So I don't usually do posts where it's just my views on something (other than books in my reviews) but I really wanted to write this post about Movies and in particular Movie Interpretations of Books.
There are a lot of YA Books being turned into movies right now and I admit I love book-turned-movies so much but some of them I just don't want to see. Is it right for me to judge whether to see these movies based on the trailer? I think yes. It's anyones right to look at a trailer and decide whether or not we want to spend the money to go and see a movie. This counts for any movie. Not just book-turned-movie adaptations.
There are gazillions of movies out there and there is not enough time in our lives for us to watch every single movie out there. So we decide which ones we wish to spend our time, and money, watching. How do we decide what to see? Is it storyline? Trailer? Reviews?
I think I am being fair to say that we judge movies all the time based on their trailers. That's why trailers are revealed. For the movie makers to "sell" their movie to us. So if it looks like something we will enjoy we go see it... if we don't we pass. This is a every-day thing for the majority of us and we don't feel like we are 'judging' the movie. So is that expectation the same or different for movies based on beloved books?
Let me put it is perspective for you...
Recently, the trailer for the upcoming Vampire Academy movie was released. I have to say I am not a fan and I am not sure if I will go and see the movie. I am a huge fan of the books and I was excited for the movie until I saw the trailer. Now it just doesn't look like the kind of movie that I would enjoy. Now after stating on a social media website that I didn't want to see the movie after watching the trailer I was accused of "bitching" and told that I can't judge the whole movie based on the trailer and I should 'give it a chance'.
This got me thinking... does this mean that our 'judgement' is different depending on whether the movie in question is an original 'movie only' idea or a books adaptation. I think it is. Let's imagine for the moment that Vampire Academy wasn't a book. It was an original idea just for movie. Would I then be accused of 'bitching' and 'judging too early' for saying that I didn't want to see it based on the trailer? No I wouldn't. Why? Because that's the general consensus of how we decide which movies we want to invest our time and money in and if we don't like what we see then we don't go watch it. So why does it seem that this consensus is different for Book-Turned-Movie Adapatations?
I always look at books and movies seperately. When I saw The Hunger Games and City of Bones I don't think of them as the same of the books just a different outlet of the story. So then why should us deciding whether to see the movie based on the trailers be perceived as different when faced with a book adaptation than with a normal movie?
I really think as a movie watcher and someone who is going to pay the money to go and see a movie we have every right to judge whether we want to see the movie based on the trailer, regardless of whether it's a book adaptation or not. Just because we loved the book doesn't mean we want to see the movie so the trailer is an indication of whether we want to see the movie and whether it is going to tailor to our likes or not. In my case with Vampire Academy it doesn't tailor to my likes so I am going to skip it. As a reader and a movie watcher that is in my right and I don't think I am being judgemental or 'bitching' about it. It's my personal opinion and choice.
What's your thoughts on the subject?
Leave me a comment and let me know.
I agree with you, you have to judge a movie by its trailer, and that is fine. I am on the fence with VA. I love the books but I think the trailer is catering to the people that have not read the books which I see the need to do. I also did not love the first book as much as the rest anyway. I was happy with the CIty of Bones movie minus one casting choice. The acting was great but the casting for you know who just did not work for me. sorry.
ReplyDeletewe all judge on what we see, whether thats a movie trailor a book cover or a blurb. if it doesnt grab us the moment we see it then we are more than likely to give it a pass. i for one will NOT see VA based on the trailor, to me it looks like a B-grade, paraody movie. as for COB i wont see it as i dont like the male cast. i love the VA books and the TMI books, and i dont want to hate the books like i did with twilight when i saw that crap on the big screen.
ReplyDeletei LOVED the hunger games books AND movies, i thought they did it really well. im also really excited to see Divergent and the maze runner.
but yes i think we all have the right to "bitch" and Judge based on what we see, we are ALL entitled to our own honest opinions, and for me, well if you dont like my opinion, tough shit :)