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I have been buying alot of older science fiction books lately(my favorite book store is going out of buisness) and i was wondering why certain books aren't made into movies.
Alot of Heinlien(spelling...) books could easily make great movies, exspectially Tunnels In the Sky.
Yet it seems they only make the perfectly wrong book into a movie, like the Narnia movies. It's a good movie, but only if i don't think of the book as i watch it. Also the Hitchhikers Guide, i wouldn't have been able to make it though that without telling myself that Adams wrote about alternate universes where this could have happened. Why not make any good book to movie movies, or am i not looking hard enough?
P.S. i have heard alot about a good Dune mini-series., anyone know where i might find this?
Posts: 549 | Registered: Feb 2008
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Isn't that the book that described alot of yet-to-be-made video games? I think it was credited with the MMO or something... and it does seem like an obvious choice for the film makeover after wikipedia-ing it.
Posts: 549 | Registered: Feb 2008
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Now that Speed Racer has created some innovative special effects, it might actually be time for them to make a Snow Crash movie. I honestly don't think they could have done it until recently.
Nelson DeMille's John Corey books need to be made into movies. Corey is one of my favorite characters, and while it sometimes sounds like he's channelling Bruce Willis, I think there are other actors who could play him well.
Lawrence Block's Ian Tanner books. Except for the most recent one.
Robert Sawyer's Neanderthal Parallax.
John Varley's Red Thunder.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Snow Crash is good, but I think I'd prefer a movie version of Stephenson's The Diamond Age.
Robin Hobb's Liveship series. Well, shoot, anything by Robin Hobb, but Liveship is more action-friendly.
I admit it...I want more Tom Clancy movies.
Too bad Terry Pratchett and Jasper Fforde's stuff doesn't lend itself well to movie making. They are just so perfect in book form, though.
And one more--I think that Sgt. Nibley, Ph.D should be filmed, either as a movie or as a biographical documentary. Hugh Nibley is one of the few people for whom I am a slavish syncophant (ironic, since Brother Nibley would have no doubt been disgusted by that kind of devotion ).
Posts: 575 | Registered: Jan 2004
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I think children's books make some of the better cross-over, mainly because the plots tend to be more straightforward and shorter, and depend less on subtle wordplay or introspection (*generally!).
I'd love to see a new version of The Phantom Tollbooth, and I think The Giver could make an amazing film. The Westing Game could also be a fun flick, although I don't think a film version would be out-of-this-world good.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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One of my neighbors managed to get his hands on one of the few existing copies of Mary Doria Russell's original script for the movie version of The Sparrow. He claims he'll let me read it, but so far he's put me off. At a recent signing she said that the studio's rights to the movie expire in the next year or so and if they don't renew she will be able to make the movie her way, and much sooner. (Though I think Brad Pitt will still be Sandoz)
I've heard that all of Chuck Palahniuk's books, except Diary, will be made into movie. I think Choke was supposed to be the first. That makes me happy.
Posts: 2596 | Registered: Jan 2006
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Yep, "Choke" starring Sam Rockwell comes out in limited release on Sept. 26.
Don't know much about his other books like "Lullaby" or "Survivor" but I know that "Invisible Monsters" would be one freaky movie!
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Tim (Angel, Firefly, The Inside, Drive) Minear wrote a screenplay for "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" and is trying to get it made.
Several of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books have been made into movies, both animated and live action. "Hogfather" just came out for Region 1 DVDs, in fact.
I want "Good Omens." I want "Stardance" (a modified version is in production with actual floating dance). "Red Thunder" would be fantastic (and local to me!) Heck with Narnia, I want "The Chronicles of Amber."
And I'd love to see how they handled Turtledove's "Guns of the South," it would almost have to be a maxiseries.
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Would love to see Nine Princes in Amber/Guns of Avalon, but I don't know that they could be done justice.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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I recall that The Wee Free Men is being made into a feature length... I think Sam Raimi was on board to direct. I read recently that Mort was once pitched to some studio who wanted to make it but "lose the Death angle" because that made it too dark.
I think Reaper Man and Carpe Jugulum could do well as movies and would love to see a quality TV series done out of the watch books, going through them chronologically with about 1/4 book per episode.
Speed Racer technology (being done entirely green screen with computer generated backgrounds) makes The Amber Chronicles very do able. Which, of course, revives the age old argument of who should play whom. I vote Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale reprise their antagonism from "The Prestige" as Corwin and Eric (I think they'd be interchangable)... they need to hurry, though, because I think Alan Rickman would be awesome as Julian if he's not too old.
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Jim-Me: I recall that The Wee Free Men is being made into a feature length... I think Sam Raimi was on board to direct. I read recently that Mort was once pitched to some studio who wanted to make it but "lose the Death angle" because that made it too dark.
I think Reaper Man and Carpe Jugulum could do well as movies and would love to see a quality TV series done out of the watch books, going through them chronologically with about 1/4 book per episode.
Speed Racer technology (being done entirely green screen with computer generated backgrounds) makes The Amber Chronicles very do able. Which, of course, revives the age old argument of who should play whom. I vote Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale reprise their antagonism from "The Prestige" as Corwin and Eric (I think they'd be interchangable)... they need to hurry, though, because I think Alan Rickman would be awesome as Julian if he's not too old.
