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Cloud Atlas
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Cloud Atlas - book or movie first?
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Joanna Chaplin
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Apr 21, 2014 06:23AM
I got Cloud Atlas for Kindle not all that long ago. About the same time, my husband borrowed the movie from a friend for us to watch. So which should I experience first? I've traditionally been a book first person, but I'm wondering if I might enjoy it better the other way around. If you've experienced both, then in what order and what do you think?
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I think it's always better to see the movie first, as the book will always have more in it - and will usually be far superior, although I admit I've not seen Cloud Atlas but can state it is a superb book.
I know I would have a hard time working out what was going on in the movie if I hadn't read the book first. The movie looked great but the book actually made sense.
I always find it better to read the book first in this situation because I always find it hard to separate the actors from the characters they play if I see the movie first. I like to let my brain do the casting :)I've read the book and seen the movie, I found the book amazing and the movie a real visual feast. The book is magnitudes better though in my opinion and it will definitely help with the plot when watching the movie if you have read the book first.
I haven't yet read the book, but I saw the movie and loved it. I can see how it could be a bit confusing at first, but I took it on faith that eventually it would all come together. The others I saw it with were completely confused by it, and one of them leaned over to me about two-thirds of the way through it and asked, "Is there a point to any of this?" So based on what I heard from others, I'd say your odds of enjoying the movie go way up if you've read the book first.
Normally I'd say movie first, because it's a shallow dive and the book will have more detail, but this one was so confusing that I'd say book first.
Book first. I'll echo others here in saying that I wouldn't want the actors and sets of the film messing with what my imagination comes up with. Also, I wouldn't want the Cloud Atlas Sextet itself to be clouded by the composition from the movie. Let your imagination run free, then have the fun of comparing it with the imagination of others.
Book first, but I always go that way. In this case, however, even the author said recently that now that he's seen the movie, he can't imagine the characters in any other way. :)
I've decided to read the book first. I'm not sure I really get it, but I'm engrossed nevertheless.
Book first. The movie would have confused the hell out of me if I hadn't read the book.
Haven't experienced either but, I'm a book first guy. My favorite role is Indignant know-it-all who can point out all the missing plot elements. Really it's just a hobby.
Ben wrote: " Also, I wouldn't want the Cloud Atlas Sextet itself to be clouded by the composition from the movie. The score makes the movie and is all sorts of moving & weepy.... I'd say book 1st, just for that. I didn't find the movie confusing because each sequence leaves behind something that shows up in the next scene plus I assumed it would all tie together in the end, but the content of the movie was so completely tied up in the score (ergh, all the feels) that I wish I'd done the book 1st.
On the other hand, if you love books/movies with multiple POVs or multiple time streams and are used to waiting for the pay-off that links them all or like looking for the links yourself.... then why not do the movie 1st? Its one of the very few movies that left me thinking that sure, I now knew how it ended, but I'd loved to get the detailed version in the book anyway.
I have only seen the movie so far and I really liked it, but I have to say I was so distracted at first playing "spot the actor," that I ended up watching about a third and then starting it over once I had all the actors and plot lines straight in my head. I debated reading the book first (because I knew it had complicated story lines), but I actually prefer to watch a movie first, because usually the book is much better, or at least so much deeper, that I never enjoy a movie as much when I have the book to compare it to.
I do plan to read the book once the movie has faded a bit from my brain.
