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Top reasons why you should read the book before watching a film adaptation.


There's not a single person who isn't excited about a film adaptation of a favourite book. It is indeed a treat. As long as the movie stays loyal to the book, everything goes smooth, but when the diversion begins you start to fuss. It's only natural to have painted a picture of the story in your mind and to feel bothered when it goes awry. Nevertheless, the film gives you an unmatched feeling of meeting the characters and places only having read and imagined.
       'If it can be written, or thought, it can be filmed' - Stanley Kubrick.



Movies tend to skip details. 

If you are a person who gives attention to details, then the book should be your first choice. The introduction of a character and the gradual development of it can only be enjoyed when you read. In a film, the wordiness is cut short making it digestible for the impatient movie-goer.

Films are hard pressed for time.

When the story is to be given life by the director, he is up to the most challenging phase of the work. The script has to be developed so not to ruin the book-lover's imagination, and also give an impression of not missing out on the plot for the film-lover. The film has to strike a perfect balance between the two. All said and done sometimes we could see the script suffering in the hands of the director. There are some films which are true to the book frame by frame such as "Godfather".

Spoilers galore.

If you are a book-worm and intend to read a copy of a famous book which is on its way to get filmed, then you're cornered all over the social media by spoilers. So better grab a copy and finish it off quietly before looking up the film details.

Some parts get lost.

It is good to read the book whole because you may find some precious parts missing in the film. Like the scenes of Sirius Black, James Potter and Snape in Potter's legilimens class. The way you intepret a particular scene maybe different from how the tinselmen do it. So that means loss of some scenes.

To become a better judge of things.

The saying goes, "Never judge a book by it's movie". That doesn't mean that you shouldn't judge the movie by the book. You have all rights to judge the movie as a reviewer and weigh the chances of it over the book.

A film adaptation can always be compared to the idiom, "tip of the iceberg". Here is a list of my favourite book to movie adaptations,


  • Emma 2009 (mini series)
  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone
  • Pride and Prejudics (2005)
  • Sense and Sensibility (1995)
  • The Other Boleyn Girl
  • Mystic River

There is one adaptation which surpassed the books,

Sherlock Holmes Part 1 & 2.
By Guy Ritchie.

Well according to me, this particular film deserves huge adulation.

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