I recently saw the film adaptation of Where the Crawdads Sing, and I confess that I didn't read the book before watching the movie. Yes, I know it's a popular book, and the reason why I didn't rush to read it is I'm not a big fan of courtroom dramas. So when the movie came out, I thought I'd get an idea of what all the fuss over the book was about.
I admit that even as a librarian, I'll occasionally watch the movie before I read the book. Sometimes the movie will sell me on a book that doesn't immediately grab me. That was the case with The Light Between Oceans, a bestselling book when it was first published. Watching the movie made me want to read the book and get more details of the story. I believe film adaptations have the power to create interest in reading the books on which they were based.
Similarly, books have the power to draw readers to film adaptations. Which fan of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings didn't want to see Peter Jackson's movies when they first came out in the cinema? I remember sitting in a packed theater on opening weekend with other moviegoers who were also there because they wanted to see Middle Earth and its characters brought to life on the screen. Many readers want to re-live their favorite literary experiences through film and compare their vision to that of others.
Let's face it--books sell their film adaptations, and film adaptations sell books. It's a cycle that's been going on for decades, and I'm sure you've probably watched a movie because of a book or read a book because of a movie. As for myself, I just may read Delia Owens' bestseller because of its intriguing film adaptation. Which movies have sold you on a book and vice versa? Share with us!
Wishing you good reads and good movie-watching from the perch.
No comments:
Post a Comment