Dawn’s and Heather’s recent posts about rarely enjoying a movie after reading a book garnered a lot of cyber nods of affirmation. I too have the same problem with accepting seemingly random changes to beloved books when they are adapted for the screen.
My hard and fast rule for avoiding too much disappointment is to read the book first, but to wait a while in between reading and watching (like at least 6 months, if not more), so that I can enjoy the movie without the details of the book being fresh in my mind.
This summer my ten-year-old daughter Amanda starting reading the Harry Potter series. So it seemed the right time to check out first Harry Potter movie. At least two years had gone by since I had first read this book, although I had just finished the fifth book in the series the week before, so I was still firmly entrenched in the characters and plot of the series.
My initial thoughts were that the movie seemed somewhat lame — the filming, the overly loud music, and even the over-the-top portrayal of the world that J.K. Rowling created. That said, within half an hour, I was captivated. Some of the visuals really helped in my understanding — seeing a game of Quidditch, for one thing, and seeing the Invisibility Cloak in use for another.
On the other hand, some of the visuals detracted from my immersion in this amazing fantasy world. For example, when I’m reading the book, I’m not thinking of witches and goblins and magic. I’m thinking of fantasy — something completely imaginative and wonderful. However, watching the school ghosts fly around and seeing the characters in their pointy hats (was that in the books?) the association with the witch stereotype is unavoidable. It is a pretty good movie, but no matter how well a movie is made, it can’t transport someone like a book does.
I think that the movie producers selected excellent actors to play the characters that we know and love — McGonagall is appropriately stern, yet lovable, Snape is perfectly slimey, Dumbledore is as elegant and authoratative as he should be. In fact, upon “meeting” each of the characters, my heart lept with excitement with the joy of meeting them again for the first time. I even got a lump in my throat when I met the Weasley family. Although I had seen Daniel Radcliffe of course (who plays Potter in the films), I didn’t even really have an idea about who the other actors were, so they didn’t figure in my reading of the books.
The movie is rated PG, but I think it’s a pretty scary PG, even for my ten-year-old who had just recently read the books — not too scary, but scary nonetheless. There was also some strong language that I didn’t remember being a part of the book.
If you’ve watched and enjoyed these movies, but have avoided reading the book for whatever reason, now is the time to read. If you’ve enjoyed the books, but haven’t seen any of the movies, maybe you’d like to try. Just as many people said about Pride & Prejudice, I think that this is the perfect example of a movie being a way to extend your love of a book or characters.
Managing Editor Jennifer Donovan is a contributing editor at 5 Minutes for Mom. She has been blogging at Snapshot for over two years.
Great review, Jennifer. I like your idea of watching a movie 6 months after reading the book – I’ve definitely found I enjoy a movie based on a book more if enough time has passed that I don’t remember the details. I won a copy of The Kite Runner in a giveaway but haven’t watched it yet because I loved the book so much. But maybe enough time has passed that I can enjoy the movie without nitpicking all of the details.
The Harry Potter movies are all wonderful. I’m very much looking forward to the Half-Blood Prince, if it’s ever released!
I try to wait a year before watching a movie adaptation of a book! I re-read HP and the Goblet of Fire just before watching the movie, and that was a mistake because all the details they were leaving out were fresh in my head. The movies are a lot of fun, but just as in the books, they get progressively darker. The casting is wonderful!
The first 3 movies keep with the books so well, but the latter movies omit entire portions from the books. For instance, the movies so far have not mentioned the eldest Weasley brother, Bill, and yet he is such a factor in the final two books that the producers and screenwriters are scrambling to introduce his character to the movie going masses. However, I still love the movies and find them most entertaining on their own. Plus, like you said, they helped me understand and visualize some of the stuff from the books. Great post!
I have no objections at all to the way the HP movies have been adapted from the books. There’s just no way to make them include all the details you find in the books, and still make them a reasonable length of time. (I wouldn’t mind watching 8 hours of HP per movie, but come on – that’s not realistic). I think they have done an excellent job of choosing which details to include and which not to include.
And regarding the character of Bill (that Julie mentioned), the books don’t include him that much in the beginning either. Movie 4 (Goblet of Fire) does mention his as the one who brings the dragons for the competition (I just rewatched this with kiddo last weekend, which is why I know) and that’s all I recall about him from the earlier books.
Anyway, my point is that if you’re going to make a movie from a book, you’ve GOT to drop stuff out. I’m just pleased that the feel of the books was carried over to the movies successfully.
Great idea to wait 6 months to watch a movie once you’ve read the book!
Just wanted to mention, that the HP movies #3-#5 (and probably the others when they come out) are even more scary than the first two.
I like your idea of waiting 6 months. I typically do not read a book and/or watch a movie in quick succession of one another. This way I can always enjoy the book or the movie. The exception being Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story which is pure Anne heresy and it wouldn’t matter HOW long ago I read the books – I can never enjoy that movie.
On a somewhat different subject than this post – we watched Nim’s Island tonight, which you had previously reviewed. I enjoyed it. Haven’t read the book. Maybe I should wait?
I have never liked a movie better then a book, however I do like watching the movie. Like you mentioned it helps you visualize the world. I really got that out of Harry Potter, Golden Compass & Hitchhikers Guide to the gallery.
It still bugs me that Harry’s eyes are a different color in the movie than they’re supposed to be!
but all in all the movies were nice to help with how things worked. I think the director of the 3rd movie got a better “view” of hogwarts. It seems more book-like (at least to me) but there are parts of the movies that they left out that I thought were important. They don’t even talk about SPEW in the 4th movie and it was a big part of that esp explaining how Barty jr got out. i still like the books way better but like to see the movies for fun and a nice 2 hour visit to the non muggle world.