I wouldn't re-read, but I think readers will get way more out of the movie than non-readers, especially people who have read (and remembered better) the whole series. The movie is definitely informed by the later books.

Megan, even though I've read the books, I'm worried about how the violence is going to be depicted. I can read it just fine (well, not "fine," but I can handle it); words on paper are okay, but images onscreen? I can't handle seeing past a certain level of violence.

I'm not dumb enough to assume the movie has all the violence off-screen; it's the freaking Hunger Games. But did you think it was consistent with a PG-13 rating?

Yeah, I sort of didn't think about it when reading and so I thought the cornucopia scene on screen was sort of brutal. That was the only thing I'd call gory. It's filmed in a frenetic fashion so you can't really focus on it and it's over quickly (most of the Careers have machete-blade type weapons for that part, so, maybe it was the implication more than the reality). But otherwise you see kids killing other kids. No gore in a neck snap, but PG-13? I don't know.

I happy to answer questions on any specific incidents from the books if you have doubts. I will say that the last death was mercifully cut short.

Oh man. I suppose it would be just too cruel to, like, let that one go on for minutes upon horrible minutes. Although I'm sure some directors would relish that. I AM LOOKING AT YOU HANEKE.

So -- and I'm sorry if this is a way-too-picky question -- when you say the last death was cut short (this is Cato, yes?), are we talking a few seconds, 30 seconds, a minute? I realize you were watching a movie rather than your pocketwatch, so any ballpark-y figure is fine.

Seeing that kind of stuff fucks me up.

I figured that might be of interest. I think that was the hardest thing in the books for me. Basically, they have the stand off on top of the cornucopia, he falls, dogs descend on him (but you don't really see much) he pleads once or twice and Katniss shoots him (which you don't see--I mean, you see her shoot but that's it). He doesn't get dragged under, there's no real hesitation on Katniss's part. 30 seconds maybe? I'm bad at estimates like that. It seemed pretty immediate.

For Steph, top 5 most shocking/disturbing moments of HG, the movie: cornucopia scene, bomb kid guarding food (but zero blood), a scene from the "history of the HG" montage at the reaping (a kid rising as victor with a bloody brick in his hands--totally implication, but still), Seneca's beard, and, probably, Katniss's burn (but I issues with stuff like that).

I think that's tolerable, given that, again, it's the freaking Hunger Games. t edit Re: Cato at the end.

Thanks -- I really appreciate it!

t edit again Seneca's beard? I totally don't remember anything about that.

I thought that was a joke, but maybe I'm being dim.

Well, at this point, I'm braced for anything horrific. And my memory for details of the books is spotty, so there could be a leprechan from District 69 who sexes up all the tributes and I'd just think "Did I skim over that, or...?"