Happy Saturday, loves!!!!!!
It’s Pushy here this week, filling in for the ever lovely, never replaceable, Danny who is (as we speak/read/roam around our houses in jams with a steaming cup of coffee) lounging in glamorous, sultry Thailand on an extremely well deserved vacation!!
But fear not! Â A Saturday discussion topic has been selected!
And it is…..
I got to thinking about this as a certain sequel was released this week. Â You see, I adore movies almost as much as I ADORE books, but I find that I prefer seeing movies before reading the book if they are indeed based on one. Â This is because traditionally there have been so few faithful and artfully done film adaptations of books.
However….
I’m starting to think this is changing!
Example: The Lord of The Rings
I’ve been a Tolkien fan since my mother was reading the series to my brother in me well before I learned how to read so it was with trepidation that I initially heard of Peter Jackson’s intention to tackle the series in film form. Â But he nailed it! Â His attention to detail and his commitment to telling the story, no matter how long it took, forced me to re-think my previously held preference for books over movies. Â For once, I found the movie to be a worthy companion to the book.
Is that the only one?
I must admit that I’m hard pressed to think of another film adaptation of a book that I found as compelling as the book itself.  I do have very high hopes for Catching Fire, but while I VERY much enjoyed The Hunger Games last year, I still thought the book was better and I’m wondering if that will be the case for Catching Fire when I finally can get to the theaters to see it.
So, I’m asking you, dear reader….
What do you think? Â Do you find movie adaptations always as compelling as the books they’re based on? Â Or have you found other examples that stood out from the rest?
Let me know what you think!!
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This is a really hard question. I often like movies better for the action and shear beauty of film. But it’s disappointing to find the story or characters aren’t captured perfectly. In certain circumstances, however, a movie is better – like “Jaws,” which was way better than the original book (and is my favorite movie!). I hope Danny’s having a great vacay! 🙂
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I think the Game of Thrones series (although not a movie) has really captured the book wonderfully. Season 1 is just as good as the book – and season 2 is better than the book (in my opinion of course 🙂
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Tanya, that’s a REALLY good point! I’ve always found that mini-series (or even longer in the case of a series of books and a longer series of shows) do a much better job of conveying the true spirit of a story. I think it’s the fact that they have more time to hit all the plot points and don’t have to cram it into 120 minutes or less. Great point!!
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Oh My Gosh, the whole book vs movie comparison always makes me think of Stardust. I love the fairy-tale-esk book, and had high hopes when I watched the movie with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. However, my sister-in-law found the part where the sky-ship’s captain flounces about in women’s clothing the most delightful thing ever, and announced she wanted to read the book if it was equally awesome. I groaned, and told her their time on the ship was barely a page, and there probably wasn’t more than a line about the captain, and he definitely did not cross-dress. She decided the entire book must then suck.
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I thought Anne of Green gables was done very well and I adored the book. I also need to see the Book thief too . I always find the books better , but I also have low expectations of them since I mostly disappointed in them. I think I was first disappointed with Flowers in the Attic and I had read the book.
Saw Catching Fire and it was just as good as the book 🙂
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Great topic!
Lord of the Rings is one of the adaptations that I like even MORE than the book. I honestly struggled to get through the books… I didn’t like the writing style and I found it kind of drawn out and boring. But I ABSOLUTELY ADORE the movies! I think that the movies add in extra bits that the books lacked, like some humour, a more defined romance, better action and intensity, etc.
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I loved Lord of the Rings. I think they did an amazing job.
I haven’t seen THG because it just didn’t seem to capture the essence of the book from the previews I saw (I’ve seen a few extended scenes as well and …meh) I hate when the movie overtakes my vision of the book so I just didn’t bother but I hear Catching Fire is very good.
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I was talking to my mom about the Hunger Games movie vs. the book recently. Maybe I’m delusional, but I thought that movie followed the book fairly well. What we lost in the movie was Katniss’s thoughts though. The book was first person, and the reader could only see the world through Katniss’s eyes. It’s filtered based on her experiences. The movie was Third Person, and I think that allowed the movie makers the opportunity to show the districts reactions to Katniss (like the riot in District 11, which totally made me cry). I think the movie did a better job showing the reality and politics of Panem than the book. This is one of those rare occasions where I like the book and the movie equally even though, as one commenter mentioned, the “essence” of the books wasn’t apparent in the movie.
Now, I’m a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings movies. I watched Fellowship 15 times the year it was released. So, I was excited when I got my hands on the books…until I started reading them. I dislike the books immensely. I’ve thought about giving the books another try. Maybe I just read them at the wrong point in my life. I was young (13) and an impatient reader. I’d like to think I might enjoy them now. And in J.R.R. Tolkien’s defense (as if he actually needs one), I LOVED the Hobbit (the book, that is).
Then there are the Harry Potter movies which are equally infuriating and addictive.
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I agree that I also would prefer to watch the movie first instead of having read the book first. Usually I have already read the book so that isn’t an option. But lately there are some YA books that are being made into movies that I haven’t read yet – so I’ll watch the movies first and see if I feel compelled to actually read the books.
As for wonderfully done adaptations or just movies that I’ve loved as much as the book hmmm thats so hard.
Though I know there are movies I’ve loved that are based on books that I haven’t read yet but plan to.
Howl’s Moving Castle
The Last Unicorn
Mirror Mask
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