Hed recently wrote an entry on her blog talking about the book industries tendency to change cover art on novels after it has been turned into a movie. The questions she poses are:
1. Does (changing the art) cheapen the book…?
2. Are the authors of these books selling out by having these images replace their original cover art?
3. Are they (the authors) selling out by having a movie adaptation made of their book in the first place?
Since she turned off the comment option a while back I have no way to reply, so I’ve posted my opinions below:
1. Changing the cover art changes the perception of the book and the reason why someone picks up the book in the first place. Though in actuality if a book has more than one printing it is likely that the cover art will change with that new printing. Typically I will not buy a book with movie cover art (unless it is at a thrift store for cheap).
2. I’m assuming that when the author signs over the “movie rights” for the book they are signing away their executive decision making on what the cover art on the “movie edition” printing of the book will be. Now I’m wondering how much input the author has in the cover art to start with, since I’d imagine the “final decision” comes down to the publisher.
3. I don’t think adapting a book to movie form is “selling out”. It’s just another way to experience the story. Though personnally I find it kind of distracting if I’ve seen the movie before watching the book, since the visuals I get when I read the book is influenced by the movie. I’m currently reading the Da Vinci Code, before I see the movie, and the images in my head of the two main characters are Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. I’m not too disappointed about the Audrey Tautou part.
These are just my opinions. What are yours?