Subject: Movies they should make. From: Bert Date: 25 Apr 02 - 03:06 AM Seeing as we are discussing movies a lot recently. How about telling us... dunno what happened there, don't you just LOVE Microsoft.... about a movie that you'd like to see made. Maybe it's a book you've read or a story you've heard or even a plot that you've hatched up yourself. AND you think it would make a good movie. Here's a few of mine. Trapp's War by Brian Callison 73 North by Dudley Pope Wilt by Tom Sharpe Hot Ice by Nora Roberts It Can't always be Caviar By Johannes Mario Simmel |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Paul from Hull Date: 25 Apr 02 - 05:52 AM "The White Company", & "Sir Nigel" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (14th Century/Hundred Years War... & apparently what Conan Doyle would have liked to have been remembered for writing, rather than the Sherlock Holmes stuff) "Death To The French by C.S. Forester (Napoleonic - Peninsular War) & Sci-Fi, the "Hospital Station" Series by James White (think I got the name right) |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: RangerSteve Date: 25 Apr 02 - 05:58 AM Doyle's non-S.holmes books are scarce here in the US, but I did manage to find a copy of Sir Nigel, and yes, it would make a great movie. I vote for "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy O'Toole. I heard that it was tried, but too many relatives of the late author want too much money. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Paul from Hull Date: 25 Apr 02 - 05:58 AM ....just thought of another: "The Devils Of D-Day>" by Graham Masterton (its actually Horror really, & I'm sure they have filmed at least one other of Masterton's - "The Manitou" - though I've not even read the book of that, cos I'm not actually much of a 'Horror' fan) |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Paul from Hull Date: 25 Apr 02 - 06:04 AM Nice to know at least one copy has made it across 'The Pond', Steve! Dunno if you know, but 'Sir Nigel' was actually a 'prequel' to 'White Company' though written later (& I'd guess because Doyle's friends & fans ASKED him to). There are a couple of odd inconsistencies between the two books, & IMHO, 'White Company' is the better yarn of the two. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: The Walrus at work Date: 25 Apr 02 - 08:59 AM I'll throw in "Covanent With Death" by John Harris - an account of a Kitchener Battalion from formation to 1st July 1916 (based heavily on 1st Sheffield Pals) seen through the eyes of one member of the Bn. The "Brigadier Gerard" stories of Arthur Conan Doyle (there was a version in the late '60s, but it varied quite a lot from Doyle's books). "The Candlemas Road" by George MacDonald Fraser - an account of a "Road" or raid by rievers on the English-Scottish border in the 16th Century and the events surrounding it (the book is a lot better than I've made it sound). Walrus |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Peter T. Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:01 AM One problem is that so many movies have been made poorly of wonderful books, and they capture the territory for a long time. There are many horror movies that should be made properly. Someone should make "Frankenstein" one day. It would make a great movie done absolutely straight. Everyone who does it screws around with it. "Dracula" could be remade well too (Francis Coppola should have a stake driven through his heart). The original "Dracula" has some good qualities, but a faithful remake would be wonderful (the Whitby scenes in particular would be wonderful through special effects). "The Time Machine" could be an amazing film if done properly. "The Island of Dr. Moreau" is crying out to be made well. Moving away from horror. They should reunite the team that made "Last of the Mohicans" and make a few more Fenimore Coopers. Willa Cather's "My Antonia" would make a fine film. There is a desperate need for decent films of "The Great Gatsby" and "Tender is the Night". I think "Catcher in the Rye is unfilmable, but a film of the Glass family chronicles would be good. yours, Peter T. yours, Peter T. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Wincing Devil Date: 25 Apr 02 - 10:56 AM I'm currently reading The House of Sand and Fog by Anton Dubus. I find that when I'm reading a book, I'm casting the characters, usually with Hollywood actors. BTW: The Time Machine bombed, even though it was directed by H.G. Wells' grandson. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Wesley S Date: 25 Apr 02 - 11:11 AM "The Cowboy and the Cossak" written by Claire Huffaker. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: MMario Date: 25 Apr 02 - 11:35 AM "Rock Lobsteroids" - a horror film about mutant lobsters that go crazy and attack whenever exposed to rock music; it could be narrated by someone from Maine known for humour. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: kendall Date: 25 Apr 02 - 01:24 PM I should have known someone would blow my cover. My vote goes to SILVERLOCK by John Myers Myers. Most delightful piece of fiction I ever read. In a class by itself, which does not include the classics. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Amergin Date: 25 Apr 02 - 01:34 PM i always thought MacBeth would make a great gangster film...using Shakespeare's dialogue of course... and possibly Hamlet set in the business world... I remember a cartoon movie of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe....and think it would be wonderful if they continued it...through the next several books...
