reading the book vs. watching the movie

[flukeman]

I admit, I'm one of those who had never read Lord of the Rings before the movies came out. After seeing TTT, I read FotR and TTT and loved them. It took all the power I had not to read RotK. It sounds funny, but I don't want to spoil myself for the movie.

I liked seeing the first two without the knowledge of the books because I wasn't thinking about what wasn't there and what was changed/added. I just enjoyed the movies and now I enjoy the books as something different.

I'm still trying not to read RotK, no matter how hard it will be, so I can enjoy the book and the movie for themselves in their own right.

Anyone else have this problem?

[Samwise Gamwich]

Read the book, Dude...

You'll still enjoy the movie just fine...

[adt100]

We've had this debate a few times before. I can see your point, but like Samwise I'd strongly advise you to read ROTK before seeing the film.

If you never had any intention to read any of the books, and just went into LOTR as any other films then I can understand you not wanting to be 'spoiled'. I'm like that with an other film which is either not based on a book, or based on a book I have no interest in reading.

Because you will be reading ROTK though it's best to so before the film, no question. It's so much easier and more worthwhile/rewarding than reading it after the film. Furthermore, I'd suggest getting as many film spoilers as possible, so you're not sat in the theatre worrying about the changes PJ has made, and how different certain parts are to the book.

[evenstar]

Originally posted by Samwise Gamwich
Read the book, Dude...

You'll still enjoy the movie just fine...

I read the trilogy before seeing any of the film, entering the cinema I expected that all the emotions and surprize would be taken away but I still cried, laughed, scream ect
Great book, just make sure you dont read it just because you saw the final film first.

[Smeagol]

The pompous book lovers will be shocked at the end. :clown:

[jediknight]

I read the books and I don't so much mind a "hollywood" ending as long as PJ doesn't drift to far from the books :)

[adt100]

Originally posted by Smeagol
The pompous book lovers will be shocked at the end. :clown:

How do you work that one out then? :confused:

[ACLP84]

I for one am in the same situation and i want to see the film b4 reading the book i saw FotR then read the book and did the same with TTT allowing

for me my passion lies in films rather than books even one like LOTR the films are one of my favorites but id rather go into the final part with little knowledge of the details and be totally blown away like i was with the others

[adt100]

Originally posted by ACLP84
I for one am in the same situation and i want to see the film b4 reading the book i saw FotR then read the book and did the same with TTT allowing

for me my passion lies in films rather than books even one like LOTR the films are one of my favorites but id rather go into the final part with little knowledge of the details and be totally blown away like i was with the others

I know people that did precisely the same with FOTR and TTT, but with ROTK were pursuaded to read the book first and are pretty glad they did.

The risk of watching the film first is that you end up picking much of it apart after you've read the book.

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

I would also recommend he read the ROTK book before seeing the movie, it could put some things in perspective that people wouldnt understand unless they had not in fact read the books.

[IceGambit]

My fascination with LOTR began with the films, so I will wait and read the third book after seeing the film. Film is a much more accessible media to me - I like it more than reading.

Although I do have a fair idea of what happens.

The risk that you take if you read the ook first is that you will be mad if they change things. For me, I could care less if Fellowship had no Tom Bombadil.

[Riddle]

The thing is, the books don't translate well into movies. That's why nobody's ever done it before. Some things HAVE to change. I loved the books, and except all the changes in the movies, since I'm also a film fan and know a lot about how films are made.

[Boods]

for those who have read FOTR and TTT and are waiting to watch ROTK before they watch, you have already read the beginning (shelob, saruman, pippin and the palantir) of ROTK cos its the end of the TTT book...

same thing with the first two movies...boromir dies in the TTT book but in the FOTR movie...

[Cloud Buster]

Long time lurker, first time poster here.

I'm a big movie fan, but a terrible reader. I can't concentrate on books to save my soul. Even when I was assigned The Hobbit in the eigth grade, I didn't read it (like all the other books I was assigned).

However, I was so moved by the film adaptations that I finally took the leap and attemted to read LOTR this summer. I started with The Hobbit, reading during the long empty hours of rehearsals for my play (college theatre) and I liked it so much I bought a copy of the trilogy the next day.

I never thought I'd be able to read it, especially since all my friends who are "good" readers tell me that Tolkien is particularly difficult, but I plowed through FOTR in one week -- and I swear I read every word. I finished TTT yesterday, and a few minutes ago finished "The Pyre of Denethor" in ROTK. That's over 150 pages in 24 hours -- for me a HUGE feat.

