Topic: Forrest Gump: the book

[scottly]

Probably everyone has seen the movie at least once, but has anyone else read the book? I've never read a book that was so different from the movie! For instance, the opening line:
"Let me say this: bein a idiot is no box of chocolates." This is the only time "box of chocolates" is used, and "stupid is as stupid does" and "run Forrest run" aren't in the book. Forrest never wore braces, he wasn't friends with Jenny as kids, and Jenny's father didn't molest her.

[jgger]

What i find is that if you read the book first and like it, the movie is always a let down.

[simon#42]

You are right , film makers never seem to let the truth get in the way of a good story . Have just finished watching a series based around the battle of hastings . Good entertainment but factually rubbish , for some reason it bothers me that people will watch it and think its all true .

[jlh3rd]

yeah
Imagine Entertainment (Ron Howard) , who produced the movie "Cinderella Man" was sued by descendants of Max Baer for falsely portraying him as a womanizing maniacal fighter. He wasn't.
Distortions in Netflix "documentaries" are common.

[Mark1976]

Probably everyone has seen the movie at least once, but has anyone else read the book? I've never read a book that was so different from the movie! For instance, the opening line:
"Let me say this: bein a idiot is no box of chocolates." This is the only time "box of chocolates" is used, and "stupid is as stupid does" and "run Forrest run" aren't in the book. Forrest never wore braces, he wasn't friends with Jenny as kids, and Jenny's father didn't molest her.

   Well, not an uncommon thing for a movie to differ substantially from its source material, especially since its a work of fiction in the first place. It can be whatever the writer and the screenwriter agree too, or as in many instances, whatever makes it work as imagined by all involved.
   I remember going to see 'the shining' years before I finally got around to reading the book, and came to some of the same conclusions, yet the movie's the movie and the books the book, both are enjoyable but different. How do ya not like jack nicholson chopping his way thru a door just to say, "here's johnny!!!" Not in the book, but just as entertaining....
   

[BenelliSEI]

Books are usually better….

[Mark1976]

Books are usually better….

If ya want to read a great book that's really different from the movie, try reading "shoeless joe", it the basis for the movie "field of dreams." Both are plenty enjoyable...