Bibliophiles Vs. Cinephiles. A war going on for decades.
It is hard to choose one over another since both of them are different forms of Art. When a particular story is presented in both forms, we have no choice but to compare them. Words/letters are merely an evolution of pictographs ( Picture writing system from early 3500 BCE ). Movies and motion videos are a sequence of frames/pictures. In essence, both are similar but their roots have different histories. The core purpose of both of them is to put forward some information. Now, there are fans of the way this information is presented and this has initiated a debate. The argument being…
Which one is better, books or movies? Should we read first or watch first?
I will answer these and other such types of questions by stating some interesting facts, figures, and examples. So let’s get right to it!
What a Book makes me feel.
I do not know how I started reading books. All I know is that I’ve always liked stories. I guess, I just picked a book one day because I saw my sister reading. I do not want to give her the satisfaction of knowing that maybe she inspired me and made me a reader. But hey! I chose the stories and books for myself, and I am so proud that I picked up Enid Blyton. Growing up with “The Secret Seven”, “The Famous Five”, and R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” is something I wouldn’t trade for anything. So, for me ever since then, books have been a companion.
I felt excited whenever I saw a new book, enlightened when I read it, and content when I finished it. I felt what it was to get lost in pages of a fictional world, and I don’t even have to mention how the smell of an old book makes you feel. It even has a word: Bibliosmia. I can’t help but think that even after books being so special to me, why have I watched more movies than I have read books?
What a Movie makes me feel.
So you cannot smell movies. That’s a bummer. But, your other senses are at work when you watch one. You can see and hear all it has to show and say. Like books, I do not know how I got into watching movies. I guess my sister just switched to Star World/HBO, and I let her do that once instead of snatching the TV remote and switching back to Nickelodeon. NO! She doesn’t have anything to do with me being a cinephile because I chose the movies and shows I watch.
I digress. So, Hollywood came as a surprise for me. The story, cinematography, dialogues were something that I had never seen before. Today, I watch movies made by people from all walks of life. The language barrier has not stopped me from experiencing cinema. I feel films have a way of engrossing you within it in such a small amount of time. The visual and the background music come together perfectly if it’s made right. Films feel somewhat closer to reality than books since it unfolds right in front of your eyes and not just in your mind. Then why is it that the most popular movies are adaptations of novels?
The Comparison
Books have depth and it gives it’s the reader the liberty of being creative. No matter how precise the descriptions are, every reader visualizes them differently. We go places beyond the pages of the book and subconsciously play the story around something we have already witnessed in our lives. For example, an author describes an “apartment”, and we might add the details that aren’t described in the book, from the details of our own apartment. With books, both the author and reader are being creative. Words are the most powerful thing in this world. This power doesn’t come easily. There should be enough words for a full-fledged novel and also properly used. Reading novels might always seem intimidating because of their length. It is a time-consuming task, and it will always feel like a drag if it’s not engaging enough.
Movies, on the other hand, make their viewers nothing but silent spectators. They limit us to just the screen and nothing beyond. Film-making is a collaborative process and takes teamwork unlike writing a book. If a book is you sitting at home and thinking something then the movies are a bunch of guys out there doing that. There are a lot of movies that get adapted from a novel, but there is hardly any book that is inspired by a movie. This just goes onto imply that movies are a ‘step up’ from books. It just seems logical to watch instead of reading. This brings us to the question I promised to answer before…
To read first or to watch first?
The argument above might be in favor of the movies, but there is more to it. Books have always been better at fleshing out character details. Since we invest more time into books, we get to know the characters better. I have watched the Harry Potter movies before I read all the books. I didn’t think reading the books will feel any different. I saw it as an extension to get into the fandom, and boy was I wrong!
When I read the books, I understood things better. It’s almost as if a new movie is playing in your mind. There is just so much material in the books that gets kind of lost in the movies.
