Monday, November 28, 2011

Wait...that was a book first?

I know it is hard to believe, but often screenwriters and producers take books and stories and turn them into movies or shows (shocking right?)  I am sure many of your favorite movies and TV shows started out as a piece of writing.  Check out this article.  Though the article is about retaining ownership of of intellectual property, what I want you to do is the following:
Find a film/show that you really enjoy that is based on a book.  Read the book.  Write a short comparison between the two on this post.  Don't forget to include which you liked better.

53 comments:

Pandagirl! said...

I'm reading Alice In Wonderland and I've seen the movie but, I like the book better. In the book, the author goes into much more detail and describes more characters then the movie which is more about her adventure. If I had to choose between the movie and the book I would choose the movie.

The Hash Slinging Slasher said...

I mean its not a big shock that this is happening because in my experiences all the books that i read that have a movie the book is better to a point than the movie.For example the lightning the their series for me the movie was good overall but compared to the book was very bad and almost completely different. There was a scene were a monster was chasing them in the book they peek back to see if it was still be hide them but in the movie this scene was completely changed with them using a iPod touch's backing as a mirror to see if the monster was still chasing him. i thought that it really changed the mood of the plot. Therefore i thought that this happens more often then we think this may end up making the movie better than the book or vice versa. Most of the time that not what happens because 99% of the time the book is better but i guess its your opinion that really matters.

The Hash Slinging Slasher said...

@ Panda Girl!
I agree with you because i read the book the lightning their and the book was so much better than the movie (in my opinion) and its more common than you think that the book is so much better than the movie. Movies.com stated that 97% of the movies and or shows than are based off of a book are not as great as the book so in other words 97% of people out there liked there book more than the movie thats not saying the movies are bad but it shows how people rather read the book than watch a movie of that book.In conclusion the people that produce these movies based off of a book just want the same success that the book had when it was published but these people often can't reproduce the love that we have with our books.

aVgleek17 said...

So I know it's really cliched, but I read Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, and then saw the movie. I have to say, I think the book was so much better than the movie because even thought there was an image on the screen during the movie, I felt like I could visualize even more when I read the book because it was my own imagination going wild. Then, when I saw the movie, all of my images and ideas changed because of the cast, the location, and even the script! In the end, I thought the book, Twilight was much better than the movie because of the descriptions and the way you get lost in the story.

Anonymous said...

For my classic book I read Dracula but first I had already watched Nosferatu the very old, silent, black and White thriller. Nosferatu was actually very similar to Bram Stoker's novel but it just was a shorter version. Nosferatu had some crucial parts cut out of it to make it a reasonable length of time. If they had filmed every event with every detail described in the text the movie would be about a day long. For example, the book included an example of Dracula sucking someones blood but in the movie they never showed that. This shows how the movie left out a few important parts but did well without.

CandyS. said...

I read all the Laura Ingalls Wilder series and then came to know there was an old show based off of that series. I like the book much better because it went into more detail. It described small things very precisely such as "The long eared jackrabbits frolicked through the tall, swaying prairie grass." In the show, on the other hand, they would skip by details like this that made the story, ever more interesting.

nosferactu said...

I read the lightning thief and the movie was somewhat like the book. Most of the books that I read turn into, movies, like the hunger games, they are making a movie about that and all of the other books I read were movies (most of them). Both the lightning thief and the adjustment bureau were mostly similar. They both had a lot of action and were great movies. The adjustment bureau was by all means a better movie that the lightning thief, these are both great movies but the adjustment bureau is better.

nosferactu said...

I read the lightning thief and the movie was somewhat like the book. Most of the books that I read turn into, movies, like the hunger games, they are making a movie about that and all of the other books I read were movies (most of them). Both the lightning thief and the adjustment bureau were mostly similar. They both had a lot of action and were great movies. The adjustment bureau was by all means a better movie that the lightning thief, these are both great movies but the adjustment bureau is better.

Unknown said...

I've read and seen Stormbreaker. It's the part of the Alex Rider series but I liked the book a lot better. In the book, there was a lot of desciption with many action scenes and fun gadgets. But in the movie, there were parts from other books which would have ruined a big part in the series if you didn't read them first. For example, Alex meets a girl named Sabina later in the series. She is one of the main characters in that book. But in the movie, they meet each other in the first book, Stormbreaker which makes the movie a bit confusing. This happens because changes the ending. But overall, the movie wasn't bad but I like the book a lot more.

Unknown said...

Sorry, I meant to say, "Because of this, the ending changes."

Kayleigh said...