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Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Wesley S Date: 25 Apr 02 - 01:57 PM Come to think of it I always thought it was a shame that no one made a decent movie from any of the John D. MacDonald books about "salvage expert" Travis Magee. The only one I saw was made with Rod Taylor as Travis - and that was laughable. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: AliUK Date: 25 Apr 02 - 03:58 PM Wilt was made into a TV movie with Griff Rhys Jones as Wilt. Greenmantle by John Buchan would make an excellent movie especially if it's followed by it's sequel Mr. Standfast. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Amos Date: 25 Apr 02 - 04:21 PM There are several Mudcat Green Tea and Literary Society threads that should be made into full-length movies -- Spaw's Steamboat Thread, the Jukebox thread, the Mudcat Enterprise, Murder at the Folk Festival, LEJ's original Blake Madison Crossroads story, and the deathless Himalayan epic of Shangri-La. There is some really masterful writing in these things,e specially from LEJ, Jen, Kat and Peter T. May they always be preserved! I mean the writings, of course. A |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Midchuck Date: 25 Apr 02 - 04:35 PM The Matt Helm books by Donald Hamilton - done straight, with someone other than Dean Martin as Helm. Gawd save us. Sapir and Murphy's "Destroyer" series. They did one, and it was terrible, except that the guy who did Chuin got it right - Dale Grey, something like that. There's hope. They made a movie of "Dune" and it was awful; then recently the Sci-fi channel did it again as a mini-series, and that was a pretty good job, much more faithful to the book. Peter. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Amergin Date: 25 Apr 02 - 04:45 PM movies on the patrick macgill books....would love to see those... |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: The Walrus Date: 25 Apr 02 - 05:08 PM AliUK, Why stop at Greenmantle & Mr Steadfast, why not the whole Hanney series, there are about 5 of them if I recall (mind you, they'd have to start with a decent "39 Steps") Regards Walrus |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: michaelr Date: 25 Apr 02 - 07:10 PM I met George Lucas at a party once and suggested to him that "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever" (a double trilogy by Stephen R. Donaldson) would make a great movie. But he was too wrapped up in his silly "Star Wars" drivel to care. Oh well... BTW, they made a movie of "Lord of the Rings". Did you folks like that one? Michael |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Gareth Date: 25 Apr 02 - 07:53 PM Carefull John - C S Foresters books do not translate to cleverly to film - remember the Cary Grant/ Sophia Loren ?? version of "The Gun" filmed under its American Title "The Pride and the Passion" ?? Yuuuck! Or that travesty of the Hornblower triology, "Captain Hornblower RN" Though to be true Forester's film scripts, "The Africa Queen", and "Sink the Bismark" worked well. Incidently "Death to the French" was/is published as " As the "Adventures of Rifleman Dodd" in the USA of A. I would concur that 73' North deserves filming. If you are so minded if you purchase the computer game " Fighting Steel" by SSI you will find all 3 phases of that Convoy Action there to replay and see if you can do as well as the convoy escort. Ditto the Bismark chase, and some of the more interesting actions at Savo, and Ironbottom Sound. On a more humourous note lets see Pratchet on Film !! and the adventures of the Anhk - Morpork Night Watch. - Bob Hoskins as Mr Vimes ? Sean Connery as The Patrician ?? The laws of libel forbid me casting CMOT Dibbler. Gareth |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: RangerSteve Date: 25 Apr 02 - 07:54 PM Walrus and AliUK - you're right. The Buchan series would make an excellent series of films. Somehow they were available in the US, which rarely happens with British adventure novels. I don't understand how Hitchcock got his version of the 39 Steps from the book. There's almost no similarities. A good version of King Solomons Mines, one that's faithful to the book. Or a faithful version of "She". The one with Ursula Andress was a dud. Anything else that HR Haggard wrote. There's an obscure one of his called Eric Brighteyes, a Viking saga that I really like. And Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne - possibly the best adventure story ever written. