MovieChat Forums > The Colour of Magic (2008) Discussion > Do I need to have read the books?

Do I need to have read the books?

posted 15 years ago by NotEvsie
13 replies | jump to latest

Somehow I just never got around to reading any Pratchett, which is odd, given that I quite like a fantasy novel from time to time.... I should probably get around to them soon.

Either way, for whatever reason, I haven't. So with that in mind, is the film still enjoyable by itself? Or do you really need the other information from the books to tie it all together?

I don't want to read around the board too much, as that will inevitably give away too much of the film.

Many thanks.

[–] nikki-173 15 years ago

No, I watched this just last night and I think I've only read one book and that was years ago. The movie was still enjoyable. My son is almost 6 and he was following along just fine as well.

[–] comedian_x 15 years ago

You don't HAVE to read the books to understand the film, however, you should. First reason, some of the jokes work better in the book and kinda of fall flat in the movie; second, they are fantastic books and should be read just for the fun of it.

[–] davidemartin 15 years ago

Terry Pratchett's remarkable DISCWORLD series is a must read. You can read the series either in publication order or by following some of the sub-series-- Rincewind the Whizzard, the Wizards of Unseen University, the Lancre Witches, the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork, the Death & company series, etcetera.

Meanwhile on DVD, make sure you check out the live action HOGFATHER and the animated SOUL MUSIC and WYRD SISTERS.

[–] lastaria 15 years ago

Yes. The sky adaptations are not bad but they missed a lot (which cannot be helped unless they made a series) and though there were amusing moments I don't feel they captured the laugh out loud nature of the books.

The sky adaptions are decent, the books are amazing.

Chris Thorpe

"The lore of the mind counts further than the words of the mouth."

[–] Foxtrot_X-Ray 15 years ago

Yes, you HAVE to read the books.

Not in order to understand the movies.. but simply because they're great. :)

[–] grendelkhan 14 years ago

You must read the books and prepare a ten page, single spaced, book report discussing the themes and characters. Use of Cliffs notes will result in a 20 point downgrade.

Seriously, you don't "have" to read the books, but I think you will find greater enjoyment, if only because there is more to savor than cn be presented on tv.

[–] dbeierl 13 years ago

I think some of the other answers are missing the point. Yes, you should read all of Pratchett. No, you don't have to read the first two books in the series (that this movie is based on) in order to understand and appreciate the movie. If you *have* read them you'll find it interesting the way they've moved parts of the story from one book to the other, so to say, and be able to appreciate what a decent job they've done on something that's really quite impossible, which is to confine Terry Pratchett within the limits of film.

Regards,
David

[–] dragon_x 13 years ago

If its sorta kinda almost similar to the LotR adaptation by Peter Jackson, then I would not read the books -unless maybe you plan on not seeing the movie for some time.

I read the LotR years (decades?) before the movies came out. I specifically did not want to re-read them before - so hopefully I would have forgotten enough to enjoy the movies as-is. I mean what's the point when you know (more or less) what's going to happen - though in adaptations they can change a lot...

I then re-read most the books afterwards, definitely less boring of the Rings.

[–] dbeierl 13 years ago

I dunno. I've got both -- I've seen the movie twice or thrice and read the books at least four or five times, but not close together. If I get a chance I'll read them and then watch the movie and let you know what I think.

My feeling ahead of time is that knowing roughly what's going to happen doesn't bother me - especially since they do move things around some between the two books. I'll decide I've read a book too often (for the moment, because I forget quickly) when I start remembering the ends of sentences. Remembering how scenes come out doesn't generally bother me. I find it interesting how they've realized the characters, how they've worked with the book or extended it or squashed it or ignored it...

Yours,

[–] spasyyz 12 years ago

Skip the movie, read the books.

[–] Ghosthunter123424 10 years ago

Pratchett isn't for everyone.

Personally I found it all very juvenile. It seems a lot of his fans discovered him in their young teens and have gobbled up everything he wrote ever since.

[–] baldy_bear 7 years ago

Get all the books in Audio book format and listen to them while walking the dog or when you go to bed.