movies they could now make..

U

uitlander

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Sep 8, 2004
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..does anyone have any books that they have always wanted to see made into a movie, and now think a good job could be done thanks to CGI and other techniques? Who would you have star in them?
... My entry is 'RingWorld' by Larry Niven. Think of it, Kzintis, Sunflowers, the Ringworld itself.. would be way cool..
DeNiro As Louis Wu, whats her name from Pirates of Caribbean as Teela.. it was Kieera something.. anyway..
..the above is asked with full knowledge that special effects do not a great movie make, and of the risk that they would take a treasured book and turn it into fertilizer. :mad:
Does Lucas browse BF?
Still Jackson did a good job on LOR so there is hope.
cheers
 
Trouble is with these great books like Dune and Ringworld is there there is so much happening in them that it would be virtually impossible to make them into a movie any shorter than about 48 hours long. You would need a whole series of them.

In addition to that, Niven's "known universe" series has so many books that make up the whole thing you could never make even a short series out of it. you would probably need 6 months worth of mini movies to even come close to doing it justice.
 
Deniro as Louis Wu? Are you on crack!?!?! I know he's 200 years old at the beginning, but he's on boosterspice, so he's physiologically young. They could use any young good actor for his part. And please PLEASE don't get Lucas involved. Nessus would turn into the Jar-Jar binks of Ringworld, stepping on his own heads when he's not paying attention and getting gum stuck in his hair. My nomination would probably be James Cameron as director, though it would be fun to see what David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven) could do with it.

I'd like to see John Varley's Gaean trilogy on film, as well as... let's see...

Starship Troopers (a good one)
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
Rendezvous with Rama (They WERE making this, I wonder what the progress is..)
Lucifer's Hammer (Deep Impact? Armageddon? HAH!)
 
The thing that worries me is that, while there are a number of directors/actors/writers who could do a good job, there are far more who would make a complete hash out of it. I think of truly appalling films like armageddon and independence day and shudder at the thought of Ringworld turning into something like those!

I'd like to see a modern version done well of that 50's classic Forbidden Planet.
 
They do appear to be re-making nearly everything...I agree it might be fun to see a modern take on Forbidden Planet.

The mini-series they did over the Summer of Dune for the Sci-Fi channel wasn't bad; much better than the dreadful thing they did with Kyle whats-is-name.

I just read the latest entry in the Ringworld series, Ringworld's Children. Pretty good! Could they do it "right" as a film....?
 
I'd like to see a modern version done well of that 50's classic Forbidden Planet.

I don't think that that one can be done better. Perhaps you can get some more out of todays special effects, but what you would lose in every other catagory would make it a mess.

n2s
 
not2sharp said:
I'd like to see a modern version done well of that 50's classic Forbidden Planet.

I don't think that that one can be done better. Perhaps you can get some more out of todays special effects, but what you would lose in every other catagory would make it a mess.

n2s
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Unfortunately you're probably right. :(

It would be interesting though to see it done in a really "dark" style like say Blade Runner or even Seven.
 
slaine.jpg


maximus otter
 
Ahhh! Easy. ER Burroughs, "John Carter of Mars". (Once done in the 70s)
Frankly I wouldn't mind if a story took 48 hours to do it right. I would find a way to see it all and appreciate it. I have been known to sit still on occasion....

Out of curiousity I found "John Carter: A Princess of Mars" (umm... Deja Thoris!)
Paramount & Director Kerry Conran are working on it! Whooohooo!
 
Of interest: Little Tommy Cruise is re-doing War of the Worlds. Not much info on it yet, so I don't know if it's going to be an "updated" version, or if they're going the retro-route and doing it as written.

The Gene Barry version was not bad, as I recall. though a bit maudlin at the end what with everyone huddled in the church and all.
 
David & Leight Edding's book's: Saga of Belgarion.
Sean Connery would make terrific Belgarath.

Juha
 
sajuma said:
David & Leight Edding's book's: Saga of Belgarion.
Sean Connery would make terrific Belgarath.

Juha
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Good 'en! It'll need the 48 hour lower limit to do it right.
We can't decide on who for Polgara though.
 
Hey thanks for responses..
Foxhole;.. yeah I guess you're probably right re. De Niro, but I can't think of any good young actors, everybody is a face without substance IMO. Louis would be the centre of the film, and I'd let the age be tweaked to have the necessary gravitas. Who would you think could do it?
I agree on Lucas, thats why I mentioned him so close to the "fertilizer" comment.

Merek; absolutely right about "John Carter", imagine the beasts, and the women..images of old Frazetta covers dancing though my head.

A common feeling in the replies, is it worth the risk to a loved book to have it condensed and the focus groups turned lose on it? Plus books are like the old radio dramas, you can fill in the images perfectly in your mind. Maybe I don't want to see someone elses Kzinti. Or Teela ...
Here is a failure in point, the movie made of William Goldman's "Princess Bride" was such a letdown, takes a lot of will and talent to carry off whimsy or other subtle airs.

Mwerner;.. just read Ringworlds Children and thought it tied it all together very well, but to me only the first Ringworld has that fantastic sense of ..sweeping adventure.. the rest were competent and fun..
...off to mine some more cliches .. I am all out..
cheers :)
 
The Mote In Gods Eye. Probably as hard as Ringwold to do right. I think "The Legacy Of Herot" could be done up right.
 
I would like to see someone do a movie, or better a mini-series, based on Gary Jenning's AZTEC (1980).

Gary does for the early Mexicans what Carvell did in Shogun. He creates a rich well researched action adventure story full of violence, sex, intrigue, and history. We are introduced to pre-Columbian society that is as advanced as it is mysterious and dark. It is the story of the lowly near-sighted Mixtli, who rises through the ranks of scholar, soldier, and businessman; as he struggles and adventures throughout the length of the empire. On one level it is a rags to riches story worthy of Horatio Alger; yet, on another, a tale of a doomed and long forgotten world. We know from the very first page that those Spanish galleons are just below the horizon; and like much of the Aztec Empire we will recieve them with mixed feelings when they arrive.

n2s
 
Someone could really do a good Neuromancer.

Oh, that's right, the Wachowski brothers already stole the premise and made the Matrix. ;)
 
shgeo said:
I would like to see a movie version of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game.
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Have you read Enders Shadow, that could be a good sequel to Enders Game.
 
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