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Bert Date: 26 Apr 02 - 03:09 AM I forgot, How about Desmond Bagley's "Golden Keel"? |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: RoyH (Burl) Date: 26 Apr 02 - 04:03 AM How about somebody making a GOOD film of 'Bound For Glory'? |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Grab Date: 26 Apr 02 - 11:48 AM Bert, I reckon just about any Desmond Bagley would work well. On that theme, I'd nominate one of the few good Alastair Maclean books, "The Last Frontier". "Guns of Navarone" could probably use a remake too, since they pulled a lot of it in the original film. Amergin, the BBC did a TV series of the Narnia books a few years back. Unfortunately CGI was still too expensive for TV to afford, so it didn't really work. Probably time for another go now. Stephen Donaldson's Gap into... series would be mindblowing, but I don't know if even modern CGI is up to it. Besides, the content just wouldn't make it past any censor anywhere. Re Prachett casting, I can't see anyone except Alan Rickman as the Patrician. Anyone else just doesn't compute. I think Brian Dennehy would make a superb Vimes - right size, build, temperament, etc - or he'd also make a good Fred Colon too. Maybe Patrick Swayze as Vimes - he can at least act reasonably well, and god knows he'd be cheap enough to hire these days. Kevin Spacey as Nobby, although an imp of devilment says it should be Tom Cruise in makeup. Carrot may be more difficult, bcos you need someone with muscles who can act, and that combination doesn't come up too often. But who to cast as Dibbler? I think Willem Dafoe. I think the real loser in films has been Stephen King. The guy's been writing for nearly 30 years, most of his books are actually pretty well-written, but the number of good films of his stuff you can count on the fingers of one hand. "Christine" in particular could be done so much better than the crappy B-movie it turned into. Graham. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: SINSULL Date: 26 Apr 02 - 12:22 PM I would love to see The Deptford Trilogy on film but only if it remained faithful to the books. Not likely to happen now that Robertson Davies is dead. My own contribution (I had always hoped to see Dirk Pitt handle this one): Recovery efforts, after the space shuttle disaster,turn up an extra leg. Who was the mystery passenger? Or could there have been a stowaway? Was it sabotage? |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: MMario Date: 26 Apr 02 - 12:42 PM 'Witches Abroad' would be phenomanal! |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: AliUK Date: 26 Apr 02 - 02:06 PM Walrus There was actually a Hannay TV series a few years ago with Robert Powell as the adventurous Mining Engineer, that was mildly good |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Mac Tattie Date: 26 Apr 02 - 02:30 PM ..bert, I'm glad someone else read and enjoyed the "Dover" series by Joice Porter, I also enjoyed her other dective the Honerable Constance, can't rember her full name it has been many years since I last read them. cheers. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Don Firth Date: 26 Apr 02 - 02:48 PM Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini. Pretty much scene by scene and as Sabatini wrote it (not something most movie companies are constitutionally capable of doing, even with unlimited budgets). To do this right would require a mini-series of some length, comparable to some seen on Masterpiece Theatre, because the novel is much too involved and complex to be done in a two or three hour feature movie. The story as Sabatini wrote it is a real gripper! There have been a couple of European versions that were way wide of the mark, and there was that Hollywood thingy in 1952 with Stewart Granger, Janet Leigh, and Mel Ferrer. This took a variation of the novel's major plot-twist (a real shocker in the novel) and turned the whole thing into a light-hearted romp. Among many other things that really need to be done right is the culminating duel scene between André-Louis Moreau and the Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr. It should not include running up and down stairs and swinging from chandeliers. In the novel, it was a formal duel, complete with seconds standing by, fought shortly after dawn in the Bois de Boulogne. The excitement came, not through lots of flashy action, but through sheer suspense. Each was a master swordsman and knew that the other was too. Add to this that the two primary women in the story were rushing to the dueling ground, each with an overwhelming reason why the duel had to be stopped. Look-alikes are essential, of course, but except for close-ups, the duel scene should be not be done by the two actors, nor by two stunt-men trained in the usual tricks of movie swordplay, but by two very good fencers. A real duel—armed with three feet of sharp steel and facing someone similarly armed—is enough to scare the poop out of anyone, without having to throw in stairs to run up and down, chandeliers to swing from, and rugs to slip on. In most movie duel scenes, the participants do things that no one in his right mind would do in a real duel, and they miss opportunities to dispatch their opponent and extricate themselves from a lethally dangerous situation just to do something stupid and flashy. I think Hollywood is incapable of filming a good, realistic duel scene (except that those in The Duellists (Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel, 1977) looked pretty realistic—but I don't think that was a Hollywood production—British, I think). Good duel scenes are a hobbyhorse of mine. I rarely see one. But in any case, Scaramouche would make a terrific mini-series if done right. Don Firth |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 26 Apr 02 - 02:52 PM I was pleased to see Hospital Station by James White got a vote. And I agree with Amos that there are some great films to be made from the Mudcat archives.
