Breaking my own rule

As many times as I have told my students to read the book before seeing them movie I should be ashamed of myself for breaking that rule yesterday. I went to see the remake of Murder on the Orient Express and it was wonderful. I am more than anxious to read the book now.

 

I haven't seen the remake, but the Peter Ustinov version is good Christmas viewing. I've never seen David Suchet's version. Is it good?

 

I've seen some movies without reading or without finishing the book it's based on. I try not to but it doesn't always work out that way. At least the movie made you more interested in the book, rather than the other way around!

 

I always love to read the books first, but sometimes I do watch a movie before reading the book if the book is unavailable to me. I haven't seen the remake of Murder on the Orient Express, but I will certainly be on the look-out for it now.

 

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the movie Donna. I usually like the book better, except for Gone with the Wind and the first book in the Harry Potter series where the movie was more enjoyable to me.

 

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the movie. That makes me feel better about it because I've heard some bad things. Ellie Jane, Gone with the Wind did a great job with the movie. I think it's on par with the book. I think the first HP film was the best! Although I don't know if I'd say it was better than the book.

 

I think that sometimes our capacity for imagination is what makes a difference when it comes to whether a book is as good as the movie or not.

 

That is certainly a rare thing. It is not often that you will find someone being inspired to read the book after watching the movie.

 

The number of children that Scarlett had was strikingly different. In the book she had three children, one from each husband. In the movie, she only had the one child with Rhett. She wasn't a good mother to say the least.

 

Sometimes we can have a built-in bias though, too. When Harry Potter changed directors and the set changed, I thought it was awful. Now I think it feels more magical.

Readers will always be pickier than non-readers. I'm that nerd in theater/living room saying, "That's not how it happened in the book."

 

That's true, which only makes some of Melly's affection for Scarlett seem even more out of place (at least it's understandable that she would want to protect the mother of her brother's child). But really, I don't think too much is lost through this storywise because, like you said, she's a terrible mother and they didn't get front and center roles anyway.

 

Oh! Me too Jordan. I just hate it when the movie leaves out what I consider to be a major part of the story. Hunger Games come to mind. There is just so much more to the book.

 

Along those lines, do you find yourself automatically hearing the actor's voice when you read the book if you have seen an adaptation?

It certainly happens to me for the Harry Potter books and a few others.

 

I know what you mean, Jordan. It's a little like watching Game of Thrones with Sheldon Cooper! And it's true what Kindler says about hearing the actors' voices when you read the books. Eerie!