Tags
Band of Brothers, Dune, Game of Thrones, Garth Ennis, George R.R. Martin, I am Legend, Interview with a Vampire, J.R.R. Tolkien, L.A. Confidential, Lord of the Rings, Mario Puzo, Neuromancer, Sean Astin, Swingers, The Godfather, The Matrix, The Shining, True Blood, Unknown Soldier, William Gibson, World War Z, www.writersmarket.com
So this goes back to what I referred to in another blog, a friend by the name of Matthew Wilson (great guy, very interesting fellow with interesting views, he should either start a blog or get a column in a newspaper or magazine), once asked me what book not yet made into a movie I would like to see on the silver screen.
I thought about that, and honestly I could not think of one. At the time a lot of the books I’d read would probably have a hard time being converted into a movie, considering they were about how to become a better writer/poet and how to build a profile (incidentally if you don’t like this blog blame the people at http://www.writersmarket.com).
I know one book to film I would be interested in seeing, and this is mainly influenced by my wife Beverly, is Neuromancer by William Gibson. I think if done correctly it would be terrific and would blow The Matrix Trilogy apart. Of course getting it done correctly seems to be the issue. I believe Neuromancer is caught in something called development hell. If you are unfamiliar with that concept then that means you are not a writer and are living a happy life. But anyway to the uninformed this is what development hell is via Wikipedia when it comes to multi media: ‘Development hell or development limbo is a state during which a film or other project remains in development without progressing to production.’
If you are a writer who wants to see one of his books or tales turned into something beyond print expect some problems. Who knows if we’ll ever see Henry Dorsett Case and Molly Millions being played by Brad and Angelina?
And yes, I’m being satirical about Brangelina playing them. Sarcasm, join me.
So that is where I am at about a book into movie I would like to see, but let’s expand that to television as well. As George R. R. Martin proves, a book makes a mean T.V. show (just to confess, I have yet to watch an episode of Game of Thrones; I know, I know, it’s on the list).
Every writer, and I think most readers, knows that it is very hard to adapt a favorite book or story into either a movie or television series. And even if it is made you still have to contend with Superfan #99* who might not be happy with any changes no matter how slight or small and inconsequential. Anybody who has read Mario Puzo’s The Godfather knows about the giant vagina story arc that is honestly, in a book about gangsters and building family dynasties, out of place.
I mean, yeah everybody knows that Tom Bombadil would have added nothing to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, but you have that minority that swear if Tom ain’t a part of LOTR it’s shite. I’m not saying I want Tom hanging out with Elijah Wood and Sean Astin (who was robbed of Best Supporting Oscar nomination for The Two Towers), but I realize that fans are fans. And you can’t please everyone.
Part of the ongoing arguments a lot of fans have about books to movies is the limitations of having two to three hours to work with. If the book is a particularly grand tale, you have to leave something out. Yeah Tom, looking at you.
And do I even dare go into books made into movies that have made a lot of fans upset, because they felt they were not done correctly. Let’s see, there is The Shining, World War Z, Interview with a Vampire, I am Legend, and maybe the grandfather of them all, Dune. I know there’s more but I only have so much space on this blog.
Personally I think that most books, especially trilogies or multi book epics, are better left to television. I think more can be done with the book to make it more adaptable to the small screen, maybe not the epic scope and size where movie theatres have the advantage thanks to the big screens that now include 3-D and IMAX; nothing is perfect. But by converting the show into a series or mini-series you can incorporate more of the book(s) into the television show.
There might also be disappointments to some, like True Blood, but again you can’t please everyone. And yes, I did not care for the HBO series, sorry Superfan.
Hey since we’re charting these waters, let’s get into the magical world of remakes. Specifically there are movies already made, good or bad, that I think would benefit from being adapted into a mini-series. I think they would be better than the movies they were made into, for example L.A. Confidential and World War Z.
The very excellent L.A. Confidential written by James Ellroy is such a dense book with many more characters and subplots than they could fit into the movie that I think such a treatment via mini-series, especially on HBO or Showtime, could bring out even more exciting elements than in the movie. And I loved the movie; it launched the careers of Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce and made sure that I would give a second look at the very talented James Cromwell.
And the other book I think would be better off as a mini-series: World War Z. World War Z was probably the scariest book I have ever read. Not because of the zombies that almost took over the world. Nope, not that. What scares me so much about this book is that Max Brook got human nature down pat, we’re talking bureaucracy, short-sightedness, greed, incompetence, and stupidity that shows as evolved as we are, we’re not done yet. And if we don’t get it right, there is always another species or variation thereof ready to take our place. I saw the trailers for the big screen version of World War Z and honestly I didn’t care for it. *Spoilers ahead* I am not a fan of fast moving zombies and I read enough of the movie’s synopsis to know that Zack’s bite turns someone into a zombie immediately as opposed to the slow tension that patient zero caused in the first chapter. Also the storming of the Jerusalem wall (which in the book is shown to have been effective) and Brad’s cell phone going off at a pivotal moment just turned me off of the whole affair.
To really do as good a book as World War Z justice, I think a mini-series is not only essential but necessary. I even have a winning format for it, to have interviews at the beginning and end of each chapter to sandwich all the action and scenes. Much the way the great HBO mini-series Band of Brothers was done. Any television executives reading this, I’m willing to take a producer’s credit for this.
To finish this off we’ll go back to the beginning as I’ve decided to expand the question about which book I would like to see made into a movie or T.V. show. I will expand that search parameter to comic books. So my good friend Matt Wilson if you are reading, I would love to see DC comics convert the Unknown Soldier (mainly the Garth Ennis take on the character) into a movie or television series. I think it would be action oriented and just downright incredible.
So Superfan #99* and anyone else reading this, what short story, book, or comic book would you love to see turned into a movie, TV series, or mini-series?
*Two points if you get the reference