Book vs Movie - Part 2
'The book is always better than the movie'
Do you agree?
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
I will forever pretend that the Johnny Depp version does not exist. Gene Wilder will always be Willy Wonka in my mind. The book and this movie will always be equal to me. Yes there is more detail in the book, but the movie portrays all the characters so well that I will enjoy it for so many years to come. Roald Dahl is slightly disturbing as it is, without adding a slightly creepy movie to the mix! Although it is interesting to read about how Dahl felt about the movie, apparently he refused to watch it.
Verdict: Both the book and original movie are childhood classics!
Warhorse
The Michael Morpurgo novel is absolutely beautiful. I don't cry often during novels, but this definitely got the tears coming. I was unfortunate enough to miss the stage play when it toured Australia, so I can't comment on that. The movie is lovely (can I say a movie about war is lovely?), but misses the sweetness of having the horse as the narrator, and ends up being much darker than the book. The book is definitely something that can be enjoyed by pre-teens, but the movie is rated MA15+ for a reason.
Verdict: The book is a wonderful story for 10+ children. The movie can wait till they're older!
The Narnia Chronicles - C.S. Lewis
The biggest plus for the Narnia movies is their accessibility. C.S.Lewis was writing his children's novels so long ago that for many kids these days, there is a lot of unfamiliar language. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is such a well known story for my generation, but is definitely a tricky book for many kids these days to work through. I've read a few of them aloud to assist in students' understanding, but the movies are definitely an additional aid in helping them grasp the concepts of the novel. They're so beautifully made, I'll watch them time and time again!
Verdict: The movie is much more accessible, the book a bit more of a challenge for children to read (but still so very beautiful!)
Percy Jackson
The Percy Jackson novels by Rick Riordan are amazing. I've written a review of the series here. The movie is terrible. That's all I have to say.
Verdict: Forget about the movie, but please pick up the first book!
A Little Princess
I adored this movie as a child. It was one I would watch regularly when I was having a sick-day from school. I assumed the book, by Frances Hodgson Burnett would be very close to the movie. When I read it with a group of Grade 5 students, however, I realised that it was in fact, very different! I love both the book and movie equally, and recommend both. It's a tricky book for students to read due to the old fashioned language, but such a lovely story. I found that all my students (both female and male) thoroughly enjoyed the movie!
Verdict: They are both absolutely beautiful!
What books have you read that you've preferred to the movie? Comment below!