Read the Book or Watch the Movie?
“…No, but I read the book” is a statement not as common as it once was. The question of reading over watching isn’t typically the first thing that comes to mind when a book is trending online or a movie trailer comes out… but maybe it should.
The overwhelming majority of novel/film relationships start with the movie adaptation coming from the book; think Harry Potter, Twilight, The Hunger Games. Now, there are some factors when comparing books to films that can greatly influence the outcome of such a comparison. Things like movie budget, director/actor selection, and plot differences. For the sake of simplicity, we’re gonna ignore those and assume all the factors are at their peak options. Even then, the book over the movie takes the cake.
It all comes down to imagination. Sure, you can interpret a character’s thoughts through their facial expressions when watching a film, but that doesn’t beat the imaginative power a book gives you by not showing you the appearance of said character. The looks of characters, the surroundings/landscape of the setting, and the objects that come with it are all only described, not shown. By the end of the book, you have a unique image and relationship of what it contains that only you have. In most cases, reading a novel gives you a back channel into the minds of the characters that a movie can’t (although it can come close through various means like a narrator, context clues, and expressions).
I’m not going to pretend like there aren’t some legendary movies out there, I love movies and appreciate the art that goes into it as well as the final picture. There are clear exceptions to my rule like many of the Marvel movies that (naturally) beat their comic counterparts, as well as countless other examples where the movie is so much better than it’s book that it becomes objective rather than an opinion.
That being said, if you want to find a great read, check out some new movie releases that are book adaptations, because chances are, if its good… the book is even better.
