Adaptations of Books vs Films

The gloves are on! Book vs. Film….author vs. director

We all love a good read…we all love a good film…but which one do we love more? It’s almost like the mummy and daddy situation!

Every year we are presented with numerous box office hits, with the film industry eager to cater for all our needs; whether it’s a good cry, giggle or if you enjoy being scared out of your pants!

Unnoticeably there are many great adaptations of books to films; in the recent few months we have had:

Marley and me

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Inkheart

Angels & Demons

Shutter Island

The Lovely Bones

The Fantastic Mr. Fox

He’s Just Not That Into You

The Informant

Public Enemies

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

The Reader

Not Easily Broken

Defiance

Hotel for Dogs

Coraline

Youth in Revolt

Race to Witch Mountain

The Taking of Pelham 123

My Sister’s Keeper

Skellig

Who would have thought that all these wonderful films were previously just words in a book, yearning to be adapted for the next step?

Books provide such a personal experience, so it’s really interesting to see how books have been interpreted by someone other than yourself.

When you read a book, naturally your imagination allows you to build your own visualisation of characters and scenery but when we see it as a movie; we become influenced and almost fixated on the way the creative team interpreted (I can hear all those film critics now).

And this is where the director steps in. They convert the book into a film, from how they’ve envisioned it; they paint a new picture… well, the one that’s making all the money!

The great thing about films is it not only makes the book seem more ‘real’, but it can open our eyes to new interpretations – there can movies which leave us exclaiming “They did a great job adapting that book to film!” and then there are the not-so-good adaptations which leave you a little, speechless.

One thing I do like about the attempts of adapting books to film is that it can provides for a wider audience. People who generally read a lot are encouraged to see the film, and ones who watch a lot films are encouraged to read more… win win!

I’d love to hear your views on what which book you think is better than the film or vice versa.

I must say, I preferred The Notebook as a film than the novel, anyone else agree?