Book to movie adaptations are extremely popular, and let’s face it, there have been some absolutely amazing ones! I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter films, and I think it’s incredible how movies can bring books to life. That being said, over the years I have realized that reading the book before you see the movie is extremely important. Here’s why:
1.Spoiler Alerts
From my personal experience, I have never been able to finish a book once I’ve seen the movie, and this is for one reason only- spoilers. Once you’ve found out how the story ends so quickly within a 2.5 hour movie, and described so visually, it can be harder to through several hours of reading a book, as you already know what’s going to happen next. That being said, several movie adaptations will differ from the novel *cough cough* My Sister’s Keeper, so I guess sometimes there is the element of surprise.
2.Using Your Imagination
Reading a story allows us to create a picture of the characters and the setting in our minds – activating our imagination and critical thinking. While movies are wonderful at bringing elements to life, there is nothing that compares to building characters and scenes as you imagine them to be. This is the most enjoyable part about reading for me, and something which is hard to do once you can already picture famous celebrities as the characters in the book.
3.It’s All About the Details
Many times, it is easy to miss certain details about a story from a movie. For example, a lot of internal dialogue, symbolism, and themes can be missed in an adaptation – unless there is a narration overlaid in the film. Without the insight from the novel, sometimes truly appreciating the story can be harder to understand.
Those are my top three reasons why it’s always important to read the book before seeing the movie adaptation. What are your thoughts on this debate?
Lots of love,
Olivia
Literature and Lattes 