When you ask anybody if they think they like the movie version of a book better a lot say no. I personally agree with these people. I am always very excited to see a movie of one of my favorite books. More times than not, I’m disappointed. TIME in partnership with CNN wrote an article discussing the subject asking readers their opinions.
“...readers of a novel have already made their own perfect movie version. They have visualized it, fleshed out the locations and set the pace as they either zipped through the book or scrupulously savored every word. Often they have even cast it.”
This is right on the nose. All readers do this. They have their own expectations of a book and are most always disappointed. It is very hard for writers to transform every detail of a book to life. No matter how important we as readers think a chapter from our favorite book may be, a screen writer simply cannot include it all.
There is also the other side of this argument: the people who like the movie better. In my experience the people who have seen the movie and then read the book seem to like the movie better. Again I think it has to do with the picture people already have in their heads. If they have seen the movie they have all the sets and characters in mind and don’t necessarily follow the descriptions.
I don’t think we will ever declare a winner of this battle between literature and motion picture. There is no fact that states the book is better than its movie version or a movie version i better than the book it portrays. It is a matter of opinion. But, if you are asking me my vote is for the book.
