I much prefer to read the book first then see the movie although it does at times make it difficult to watch the movie especially if they butcher the book to come within time constraints. Hannibal for me was the worst case of butchering. The book was amazing in detal and description and the movie left me upset and shaking my head at the vital things they left out.
Interview with a Vampire. Both excellent.
If i can? i try to separate the mediums from each other and enjoy both on a level. Im not a big reader, but i have started reading certain genres lately...but i had to post this, cause i feel strongly about it. 2 examples..
Point of impact by Stephen Hunter. A former vietnam sniper is used and left to die by the Government and he has to survive, heal and exact his revenge. Its original, has great characters, and a terrific story and its exciting...and what do you get? You get the movie called "Shooter" with Mark Whalberg...its just awful and a complete travesty of the book...how anyone could possibly like it..is beyond me.
Then there is the Jack Reacher series. Love em. there's about 15 of them now. A former MP drifts through the country who is drawn into situations due to no fault of his own, and dispenses his own sense of right and wrong.
The movie starring Tom Cruise came out last year, and as much as people hate on Cruise (love him btw..best action star around today..who cares if he is weird..he never hurt anyone) and how he was horribly miscast playing a 6'5 250lb brute.
The book called "One Shot" and the movie followed each other pretty closely. The book was better yes, but the movie captured the essence of the story and it also managed to create the character of Reacher as he is written.
I guess you never know what your gonna get when it goes to the screen..but for the most part? Book is usually better.
Like a lot of the other posts here, I would tend to go with book first too. My only exception to the rule would be Dickens. Much as I try I am unable to wade through all those endless, endless words, brilliantly entertaining though they may be (in moderation). And some of the film and tv adaptations are superb in themselves.
I definitely read first.....love what your mind does to fill in the "blanks"....such as how a character looks. When it becomes a movie it's someone else's imagination filling those blanks in.
I read "The Firm" and absolutely loved it. Then I saw the movie, I liked the movie but the book was so much better. They sort of changed it for the movie version. Still a great movie, but loved the book better.
Wolf of Wall Street movie was better that the book.
Stand by Me, (The Body by Stephen King)
The Shawshank Redemption
I almost always prefer the book over the film.
Angels and Demons though, not so much. I struggled with the book at the end, but I really enjoyed the film.
I remember seeing The Godfather when it first came out and how much I enjoyed it. I purchased the book a little while later and was able to see and hear the actors from the movie as I read it cover to cover..
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