Thoughts & Things

The Book vs The Movie

The century old argument: was the book or the movie better. Some people seem to prefer the movie in every instance, as movies are far easier to consume. Others maintain that the book is always better. I disagree with both.

Both books and movies have their own benefits. Movies actually show you what's happening, take less time, and generally trim the fat in any story. They give you something to see and hear, meaning you can relax and focus on the story. The books provide more details and worldbuilding. Books often have more intricate stories, and more detailed character information. Books also allow you to imagine the story and characters however you prefer.

Because they are completely different formats with completely different benefits, they both present different opportunities for those looking to tell a story. Because I think story is most important, I usually think the book is better. That said, blanket statements about the book always being better just rub me the wrong way. I can think of a number of incidents where the movie was actually better than the book.

The Princess Bride is one of the best movies ever made, but the book is just a good book. It has a lot of background detail the movie doesn't have, but none of it is really necessary or missed. It's a fun read, but it's a much better watch. The Lord of The Rings was actually far better in movie format. The epic scope suited a visual format incredibly well, and the films trimmed some of the really unnecessary fat from the book (*cough* Tom Bombadil *cough*). Holes was a really enjoyable book, but the movie brought a lot more to the table with the historical throw backs.

Of course, there are many more instances of the book being better, even than a good movie (looking at the entire Harry Potter series), or the movie being complete crap (looking at Blood and Chocolate). Overall, I just think that blanket statements regarding book to film adaptations are not really necessary, particularly given the very different pros and cons between the two.

(I have committed to blogging daily with Give It 100. This is Day Forty-Two. Six days of leave taken total.)