Oh, that would be awesome casting. I'm more concerned about narrative coherency and not giving everything a painful level of exposition than the technological hurdles, though. Part of the joy of Nine Princes is getting thrown into a running story head-first; if we have to sit through long explanations of trumps or shadows or who Dworkin is, it would be depressing.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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I would also love more Diana Wynne Jones books being made into movies. I thought the combination of Jones and Miyazaki for Howl's Moving Castle was apt.
What about Neil Gaiman's American Gods?
The Time-Traveler's Wife would translate well to film.
Posts: 575 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Maybe I'm biased because it was my introduction to Pratchett, but I adore "Mort" and agree that it would make a great film. But how can you lose the "death angle" when he is the coolest Discworld character??
I thought "Time-Traveler's Wife" would work but I am not excited about the casting they've done for it.
The script for "American Gods" would be a nightmare to write but I can see a condensed version of the story working well on film. Intriguing characters and cool CGI.
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Sorry if I have repeated myself. I want Sawyer from Lost as Jamie Fraser, and Keira Knightley as Claire. I can see Hugh Laurie in there somewhere, as well.
If not Sawyer, then Gerard Butler.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Jim-Me: I vote Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale reprise their antagonism from "The Prestige" as Corwin and Eric (I think they'd be interchangable)... they need to hurry, though, because I think Alan Rickman would be awesome as Julian if he's not too old.
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Thanks for mentioning Neal Stephenson and Snow Crash. I had never heard of the book, so I went out and bought both Snow Crash and the Diamond Age. I read them both in two days and was not disappointed. I preferred The Diamond Age, but I think Snow Crash would make a better movie. I'm currently trying to find a copy of Quicksilver, but none of the book stores around here have it, and the library doesn't either... so either I'm going to have to wait for another library to send it here or buy it off from Amazon...
Posts: 247 | Registered: Feb 2007
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Christian Bale would make a wonderful Corwin.
I do think it's possible to do a great version of Chronicles of Amber. I'm a bit fanboy-embarrassed to say this, but when I was 18 I wrote a Nine Princes screenplay. I knew I didn't have any right to do it, but I was bored that summer and it filled my time. I'm not saying they should use my script, I'm just saying that Zelazny has a style and a flow that couldn't be easier to put into screenplay form; all I basically had to do was re-type Nince Princes with a screenplay layout. They could film that book word for word.
It gets trickier after that though. My attempt to translate book 2 was not so easy.
Oh, man. Christian Bale. That's fun to think about.
Posts: 2267 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by DevilDreamt: Thanks for mentioning Neal Stephenson and Snow Crash. I had never heard of the book, so I went out and bought both Snow Crash and the Diamond Age. I read them both in two days and was not disappointed. I preferred The Diamond Age, but I think Snow Crash would make a better movie. I'm currently trying to find a copy of Quicksilver, but none of the book stores around here have it, and the library doesn't either... so either I'm going to have to wait for another library to send it here or buy it off from Amazon...
Check out Interface. It was originally listed as being by Stephen Bury, but it's actually by Stephenson and his father in law, and I believe it's being sold that way now.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by TL: I do think it's possible to do a great version of Chronicles of Amber. I'm a bit fanboy-embarrassed to say this, but when I was 18 I wrote a Nine Princes screenplay. I knew I didn't have any right to do it, but I was bored that summer and it filled my time. I'm not saying they should use my script, I'm just saying that Zelazny has a style and a flow that couldn't be easier to put into screenplay form; all I basically had to do was re-type Nince Princes with a screenplay layout. They could film that book word for word.
Did you turn Corwin's narration into voiceovers?
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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* So You Want To Be A Wizard? by Diane Duane * Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchet * Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer * I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (Because, though I enjoyed it, I refuse to acknowledge the Will Smith movie as an adaptation.)
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Lisa: "Dammit, Corwin, I think you did it!"
"Not guilty, Gerard!"
No offense, but I fixed that for you.
Jackman might be a better physical analog for Caine, but I just really liked the way he and Bale went at each other in "The Prestige". A lot of Chemistry there.
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Shanna: Maybe I'm biased because it was my introduction to Pratchett, but I adore "Mort" and agree that it would make a great film. But how can you lose the "death angle" when he is the coolest Discworld character??
I thought "Time-Traveler's Wife" would work but I am not excited about the casting they've done for it.
The script for "American Gods" would be a nightmare to write but I can see a condensed version of the story working well on film. Intriguing characters and cool CGI.
They're making The Time-Traveler's Wife into a movie?! I didn't know! That was an excellent book.
Posts: 486 | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Shanna: Maybe I'm biased because it was my introduction to Pratchett, but I adore "Mort" and agree that it would make a great film. But how can you lose the "death angle" when he is the coolest Discworld character??
I missed this earlier... yes, that was precisely the "joke" (except that this apparently really happened). How do you do Mort and "lose the death angle"? It's like saying "I'd like to do Cryptonomicon but lose that whole crypto/security angle."
Cryptonomicon, btw, would make a great couple of seasons of TV if anyone could afford to do it justice.
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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