Books -> Films (good or bad?)

Discuss whatever your heart desires, just be civil. Posts made in this forum do not increase new members' post counts.

Do films based on books ruin the story? (vote on majority)

Yes
9
56%
No
7
44%
 
Total votes: 16

User avatar
Fran
Posts: 28072
Joined: 10 Aug 2009, 12:46
Favorite Author: David Mitchell
Favorite Book: Anna Karenina
Currently Reading: Hide and Seek
Bookshelf Size: 1207
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-fran.html
Reading Device: B00I15SB16
fav_author_id: 3104

Post by Fran »

Maud Fitch wrote:It's hard to beat someone's imagination.
We read those black squiggles on the page and turn them into a story.
A director reads those black squiggles on the page and turns them into a movie.

You control your imagination but the movie director projects his imagination to control you.
Unless you share the same imagination, chances are the movie will fall short.
Maud ... that's the best description I've read to explain why movies almost always fall short of the book.
:D
We fade away, but vivid in our eyes
A world is born again that never dies.
- My Home by Clive James
User avatar
Maud Fitch
Posts: 2730
Joined: 28 Feb 2011, 23:05
Favorite Author: Jasper Fforde
Favorite Book: The Eyre Affair
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 4856

Post by Maud Fitch »

Fran wrote:
Maud Fitch wrote:It's hard to beat someone's imagination.
We read those black squiggles on the page and turn them into a story.
A director reads those black squiggles on the page and turns them into a movie.

You control your imagination but the movie director projects his imagination to control you.
Unless you share the same imagination, chances are the movie will fall short.
Maud ... that's the best description I've read to explain why movies almost always fall short of the book.
Thanks, Fran, sometimes I have these insightful moments. <grin>

I can recommend Graham Greene's novel "Brighton Rock", a masterpiece of psycho-realism which was written in 1938 and made into two movies. The latest starred Sam Riley, Helen Mirren and John Hurt but didn't get rave reviews. I'd suggest sticking with the book!
"Every story has three sides to it - yours, mine and the facts" Foster Meharny Russell
User avatar
Ghastlies
Posts: 55
Joined: 07 Sep 2011, 08:14
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by Ghastlies »

they say that they have to cut out parts of the plot to make it fit into an hour and thirty minutes or whatever average time a movie lasts. i am not sure if that is accurate but i know that there are those movies that ruin the stories.
i vote yes. though that is in my opinion only.
MaxDaniel
Posts: 39
Joined: 30 Jun 2011, 07:46
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by MaxDaniel »

Well not every time this happened. Book like "A beautiful mind" is very good in read and the movie based on it was really a great gem. But the book series on Harry Potter is very amazing as compare to movie based on it.
User avatar
Tralala
Posts: 1059
Joined: 28 Dec 2010, 13:13
Favorite Author: Hubert Selby Jr.
Favorite Book: Retro Hell
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 2789

Post by Tralala »

Maud Fitch wrote:
Fran wrote:
Maud Fitch wrote:It's hard to beat someone's imagination.
We read those black squiggles on the page and turn them into a story.
A director reads those black squiggles on the page and turns them into a movie.

You control your imagination but the movie director projects his imagination to control you.
Unless you share the same imagination, chances are the movie will fall short.
Maud ... that's the best description I've read to explain why movies almost always fall short of the book.
Thanks, Fran, sometimes I have these insightful moments. <grin>

I can recommend Graham Greene's novel "Brighton Rock", a masterpiece of psycho-realism which was written in 1938 and made into two movies. The latest starred Sam Riley, Helen Mirren and John Hurt but didn't get rave reviews. I'd suggest sticking with the book!
Too weird. I just got a copy of Brighton Rock. Buuuut...I'll buy any book by an author I like, so maybe that's not too weird.
How perfectly goddamned delightful it all is, to be sure.
Post Reply

Return to “Community & Off-Topic”