Opinion: Watch the Movie Then Read the Book
I fear I am about to present a hot take, but hear me out, because by the end you shall see the method to my madness.
If I am not in school, at work or in the newsroom I am likely reading a book or watching a movie. Or doing either of those activities also while in said school, work or newsroom.
I consume stories in some capacity at any opportunity. When I fall in love with the story on a page, I quickly search for the on-screen equivalent. Books set a perfect foundation for a meaningful, informed screenplay, but, if one plans on turning a beloved novel into a successful film, there is most definitely a right and a very wrong way to do it.
I have seen adaptations done with pure excellence, while others are an utter disgrace to the film medium. But regardless of whether the adaptation is a masterpiece or a mess, they (usually) share one thing in common: The book is better.
Books have the time and space to dive into exposition. Character profiles are authentic and detailed, entire universes are meticulously designed and plot lines have room to unfold naturally.
When we read the book, without the film’s visual guide, we let our imaginations run free and our minds craft the film long before Paramount Pictures or Universal Studios buys the rights. Therefore, if you envision everything in a novel a specific way and the actual film does not create it as such, you are bound to be let down on some level.