Anticipating the film of ROTK so much, I'm really happy that I've been able to read the book first because I think it will make me enjoy the film that much more!! :)

[FVD]

Funny enough I bought a LOTR boxset with The Hobbit included years ago. I tried reading Fellowship for a while but I somehow got distracted and never read them for a while.

So when the FOTR movie came out I immediately read TTT while away on holiday in Fiji. After TTT came out last year I got into ROTK soon after. I kept meaning to read ROTK right after TTT but I got too busy unfortunately. So to this day I still haven't read FOTR. I better get into it sooner than later. Time will always be on my side.

FVD.

[Cloud Buster]

Originally posted by FVD
Funny enough I bought a LOTR boxset with The Hobbit included years ago. I tried reading Fellowship for a while but I somehow got distracted and never read them for a while.

So when the FOTR movie came out I immediately read TTT while away on holiday in Fiji. After TTT came out last year I got into ROTK soon after. I kept meaning to read ROTK right after TTT but I got too busy unfortunately. So to this day I still haven't read FOTR. I better get into it sooner than later. Time will always be on my side.

FVD.

You probably got the exact book set I just got. Mine included The Hobbit too (even though I already had a copy, the old one was worn and ratty). I'd have to say that FOTR was definetly the most challenging book for me to read. I'm not finished with ROTK yet, but it's so good that I will be in a few days. FOTR has very leisurely timeframes, so it can be kind of daunting -- especially the first half of it. Not only that, but Tolkien keeps you in the dark about a lot of what's going on for half of the book.

Some people told me before I read it that The Council Of Elrond would be a tough chapter, but in truth I found it to be one of the easiest. Even though it's very long, it's a very rewarding chapter because everyone tells their story and explains what's been going on -- especially Gandalf. It's also really cool to hear Gloin's story if you've read The Hobbit first.

[FVD]

I really must go back and read The Hobbit too. My teacher back in primary (elementary) school read The Hobbit to the class when I was 9. I only remembered the character of Bilbo Baggins and that was it. Time to go back and read that too methinks.

I'll have to read FOTR too. I just started on the Silmarillion this morning. That's gonna take me a while.

FVD.

[BaMBbLeS]

For me, I went to see FOTR before I read any of the books and after seeing it I could not tell you anything about the movie except that it was good and I wanted to see the second one.

TTT came around but this time I got sucked up in the midnight showing mania. I didn't get to go, but my friend did, and from what little I would allow her to tell me, it sounded amazing.

After seeing TTT I bought the books, zoomed through FOTR and the first part of TTT. But once I got to Sam and Frodo's treck, I slowed down.

Anyways to make a long story shorter then it could be, I finished the series and now I actually understand the characters so much better then just seeing the movie. I'm looking forward to seeing ROTK for the first time being able to know their backround and all the info I got from the three books.

I don't remember my point... Ah well. The books are what's great. The movies bring the greatness to life.

[Cloud Buster]

Yeah, reading the books helps you to understand A LOT that really can't be squeezed into the movie about characters, cultures, places, backstory, etc.

Like the shards of Narsil. Only readers of the book can really appreciate Boromir's moments with it in the FOTR movie. Another example would be the whole concept and character of the ring. I questioned my friend for an hour after seeing FOTR the first time, trying to understnad the one ring.

[caleby]

Re: Cloud Buster's second post.
Agreed 100%. Well, only about the opinion bits, not your personal details. My sister found the Council long and boring, but it went pretty fast for me. I originally quit right about the time of Tom Bombadil (this was years ago after enjoying The Hobbit), but when I heard the movies were coming out started again, but went pretty slow around that point the second time round as well. Hence I wasnt finished FOTR when I saw FOTR. But by the time i saw TTT I'd read the lot and am now up to the apendices on my second reading. I'd probably have read it about thrice but my sister had our book for ages for a university engrish study on FOTR.

Anyway, I strongly recomend reading it first. My friend told me some time last year that his favourite movie was FOTR, but he couldnt remember who any of the characters were except Frodo, Sam and Gandalf.

[Cloud Buster]

Originally posted by caleby
Re: Cloud Buster's second post.
Agreed 100%. Well, only about the opinion bits, not your personal details. My sister found the Council long and boring, but it went pretty fast for me. I originally quit right about the time of Tom Bombadil

*PHEW* I thought I was the only person who was bored by Tom Bombadil :)

[The Moose]

i think that it was good for me to read the books and then trot along and see the movies. i read the hobbit for the first time 4 years ago and i re-read it earlier this year, and i was surprised at not only how much i remebered, but by how different it is to LOTR, i terms of narration. it's sorta like MP in a way, you know, sidetracking, and then getting back onto the subject