A Question for the Ages: What’s Better, the Book or the Movie?

This weekend the husband and I went to see The Hunger Games; and while I thought it a good movie, I still think the book was better.   The movie lacked some of the more interesting cliffhangers and foreshadowing (not to mention, completely removed a likeable character).  I gave the book a B-; and based on that same scale, I would have rated the movie a C. 

It gives rise to a question being asked more these days as more movies based from books are being made: What is better, the book or the movie? 

Before The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, I was adamant that a movie could never (ever, ever) be better than a book.  And then Peter Jackson wowed us with an artistic genius that I doubt even Tolkien could have matched.  Tolkien himself admitted that he was no author, but a linguist; the books allowing him a platform to create his Elven language.   

I read The Hobbit when I was a seventh grader and I will confess this: I hated it!  I thought it the worst book ever written!  I remember skipping chunks of the novel just to save my sanity!  If I had to read one more description on how the blades of grass grew from a sparkling emerald meadow, I was going to vomit! 

When I saw the trailer for The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, I was not wide-eyed, clutching my chest, and squeezing tears of joy from my eyes as some of my friends and other moviegoers were.  But fast forward a few years and sitting in my DVD cabinet you’ll find all three extended version sets (oh how much time I’ve spent enthralled in this epic trilogy!  Worth.  Every.  Second.).   Now, I can’t wait to see The Hobbit movie, even though so many (many, many) years ago, I often fantasized about throwing the book in the toilet.

I still stand by that in MOST cases, the book is better than the movie.  But I’m interested in what you have to say on the matter.  Is there a movie based from a book that blew you out of the water; whilst the book itself waned?   Or how about the other way around?  Have you ever found yourself so excited to see a movie based from a book you fell in love with, only to be extremely disappointed?

Move Over Cinco de Mayo Taco Parties - FCBD is Tomorrow!

Though my fellow co-workers at the bank wouldn’t believe it, this technical writer did once collect comic books.  X-Men was the favorite back then.  I still remember the feeling of carefully peeling back the tape that enclosed my precious comic book in its plastic sheath.  How removing the comic from its protective cocoon required careful hands and delicate fingers...not to mention holding one’s breath (lest you sneeze and scar this comic that would one day be worth hundreds!).  

Back then, there was no Free Comic Book Day (or FCBD as the aficionados call it), but if there had been...whoa, we would have been anxiously waiting for the first Saturday in May!  Of course, not all comic book stores are handing out free books, and forget about those major retailers and convenience stores.  This is mainly an event celebrated by local and independent shops, and no, you can’t just walk in, grab any comic you want, and voila, free comic!  There is an actual board that creates a list of which comics will be given out on FCBD (how do I get on this board??)  This year books like The Avengers, Mega Man, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are on that list.  And what doesn’t scream comic book awareness like an awesome comic book movie?  The Avengers movie premieres today and Free Comic Book Day tomorrow – the makings of an awesome weekend for the comic fan in us all.

To find a local retailer participating in FCBD, click here.

Here’s your Friday Useless Info Fact: The first comic book was published in the United States in 1933.  There are even historical eras to divide the life of the comic book, starting with the Platinum Age and ending with the current, Modern Age. 

So pick up a free comic (let us know which one you picked up!); and if you’ve seen The Avengers, leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it!  Happy Friday!