5 Reasons Why Books Are Better Than Movies
post by Michelle Griep
Usually books are better than movies. Not 100% of the time, but more often than not. So that means I need to snatch me up a copy of Allegiant and read it before it hits the theaters on March 18th. But what is it about books that makes them better?
5 Reasons Why Books Are Better Than Movies
The "feel" of the story is different.
It's inevitable that a filmmaker will have a different interpretation of the story than the author because, well, he's not the author. Think about when you've discussed a book with someone else. Did you come to the same conclusions about themes and messages? Love or hate the same characters? Decode the same symbolism? No, because everyone has individual perceptions based on life experiences. There's no way to capture a novel on the big screen and keep it completely intact as the author intended unless the writer also happens to be a filmmaker.
Visual connections are not the same as mental.
A movie is a visual experience. A book -- except for the words on the page -- isn't. Readers create the story in their own mind, seeing things the way they imagine it. Hollywood shows the viewer what they want them to see.
The time factor.
A writer can take as long as he likes to craft a novel. A moviemaker gets roughly 2 hours, possibly 3, but definitely a finite amount of time. That means scenes from the story will have to get cut or condensed to make it fit into the prescribed time period.
Details. Details. Details.
Books go way more in-depth than movies. Not that films don't include details, mind you, but those details are only on the screen for minutes, if not seconds. Your eyes can linger on the words on a page because the reader is in charge of how long to dwell on a particular point. That isn't an option for viewers watching the action flashing on screen.
Outside factors can change the story.
Bad acting, or low budget, or incompetent directors or producers can and do sometimes take a great story and flush it down the drain.
So, how about you? Do you like books better than movies or movies better than books?
5 Reasons Why Books Are Better Than Movies
The "feel" of the story is different.
It's inevitable that a filmmaker will have a different interpretation of the story than the author because, well, he's not the author. Think about when you've discussed a book with someone else. Did you come to the same conclusions about themes and messages? Love or hate the same characters? Decode the same symbolism? No, because everyone has individual perceptions based on life experiences. There's no way to capture a novel on the big screen and keep it completely intact as the author intended unless the writer also happens to be a filmmaker.
Visual connections are not the same as mental.
A movie is a visual experience. A book -- except for the words on the page -- isn't. Readers create the story in their own mind, seeing things the way they imagine it. Hollywood shows the viewer what they want them to see.
The time factor.
A writer can take as long as he likes to craft a novel. A moviemaker gets roughly 2 hours, possibly 3, but definitely a finite amount of time. That means scenes from the story will have to get cut or condensed to make it fit into the prescribed time period.
Details. Details. Details.
Books go way more in-depth than movies. Not that films don't include details, mind you, but those details are only on the screen for minutes, if not seconds. Your eyes can linger on the words on a page because the reader is in charge of how long to dwell on a particular point. That isn't an option for viewers watching the action flashing on screen.
Outside factors can change the story.
Bad acting, or low budget, or incompetent directors or producers can and do sometimes take a great story and flush it down the drain.
So, how about you? Do you like books better than movies or movies better than books?