I have a problem…well, it’s more like a condition…Okay fine it’s an obsession but it’s still a very serious issue and I know I’m not the only one who has it! This has been going on for quite some time now, my oldest memory of it is from 7th grade. I had read my first Stephen King book, Christine. If you don’t know the story, it’s about a teenage boy and his demonic car. (fantastically gruesome because Stephen King, duh!) I absolutely adored this book and so started my love affair with the master of horror. Once I was finished reading the story, I found Christine in Blockbuster that Friday night, and to my 12-year-old delight my parents rented it for me. I was ecstatic. No, that’s not a strong enough word. I was euphoric and amazed that this was even a thing. How awesome was it going to be to watch the movie of this wonderful book I just read? Well, I’ll tell you how awesome it was, it wasn’t. Not at all, not even a little bit. Some two-bit director in Hollywood had butchered my precious book! (And I don’t say this lightly because years later I discovered it was John Carpenter who directed the movie and ohmigawd I love him too!) The casting director did not pick actors who looked anything like the characters in my head and they cut out like HALF the book! I ranted and raved for weeks; I was distraught. Thus, my obsession was created. At first it was simple: I just would not watch the movies of the books I read. Easy, right? No, it was not easy. I soon found out that a lot of the movies I had already seen in my 12 years of life were books first! So, I HAD to go back and read the books of these beloved movies because obviously the books were going to better. And for the most part I found that to be true and still do to this day. I do my research now; I will google a movie or TV show before I watch it and I cannot allow myself to watch something before I read it. (See obsession)
About four years ago, my friend and I both read Paper Towns by John Greene. When the movie came out, we dragged Amy and another friend of ours to the movie theater telling them how utterly amazing this story was and how much they would enjoy it, guess what? The movie sucked! Not a little bit, a lot. And again, I spent the afternoon ranting to Amy about how much better the book was and trying to convince her it really was a good story. But I’ve learned my lesson. I don’t tell people about the books before we see the movies or shows now. I just wait until it’s over and point out every single difference and discrepancy. Don’t get me wrong, there are some good adaptations too. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn was great and for the most part Nicolas Sparks books stick pretty close to the story line, the things that are changed don’t send me into a tailspin like others.
So help me out, tell me I’m not the only crazy one who has this…condition
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