Do you like reading the book before or after seeing the movie?

One question, two answers, a myriad of justifying reasons. This question basically separates a group of readers into two.

In every story, movie plot, or both, there will be a general story structure. It is like formulae for successful stories. Breaking it down, it can be summarised into 7 basic plots. Taken from Christopher Booker’s The Seven Basic Plots, it goes as below:

• Overcoming the Monster

Hero learns of a great evil threatening the land, and sets out to destroy it.

• Rags to Riches

Surrounded by dark forces who suppress and ridicule him, the Hero slowly blossoms into a mature figure who ultimately gets riches, a kingdom, and the perfect mate.

• The Quest

Hero learns of a great MacGuffin that he desperately wants to find, and sets out to find it, often with companions.

• Voyage and Return

Hero heads off into a magic land with crazy rules, ultimately triumphs over the madness and returns home far more mature than when he set out.

• Comedy

Hero and Heroine are destined to get together, but a dark force is preventing them from doing so; the story conspires to make the dark force repent, and suddenly the Hero and Heroine are free to get together. This is part of a cascade of effects that shows everyone for who they really are, and allows two or more other relationships to correctly form.

• Tragedy

The flip side of the Overcoming the Monster plot. Our protagonist character is the Villain, but we get to watch him slowly spiral down into darkness before he’s finally defeated, freeing the land from his evil influence.

• Rebirth

As with the Tragedy plot, but our protagonist manages to realize his error before it’s too late, and does a Heel-Face Turn to avoid inevitable defeat.

Having that understanding, here comes the major question that divides a group of readers into 2. One that reads before the movie, and the other after the movie.

 

 

Each has their reasons for doing so. For convenience, I have listed down in bullet points.

First off with those who read before movie,

1. Creating an entire world inside your head just based on the information you’re given in the book.
2. Usually the books are better and plus if you read the book first it gives you a better understanding of the movie.
3. Will almost certain you will be disappointed with the book if you read it after the movie.
4. The book allows you to use your imagination more, while the movie is a package of “ready made stuff” with distracting cues that are already ” there.”
5. When you read, you can imagine the characters however you want, but after you watch the movie, no matter how hard you try, you’ll see the actors as the characters.
6. To find the differences just to prove that books are better than movies.

 

And then we have those who read after watching the big screen.

1. Not missing out any details that may be omitted from the film due to lack of time for character development.
2. Cinematic enjoyment that a book cannot provide. Plus after enjoying all the effects, the book serve as a slow replay of story development once again, with all the cinematic effects going on again in your head.
3. While the usual complain about book to movie translation is never 100% accurate, the same could also be for the opposite. The film creates a type of vantage, the book may create another. Unless one reads the book after the movie, one will never know about that.
4. To watch the plot being played out on the big screen first before reading is more exciting. Majorly due to the element of surprise as the plot develops visually in front of you.
5. Giving the title another chance, if the movie is screwed up by some lameass director.

 

No matter which you choose, the more important thing is we enjoy whichever comes first.

Personally, i read first before watching the movie. I feel that it is giving the story a proper justification in this way.

The voting poll has started~! Take a vote, whether you read before or after the movie.

Comments, vote, hear from you all soon!

Happy weekends!