I think if a movie is getting made from a book then the book certainly has some good stuff. In that case, watching the movie first makes sense. If you like the movie then you will surely like the book and if you don’t like the movie then you have the option to give that plot a chance by reading the book. Reading first will almost always make you feel that the movie is missing something.
Which one is better? Books or Movies?
Both Books and Movies have the potential to outperform one another. Dan Brown’s “Inferno” was a book that I liked so much and was excited about the movie. When it came out, I went to the theatre to watch it and it turned out to be a disappointment. Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather” is an example of a book being outperformed by the movie. This doesn’t mean the book is bad, but the movie is so widespread and well-known today that the talks about the original novel have diminished.
Movies are better at action scenes and books at character depth. Both have elements that suit and amplify their form. It is hard to generalize which one is better because both movies and books have a history of violence.
Books better than the Movies: Inferno, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Movies better than the books: Jaws, Psycho, The Shawshank Redemption
In Defence of Letters
In 1937, a French author named Georges Duhamel wrote “Défense des Lettres” where he introduced the idea that the rapid increase in technology and the use of radio or television will bring a stop to people reading books. He lashed out and wrote against the use of radio and movies, promoting only printed books as a means to maintain culture.
Today, in 2021, I feel we are closer to his theory about people starting to read fewer books, but he was wrong about the movies. Movies have brought together people from all around the world. It is in itself a huge culture. The increase in technology maybe have some effect on the publishing industry but they caught on and invented e-books and kindle and audiobooks. All of these are widely accepted and used by millions.
A lot has changed but I encourage you all to keep reading books and keep watching films. These art forms might be the best thing that has happened in human history, so let us enjoy them.
Thank you for reading. 😉
gqgeynvslwqrmlhmdhswtdgilryiox
Yo, hz8888! Heard some buzz about this one. Site looks clean, and they seem to have a good selection. Might be worth a shot if you’re itching for some action. Cheers! hz8888
What’s up, gamers! Checked out 5win1. Fast payouts which is always a plus. Registration was painless, which I appreciate. Could be your next go-to spot! Check this 5win1 site out.
Hey everyone, thinking about trying Ggbetreview? Looks interesting from what I can tell. Heard decent things, may be worth diving into. ggbetreview
nvjnphpmkqlxqjzekyqrgtumhpnxny
BK8sglogin, dude! Been using it for a while now. Solid platform, easy to navigate, and the games are pretty sweet. Definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for some online fun. Check them out here: bk8sglogin
Grabbed the 4777cxapk the other day. Installation was a breeze, and it runs pretty smoothly on my phone. It’s convenient having it on the go. Give it a download and see for yourself: 4777cxapk
Stakeno – you get what you pay for. Check it out and you’ll understand what I mean. Check them out: stakeno
Ultrabet1 is a solid choice. The site is laid out well, and their selection of games is pretty good. I’ve had some decent wins there. It’s worth a look if you’re searching for a new betting spot. ultrabet1
Vnq8 is my favorite for football bets. They’ve got tons of options, the odds are top-notch, and cashing out is super easy. Been having a good run there. Give them a go if you’re into sports betting. vnq8
Win44app is a gem! I love the mobile app because I can play anytime and anywhere. Easy to use and fast payments. Highly recommend giving it a shot, you might just hit the jackpot. win44app
I recently started looking into upgrading my laptop’s memory. During my search I found useful information on https://znayka.com.ua.
I couldn’t find accurate hardware information on most websites. Many sources were confusing.
On this site I found practical upgrade information, along with illustrations that made everything much easier to understand.
Now I definitely recommend this website if you want reliable information about laptops and hardware upgrades.
I was searching for a practical power bank under ?1000.
I checked this resource before buying https://gadgetworldnews.com/blog
It was difficult to find good options that actually fit my budget.
I finally chose a compact model that works really well for travel.
Happy with the model I ended up buying.
After finding several old coins, I became curious about their history and value.