I have read and seen The City of Ember. The book was not as daring as the movie. Both movie and book started the same way. But then the adventure cuts into the movie with serect passage ways and unloyal friends. The movie was more adventuress then the book. But usaully I like the book better.

Kayleigh said...

@aVgleek17 I agree with you everybody likes the movie more but imaging in the book is much more interesting then seeing it on movie screens. And some actors don't act the emotion of the book very well.

edemace said...

I also agree its not a real big shock. The book I did was One Who Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest and i did this for the classical book. I liked the books better because it was funnier and more interesting. Also the book was longer and more fun to read.

edemace said...

@nosferactu
i agree with you because some books are alike to the movies but other can be way differant. I think the movie script should be right from the book they make the movie for because then its easier to understand and not be like whoah whos that he wasnt in the book.

Unknown said...

@The Hash Slinging Slasher
I agree with you that the books are better than the movies. I think that you are right that movie producers can't give us the thrill that's in a book. I think that there are three main reasons that can cause this. The first one is if there is bad acting. The second one is if they change parts of the storyline. The last one is because you can't know the thoughts the character is thinking so the movie may miss a few important parts. This is why I think that people tend to like books better than the movies.

Colat3al Damag3 said...

I read the book and saw the movie of The Lightning Thief. The book was exciting at every moment. It was thrilling and had a lot about Greek myths. That was good for me because I wanted to learn about Greek myths at that time. And for the movie, it didn't go by the book enough. It twisted some parts, and added others. The plot was completely wrong. The only thing I liked about the movie was the actors that played their parts. I felt they did a wonderful job and were chosen correctly for each part. Overall I prefer books over movies.

Cav98 said...

I like the book Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows better than the movie because there was a lot more content in the book than the movie. One example of more content is the battle at Hogwarts. In the book it talked about who was fighting who and what was going on and in the movie it could only show bits and pieces. Also in the book it narrated how they were thinking and in the movie you had to interpret what they were thinking from what they were doing. The events like the battle and the explaining make the book more detailed and enjoyable.

DR. Bubblesquash said...

I have read and seen I robot. For people who have seen the movie, the book may be a little disappointing, mainly because the movie is full of explosives and action-packed gunfights, while the book is mostly about politics and problems with the robots. I, personally having a slow attention span, liked the movie better than the book because it caught my attention more.

Alex Z. said...

My favorite TV show is Pretty Little Liars. It is based of of a series of books by Sara Shepard. I enjoy the TV show more than the books because it is more suspenseful. It is suspenseful because you can visualize what is happening, there is always music adding dramatic effect, and you have to wait a week until you find out what happens because a new episode comes out every Tuesday. The TV show, in my opinion is much better than the books.

The OriginalFake said...

The book that i read that was turned into a movie was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I liked the book better because it had more detail and was more enjoyable. Although the movie had some awesome special effects and it was cool to see your favorite battles on the big screen, the book was just 10 times better.

JMM126 said...

I read the book Twilight and saw the movie. I liked the movie better because it was different then the book and it was more suspenseful to my ears. I guess my mind likes hearing also what happens. When I hear things it is easier for me to understand. Just reading something doesnt really help me learn.

JMM126 said...

AlexZ
I agree with you because the book I read I liked the movie better. I read Twilight and saw the 1st movie of the saga and I liked the movies better than the books. It was more visual which helps me understand.

Kevin O said...

I would have never had thought that this was a book. This was a great movie altogether, I wonder what the book is like. The Harry Potter series was a lot more descriptive than the movies are. I think that the book will be a lot better than the movie. But the movie was really a good one but how will the book compare to the movie. I hope that it is a lot better.

Kevin O said...

I also read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I was excited to see the movie, but didn't like the movie at all. It left out key parts, funny parts. Since I knew the book, watching the movie made me feel like I ripped off and not given the entire thing. I was really disappointed.

CandyS. said...

I read Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone and watched the movie. I liked the movie, but it was not as nearly as good as the book. The book had much more detail and took less time to develop the characters. Also, the movie missed some parts that were the best parts in the book. For example, in the book, before Harry gets to Professor Quirrel and Voldemort, he has to choose which potion to drink with the help of Hermione. One potion would kill him, while the other would help him pass through the fire to get to Voldemort. The movie completely disregarded this fascinating scene. Although the scene was not very important, it showed Hermione's intellect and was a transition to when Harry meets Voldemort. All in all, I love both the books and the movies, but prefer he books because of their detail and because the movies don't include all the scenes.

StephanieZ said...

