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Comparing and Contrasting a Fiction Text and a Film

 

 

The following was excerpted and amended by me (indicated by italicized bulleted points). The original source is Study.com:

 

Comparing a Book and a Movie

''The book was better'' is a common reaction to hear among the crowd exiting a movie theater. Indeed with the sheer volume of books being turned into movies today, it's almost impossible to find a movie on the big screen that wasn't first written on paper. And it's not just books, video games are finding their way to the big screen too. For some, the adaptation is never as good as the original, while for others, the movie is the only thing worth enjoying.

In the classroom, the differences between an original story's form and movie form can be analyzed to develop critical thinking skills and discuss the differences between plots, storylines, characters, and even the different merits of each medium. In this lesson, we will explore a few of the different ways you can start thinking about these important questions, before analyzing one such example.

Starter Questions

First off, be sure to read the original story first. Original stories in general, though not always, tend to be a longer story than the film version. Be sure to get the whole story first. After all, in some poor movie adaptations, important details get left out that are integral to the plot. Knowing these can enrich your viewing of the movie. 

After experiencing the original format and watching the movie, it's time to analyze the differences. Brainstorming sessions can be a great way to kickstart a meaningful discussion. Some examples of good questions to ponder include:
  • What parts of the original story were left out of the movie?
  • Did the movie add anything (plot points, characters, etc.) that were not in the original book version?
  • Did you like the movie or the book version better? Why?
  • Did you imagine the characters differently when reading the book/screenplay than they were portrayed on screen?
  • Why do you think the director/screenwriter changed the story in the way they did?
  • Were the characters changed in any way from the book to the movie? Why?
  • What did the director focus on in each scene?
  • Consider the camera angles in the movie. How are they effective, or not, and why?
  • Consider how the dialogue was changed or adapted or left out altogether. Why do you think these choices were made?
  • Which scenes from the book are not in the movie? Which scenes were added? Why do you think the director/screenwriter made these changes? 
  • Is there a soundtrack to the movie? How does the music add to the film?
  • Are there close-ups? Which close-ups seem important and why? Be specific.
  • How does the director use lighting and costume design effectively, or not? Why do you think so? Be specific.
  • Consider the types of cinematography used in different parts of the movie. Why did the director/screenwriter make these choices? How is the cinematography effective? Cite specific examples. Check out this link: https://www.utdallas.edu/atec/midori/Handouts/camera.htm
  • What would you change in the film or book?
  • What scenes would you add or leave out in either medium (book or film)?
These are just some of the basic questions that can really get you thinking about the differences between the movie and the original book version. It should give you plenty of ideas upon which to base a paper or other assignment that your teacher assigns you.

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