to ask all you lovely MNers to help me with some coursework.

[MammaTJ]

I am doing an English assignment and need to survey a range of people.

Have you ever watched a film i.e Twilight, PS I love You, that has then made you want to read the book?

If classics like Shakespeare and Dickens were made into modern films would it make you read the book or play? If so, why? If not, why not?

TIA

Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility with Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson etc ages ago made me read the books. Preferred the books actually.

As a teenager I watched the film of Name of the Rose and subsequently read the book - was glad I did it that way round as I had the basic plot in my mind and so could concentrate on all the clever bits round the side, which otherwise I would have found confusing, I think. I did the same rather later on with the telly version of Tom Jones by Henry Fielding - that was when I was in my thirties.

Generally speaking though I would rather only read the book and skip the film, or read the book first and then watch the film as a separate experience that I'd try keep compartmentalised away from the book - that would apply to The Hunger Games (haven't seen the film) or the Harry Potter films. I'm currently in my early forties by the way.

Jane Eyre the 1983 BBC version with Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton was the best true tothe book film I have seen so far. Made me weep buckets at the end. .

That was the only film I watched which made me read the book as the film was just so beautifully acted, beleivable characters, scenery was perfect, costumes etc. Spine tingilingly romantic and watched in one day.

Perfect.I knew there wasat least one. Easy to understand and passinate. I think that version appeals to all ages.

Never, I avoid watching films that I want to read the book of.

Example The Kite Runner, friends were all going to see the film, I sat up late finishing the book off so that I could go to the cinema the next night to see it with them.

A book just wouldn't have the same impact for me if I had already seen the film, I would have preconceived ideas about everything.

I like watching films I have read the book of though.

I am mid 30s.

Raj has just beaten me to it, but watching the BBC Pride and Prejudice in the mid-90s got me reading Jane Austen, but once I've seen something, that then changes how I view the books. If I've enjoyed a book, I'll purposely stay away from the film in case it ruins it for me. My favourite Austen book is Mansfield Park, but I don't want to see the film (I heard they changed the main character to make her more outgoing, to appeal to a contemporary audience. An outgoing Fanny Price is really not the point of Mansfield Park).

As someone has said earlier, with complex books, it can help having seen the film/show. I enjoyed reading The Hobbit when younger, then tried reading The Lord of the Rings. I couldn't keep all of the names straight (kept getting Saruman and Sauron confused) but after seeing the film, I went back and reread it and found it much easier. Also agree about Les Mis, saw the show, then read the book. Actually, that is one thing where I can keep the characters separate, maybe it's the depth of the book. I love both the book and the show, but see them as separate things.

Some stories you think you know, turn out very different when you read the book. I'm thinking of Peter Pan, but after having read The Hunchback of Notre Dame, couldn't believe that Disney had turned it into a cartoon.

Oh, I saw the film The Prestige, didn't realise it was based on a book, then saw it in the library, so borrowed it. The film was good, but disturbing. The book, on the surface was quite dissimilar, but was very disturbing.

By the way, I'm 35.

I dont watch too many films and generally have read the book first. Find generally films do not live up to my expectations.

Sometimes I read a book because I have seen the hype around the film ( eg Boy in Striped Pyjamas).. never seen the film but read the book after seeing the film advertised.

Did enjoy Much Ado as a film.. but generally I hate Dickens so nothing would get em to read him!

I am 47

Anna Karenina. Enjoyed the book even more than the film.

40 ish

I love reading and frequently read the book after seeing the film or vice versa. I don't like seeing the film second though as it's always a let down. Whereas the book second is always better than the film. Jaws is a brilliant book as is Airport. Will be starting to read Game of Thrones in the near future.

The only exception is Twilight where both film and book are utter twoddle.

I'm 45.

