The Perfesser makes a darn good point: one too often forgotten- or not even considered- in our electronic entertainment saturated society. In rare instances do I find movie better than the book upon which it was based. Neil Gaiman comes to mind. STARDUST and CORALINE both did excellent jobs of streamlining and focusing their respective stories. One of my great grievances has been the 1958 movie of RAINTREE COUNTY. Based upon one of my favorite books, if I mention it to anyone, I can almost count on the response being “Oh, I’ve seen that movie.” No- forget the movie. Forget it ever existed. Please, read the book.
I enjoy seeing the movie and THEN reading the book. Helps me visualize the scenes and dialogue. It usually is a disappointment to read the book first and then see in the movie that they veered off course.
Cosmo is right. Adaptations of books these days suck because no one in Hollywood can read. They just see a title that’s popular and dollar signs next to it. No one gives a damn about the script. Compare that with the ’60s and Doctor Zhivago: the book was incredibly boring but the movie (script by Robert Bolt!) was amazing.
doc white about 13 years ago
Or a movie by its book.
pouncingtiger about 13 years ago
That’s a “binding” theory.
scottartist creator about 13 years ago
The Perfesser makes a darn good point: one too often forgotten- or not even considered- in our electronic entertainment saturated society. In rare instances do I find movie better than the book upon which it was based. Neil Gaiman comes to mind. STARDUST and CORALINE both did excellent jobs of streamlining and focusing their respective stories. One of my great grievances has been the 1958 movie of RAINTREE COUNTY. Based upon one of my favorite books, if I mention it to anyone, I can almost count on the response being “Oh, I’ve seen that movie.” No- forget the movie. Forget it ever existed. Please, read the book.
Happy, happy, happy!!! Premium Member about 13 years ago
all points i wanted to make have ben covered. darn you east coasters.
dahawk about 13 years ago
I enjoy seeing the movie and THEN reading the book. Helps me visualize the scenes and dialogue. It usually is a disappointment to read the book first and then see in the movie that they veered off course.
tigre1 about 13 years ago
“Don’t judge a book by its movie…” outrageously true, thank you Cosmo.
boldyuma about 13 years ago
The movies “Moby Dick”(with Gregory Peck)
and “To Kill A Mockingbird”(Peck), translated well from books.
AnotherFineMess almost 3 years ago
Cosmo is right. Adaptations of books these days suck because no one in Hollywood can read. They just see a title that’s popular and dollar signs next to it. No one gives a damn about the script. Compare that with the ’60s and Doctor Zhivago: the book was incredibly boring but the movie (script by Robert Bolt!) was amazing.