Book or film first?

So as this is a literature blog, you can probably guess which one I would choose...however I know that some people prefer to watch the film before reading the book. For example, I recently had a conversation with a friend about the Spanish novel, 'Como Agua Para Chocolate', and she advised watching the film first so that the book would be less confusing, so in that respect, sometimes it can be better to watch the film before reading the book. However, as a rule, I always read first, then watch.

In defense of reading the book first, I think that for me the main reason to do this is so that you can imagine the characters and the places before watching the film and having those images stuck in your mind. Even though I love the BBC adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice', I now have Jennifer Ehle stuck in my mind as Elizabeth Bennet

and I can't remember what my image of her was before watching the film. Novels are written to stir the imagination and to allow us to each see a different world in our heads from the next person who reads the book, and it is that wonderful ability of the novel that is taken away from us if we watch the film first. It is also important to remember that books were written way before films were ever invented, so they never had the intention to be converted into anything other than a story that we read and imagine; a story that we envision from the author's written description.

On the other hand, sometimes it can be useful to watch the film before the book, especially if it has a complicated storyline as you can clearly distinguish the characters based on their depiction in the film. For example, when I read 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall', I did often struggle to remember who was related to whom and which character wanted to marry the other one, etc. so it may have been useful if I had seen the film first before reading it to make it a little less confusing. When I researched some other reasons as to why people prefer watching the film before the book, I frequently came across the answer that it takes less time to watch a film than

to read a book, so you can decide after watching the film if you want to read the book or not. However, I have some serious issues with this reason because film adaptations often do not do the novel justice in creating the same atmosphere and immersion in the story as you get whilst reading. An example of this is 'Wuthering Heights', which, in my opinion, and the opinions of others I have asked, simply cannot be made into a film that captures its mood (or if it can be, it certainly hasn't been achieved yet). Neither of the two film adaptations I have seen has successfully managed to catch the mystical, eerie atmosphere of the novel, nor the indescribable essence of Heathcliff's character. And equally, many films rush through the story, picking out which bits to show and not to show, so how can you ever be sure that you have a complete picture of the story unless you have read it first? My final complaint about watching the film first is the fact that it ruins the plot! If you watch the film, you know what happens at the end, and for a book such as 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' (but also for any book), knowing the ending ruins the whole concept of the novel and so takes lots of the joy and apprehension out of reading it.

Now I am not in any way condemning films, and sometimes watching a film can clarify and bring a book to life, but for the most part, it is always best to read the book before watching the film (for me anyway!). There are many great film adaptations of books out there but in order to be able to decide if you like them or not, you need the reference point of having read the book first. Reading a book is an immersive process; it takes time and effort, but the end result is wonderful, whereas watching a film is more passive and I don't think it gives you the same experience or understanding as reading the book. I think Eleanor Catton sums my idea up perfectly when she says: “literature demands curiosity, empathy, wonder, imagination […] in return, it affords the reader curiosity, empathy, wonder, imagination” (Eleanor Catton, 2013). How can something that gives and takes so many abstract things be converted into something so physical as a film?

Anyway, that's just my opinion about this topic but I would love to hear yours as well; let me know in the comments what you think!!