A few years back, I read every book in the Harry Potter series. I loved them SO much. Everyday when I got home from school, I sat under my covers and joined Harry on all his adventures. But as I got older, I've started to nag myself to see the movie! Well, I finally did and I realized I was missing out. I'm more of a movie person surprisingly, not a reading person, so I obviously liked the movie best, but the books were truly amazing. In almost all situations, the movies are completely different from the book, and less detailed in fact, but I found this movie, or should I say, movies to be quite similar to the book. Hence, the movie was the winner.

Katelyn O. said...

: Around 3rd or 4th grade I started reading the Percy Jackson series, and LOVED them. They were adventurous, mysterious, and really kept you wanting to read more and more. Finally the day had come when the movie came out, and our whole 4th grade class went to go see it. We all loved it from beginning to end, but how was the book in comparison to the movie you ask? Well, to me the book will always be better, there’s always that little thing that never happens in the movie but is VERY important in the book. The movie showed action, suspense, and thrill, but the book showed action, suspense, trill, and the beginning and end to an everlasting friendship. Therefore the book became my choice and I’ve loved it ever since.

Katelyn O. said...

I agree with you, in The Lightning Thief there were also many parts that weren’t even in the movie. The part you had stated about the monster chasing them and they looked behind to see if it was still there was actually, I think, very important. Since they changed it in the movie it seemed less important for some reason. I really think that with movies from now on, they have to be much more careful with what they put in them and what they don’t.

Katelyn O. said...

Around 3rd or 4th grade I started reading the Percy Jackson series, and LOVED them. They were adventurous, mysterious, and really kept you wanting to read more and more. Finally the day had come when the movie came out, and our whole 4th grade class went to go see it. We all loved it from beginning to end, but how was the book in comparison to the movie you ask? Well, to me the book will always be better, there’s always that little thing that never happens in the movie but is VERY important in the book. The movie showed action, suspense, and thrill, but the book showed action, suspense, trill, and the beginning and end to an everlasting friendship. Therefore the book became my choice and I’ve loved it ever since.

Katelyn O. said...

Around 3rd or 4th grade I started reading the Percy Jackson series, and LOVED them. They were adventurous, mysterious, and really kept you wanting to read more and more. Finally the day had come when the movie came out, and our whole 4th grade class went to go see it. We all loved it from beginning to end, but how was the book in comparison to the movie you ask? Well, to me the book will always be better, there’s always that little thing that never happens in the movie but is VERY important in the book. The movie showed action, suspense, and thrill, but the book showed action, suspense, trill, and the beginning and end to an everlasting friendship. Therefore the book became my choice and I’ve loved it ever since.

Katelyn O. said...

I agree with you, in The Lightning Thief there were also many parts that weren’t even in the movie. The part you had stated about the monster chasing them and they looked behind to see if it was still there was actually, I think, very important. Since they changed it in the movie it seemed less important for some reason. I really think that with movies from now on, they have to be much more careful with what they put in them and what they don’t.

Anonymous said...

I have seen a movie that was a book before it was produced. This book is called “Holes” by Louis Sachar. I’ve seen the movie many times before I actually read the book a couple years ago. The movie includes a lot of dialogue and images. However, when I read the book, I was confused at many times. Most of these times were when the author was trying to bring scenes from hundreds of years ago. It was much easier to understand what was going on in the movie. Also, even though the book and movie had the same characters, I could see the character’s emotions better. In addition, music in the movie created great suspense. Therefore, I liked the movie better than the book.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you @Alex Z because I also enjoy the TV show “Pretty Little Liars” more than the book. I thought that it was easier to understand what was going on in the show better than the book because there were so many characters that the names would confuse me in the book. In the show I could remember them based off of their faces. I also agree with you too how the show is more suspenseful. The music creates the tone of the show. In addition, in each show, it ends with us now knowing what happened. So this made is suspenseful and made me want to watch the continuing show the next week. Therefore, I agree that the show is better than the book.

maia said...

I read harry potter and then i saw the movie they were both very similar but the book did include more detail and some more scenes so i would definetly choose the book over the movie.

Ali M. said...

I have read The Help and seen the movie. Although I enjoyed the book better I think the movie was very well done. I liked the book better because of the word choice in the book and the emotion I could feel through the words. I also read the book first so I had a picture in my mind of what I I thought would happen with what the words said. Because the movie was different then the pictures in my mind I think this is also a reason I liked the book better. In the book I thought there was such great word choice that no actions could live up to it. This is why I think eh book was better.

Ali M. said...

