Sci-fi books and comics that should be made into films. - by SubJeff
Vivian on 10/9/2012 at 16:25
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
I was given Consider Phelbas and I didn't see what the fuss was. It was so forgettable I can't remember anything about it.
THAT'S JUST LIKE, YOUR OPINION, MAN
That IS the first book anyway, and there are no direct sequels, so you didn't read it out of order or anything. Player of Games and Use of Weapons (particularly Use of Weapons) are a lot better, although I really like Consider Phlebas, it is a pretty generic space opera. Player of Games is about board games and social engineering - the Cultures outreach/indoctrination branch sends it's best board-game player, a socially and sexually awkward narcissist, to gain leverage in a stagnating, decadent society that ranks it's civil leadership by their ability to play space chess. It is really good, but still has a bit of a flash gordon vibe to it sometimes. Evil emperors, sexy aliens, sarcastic drones etc.
Use of Weapons (probably my favorite), however, is a bit different. It's a long, weirdly disjointed and quite disturbing memoir of a culture special-ops commando trying (and failing) to overcome and get closure on his repetitively lethal role in life. It's quite sad, and about as close as Ian Banks' typical themes of death and irretrievable loss have got to appearing in an Ian M Banks book. Read that and see if you still don't enjoy them. That's the first one I read, and I was really, really impressed.
ALSO, with regards to OP, Nemesis is a bit too fucking flat-out weird to make a film out of, I reckon. I mean, it started out as a comic-book companion to the Jam's 'going underground', and the back story never really got any less arbitrary. The ABC/Nemesis cross-over Bisley drew (black hole something or other) is fucking BOSS, but mainly because its bisley at his (IMHO) absolute creative peak, and the visual storytelling just steamrollers any weaknesses in the writing. Stronty Dogs would be interesting, but I've always felt johnny alpha was a bit too similar to Dredd with glowing eyes sometimes. And I've always kind of imagined ollie reed playing Wulf, but he's dead now.
One 2000AD strip I think would make a fucking brilliant tv series would be Button Man.
Thirith on 10/9/2012 at 16:36
Quote Posted by Subjective Effect
I was given Consider Phelbas and I didn't see what the fuss was. It was so forgettable I can't remember anything about it.
So obscenely fat cannibal guy didn't leave a trace?
DaBeast on 10/9/2012 at 16:37
I haven't got through all of the Culture stuff yet, Consider Phlebas was pretty good and I've got Use of Weapons and Player of Games on ebook.
The Algebraist is still my favourite sci-fi novel though. TBH I don't really see any of his books being turned to film, they're just too weird. I've found that the best characters in Iain Banks books tend to be the AI. Excession is a fine example.
Peter Hamilton's Pandora's Star/Judas Unchained could work as a tv show. As could Asimov's Foundation series
SubJeff on 10/9/2012 at 16:37
Hmm. I seem to have misplaced it or I'd give it another go.
LarryG on 10/9/2012 at 17:52
The problem is that there are so many ways that bad production, direction and /or screenplay adaptation can ruin a well written /plotted book when making it into a movie. There are so many superb stories out there that I would hate to see botched. I hesitate to name any, for fear that someone in the industry would take note and create more films like "One Million Years B.C." out of them.
Now a sensitive indie production company could do something with The Forever War by Joe Haldeman ...
Quote:
On October 12, 2008, Ridley Scott confirmed that after a 25 year wait for the rights to become available, he is making a return to science fiction with a film adaptation of the book.[12]
In March 2009, Scott confirmed that the film would be in 3D citing James Cameron's Avatar as an inspiration for doing so. "I'm filming a book by Joe Haldeman called Forever War. I've got a good writer doing it. I've seen some of James Cameron's work, and I've got to go 3D. It's going to be phenomenal."[13][14]
In the summer of 2010, Scott revealed that State of Play scribe Matthew Michael Carnahan, was currently on the fourth draft of a screenplay originally written by Blade Runner scribe David Peoples.[15][16]
Oh well.
Now Ursala Le Guin's Four Ways to Forgiveness, could be a very sensitive, moving, and timely movie. Though the racial aspects might not get through the censors. It wouldn't be flashy SciFi, with technology front and center, but a thoughtful treatment could result in a movie which encourages thought and discussion.
SubJeff on 10/9/2012 at 18:08
Well I've been trying to get through a bunch of the Sci-Fi Masterworks series over the past few years and there are some great books in there, not all of which would make good films.
I'm reading Flow My Tears The Policeman Said and Winters End.
From the list I've read:
Dying Inside
Rendezvous With Rama
Red Planet
Flowers For Algernon <3 <3 <3
The Drowned World
Ubik
Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Do Androids Dream...
And some others I can't remember right now. They aren't all suitable for adaptation. Red Planet is balls and The Drowned World, much as I love it, just wouldn't do. Dying Inside wouldn't be a sci-fi film as such, given it's subject matter. But that is one awesome book that every man over 30 should read (and not before!).
I have waiting for me:
Eon
The Demolished Man
We Can Remember It For You Wholesale (the collection)
The Book of Skulls
The Forever War
The Simulacra
The Lathe of Heaven
I'm sure I won't like them all, but there is SUCH a mine of ideas here that it boggles! I'll make The Forever War my next one (and tbh I don't think I'll be finishing Winters End).
Vivian. Yeah, I read that it's getting good reviews and apparently uses the 3D and slo-mo to great effect. That sold me, and we're heading off to iMax now. Review later :p
Vasquez on 10/9/2012 at 18:20
There actually is a movie based on
Flowers For Algernon, (
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062794/) Charly. It's an old movie though, and to be honest, I loved the novel but the movie was... weird.
I'd love to see movies of Margaret Atwood's
Oryx and Crake and
The Year of the Flood. Maybe rolled into one story, although that might be a screenwriter's nightmare.
nicked on 10/9/2012 at 20:01
Can I just say... Iain M Banks. Not Ian. And yes, ideally read Use of Weapons before making your mind up.
Vivian on 10/9/2012 at 20:50
Oops, yeah. That dude. Oryx and Crake would make a brilliant film, I also think. Year of the Flood might be a little more difficult, it's not as focused.