I'm 41 and rarely watch a film of a book I enjoy as I am always disappointed, I find that my own interpretation of a book is rarely the same as the filmakers and I get really irate when "vital" bits are left out/ changed drastically. Lord of the Rings was a huge let down (but I'm still waiting for The hobbit!). I'd love to read Shakespeare but tbh I struggle getting into it, so would probably like to watch it on film first to give me an idea of the plot before struggling with the language. I like reading Dickens, but the only ones I've read have been ones that I've seen on film first - never really thought about why. The best adaptation I've ever seen has to be the BBC (aka Colin Firth) version of Pride and Predjudice. David Suchet is pretty close to my idea of Hercule Poirot whereas Peter Ustinov was nothing like him.

I can think of a lot of times I've been to see a film after enjoying the book (eg One Day) but I can't think of any the other way round

Usually I am disappointed with how the book has been treated on film because it never seems the same as it did in my imagination

The Help was a very notable recent exanple. Loved the book. Loved the film

I'm FortyFuckingFive

On the subject of Shakespeare or Dickens.

I wouldn't go and read a Shakespeare play after seeing a film because I don't think Shakespeare intended his plays to be read, but to be seen

Dickens, maybe, althoughI've read most of them in the past and enjoy seeing the adaptations on TV (Great Expectations recently was superb I thought)

It might encourage me to go back and re-read. A Tale of Two Cities is coming out soon I beleive and I LOVED that book as a teen and might be tempted to reread it

Thank you everyone who had bothered to answer me. I have some wonderful material here already and really appreciate this help!

What a thoughful bunch you all are. Have some

Invoice is in the post Mamma

I almost always read the book first, I hardly watch any films anyway, and hate it when I know and love the book - to then watch the film is always (with one exception) a disappointment. The only time I've ever liked a film better was the LOTR trilogy. I've never been able to get into the books somehow they just don't do it for me, but I loved the films. That could be precisely because I hadn't enjoyed finished the books though, I had no preconceptions about who should do or say X or what things should look like.
I'm in my early 40s

Good luck with that CurrySpice, it will get 'filed' with all the others!!

I was meant to be doing level two English as part of my access to nursing course. The two people who have just finished (today) started a year before me and have had their English bumped up to level 3. The tutor has decided that I should aim for level 3 at the beginning.

I have a feeling this assignment will be a good one though, thanks to all of you. My friend could not believe that so many people took the time to comment and give their thoughts so quickly to a stranger. I never dobted that you would!

dobted doubted

Like a couple of other posters watching the gorgeous Colin Firth in P&P got me into Jane Austen which I had avoided whilst younger. 52

Yes, although I prefer doing it the other way round.

Main examples for me would be PS I Love You, Cold Mountain, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (book is nothing like the Disney film, btw, but the 1920's film is worth a watch, if you like silent films)

ERm, WRT Dickens and Shakespeare, I'm well versed enough in both of them to know that, even if I appreciated a re-working, there'd be elements of the script/book in question that I'd hate. Whereas I love most of Shakespeare's writing, I hate most of Dickens. I'm an abomination to English Lit students everywhere.

Oh, and I'm 27.

After reading the Harry potter books then seeing the film I would never read a book after seeing the film I am 26

Nearly done!! One last chance for people to tell me their views!! Thank you all so much!

If i like a film & its a book, i will read the book. I am currently reading Angela's Ashes.

I would not read a book by Shakespeare for fun, for that reason. It isn't enjoyable to read. I have studied them for A-levels, ect. Never mind if it had been made into a film.

Dickens, maybe. I don't find him as bad.

I don't usually do film first then book, but I've done it a few times:

The Bone Collector - got into reading the Lincoln Rhyme books after seeing the film adaptation, I still see Rhyme as black though the books clearly state he is not. It makes no difference to the character though.

Dune - saw the film, then read the book and wished I hadn't bothered. The film was great, the book was soooooo slow.

And I also saw the film of the Name of the Rose first and then read the book, and although the film was brilliant, the book was far, far better.

On the whole if I have enjoyed a book I tend to not see the film as I expect to be disappointed although the Harry Potters have mostly worked for me, as has LOTR.

I'm 44.

Thank you Kate I needed a bit more on Dickens, my essay is currently very Shakespeare heavy!!

Thank you Pointy a bit lacking in ladies my age over thirties!!

Yes I watched defiance and then bought the book, about the Jewish community in the woods in ww2.

I am in my thirties.