Before I start talking trash about Hollywood which I have no constraints against doing I must declare that I like films as much as anybody else but I hate those close minded individuals that look down upon reading because they are either too lazy or lack the necessary imagination to read a story and enjoy it.
1. ART:
I read X-Men comics mostly and the art is simply Astonishing. Yes movies have pretty actors but they can't compete with the surreality of really good art. [As an x-fan pointed out no real person can look like this
Art by Mark Brooks http://diablo2003.deviantart.com/art/Emma-Frost-171023354?q=sort%3Atime+gallery%3Adiablo2003&qo=2 ]2. COST:
Movies work on a budget so only the most important and affordable things can be included. Books have less concerns in this area so the story can go on as much as the writer wants.
3. PRODUCTION TIME:
Right at this moment there are approXimately 4 X-Men books available every week not counting trade paperbacks and mini series. In the movie world it takes 3-5 years per film.
4. CHARACTER LIMITS:
In a movie a lot of characters do not make the cut because with only a few hours to convey a story it's not possible to include as much persons as you would in a book. Even those background persons that add to the finer details are just not there in the movies.
5. PACING:
Due to the nature of a story you can have long compleX scenarios and character interaction. However the end result doesn't seem so complicated or long because the reader has the ability to control the flow of the story by reading. Sometimes in a movie you wish you had a moment to pause and take everything in. You're not allowed that opportunity in a theatre setting or watching regular TV. [Anybody who didn't read the Harry Potter book and wasn't confused at the end of #3 (Prisoner of Azkaban) deserve a prize.]
6. SUBTITLES:
Some movies are totally subtitled or have scenes with subtitles. Therefore you race to read the film and end up missing the finer picture details and facial eXpressions of the actors. Books usually give you the translation and when another language is used it doesn't come off as a nuisance. I'm my opinion Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was a test to see how fast you can read.
7. PORTABILITY & CONVENIENCE:
Until technology advance more books are still more portable and convenient that movies. Sure you can watch a movie on an aeroplane or in your car. Can you watch a movie on the beach or in the park without having some electronic device you have to ensure is safe or doesn't get covered in water or sand?
8. MARKETING:
Sometimes you go to a movie having seen the trailer eXpecting an action film but you leave after viewing a comedy and a bad one at that. Sometimes the marketing of a movie is so intent on attracting audiences it skews the actual content of the film. Books are marketed differently and they attract readers without the added story ambiguity.
9. CONTINUITY:
Sometimes an actor in a film or series dies or leaves the show. This can be so severe that the series had a decrease in viewers and the quality of the series might not be as high as it was originally. Charmed is a series that never moved me that way it used to after Shannan Dougherty's character left.
10. VOICE OVERS:
Foreign Language films sometimes use voice actors to translate the dialogue for audiences. Sometimes the voice overs are so bad they end up ruining the movie or being really distracting.
