Monday, April 15, 2013

The Movie is better than the Book?

Although it will come out sounding awful and all of my Author friends will deny knowing me after I say it I’m just going to come right out and say that I’m much more apt to see the movie than read the book. There. I feel so much better just for getting that off my chest.

I think visually, even when I write I’m envisioning the scene in my head and how it will play out. But it isn’t just the characters I can see. I see the setting around them, little chotchkies surrounding the characters, the color of a car they’re riding in, the use of lighting and color to evoke emotions, and any host of other tricks a film director might employ to evoke a specific emotion. And I’ve been told that my books read like a movie sometimes. That’s pretty cool.

One of the first movies I ever saw was “On Golden Pond” and no I wasn’t nearly close to old enough to grasp the overall concept of the movie at the time. I was probably around eight years old.

My mom and aunt had taken my sister and me to the drive-in. Yes, I’m that old. Sort of. Anyway, we were supposed to stay up for the first movie, crash out in the backseat, then mom and my aunt would watch the second movie in peace. I want to say the opener was “Snow White” but my mom can weigh in on that one. It barely left an impression but still, after it was over there wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to sleep.

Are you kidding? I mean I was a kid in a car watching movies. It was, like, the coolest thing I’d ever experienced to that moment of my young life and I wanted it to last as long as possible. My sister was out like a light. Long before the first movie even ended I think. I hardly made a peep while I watched, with wide eyes, the grown-up movie from the backseat.

From that moment on I was hooked on movies. I loved how big everything was, it really added to the whole concept of a fantasy world when the actors were ten feet tall. It's true that "On Golden Pond" wasn't originally a book but let's just say in the years following my viewing of that movie, nine times out of ten I saw the movie before (if ever) reading the book. Not for a lack of imagination but simply for enjoying someone else’s take on what it would look like instead of just relying on my own.

So it shouldn’t be a shock that not only am I a big time movie quoter but I have an array of categories for when I’ll enjoy specific movies. With some flicks you just have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy them ya know?

Movies for when I’m sewing/crafting
Armageddon
Sixteen Candles
Almost Famous
Can’t Hardly Wait
St. Elmo’s Fire
High Fidelity
The Breakfast Club

Movies for when I need to laugh and quote
Old School
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
Legally Blonde
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Clueless
The Ref
Just Friends
America’s Sweethearts
Napoleon Dynamite
Idiocracy
Waiting
Mallrats
Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Movies for when I’m in a music mood
Singles
Spice World
Dazed and Confused
Reality Bites
200 Cigarettes
Almost Famous
School of Rock

Movies for days when all I do is think
Chasing Amy
Girl, Interrupted
Fight Club
American History-X
Love, Actually
Leaving Las Vegas
Stand By Me
The Crow

Movies for when I need adventure and excitement
The Goonies
Indiana Jones (first three)
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
X-Men (all)
The Bourne - original trilogy
Groundhog Day
Back to the Future Trilogy
Red

Movies for nostalgia
Rudy
9 to 5
Better Off Dead
Say Anything…in fact
Pretty much any movie John Cusack made before 1994
And for that matter, every movie Sean Astin made before 1994
Glory Daze
Practical Magic
An Affair to Remember
Dazed and Confused
Forces of Nature
It Could Happen to You
Mallrats

Movies I hated after reading (and loving) the book
Carrie
Pet Sematary
Thinner
OK, pretty much everything written by King then adapted for the screen except…

Movies I loved after reading (and loving) the book
The Shining
Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Movies for when I’m in a Sports mood
Rudy
Goon
Fever Pitch
Major League
Rookie of the Year
Jerry Maguire
Miracle

Posted for April 2013 A to Z Blog Challenge M is for Movies

15 comments:

jamiessmiles said...

I am a typical reader. I will pick apart the movie. I will compare, and the movie usually comes up short. Except for Stephen king books. I don't like his writing style, bit love the stories.

S. L. Hennessy said...

You're adventure movie list is basically all my favorite movies. TERRIFIC taste. And ps. I too love to make lists of my favorite movies just like this.

Happy A to Z blogging.
pensuasion.blogspot.com

#1Nana said...

You're younger than me so some of my favorites didn't make your list. My top ten includes: The Great Escape, The Dirty Dozen, To Kill a Mockingbird...which should be on everyone's like as a great book and a wonderful movie.

Alice said...

I try really hard to keep books and movies separate and appreciate them on their own. I mean, I LOVE The Hunger Games trilogy. There was just no way that it was going to live up to my expectations, so I just had to watch it as if it was a new story. I will say my that my all time favorite movie is Breakfast at Tiffany's. Years later I finally read the book and I hated it. I wish I'd never read it. (Ending was totally different, too). So maybe it just depends on which you do first?

Kathe W. said...

oh lordy- you have a HUGE list of movies! I prefer to read- but do love going to the movies- only seeing one once is usually enough!
Have a great day no matter what movie you watch!

Launna said...

I love to read but I do love the movie over a book first... I will always read the book later, I just love to see the take of the person.

I have way too many movies that I have as favorites... you have many similar to mine:)

Rob-bear said...

If I like a book, and go to see it in movie form, I try to forget about the book. Because the movie will be very different from the book. The artistry of the producer, and director, and the screen writer have a huge influence on the movie.

Blessings and Bear hugs!
Bears Noting

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

That's cool, I like hearing how different people react to books and movies!

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

Thanks so much! I already know I left some off the list so I'm sure another list will come along at some point :-)

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

To Kill a Mockingbird was one of those books I never read. For some reason the English classes I took in HS or college didn't require it and I just never got around to reading it. Will have to make a point to add to my list.

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

I'm a big fan of Breakfast at Tiffany's but shame on me I had no clue it was a book too. Wow, that's probably not cool to admit out loud but there it is anyway.

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

And this probably doesn't even scratch the surface. I did a Top 100 movies meme list a while back and I probably could've kept going! Thanks

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

Yeah that's usually the way I am too Launna, I just gravitate toward the visual for my own entertainment instead of the written word. Funny because I write books but am not a very prolific reader.

Jenn Flynn-Shon said...

I guess that's why I really enjoy a movie over a book. I can sit back and let the imagination mash-up of a handful of people guide me through the story instead of relying on myself to visualize it. Sometimes I like using my imagination instead like reading demands but when I look to be entertained I guess I just want to be lazy haha.

Jak said...

I've seen and liked the majority of those movies you listed! To be honest, I never see anyone talk about Just Friends. I think that movie is hilarious.

Stephen King books, I've mentioned I only have stuck to short stories/novellas due to writing style. So I am curious, what about Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and/or The Mist? All were adaptations done by Frank Darabont who sticks very true to the literature.

I've notices sometimes it depends on which medium I am exposed to material first which can sometimes sway my deciding which is better (book or movie). One movie I liked as a kid called Watchers by Dean Koontz I came to hate after reading the book. They really butchered that book all to hell lol I was surprised. It's a great book!