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What adaptation would make you cringe?
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I'd like to think that both Ridley Scott and James Cameron could do almost any SF book very well. I can't think of any that they could not--except maybe Stranger in a Strange Land--very talky, litle action.
Roland Emmerich making The Foundation series into a movie? Hell, no!An adaptation we keep hearing about is Ender's Game. If it ever comes out, I'm not going to watch it. Ever. Apart from being my favorite sci-fi book, it's also impossible to deliver the same message and find a child capable of acting the way Ender did in the book.
Michael Bay directing anything written by Arthur C. Clarke, or anything written by...
LOL Maxime. Yeah it scares me to think someone would do Ender's Game..also one of my long time faves. It seems ripe for movie adaptation however, I'm surprised they haven't done it yet. I have a grudge regarding anyone doing Asimov in film- its seems like other authors get better representation in film ..like..Philip K. Dick for example.
SubterraneanCatalyst wrote: "LOL Maxime. Yeah it scares me to think someone would do Ender's Game..also one of my long time faves. It seems ripe for movie adaptation however, I'm surprised they haven't done it yet.
I have a ..."
Agreed, Every attempt to make Asimov's books into film has been a disaster. I cringed all the way through "I Robot".
I have a ..."
Agreed, Every attempt to make Asimov's books into film has been a disaster. I cringed all the way through "I Robot".
Lemme ask the question: has anyone ever seen a good adaptation of a Steven King novel? To me they've all been pretty good books, and the films ranged from generic to horribly unwatchable.
Joe wrote: "Lemme ask the question: has anyone ever seen a good adaptation of a Steven King novel? To me they've all been pretty good books, and the films ranged from generic to horribly unwatchable."The Shining wasn't too bad, in my opinion. Jack Nicolson really nailed the creepy, deranged character part. And, while The Stand was pretty good, too, I didn't think Gary Sinise really fit the lead character's role.
Unfortunately Nicholson was creepy and deranged before he was supposed to be.Misery was a great film from a King novel. 1408 and The Mist were really good too.
I agree the Mist and Misery were great adaptations as was Stand By Me which a lot of people forget about. I think The Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption were also great.
I've not read the book, but I did really love Shawshank Redemption.
I like Shawshank Redemption, The Shining and The Green Mile movies. I must be one of those few people that has never finished a Stephen King novel. I tried reading one of his books years ago but horror is not my thing so i stopped halfway, don't even remember what the name of the book was.
That one has many mediocre review's. I think i would rather try his Dark Tower series i have heard alot of good stuff about that one. It's a long way down my tbr list though.
That's surprising. Maybe people were expecting something else. I loved it...I was more into fantasy at the time I read it even though I was reading his other work.
Irs kind or recquired reading for Dark Tower too. There are elements that relate to that series and The Stand.
I actually think it wouldn't be impossible to make a decent Ender's Game movie, not that they would. Asimov's Foundation books could in theory work as a tv show, repeat, in theory. The movie I cannot picture at all is Speaker for the Dead. I kinda picture ewoks running around and talking, cringe.
Yeah...that could be so unbelievably bad.
@ Traci: I promise you if they made The Foundation books the movies would be awful. I just don't trust Hollywood with it.
Oh no I don't trust Hollywood but I could picture a decent cable show IF done correctly, but I doubt it would be.
Traci wrote: "I actually think it wouldn't be impossible to make a decent Ender's Game movie, not that they would. Asimov's Foundation books could in theory work as a tv show, repeat, in theory. The movie I cann..."I know they've been trying to do Enders Game movie since the 90's, but never got the sign of from the author. As always in Hollywood, they couldn't imagine any movie without a romantic story. From what I hear, Orson Scot Card wouldn't approve the script. God bless him. Imagine Ender's Game where this prepubescent military genius has to survive the military school and kiss the girl while trying not to go insane from the pressure of winning every battle and fear of his brother..
Lethal People would be a frightening movie. I'm not sure it would translate well to the big or little screen.
Stanley Kubrick making 2001 a space odyssey. Oh wait, that already happened didnt it? DARN!
Well the 2001 novel isnt nearly as unclear as the movie. But yes, the reason I disslike the movie too is that its just slow and boring. Very beautiful movie tho. 2010 wasnt the closest of adaptations but it was a much better movie to me.
Will Smith doing a blockbuster version of the I, Robot stories.Oh wait...
Or Starship Troopers done by Archie comics...
@ Susinok, omg, don't even get me ranting about "Yo Robot" GRRR.
This may sound cynical but I honestly cringe anytime I see an announcement for an adaption. The talk from a few months ago of adapting King's The Dark Tower was especially cringe-worthy.
I have to give a shout out to The Bicentennial Man by Heinlein. That is an adpatation that they did correctly. It was with Robin Williams.
SubterraneanCatalyst wrote: "@ Susinok, omg, don't even get me ranting about "Yo Robot" GRRR."I refused to see it.
emmerich directing Foundation. I know it's been mentioned, but it's impossible to imagine a worse idea.
Bicentennial Man was a good movie. Forget hollywood if Park Chan Wook had been given the chance to do Ender's Game with enough money, he would do a much better job then most american filmmakers. Christopher Nolan is the one american director i would trust with an Ender's Game movie.
Not all adaptations are bad as long as you are willing to look at it from a different standpoint. I'm pretty forgiving when I see a movie, but I've learned to tell myself beforehand that "ok, this is a different thing entirely."Most cringeworthy adaptations - I would HATE to see Dragonriders of Pern, and I think Dan Simmon's novels would absolutely fail! Simmons' books are so amazingly complex that any attempt to make them into a movie would be so confusing or it would come out completely trite.
Then you have books that were written after the movie. The Last Starfighter is one of my favorite cult movies, the book was written based on the movie, and it.was.awful.
You definitely have to look at it as a different medium, otherwise you aren't going to like anything. The only thing I really care about is that the essence of the work be true. I don't care too much if plot details are changed; why would I want to watch the same thing I read anyway?
Becky wrote: "Not all adaptations are bad as long as you are willing to look at it from a different standpoint. I'm pretty forgiving when I see a movie, but I've learned to tell myself beforehand that "ok, this ..."Ahhh Dan Simmons, my other cringe moment of 2011...Bradley Cooper announcing that he wanted to direct and write the screenplay for the Cantos adaption.
WHAT?! No. Never. It can't be done.I think I just had nightmares!
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Books mentioned in this topic
The Eyes of the Dragon (other topics)Lethal People (other topics)
I know there are a group of people out there that thinks along the lines of "Some book fans are too snobby and picky and no movie adaptation will ever please them" and then there are people like myself that feel that until a director has the wherewithal to imbue his adaption of a beloved book with finesse, passion, care and creativity they can uh you know..not make the movie in the first place dammit!!
So what favorite Sci Fi books of yours would cause fanboy/girl anxiety and quite possibly force you to do something dorky and sign online petitions against said movie adaptation?
For me, I read a rumor on the net that Roland Emmerich, the director of illustrious movies like "2012" is going to make The Foundation series into a movie. I can verily see myself creating protest posters and traveling to CA to protest this upcoming sacrilege!
Thoughts?