When you read a book do you imagine how the characters would look and speak?

[Sidge]

For some reason when I read I develop quite a strong image in my mind of how the character would look and sound.

For example I'm reading Janet Evanovich at the moment and Grandma Mazur sounds exactly like Marge Simpson.

[TitsalinaBumsquash]

Yes i do, thats why i often don't go and see films that have been made from books incase they get it wrong, ecxept Harry Potter, i think i imagined most of them as they are in the film.

[littleboyblue]

Yes, I do this. It then gets odd when they make a film of it and cast the complete 'wrong' person. Like Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

Yes, absolutely, that is part of the fun of reading rather than watching a film, as you do the imagining yourself.

I think that is why I am so often disappointed with film interpretations of books as the characters look and sound different to how I saw them/heard them.

[PavlovtheForgetfulCat]

x-posts!

[TitsalinaBumsquash]

Yes i thought that about Alex Cross, this sounds silly but i never had him down as a Black man untill i saw the film, im not sure why as it makes sense..... lol

[DollyPardonme]

oh yes, and I always imagine them as an unfamous person, not casting central if you see what I mean. Disaster if you see a film before you read the book, so hard to get the image out of your head.

[Sidge]

I'm glad it's not just me then!

DH and I watched Gone Baby, Gone last weekend and I was so disappointed by the film (despite it actually being very good) as the 2 main characters were NOTHING like I imagine them to be from the book.

[littleboyblue]

Titsalina Alex Cross is described in the books as being similar to Muhammed Ali. IIRC it stated this is the first few books when character was still new.
Now, I know Morgan Freeman is a fantastic actor, but Alex is one with the ladies, he gets a fair bit of action doesn't he, and I'm not sure that in RL if Ashley Judd would put out for him iyswim.
I always imagine Alex to be very dark skinned and a cross between Will Smith and Denzel Washington. Not quite as big as Denzel, but bigger than Will Smith

[littleboyblue]

But then, Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, I did think was a good choice, not far off the mark for me

[deste]

I usually do. I read a book that described one of the characters as having longish curly hair and a loose woollen knitted jumper. I was in Waterloo station and saw this young guy and thought "I know you". I then realised it was the description of the guy from the book.

[yappybluedog]

That's why you should never read the book after watching the film - did this with The Talented Mr Riply and I can only imagine Matt Damon now (and Gynnie Paltrow)