Story with a Facelift

There is the age-old argument that the book is always better. It is better than the movie, the TV show, or any other adaptation. Many die-hard fans of the written word argue that movies steal stories from books, and that it is a one-way street. Although movies do rely on the books for ideas and an established fan base, books need movies too.

                This relationship is a two-way street. Movies rely on the books for a plot and lovable characters. But the movie does something in return; it gives the book a facelift. The film adaptation brings the story, and the book, back out into the spotlight.

                This certainly was the case when it came to Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Published in 1925, the book was originally run with 20,000 copies. In modern times, typically 500,000 copies are sold a year. However, since the announcement and release of the film starring DeCaprio, 280,000 copies have already been shipped as of April. Online sales of the book have also skyrocketed. Only about 80,000 online versions of Gatsby were sold last year. As of April, 125,000 copies have already sold.

                Even the cover is getting a facelift. Both the film tie-in cover and the original cover are available. The book has been out for 88 years, and now it is getting attention all over again.

                Even popular stories are given a facelift from film adaptations. For example, Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games was initially printed with 200,000 copies. Before film production, about 9.6 million copies were in circulation. After production of the film began, 23.5 million copies were in circulation.

                There is a phenomenon that occurs when an author sells the rights to their book, and a movie is announced. Readers, fans, and new-comers to the story rush out to buy the book because the movie is coming. In order to participate in the excitement of the story, the book must be read first.

                Movies and film adaptations of books not only generate the sale of the books, but they also revitalize the story and get people talking about it. Movies give the written word a facelift.