Book before movie? Or movie before book?

[maddiie]

Just had the ultimate disagreement with DH. We've watched the first episode of The Cry, I want to read the book first but he says that's the total wrong way round! I always read the book first, with every movie and series. Who's right, who's wrong?!

book before movie, 100%

You’re right - always the book first! Movies often miss out vital points and then you’d read the book knowing what’s coming!!

What?! Book first, always.

I won't let DS watch the hunger games until he's read the books, otherwise he wouldn't bother and I've already bought them for Christmas!

Book first and anyone who disagrees is a troglodyte philistine

Book first. Obviously.

Book first every time. Even if the movie never lives up to expectations.

I remember my mum and dad was so confused when watching Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban. Couldn’t understand why Hermione was there and not.

I had to explain

Sorry but I agree with DH.

Either way you know what’s coming so that’s a moot point. But, for the most part the book will be better than the movie. Due to time constraints, certain plot points, character development etc are missed out. If you KNOW those are supposed to be in the movie it drives you crazy and all you do is moan about how much better the book is.
But if you watch the movie first, you get the experience of a decent movie, then reading the book expands and elaborates. You don’t have the negative connotations of the bad movie, you’ve just expanded certain scenes / characters and flesh it out. Win win.

Book before movie. Always.

Depends. I usually read the book first but sometimes film first can make a complicated/wordy book easier to understand.
I'd been trying to read Middlemarch for years, kept getting bogged down and giving up. Then I saw the BBC film which made things much clearer, went on to finish the book and really enjoyed it.

Always book first. There is no such way as movie then book!

It's obviously book first, never heard anyone say otherwise.

A first for everything I suppose

Book first. That often means the movie disappoints though.

Movie first.
Like pp said the book is always better so expands on the film.
Unless it's stardust
Film was one of my favourites.
Book was pants lol

Book first! Always the book first!

Ltb

I'm in the movie then book camp for all the same reasons mentioned above! That was I get to really enjoy the movie for what it is then love the book too!

Book first, generally.

The couple of times I have seen a movie then gone to read the book, I’ve been annoyed as the film changed basic things about characters appearances, and I’m already visualising the actor that played the character, iyswim

Neither- the film OR the book is the only way for me. Friends will read the book first then see the film but always seem let down so I just wonder why bother and waste the money on a film which never meets the expectations.

Usually I would say book first.

However, it depends when you realise that there IS a book.

For example, we’re 6 episodes in to killing eve. I’ve just found out that it’s based on a series of novels. I will finish the series, then buy the books.

Same thing has happened with the 100 and pretty little liars!

It completely depends on the individual story. Some are best one way round, some the other.

If the story has quite a lot of introspection and description of emotions abd thoughts then book should always be first. eg Hunger Games and Persuasion were both terrible when watched ignorant of the book, and excellent if watched after having read it.

Action films with little introspection where the book is pretty much a description of the film scene by scene, best to see the film first.

I'm on the fence. I'd usually say book then film, but I saw Wicked (musical, not film) without having read the book first, and I don't think it would have been as good if I'd known the plot going into it.

Books first ideally.

Funnily enough, I watched The Cry last Sunday, ordered the book on Monday, it came on Wednesday and I finished it last night! I find books much better than films BUT I am really looking firward to seeing how The Cry develops on screen!

Book and then be disappointed by the movie!