Monday, November 10, 2008

8 SF Novels that Should Be Filmed

I agree with several of these.

Topless Robot - The 8 Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books Which Most Desperately Need Movies: "Despite Hollywood’s obvious lack of ideas—see the onslaught of remakes, comic book and toy-based movies and sequels that are clogging your favorite multiplex—it has consistently overlooked some killer opportunities for adaptation among the ranks of classic science fiction and fantasy. These are time-tested, fan-approved intellectual properties, ripe for the plucking."

8 comments:

Randy Johnson said...

All good properties. But considering Hollywood's track record, I would fear for any of them.
Like you, I've been waiting for John Carter for years. It probably will never happen though.

Fred Blosser said...

I don't know about "overlooked" -- haven't John Carter and Stranger in a Strange Land been eyed by Hollywood? Publicity indicates that Pixar plans to release a John Carter movie in 2012 -- though like you and Randy, I'll believe it when I see it.

Cap'n Bob said...

The follow on to this post will be Eight S-F Movies That Shouldn't Have Been Filmed Because They Didn't Follow the Books."

Toby O'B said...

I added my choice to that list - Larry Niven's "Integral Trees"/"Smoke Ring" books. I think it would work easily as a CGI production.

Jayme Lynn Blaschke said...

Actually, that's a list of 8 SF novels that should NEVER be filmed. Most have abstract concepts at their core that couldn't be translated. High Castle would probably be about the American resistance throwing off the Japanese occupation. Starring a smart-mouthed Will Smith.

The Barsoom stuff being an obvious exception...

Anonymous said...

Yes, that's an excellent selection, although JLB has a good point.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the link, Bill, I enjoyed the list and all the following ideas and suggestions.

I think it's interesting that computer SX-graphics, just what the Carter on Mars books need to look the way most of us would like to see them, seem to make a film more expensive rather than less so.

All that said, Randy is right, I'd fear for any film based on a book I love. There are just too many compromises required to put a novel or short story into movie format.

mybillcrider said...

Me, too, but that being said, I'd still like for someone to give the John Carter series a try.