Monday, August 16, 2010

someone make a movie about this

I just had an interesting thought while I was 'listening' to a conversation some people were having. Okay, you caught me: they were having the 'conversation' on Facebook, and I wasn't listening so much as I was reading their comments about a status update, but whatever. The point is this: I realized can't recall having heard anyone say they watched a movie and were disappointed by the book, but I frequently hear people say they read a book and then were disappointed by the movie. I have a number of theories.

  1. Books are better than movies for various reasons (imagination used, time to develop plot and characters, better writing, etc.)
  2. Alternatively: order effects are in play. People usually read books first, then watch the movies. But what if order matters? What would happen if you watched a movie and then read the book? Then you'd always be stuck with what's-his-face as the main character, and you don't even like what's-his-face.
  3. Alternatively: people like to throw it in your face that they read the book, you didn't, and they are smarter and all-around better than you.

I'm sure there are lots of anecdotes out there. Someone's going to have to do a systematic study to get this figured out. Not it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like reading books about me and movies in which I am the leading man...

Anonymous said...

Books are ALWAYS better as you get to know the character's thoughts!! By the way.....not "it."

Anonymous said...

Can you imagine reading book versions of some of the more infantile movies we watch?? Case in point, Other Guys:

Kaboom!! Blam!!! Screeeech!! "Holy Sh--!! Get em!!" Whooomp!!

Maybe that's why I like foreign films--I get to read and watch a movie at the same time :)Mom