Books Versus Films

[Louster]

I've been having this argument with a bunch of people recently.
Everyone seems to enjoy films more. But I don't. Films totally bypass my consciousness; there's no interactivity at all, and their plots can near-always be summed up in a few short sentences. Books are interactive, creating imagery and ideas in your mind, often out-doing film effects.
It's like comparing games to TV. Games will always be more involving, TV will always be passive. Games are like books; games giving you control of the plot, and books giving you control of the imagery.

 

[~Lazarus~]

Never ending argument m8.

Books, for those with an active imagination are fun and deeply involving.

However, those who are lacking in any sort of imgination will be left short with no real feel for the book.

Hence films are more appealing to them - filling their conciousness with a vivid "imagination" which is not theirs but they can relate to.

Either works for me.

 

[echo]

most films of books totally bypass the plot and most of the good part in favour of expenso-effects

 

[shabazz]

books!

 

[Wij]

films r ok for a quick hit. takes a lot less time than reading a book.

it depends what you're wanting out of them at the end of the day...

 

[Will]

A well made film can affect you just as strongly as a book. The Usual Suspects, The Truman Show, Schindler's List. All excellent films.

 

[Wij]

Anything by Akira Kurasawa.

 

[SAS]

http://www.barrysworld.com/news/columns.asp?Author=37&Category=5

Did a column update about it a few days ago

 

[Wij]

p1mp !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

 

[Sir Frizz]

Some books are by far and away better than their film counterparts but dont forget that it works the other way around, as well as games to films and vice versa. Favourite author anyone? Gotta be Chris Pike, i get so involved in those

 

[PR.]

Personally I like a bit of both

I read Stephen Kings the Green mile and then went and saw the film, seing as the film had a similar plot with no major alterations it was good to see it for real and not just my imagination


On the flip side theres films like Jurassic Park: The Lost World, SK: Carrie both turned into films and the books were much much better, the reason? Because the film was completely different to the book


If ya wanna right a film based on a popular book there is no need to mess around with it, it was good to begin with

 

[old.frankie]

have to say, i find books far more fun

i normally read tom clancy

have read many of his books

very very good.

 

[old.ignus]

I agree about the lost world book film thingy, I read the book then watched the film and totally prefered the books plot. The same with Dracula, in the book Mina doesn't meet dracula until he turns her.
I tend to read books that are written as sequels to popular films or games. Like resident evil and the aliens series.

 

[Sir Frizz]

you read alien omnibus? goddammit, the detail it goes into, takes something like 3 whole pages when it describes the scene in alien1 where the acid burns thru the decks...:sleeping:

 

[Ono]

I don't read.

I just look at the pictures.

 

[DAN200]

You must get through alot of books in one night Ono.

Anyway, I prefer a good book to a good film for the simple reason the last a helluva lot longer.

 

[Sir Frizz]

Do you really have that much time on ure hands dan?

 

[DAN200]

uh yer, i goto school remember (that and im smack in the middle of my school holidays atm)

 

[Sir Frizz]

youre teachers must be proud of you

 

[DAN200]

uh no, i dont read at school (Other than my work)... I read at home, usually either a copy of PCZ or a Red Dwarf / Hitch Hikers novel (or some over rubbish)

 

[Custy]

Yeah, if you read a book then watch the film everything is spoilt. Like your image of the characters and how they speak etc. Books a usually much better.

 

[DAN200]

yer, when I read Hitch Hikers i visioned Zaphod Beeblebrox as being a bit like an insane bill clinton, but when i saw the clips of the TV series on the Douglas Adams special the other day he looks like a long haired madman wearing a stupid wig...

 

[Testin da Cable]

books!

 

[Summo]

Jesus, Dan! Don't watch the Hitch-Hilker's TV series! Don't even listen to the radio show (even though it was the original). They'll just cheapen an excellent set of novels.

 

[DAN200]

I dont intend to.

Howver, im on the third book atm (Life, The unverse and everything) and they seem to get worse as the series goes on. According to the Douglas Adams special i watched this is because he got bored of writing.

 

[Summo]

They change a lot after Life, the Universe and Everything. You won't like So Long or Mostly Harmless.

They're great, but a very different type of book.


Currently reading Stalingrad by Antony Beevor, an historical account of the events on the Eastern Front leading up to... Stalingrad. Good stuff. Very disturbing.

Saw Enemy At The Gates before, also set in Stalingrad and it was uber fantastique.

 

[Louster]

I read the whole lot of the HitchHikers Guide series when I was 10 or so. Loved them then, still do now. Damned shame he died and stuff.

Currently re-reading the Dune series. Which rules. Did I hear someone mention book-to-movie conversions already?

 

[Summo]

Red Dwarf movie on the way. Don't hold out a lot of hope for it though.

Still, after Kevin and Perry and Steve Googan's The Parole Officer I guess there is a market for small British comedy movies. Maybe RD will turn out to the best of this bunch.

Hmmm. Have to wait and see.

 

[Will]

I read a lot of cyberpunk. Willia Gibson is a fav, but if its set in the near future, and involves technology gone mad, I'll read it.

 

[echo]

aye someguy, stalingrad is a pretty hot damn good book