My research eventually led me to https://groshi.xyz/
I was looking for guides on identifying valuable coins, but many websites were outdated.
On this website I found detailed descriptions. The platform covers rare coins, historical currency, antiques, collectible items, and market trends.
It’s worth checking this platform if you’re interested in antiques, collectible coins, or simply want to read more about the fascinating world of numismatics.
At some point I got curious about the real price of old coins.
This article showed up in search.
It was hard to find reliable information. Most sources were confusing.
It gave me a full picture of the coin’s real value.
On this page I found practical knowledge.
Worth your attention if you’re interested in coins, gold, or real asset value.
A professional Canadian medical website doctor-written health advice: https://doctorhealthnews.com
I know where to find trustworthy medical information.
I recently came across the medical articles published on Doctor Health News, a Canadian health platform where medical professionals share accurate information about medications and treatments.
The content is written in clear, patient-friendly language, which makes it especially useful for readers looking for credible medical insight rather than generic wellness tips.
They also cover preventive care, which is a big plus if you’re trying to take a more informed approach to your overall well-being.
Reading this in pieces during a long afternoon and finding it consistently rewarding, and a stop at thisdomainisabdu fit naturally into the same fragmented reading pattern, sites whose posts can be read in segments without losing the thread are well suited to how I actually read these days and this one is built well.
If I had to defend the time I spend reading independent blogs this site would feature in the defence, and a look at tasseltract reinforced that defensive utility, the ongoing case for non algorithmic reading is one I make to myself periodically and sites like this one provide the actual evidence that supports the case clearly.
Liked the way the post handled the final paragraph, no neat bow but no abrupt cutoff either, and a stop at stridertorch continued that thoughtful ending pattern, endings are hard and most blog writers either over engineer them or skip them entirely and this site has clearly figured out a sustainable middle approach.
Most blog writing on this subject reaches for the same handful of arguments and this post avoided them, and a look at siskatrance continued the original treatment, content that finds its own path through territory other writers have flattened is content with real authorial energy and this site has plenty of that distinctive energy.
Found this through a search that was generic enough I did not expect quality results, and a look at tweedvolume continued the surprisingly good experience, search engines occasionally still surface excellent independent content if you scroll past the obvious paid and high authority results which is reassuring to remember sometimes.
Glad the writer did not feel compelled to cover every possible angle of the topic, focus is a virtue, and a stop at vesseltame reflected the same disciplined scope, knowing what to leave out is half of what makes good writing good and this post has clearly been edited with that principle in mind.
A piece that brought a sense of order to a topic I had been finding chaotic, and a look at singersorbet continued that organising effect, content that imposes useful structure on messy subjects is doing genuine intellectual work and this site is providing that organisational function across multiple posts I have read recently here.
Pass this along to anyone you know dealing with similar questions, the answers here are clear, and a stop at swansignal adds even more useful material, this is the kind of resource that deserves to circulate widely rather than getting lost in the constant churn of new content online that buries good work daily.
Really appreciate this kind of writing, no shouting and no clickbait headlines just steady useful content, and a quick look at waferturtle kept that going, definitely a site I will be returning to whenever I need a sensible take on similar topics in the days ahead and also during slower work weeks.
Well done, the kind of post that makes you slow down and actually read instead of skimming for keywords, and a look at starlitvixen kept me reading carefully too, that is a sign of writing that has been crafted rather than churned out for an algorithm to see today and tomorrow.
Reading this gave me a small mental break from the heavier reading I had been doing, and a stop at trenchtwist extended that lighter feel, content that provides relief without becoming trivial is harder to produce than people realise and this site has clearly figured out how to be light without being shallow at all.
Liked the way the post handled the final paragraph, no neat bow but no abrupt cutoff either, and a stop at slackvista continued that thoughtful ending pattern, endings are hard and most blog writers either over engineer them or skip them entirely and this site has clearly figured out a sustainable middle approach.