I've seen the movie many times, and still love it - definitely in my top five of all time.
I have never read the book. And I suspect I won't, for the reasons you cite. I was discussing a similar phenomenon (in a writing context) just last night, which is that you can play with people's beliefs by pacing the delivery of contrasting information. Basically, if you are told "thing A is true", and then some long time later told "actually, thing A is not true", you will tend towards believing that thing A is true, because it had become part of your accepted world-view. If, however, you are told "thing A is true" and then almost immediately "thing A is not true", you will tend to believe that thing A is not true - you trust the accusation more than the assertion, because it comes quickly (assuming there is no counter-accusation). So if you saw the movie and then IMMEDIATELY read the book, you might well think "it's a shame this wasn't in the film... ohh, they didn't do this as well as they could..." and so forth. But over time (and multiple viewings, which also help to set the "truth" of the film, then the book becomes unable to cmopete.
It's fun using this in fiction, to set expectations so that surprises come as eral and genuine surprises to the reader, who will be reluctant to accept counter-truths (which should mirror the characters' experiences).
no subject
I have never read the book. And I suspect I won't, for the reasons you cite. I was discussing a similar phenomenon (in a writing context) just last night, which is that you can play with people's beliefs by pacing the delivery of contrasting information. Basically, if you are told "thing A is true", and then some long time later told "actually, thing A is not true", you will tend towards believing that thing A is true, because it had become part of your accepted world-view. If, however, you are told "thing A is true" and then almost immediately "thing A is not true", you will tend to believe that thing A is not true - you trust the accusation more than the assertion, because it comes quickly (assuming there is no counter-accusation). So if you saw the movie and then IMMEDIATELY read the book, you might well think "it's a shame this wasn't in the film... ohh, they didn't do this as well as they could..." and so forth. But over time (and multiple viewings, which also help to set the "truth" of the film, then the book becomes unable to cmopete.
It's fun using this in fiction, to set expectations so that surprises come as eral and genuine surprises to the reader, who will be reluctant to accept counter-truths (which should mirror the characters' experiences).