Stop trying to insist that we illiterate folks read the damn book, I don't wanna read the damn book, it will only ruin the show and or movie. :banghead:

Who agrees?

I agree, if the book is based on the movie. I disagree if the movie is based on the book. Generally speaking of course. There could be cases where neither is true. I have yet to com across one though.

Just read the damn book, it's better than the movie anyways, so who cares if the movie is ruined? Besides, reading improves one's skills in language overall, and actually helps a lot of things. But honestly, if someone doesn't want to read, I won't go and tell them to read, it's their loss.

Disagreed.

For every book-based movie i've seen, the book has been far superior. Except the Mist, as it was almost identical to the short story. Except the ending :swear:

Reading is far more beneficial then watching a movie.

Well, when people say to read the book that the movie is based on, I usually say that there's a reason I want to see the movie, and that is that I don't feel like spending a day or two reading a 300+ page book. I want to see the movie because it's just that, a movie. If I wanted to read the book, I would, but I don't want to. It's especially ridiculous when people say that about the Harry Potter books, which are each well over 700+ pages in length. I know at least one of them was over 1000 pages. I'm sorry, but I don't have days to devote to reading a 1000 page book, I much prefer a 3 hour movie.

I dont wanna hear about the benefits of reading, I wanna watch the damn movie or show without people constantly telling me about the damn book. :banghead:

Edit: Just wanted to add that I am being slightly facetious, this topic is not meant to be taken entirely serious.

300 pages is actually kind of short, but Harry Potter I never even watched the movies mostly because I didn't see the appeal in it and I'm not sure but I was told that the book and movie go hand in hand together (is that how you say it?).

@AnOldFriend3

Then tell them to shut the hell up, they'll know what it means.

I don't read because I tend to think about other stuff. My mind tends to drift away from the book. I hate that this happens to me but I can't do nothing.

So I watch the movie and seeing the words "The movie ruined the story". Well I didn't read the book so the story was fine to me.

Uhm.. no? Hear is a real simple reason as well. A movie is much more of a key hole experience than a book. In a movie, the director must make massive cuts in depth of dialogue, setting and plot for the sake of fitting it onto the screen, -which isn't as large as it may seem, and in a book one can take as long as it needs.

Also, because of the distinct nature that images can say a thousand words, they tend to speak all at the same time on screen, where as in a book it is delt with sequencially, one after the other, with the author pointing out those aspects of interest by delving deeper into the detail of it. This works in movies with a simple close up. The art of depicting those details is where the artform, the poetry of writing comes out.

I disagree. Books never really helped improve my English. It was movies and video games.

Anyway, I understand why people believe some books are better than the movies, because I've come across around 2 books/movies were this was the case. But generally when people keep on ranting and raving about it bother me. Last time it was about Lord of the Rings. I don't care if the books were better, they're too long, I don't have time to read them, and the movies were damn awesome on their own.

Books are in my opinion superior, if only because I can pronounce the names any way I want to in my head.

It takes me about 12 hours of doing nothing but reading to read a 300 page book. That's just me, though I know people can read one quicker. But the average person, including myself, just doesn't have 12 hours to devote to reading a book. You could split those 12 hours over a few days, sure, but you don't get the same sort of experience that a 12 hour cram gives you. A 2-3 hour movie gives you much more entertainment in a shorter amount of time.

Now, I agree that books can and often do give people a richer experience than the movies based on them do, but in the end it all boils down to how much time you have to devote to gaining that experience. I enjoy reading books, though I don't do it often, because it takes too long. I can watch a movie if I have a few hours of free time, but I can't read the average book in that amount of time.

Of course I think everybody would agree that reading the book is the better option. The point I am trying to make is that those who haven't read the book and have only watched the movies or show have there experienced ruined by the know it all next to them complaining about why the book is so much better. My opinion is that if you read the book and cant wrap your head around the fact that books are "better" then don't watch the movie or show, you will more then likely be disappointed.

I prefer books, partly because I don't watch that many shows or movies, and because I can picture the settings and action in my own mind.

Yes, they tend to ruin a movie of the book for me (if I do get to see it), not because I know the storyline but because it is nothing like I pictured.

Maybe that is because you never read as much books as you watch movies or play games? Aside that, I'm not sure if you are English or not, but I don't believe that an English speaking person could improve their English by watching a lot of movies. Quite the opposite. I myself have learned a lot of my English from movies and games, that was before I started writing novels in English, which has improved my English more than any of that.

I'm rather certain that I wouldn't speak as rich Finnish (my native language) nor English as I do if it wasn't for the books. People who don't read, generally don't have as rich vocabularity as people who do. Without books I would probably speak both just as well and have just as bad grammar as I have now, but my vocabularity would be drastically limited from what it is now.

I remember the ending of the Mist in the movies , half of the audience said " What the [censored] ?" Also , OP sometimes the book is much better .

My wife learned English from TV. If you don't know English, how are you going to read?

Do you mind if I make fun of you for being a slow reader?

I think everybody is missing the point of the topic. The topic is NOT about books versus movies/shows. This topic IS about the people who read books and are constantly complaining about how the show has ruined the story.

My vocabulary in 9th grade (according to the test I had taken in school then) was well above average and this with reading maybe a handful of books in my life time. This certainly isn't an argument that reading isn't beneficial but you don't necessarily have to read to have a decent vocabulary.

Edit: Wanted to clarify that I mean you don't have to read tons of books to have a decent vocabulary. Reading is more then likely an essential part of having a decent vocabulary, however i think it is more based upon what you read rather then how often.

I don't read fiction at all, though I used to. Movies are designed to bring out the graphics portion in which I appreciate greatly. Truly my life is full of distractions.. Unless I have utter peace and quiet, I cannot enjoy a good book. I guess I like the eye candy.

Am I really that slow of a reader? How fast do you read? I always thought 12 hours for 300 pages was pretty acceptable. :shrug:

Technically it would be books vs movies, thats what I think. Talking about people who read books and are constantly complaining about how the show has ruined the story would be considered ranting. I may be wrong but thats what I see.

Disagree.

Stop making crappy movies out of perfectly good books Hollywood! Get some decent plots of your own! (only slightly facetious)

Books > *

As for length of a book, meh so what. Just means you get to read more =) and actually you do have to take into account that the Harry Potter books were printed in fairly large text in a couple of cases, so how many pages they have depends as well. Also, just as a clue to all those gung ho about Harry Potter, while I totally agree the books are good, there is even better children's literature out there that isn't Harry Potter! Secret told

Mind you I love movies! I'm just tired of rehashed plots, plots I already know the "answers too" and can see it all coming... and that's not even going into the poorly made rehashes, or, my personal favorite, the changed ending rehashes.

I suppose you're one of the people who would complain while watching a foreign movie to turn on the dub because you're too lazy to read the subs

It isn't that difficult to read