to read the book before watching the movie (other way around happens as well though), but I too get annoyed about things that don't fit my expectations.

Watching the movie first would remed..."

Completely there with you, Peggy. I like to imagine the faces.

[Stuart]

Like a lot of people I like to read the book first, but like others have pointed out, you are not always aware of the book till the credits roll. I read The Third Man after seeing the movie and was shocked by the minimalist style of the original. Partly I think it was because it was read for an English literature class. What puzzled me the most at the time was how there were large sections of dialogue with little description. Now I realise that the author had cleverly pared the writing to give the dialogue more impact and to bring out the bleak feeling of the novel.

[Sarah]

Thanks for the heads up Travis. Loved the book. I'll avoid the film.

[Sara]

Reading your comments got me really interested! :) For me, reading gives me a wide scale of imagination that, I guess, no movie can imitate. Even though some movies like Harry Potter, succeeded in fulfilling what I had in my imagination when I read the book first; however, that is usually not the case in most book-based movies.

When I watch a movie first before reading the book, it feels like my imagination gets destroyed. I don't know how to accurately describe this but I feel like reading the book only reminds me of scenes I've seen in the movie, and I can no longer imagine it otherwise. This kinda sucks tho because once I watch a movie, I can never read the book that movie was based on anymore.

[Sara]

Almeta wrote: "

"

Never judge a book by its cover, never judge a book by its reviews.. and never judge a book its movie.. yes yes yes!!

[Joco]

Like most people here, I generally read the book first. However, if I don't know there's a book, I will watch the movie first.

And I agree with Peggy and Sara, when I see the movie first, my brain just imagines the characters in the book as they are in the movie. But then at the same time, if I've read the book first I generally rate the movie more harshly because I get annoyed when they leave a really cool scene out, or when they didn't include one of my favorite lines... Sometimes the movie in itself is a great movie, but if you compare it to the book it just becomes really bad in comparison (Percy Jackson for example).

[Kylie]

If it's something I know I'll like, I tend to read the book first. But if it's just meh... I'll watch the movie first and then if it interests me and I want to know more details I'll read the book. Like, I've read all of John Green's books, and I love them so I'm going to reread them each time a new movie comes out. (Looking for Alaska is on my TBR list because they're going to make that one next after Paper Towns comes out).
Or Wild starring Reese Witherspoon, it's not something I'm really into reading right now so I'll pass and watch the movie first.
If it's a classic that I know is going to be a difficult read, (example Anna Karenina), I'll watch the movie first so that while I'm reading the book I have a better visual in my mind of what's happening and a better understanding of the events.
So it's really a case by case thing for me!

[Mariab]

Book first, always!!

[Kandice]

I run a movie/book club at my local library. We're in our sixth year of meeting once a month, so have seen almost 70 movies and watched their cinematic counterparts. We meet to discuss and compare.

I try to always see the movie first, however, I always watch the credits of movies and if I surprisingly see one was adapted from a book I try to read that book.

Occasionally the movie is better, but only occasionally.

[Tru]

If I see a movie and I just love it and am told there is a book, yes I would. Most of time the book is more detailed and has a better understanding. I do however, hates when they turn a book into a movie and leave out all the good stuff.