Book or film? Which order is best?

[funthing29]

I usually prefer to read a book before I see a film (if time allows), that way you can pick up small details or references that would go over your head otherwise. It also helps you appreciate what changes have been made in adapating the material for the screen ie characters missing, timeline changed etc.

[RickyRaj]

I do both depending on what else is going on i.e others are reading, popular author new releases etc:

Lord of the Rings - films only
Hannibal - Book first then film, after seeing The Silence of the Lambs film only
Da Vinci Code - Book first then film
Filth - Book when it came out years ago - not seen film yet
Jack Reacher - film, couldn't get into the book
The Millenium Trilogy - Books first then films

[martadelas]

I'm a book first kind of person. For the most part if I see the film first I don't even want to read the book as it's not easy to shake off somebody else's vision of the characters, places, events.
As a side note, I try not to compare the two - it doesn't do them justice. Just approach them as separate entities and chances are the film will get a higher rating than when compared to its book.
Also don't judge a book by its movie :)