I agree with everyone about The Lightening Thief. I liked the book better. This is because in the movie they changed up a lot of the parts in the story. "There was a scene were a monster was chasing them in the book they peek back to see if it was still be hide them but in the movie this scene was completely changed with them using a iPod touch's backing as a mirror to see if the monster was still chasing him. i thought that it really changed the mood of the plot." This is one instance where they changed up the book, that I did not like. Therefore the book is better because in the movie they changed it for the worse.

JVG412 said...

I read the book storm breaker by Anthony Horowitz, and saw the movie. It was similar in all senses, except for the actor's looks. It described Alex in the book as brown haired and brown eyed. In the movie, he had blonde hair and blue eyes.

Ryan35 said...

I liked the Harry Potter series. It was very suspenseful.I think that the movies in general are better because you mightnot imagine it in theway theauthor imaginedit so itcould screw up the story. Also, pictures are worth a million wordss. If I could see what happened then I will get a good idea of what is happening.

Ryan35 said...

@The Hash Slinging Slasher
I agree with you that the directors change a lot from the book to the movie but I disagree that it is bad. I think they do this to keep it different. If you read the book, then what's the point of watching a movie of the same thing? Also, someparts in the book are unnecesary. If they put it in the movie, then it would be too long and people would lose interest. They would lose a lot of profit. If you saw the movie first then read the book youwould say that the book was a lot different and therefore wouldn't like the book as much.

Ryan35 said...

@The Hash Slinging Slasher
I agree with you that the directors change a lot from the book to the movie but I disagree that it is bad. I think they do this to keep it different. If you read the book, then what's the point of watching a movie of the same thing? Also, someparts in the book are unnecesary. If they put it in the movie, then it would be too long and people would lose interest. They would lose a lot of profit. If you saw the movie first then read the book youwould say that the book was a lot different and therefore wouldn't like the book as much.

BH said...

One series that I have read and loved is the Hunger Games series. I hear that they are coming out with new movies. I hope that the movies are close to the books, because I hear that a lot of books that become movies are dramatically changed.

BH said...

@Kayleigh
I agree with you that the City of Ember was more daring. Most movies that are based on books are less action filled. I guess this is because there are certain affects that they can't create in the movies.

Hayley Morgart said...

I really like The Last Song, but I enjoy the book much more because I get to imagine everything in my mind. I get to picture everything that happens for myself and then it feels like it's kind of like 'my creation'. Also, in the movie, they skip so parts. One of my favorite parts of the ENTIRE book was cut out from the movie and I was really disappointed. It shows that the book is more detailed and gives you a better image in your mind.

Hayley M said...

@Ryan35, I disagree with you. I think that the Harry Potter books are better than the movie. In the books, you get to know what they're thinking which is very helpful, while in the movies all you get to do is see what's happening. No internal emotions are shown.

chris g said...

i think that the book lightning theif is better than the movie. i think this because that in the book it was more suspenceful and that in the book it said that percy was a 13 year old and grover was older but in the book they swich off. their are more diffrences also.

Chris G said...

i agree with anonomas because he said that holes the book was confusing and it was was harder to read i also liked the movie better because it gave parts and sort of explained them and if you miss somthing in the book than it is harder to go back and catch it

Anonymous said...

One book that i really like is harry potter. But the first couple movies kept most of what it was in the book but as it was the 4 and so on it messed a lot of stuff and din't put things. I like the book better

Anonymous said...

I agree with Chris G cause the percey jackson books were amazing they were suspenful kept me wanting for more. But with the movie it was totally different there was a lot that changed.

Anonymous said...

I like the movie beter than my book that I read because it was performed in a better way then the book was It is eaiser for me to see what the charaters are feeling and that in a book you can just read and look at words.

Anonymous said...

A lot of people think that they like the book better then the movie but I really seem to like the movie better then to read it on paper.

Devon S. said...

I have noticed that the books are usually better then the movies and they are almost always created first! In movies they leave out parts of the book and sometimes change a huge part of the story! For example in the first Percy Jackson book and movie, they were almost completely different! They left out the part of the book about how he found out who his dad was and also never mentioned the tough girls that were bullying him. I liked they book better than the movie because it had more detail and I found it to be more interesting!

Devon S. said...

@Anonymous
I disagree because the book is usually what the movie is based on and the book can be any amount of pages when a movie usually has to be about 2 hours long which means that they have to cut out a lot of important parts of the book. Also reading a book allows you to imagine what is happening instead of seeing it because after you see what the character looks like in the movie you won't be able to think of him as you imagined! Reading the book is better because it helps your mind since you are reading and using your brain!

singdancelive said...

i read and saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. i personally liked the book better. the movie was great but it left out many details that were in the book. some of these details made the storyline make sense.