Impact Arts and Impact Film have gone head to head in the ultimate argument: book or film? Here’s their findings in more detail with pros and cons on these titles:

The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring  by JRR Tolkien

22% preferred the book, 78% the film

The Great Gatsby by F Scott FitzGerald

89% preferred the book, 11% the film

Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling

69% preferred the book, 31% the film

Atonement by Ian McEwan

60% prefered the book, 40% the film

• ‘Adaptations of well-known books (books which are extremely complex) never fully live up to the original. They end up being merely illustrations of the book to please the fans.’
• ‘Books are superior due to films being a limit to the imagination, yet you must always remember to treat both as separate forms of art.’
• ‘Everything about a book is so much more personal.’
• ‘I guess it’s not a question of book vs. film, more good adaptation vs. bad adaptation.’
• Books are able to present more back story, creating a more immersive world…’
• ‘I vote for films. as they are more dense and loaded than ‘book people’ realise. And who goes on a date to a library? Case closed.’
• ‘Books may be the flaming torch of culture, but films will carry the torch into the future.’
• ‘Films only create a world before the viewer’s eyes, a world which lasts for only as long as the film.’
• ‘Film is more inspiring and has a larger impact because it physically appeals to the senses in sight and sound.’
• ‘It’s better to actively read something than passively have it shown to you.’
• ‘You can’t say whether you ‘prefer’ books or films – they’re completely different media.’
• ‘Books! You can’t fall in love with a film like you can with a novel. A film is always impersonal.’