I don't know if there's ever been a serious attempt to make a film of Coleridge's Ancient Mariner, but it could be magnificent. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: MMario Date: 26 Apr 02 - 03:04 PM Count a second vote for Hospital Station ; some other SF books I would like to see as Movies would be Janet Kagan's 'Mirabile' and 'Hellspark' - both (if true to the books) would be marvelous! |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: The Walrus Date: 26 Apr 02 - 06:02 PM AliUk, Yes, I remember the "Hannay" series, it wasn't that bad, but it didn't really "hook" me, although I do seem to remember they did make an effort to get the right feel to it. Don,
The problem with "proper" duelling on screen is that, if portrayed properly, many of the viewers will either miss it or get bored. Just look what happens with two evenly matched middle weight range boxers are paired off. Often most of the match is spent in "feeling out" the opponent's weaknesses and the crowd get bored because "nothing's happening"). I seem to recall reading somewhere that even Roman gladiators were taught to fight with wide and "showy" blows (rather than tight and economic movements) so that the crowd could see something happening.
Of Pratchett novels: Regards Walrus |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Jim Dixon Date: 26 Apr 02 - 07:52 PM I nominate "The Death Ship" by B. Traven—the same guy who wrote "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre." It's a highly political novel, in the style of "The Jungle" or "The Grapes of Wrath" except the people being exploited by their bosses are sailors. The hero, a sailor, figures out in mid-voyage that the ship owners are planning to scuttle the ship for the insurance money. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 26 Apr 02 - 08:48 PM That reminds me of the Mary Ellen Carter - and that could be a great film.
And that mention of the Grapes of Wrath, which Woody Guthrie turned into the Ballad of Tom Joad makes me wonder if there are any other films that would make good songs. Some classic westerns would of course - Stagecoach for example. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Don Firth Date: 26 Apr 02 - 10:38 PM True, Walrus. But sad. In a good fencing match, there is a fair amount of eye-balling each other and tentative feints and false attacks in an effort to feel each other out or to set a deep-laid trap. Then, sudden, bursts of ferocious action. I guess to really appreciate it, you have to know what's going on, and not all that many people are into fencing. But still, ever without a well-done duel scene, Scaramouche as written is a helluva story. Don Firth |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: DonMeixner Date: 26 Apr 02 - 10:45 PM For my money the best sword battle bar none was between Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone in The Mark of Zorro. Both men were extremely skilled swordsmen and they made the show look real enough. It is fun to watch the different techniques employed in Zorro, Robin Hood and The Sea Hawks. Every thing from Foil, Epee, and Saber skills were used in one battle. Granted it was done for show but there was considerable skill displayed by most of the people invoilved. Errol Flynn was not a great swordsman but he was equal to most in Hollywood except for the few I have mentioned. Tony Curtis is not unskilled. Nor was James Mason. Neither is Eric Roberts. They don't make them like they use to. Except maybe for Rob Roy. I'd like to see a first rate job of The Glory Road done, a younger Liam Neeson would make a great Oscar but Bruce Campbell would be just fine too, Jennifer Connolly would do for Star, Bob Hoskins as Rufo would fill things out fine. Don Don
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Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: SINSULL Date: 27 Apr 02 - 01:29 PM "The Island Of Dr. Moreau" was remade I think with Michael York. Put me to sleep. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Don Firth Date: 27 Apr 02 - 01:32 PM Definitely the best sword fight in any movie was in The Mark of Zorro, 1940 version with Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone. Excellent fencing, and pretty close to by-the-book. Which shows how exciting a duel scene staged by really good fencers can be! The only problem (if it's a problem) with The Mark of Zorro duel scene was that it was way off historically. It was fought with sabers, which is okay, but the sabers they used were modern, lightweight fencing sabers--the kind tournament fencers use (not sharp, of course), and you can get one from a fencing equipment supplier for about $60.00 (about $10.00 back in 1940). The guard on Rathbone's saber looked like it was made of aluminum (in the early 1800s?), and my guess is that it was not from the prop-room, it was his own personal saber. The style Rathbone used was pure Hungarian-Italian (a 20th century style developed by Italo Santelli, who coached the Hungarian Olympic team). Power used basically the same style, but he was a little looser. They were both excellent fencers, but actually, Rathbone was the better of the two. I'm a real authenticity nut on this sort of thing, but the fencing was so good in this movie that even if it wasn't historically accurate, who the hell cares? I think that The Mark of Zorro amply demonstrates that a formal duel scene done by good fencers (foil fencers in this case, because Moreau and the Marquis were using French small-swords) could be very exciting. Actually, it's where the duel occurs in relation to the rest of the plot that makes it suspenseful. Sorry about the thread creep. I tend to get worked up sometimes. Don Firth
