The Influence of Movies and TV

So I've been watching a lot of Star Trek lately and I've been wondering why.

Don't get me wrong, Star Trek was a great show. So was The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, which I've also been watching. I've been watching various Star Trek shows all summer ever since the movie came out. I imagine that's what triggered the fascination with Star Trek. But it got me wondering...

Are most people inspired to pursue something when a movie about it comes out. Are they more likely to read a book if a show or movie about it comes out? Or watch a show if a movie version comes out? And why?

Were some kids encouraged to dust off their parents' Beatles albums when Across the Universe came out? Did anyone go out and pick up some books in Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels when True Blood premiered? Did anybody else, like me, go and watch a bunch of Star Trek this summer because of the movie?

What is it about movies and TV that makes us so prone to explore things like this? Are things simply easier to relate to once you've seen a visual representation of it? Or is it just a hot guy/girl that excites your interest and you want to read/see/hear more so you can fantasize about them in a different setting?

Thoughts?

Or is this too little too late and I've alienated all my friends on here by my long absence?

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Comments (3)

	Gretchen Weiners: 08/28/2009 2:52 PM I know what you mean! I still haven't seen the new Star Trek movie, but as a reflex, movies make me want to go back to their original inspiration. I hate to sound like a critic, but I think it's because modern movies aren't that good, but what they're based on is. Does that make sense?
	starlorsummers: 08/28/2009 3:17 PM hmm i do the same thing. with fight club (my favorite book), interview with the vampire, the godfather, wiseguy (the book that goodfellas was based on). with books, i think part of it is just the fact that movies get way more exposure in the public eye than books do. so people who might not have even known the book existed will still see ads/go watch a movie and then want to read the book. i guess it's the same thing with tv shows. unless you watch a lot of classic tv, you might not be intrigued enough to watch star trek or whatever, but then seeing the new movie piques your interest.
	yashiyama: 08/28/2009 3:38 PM It was the same with me for the movie Across the Universe. Before I watched it I only listened to like, two or three of The Beatle's songs, and not very often. After I watched the movie I listened to a whole lot of their songs... once for 5 hours straight. XD (and yay, you're back! hug )