Only illness prevented me from seeing Gone Girl today. But did it actually save me the terrible horror of having the book spoiled?!?!?!!
I don’t know! Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn has been buzzing around for a while, and I have been cheerfully resigned to coming into contact with it in some form. And a couple of trailers and an interview with Rosamund Pike intrigued me enough to want to see the film.
So for tonight, I was ignoring the little part of me that always always wants to read the book first. Because it’s the original, and as a journey through a book is often more satisfying than a journey through a film. But now I’ve bought the kindle copy… and I’m determined to whizz through it before I hit the cinema.
I used to be a reader who bemoaned the changes necessary to any film adaptation, but it all changed! A module on Adaptation at university convinced me: film is different to writing. They have to be different. Of course, if it’s a bad film it’s a bad film – but the director has to try make a good film, not attempt a completely true representation of the book.
They are reinterpreting and re-imagining and creating from a stimulus – not just doing the same thing in a different way. And some of my favourite adaptations are the most different – Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice skews and butchers the plot but makes a stunning film, Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings brings colour and noise, richness and action to Tolkien’s world, whilst skipping some of the boring bits (sorry Mum).
But still. In a book, the world you step into is partly your own. The characters and setting come to life with a meld of the author’s words and your own imagination, the plot unfolds in your subconscious rather than being presented to you on a screen. And of course, it takes longer – drawing out the immersion in a new and exciting world, dragging out the tension.
I hear there are tensions, secrets and dramas a-plenty in Gone Girl, and I’m going for page before screen. Review coming soon!
I’d say it’s a good call to read the book first. I am–proudly–NOT someone who insists that “the book is always better,” but in this case, I have to say… the book is better. More complex, and less–I hate to say it–seemingly misogynistic. I still think it’s a good stand-alone movie, but I think it makes some unfortunate choices about how to present the story. Just my take, though, and honestly, I’m still struggling to fully explain my feelings as I write up the review.
Interesting! I’ll look forward to reading your review :) I’ve settled on the book first this time so we’ll see how it goes…
I say read the book first. I loved the book and though it translated remarkably well to the big screen, I actually think in this case, having read the book made me enjoy the film more.
That’s my plan! Oh I’m glad you think so. I think there is often an extra edge of ‘what will they do with this?’ When you’ve read the book!
I actually prefer seeing films first – I can enjoy books even when I know what’s going to happen, but with a film it’s more difficult to get caught up with it. There’s always a part of me going “Aha! I see what you are doing there…”
That’s interesting! I think I can enjoy both knowing what will happen. I’m hoping there are a couple of differences that will keep it surprising!