posted March 10, 2009 10:03 PM by
j_jammerThe book is better than the movie. The BOOK is better than the movie. The book is BETTER than the movie. The book IS better than the movie. The book is better THAN the movie. The book is better than the MOVIE!
How many different ways can it be said without it at all being irritating? NONE. When there is an adaptation from book to movie there are die hard fans who have sex with their books every night who throw tantrums when the story isn’t translated to screen as they see fit and these are the people that use this phrase as if it holds water.
Is it really necessary to state that the source material for the movie is better than the movie itself? Does it not go without saying? Yes it does. The only way it would be necessary to use book, than, better and movie in the same sentence is when it’s in reverse and the movie is better than the book. Because that is when it turns into a unique situation and it should be mentioned.
It seems to me that those that do make mention of the book being better than the movie are the people that are cynical more so than not. They were the people that went in with lots of doubt and are the people that love the book and would never give into the movie being a great adaptation because after they say anything good they follow up with ‘but’. And the ‘but’ is followed by a string of words that make one question why this person decided to even mention something good about the movie when they just slammed it six feet under in the same sentence?
Yes the book is better. Yes the book is better about 95% of the time. When something happens with alarming regularity it is first not alarming, for that was sarcasm, and second it’s so frequent that people expect it when they hear something is an adaptation. So those that love to read will pick up, if so compelled to do so, the book and read it without being told by one who has read it. Those that have read it need not use the well worn words that represent the dead horse in the well known phrase ‘beating a dead horse’.
In conclusion the next time you feel compelled to utter one of the most worthless phrase in the English language: The book is better than the movie; stop. Do not speak those words and do not give such an opinion for a movie review. Answer the question should you be asked, but giving the answer without being asked is like telling your IQ without being asked. It’s kind of high horse-ish. It’s really I’m better than you for I read the book instead of just seeing the movie. I know more than you do about the movie because I read the book…and so on and so on. Bite your tongue. It will save you from being intellectually insulting towards those that may just want your view on the movie not the book/movie comparison.
The book was what….?
