Posted on 05/16/2005 10:06:17 AM PDT by EveningStar
What classic science fiction and fantasy books would you like to see made into movies or miniseries'?
How about Shakespeare? Shakespeare borrowed a lot of his plots from other stories. Not many people claim his work suffers because of that, or that the originals were better.
Besides, Hollywood can't write anyway, so they might as well try to steal from those who can.
To me, that is what really shows intellectual bankruptcy.
None. Whatever I choose, I know for a fact that Hollywood would water them down, PC the crap out of them, and turn them into a politically liberal statement.
I just cant take it anymore. ;)
For the record, I thought both "Battlefield Earth" and "Clan of the Cave Bear" were great books, but today they are forever marred by the pitiful and ignorant attempts to turn them into movies...
I can well understand and appreciate your point. :)
Definitely, John Ringo's entire Posleen war series would be fantastic on the big screen.
I would say the Rendevous with Rama series, but that is on the way to the big screen in 2006-2007.
Stephen R. Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
I agree with you that many adaptations have sucked. However, here are some that worked, at least for me:
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) (Harry Bates' Farewell to the Master): **** - even though it was outright pro-United Nations and Soviet-friendly propaganda.
The Thing From Another World (1951) (John W. Campbell Jr's Who Goes There?): ***1/2 - John Carpenter's 1982 remake, The Thing: ** - even though it was closer to the original story.
When Worlds Collide (1951) (Edwin Balmer and Philip Wylie): ***
The War of the Worlds (1953) (H. G. Wells): ***1/2 - but still looking forward to the Spielberg remake.
This Island Earth (1955)(Raymond F. Jones): ***
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)(Jack Finney's The Body Snatchers): ***1/2, 1978 version: ***, 1993 version (Body Snatchers): **
Forbidden Planet (1956) (Shakespeare's The Tempest): ****
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) (Richard Matheson's The Shrinking Man): ***1/2
The Time Machine (1960) (H. G. Wells): ***, 2002 version: **
Village of the Damned (1960) (John Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos): ***1/2, John Carpenter's 1995 version: **1/2
The Power (1968) (Frank M. Robinson): *** - but still deserves a remake!
Planet of the Apes (1968) (Pierre Boulle): ***, 2001 version: **
There are probably some others that I've forgotten.
not out yet. have you tried his legion of the damned series- its awesome.
If the ACS/Posleen stories get made then the theme song is definitely:
March of Cambreadth by Heather Alexander
Axes flash, broadsword swing,
shining armour's piercing ring
Horses run with polished shield,
fight those bastards till they yield
Midnight mare and blood red roan,
fight to keep this land your own
Sound the horn and call the cry,
how many of them can we make die?
Follow orders as you're told,
make their yellow blood run cold
Fight until you die or drop,
a force like ours is hard to stop
Close your mind to stress and pain,
fight till you're no longer sane
Let not one damn cur pass by,
how many of them can we make die?
Guard your women and children well,
send these bastards back to hell
We'll teach them the ways of war,
they won't come here any more
Use your shield and use your head,
fight till everyone is dead
Raise the flag up to the sky,
how many of them can we make die?
Dawn has broke,
the time has come,
move your feet to a marching drum
We'll win the war and pay the toll,
we'll fight as one in heart and soul
Midnight mare and blood red roan,
fight to keep this land your own
Sound the horn and call the cry,
how many of them can we make die?
How many of them can we make die?
check that- deathday and earthrise look like the only two. you are right.
I guess not a trilogy.
i just finished "by force of arms" by dietz and it is great
Honor Harrington - ALL OF IT.
March to the Stars - John Ringo
Bolo (Keith Laumer and friends)
Liaden Series (Lee and Miller)
The Rolling Stones (There is a LOT more potential material in there - like Grandmother's casion in the Belt)
Red Planet (Heinlein - what about After the Revolution?)
Podkayne of Mars (the further adventures of Poddy and bratty brother)
However, all this would require thought on the part of the audiece, dooming it.
Great list, and I agree on most of them! Unfortunately, not one there is less than 37 years old, most nearer 50!
Today, in Hollywood, there is very little chance of getting a fair reading of a script withouth most of it being too 'controversial' for today's PC world.
When Tom Clancy has to rewrite Sum of All Fears, and '24' is vilified for having the audacity to look like real life in it' schoice of bad guys, there is zero hope that John Ringo and Eric Flint would get a reasonable chance.
Hate it, because both Flint's 1632 univerese, and Ringo's Posleen wars deserve a good series of movies.
Going back to reading "Ring of Fire" now, and have Vol IV of the "Grantville Gazette" waiting.... :)
Not a classic, but I'd like to see 'Wild Cards' adapted for the big or small screen. Though the series lost me by vol 4 or so, I think it continued to volume 80 or 90. :-)
I really should have done that spell check eh? {sigh}
I for one would love to see a good adaptation of Zelazny's "Lord of Light" - - one of my all-time favorites.
Well, maybe Fassbinder fans.
You can see where my head and heart are. I saw nearly all of those in first run, including a couple of the ones from 1951.
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