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Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Stephen L. Rich Date: 27 Apr 02 - 02:55 PM Somebody should do a decent re-make of "Bound For Glory". The existing one never managed to get inside Woody Guthries head. It just laundry-listed events. Also, being in Technicolor, it was too good looking for its own good. The scenes in the Hoovervilles and jungle camps looked like commercials for poverty. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: CapriUni Date: 27 Apr 02 - 03:38 PM A movie version of Shakespeare's Cymbeline would be Fanta-a-a-astic! Although, because it is hardly ever performed, and is probably the most obscure play he'd done, it probably never will be. However, the very things that make it such a diffecult play to produce and understand as a stage play are the same things that make it perfect for a contemporary movie: 1) The Settings: Numurous scene shifts within each act between first century BC British court, opulant palaces in Rome and the wilderness in the mountains of Wales (think of the cinematagraphy possibilities!). On the stage, granted, these quick change shifts (often, an act is only a few lines long) make it hard to follow on the stage (when a forest must often be represented by a single, cardboard tree), but audiences have come to expect such shifts in P.O.V and scene in movies -- indeed, if a movie does not have them, it comes across as slow and boring. 2) The Plot: Shakespeare borrowed from all his great tragedies for this one -- Hamlet, Othello, Romeo and Juliet -- and managed to give them all a happy ending. He also threw in one scene with Olympian Gods, and a major battle, with lots of running around and double-dealing. The happy ending at the end is a bit rushed and contrived, but isn't that a requirement for a blockbuster movie, these days? |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: allanwill Date: 27 Apr 02 - 05:10 PM I've always thought some of the traditional ballads such as Matty Groves or Tam Lin would make great movies. Allan |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Paul from Hull Date: 27 Apr 02 - 05:37 PM What about a half-decent version of 'Starship Troopers'? I can't believe that Heinlein would have been happy with the crude effort they did make... |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Peter T. Date: 27 Apr 02 - 06:30 PM The BBC Cymbeline was quite good and easily available. yours, Peter T. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 27 Apr 02 - 06:45 PM One book that most people have never heard of that would make a great film for kids - far better than Roald Dahl in my opinion - is The Twenty One Balloons. |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Nigel Parsons Date: 27 Apr 02 - 07:35 PM Wincing Devil: The latest "Time Macine" bombed. The 1960 version (almost) worked. Amergin: "The lion the witch and the wardrobe" was a reasonable cartoon version. (By "The Children's Television Workshop.[makers of Sesame Street]) but the BBC has since done a version as 'live action' for transmission on Sunday tea times which surpasses it by far. with a few sequals ! |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: CapriUni Date: 27 Apr 02 - 08:10 PM The BBC Cymbeline was quite good and easily available. Is this one of the series that the BBC did for a while, where they did every one of Shakespeare's plays? Back in the early '80's, I believe, PBS broadcaset that series -- a play every sunday afternoon. That's what got me hooked on Shakespeare (I found it for myself before formal education could ruin it for me. ;-)) I looked into buying a video of one of the BBC videos a few years ago, and the price came in at around $100!!! A little too rich for my blood... And I still think it would be great to see on the big screen... |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Sandy Paton Date: 27 Apr 02 - 11:24 PM I've always thought that Manley Wade Wellman's series of stories of John, the ballad hunter in the southern mountains who encounters the devil, witchcraft, and magic while seeking songs and whose guitar is strung with silver strings, etc., would make a great TV series (at least). These stories have been anthologized under the title Who Fears the Devil!. Too bad Paul Clayton is no longer with us. He would have made a perfect "John." Sandy |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: DonMeixner Date: 28 Apr 02 - 01:33 AM Paul, Heinlein's wife threatened to bring suit over it and wanted the Heinlein name removed from the credits. Don |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: JudeL Date: 28 Apr 02 - 06:23 AM Some of Tom Holt's books such as "Who's afraid of Beowulf would make great movies |
Subject: RE: BS: Movies they should make From: Paul from Hull Date: 28 Apr 02 - 10:16 AM Thanks for that Don.....I can't say I'm surprised! |