Read Book First Then Watch Movie Or Vice Versa?

[Wildcard]

For the most part when someone makes a movie adaptation of a book I enjoyed I feel compelled to sit through it and usually wind up despising the entire cast and crew by the end of the movie.

There are some exceptions. Lord of the Rings as an adaptation handled superbly, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is another that was well done, but for the most part, movies cannot compare to the depth of our own imaginations.

Still, there is some value to the visualization of characters.

@LannisterHater introduced me to A Song of Ice and Fire and then years later HBO picked up the TV series based on the books. When I saw the first episodes I immediately fell in love with the show! What a great cast of characters. I have literally never been disappointed by the casting decisions made on that show. Then after Season One was over I went back to re-read the series and to my delight I discovered that when reading, my new TV friends were there with me

Having seen Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Sean Bean as Lord Eddard Stark and Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, I am even more endeared to the characters-- and consequentially, the actors.

Do you read the book first and then watch the movie or vice versa?

[velvetfog]

I have generally read the book first, since movies typically get made many years after the book came out.
Most of the best Sci-Fi novels haven't even been filmed yet.
The only exception to this, has been George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire, since I was not aware of the books until the TV series was launched.

[LZA]

In one circumstance, when I watched No Country For Old Men, I thought the movie was so interesting I got the book. I wanted to see the differences there were between the two. The book carried the ending out a little longer answering questions as to what happened to the characters, whereas the movie it just ended leaving you guessing.

I know I should be reading more, but I usually watch the movie first, if it catches my interest, then I'll get the book to see if there are any left out details or differences between the two.

PS: In 8th grade, I was too lazy to read for a book rept, so I took out The Karate Kid.. and made my rept on that... Teacher gave me an A, but she then specified, No book reports are to be done on books that were made into movies.

DAMN, I was all set to write my next book report about a low tier boxer who gets a chance of a lifetime by fighting the champ of the world, because of his nick name the Italian stallion.

[Bunny]

I do both. But in my opinion most often the books ate better to me. Although A Song of Ice and Fire has really impressed me with the HBO show Game of Thrones!! Love it!!!

[velvetfog]

The nice part about reading books, is that the visual effects can be practically unlimited, constrained only by the limits of your imagination.
Movies have budgets, and quite often the special effects suck.

[LZA]

I agree. Watching a movie beforehand robs you of your own visual experience. I just don't read as much as I'd like to...