‘Dragon Tattoo’: Is it better that I didn’t read the book?

I’m about to go into a screening of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” having not read the book or its sequels. Honestly, I don’t really have much of a clue what it’s about.

As a rule, I tend to prefer going into movies completely cold, letting the film stand on its own and not having it compete with my own mental images I’ve created from reading. Only a few books I've loved have made the transition into films I've loved. A short list would include "Double Indemnity," "Never Let Me Go," and "The Princess Bride.")

But I also know that I am very unlikely to read a book once I have seen the film version.

What about you?

Does seeing a film spark a desire to read its source material? Does reading a book make you more or less likely to enjoy a film adapted from it?

And are you looking forward to seeing “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”? (If you are seething with jealousy over my early look, you should know that I’ll be announcing a sneak preview event here shortly. Check back soon.)

Side note: If it were up to me, there’d be an industry-wide ban on previews that show even a glimpse of anything that happens in the second half of a movie. And while I appreciate detailed film criticism after I see a film, if I’m reading a piece prior to a screening, I’m furious at writers who tell too much.

Your thoughts?