The Movies: Reflect the Books Well... or not

[Asphodel]

Do you think the movies are a good thing for the books? I mean, do they do justice to the books. I don't think they do, but I'll cut them some slack and, say for a movie based on a book, they did pretty darn well.

[SunsetG|rl]

I say you can never compare a movie to a book... no matter how hard you try it's not the same.

If a movie is made after a book it will hardly ever be just like the book. First because of the different views of the author and the director. And plus, a two hour movie cand never include everything that is in a book that takes one, two days to read. So the movie will be a shrtened, and many times important things are left aside.

And secondly, there are also movies that you can never put in book. There are movies where every screenshot (don't really know the word here ) is like a picture, like an art fotograph... So how do you put that in words?

Cinema and literature are two different arts...

As for the movies HP, I feel a lot has been let outside, and they leave me a feeling of a shallow thing if you know what I mean... And there is many times a big difference from what I had expected and how the movie has turned out.

[Asphodel]

I agree. If I hadn't read the books, I'd probably really like the movies. However, when you know what's supposed to happen, it is often different than how you pictured it.

[Nightcrawler]

I think I'll vote and make a comment after I've seen the fourth movie. So far I think they're going pretty well.

[Dacre]

I agree that it's a different art form.
Obviously a picture can tell a thousand words, but then without resorting to having an actors thoughts appear (which breaks the feeling you are there watching what is going on, it's a LOT harder to convey thoughts and feelings of the characters.
Personally, I think the movies are a good addition to the cannon, and hopefully get more people reading the books, but I am very glad I read the books first. I still have my own images of the characters which are (in my mind only I'm cure) better than the movie ones.

[Asphodel]

I totally agree. If I hadn't read the books, I would certainly like the movies, but the magic would be gone.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Your last two posts were near identical word-for-word! . In this topic.

Yes, well I've already voted how I feel but I'll leave my opinions of the fourth one until after I've seen it. I thought the third one was a bit thin, and didn't do the book justice.
I will not forgive them for cutting out the Quidditch Cup victory.

[Asphodel]

I am pretty upset, though that they cut out the Weasleys and the Durslys. That was almost the entire beggining of the story! They are condensing that book, to the same length the first one was. That means leaving out everything but the vital stuff.

[SunsetG|rl]

And by leaving out these small things it feels like they left out the salt of a meal... (well I don't really know how important salt is in your meals but here in my country they eat a lot of spiced foods...) It's still the esential, but the smooth flavour is lost.

[Asphodel]

Totally, and the salt thing is right because I am addited to salt. Once the salt is off the meal, it just... loses its expert touch.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Sometimes it seems as though they put so much waste-material in there and leave out important parts. They may not be the most vital to the plot, but it adds to the experience.
Harry winning the Quidditch Cup in PoA was one of my highlights in the book!

[Asphodel]

Yeah, it just isn't the same, now whenever I read the books I picture Dan, Rupert and Emma instead of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

A.F.D

[Barny The Barn]

I watched PS before I read the books so I think I've always had the problem that I've visualised the characters on screen as the ones in the book.

The books and films are different art forms like everyone has said here but when I came out of Gof I missed the book! Does that make sense?

[SunsetG|rl]

I felt the exact same thing. I needed to read the book once again. Too bad I'm too busy now.

But I still enjoyed some pictures in the movie. Like a view of the stadium, or the landscapes there. This new director seems to have quite a good vision. And still...all in all... I'm disapointed by the movie

[Snow_Crystal]

I just wish we could have seen the World Cup! What was the point of putting in all those special effects to not show us one tiny bit of the match !!!!