Quote - Asimovs  Foundation

 
Now yer talkin!!!!  This one gets my vote, the whole Foundation series in sequels would kick butt!
That or "The Gods Themselves"

Ooooo yes 
The Foundations series. Even the last in the series that wern't writen by him.

In a very loose way the first 2 books have been done. Bicentennial Man and IRobot have allready been made.
Man I just can't remember the name of the 3rd book in the series just before the Trilogy.The story line where the robots get the telepathic ability.

Asimov!  You've got it, wolf359.  But only if they could refrain from Hollywood-izing it.  I don't have a great deal of faith in the industry's ability to remain faithful to source material.  I mean, LOTR left out Tom Bombadil.  Jeepers.  I shudder to consider what they might omit/alter/add when treating Foundation....

Ok, so they left out Tom (which I agree, was a shame), but given the amount of story they DID pack in, and how long it took to watch it all (I'm thinking the complete director's cut versions, not just the original cinema releases), then how long do you think it would have run for if they'd put EVERYTHING in?

Plus, I'm not sure you can call Peter Jackson a 'hollywood-iser'. Given his land of origins and his maverick background, I think he's pretty clear of that particular setniment.

JonTheCelt

*"Plus, I'm not sure you can call Peter Jackson a 'hollywood-iser'."
*True.  I was unclear.  I guess my point is that even a remarkably faithful treatment still inevitably makes changes.  The omission of Tom wasn't so bad, but I think of the ways that Philip K. Dick and Asimov have been distorted in films (not to mention the various Batman treatments...), and I end up without much faith in seeing a decent treatment of a beloved story or character.  Which is why I wish a serious fan film could be undertaken for things like this....  If only!

Part of the problem of adapting a novel for fiml is that you have to leave bits out. A novel, even a reasonably lightweight one, would easily crack the three-hour running time which most people seem to get numb bums at. So parts have to be removed. And when you do that, there will always be some area of the fan-base who cry, "Hey, that was my favourite bit! You've completely destroyed the soul of the book/series!" Screenwriters and directors just have to learn to develop hard shells to deal with these comments.

As to the Philip K Dick stories - whilst I think that certain liberties have been taken regarding the story arc (and characterisation, and so many other things) in films based on his work, the one thing I have always found is that the world-setting has always been almost completely immersive. PKD films always seem to attract directors who have a 'thing' for creating believable worlds - Scott's future LA, for example, or Verhoeven's use of the media to create a setting that feels complete. As such, I've always found them entertaining films - even Paycheck!

I'm not sure you can really pass comment on the handling of the Batman franchise. Whilst some of the films have been utter stinkers (B&R, anyone?), the interpretations of the character have been fine. After all, in the 70-odd years of his career, the comic book version has evolved and adapted in all sorts of way, and has been drawn (and written) in a vast number of styles. I loved the Burton films - but I do think that Nolan managed to knock them into a cocked hat!

JonTheCelt

Quote - As to the Philip K Dick stories - whilst I think that certain liberties have been taken regarding the story arc (and characterisation, and so many other things) in films based on his work, the one thing I have always found is that the world-setting has always been almost completely immersive. PKD films always seem to attract directors who have a 'thing' for creating believable worlds - Scott's future LA, for example, or Verhoeven's use of the media to create a setting that feels complete. As such, I've always found them entertaining films - even Paycheck!JonTheCelt

After seeing "A Scanner Darkly", I am convinced that you don't need a big budget and lots of CGI for most PKD novels. Most of his books have only one or two little bits of tech, or are in claustriphobic environments (interior of a spaceship). I actually felt that "A Scanner Darkly" was truer to the author than Bladerunner, Total Recall etc.

I would love someone to do a live action version of Ubik, which is my favorite PKD novel.

As to CG movies -- almost anything (other than the cut-ups) by William S. Burroughs would be good. Another good one which would practicaly have to be CG is Asimov's "The Gods Themselves",with its aliens. I'd also like to see Abott's "Flatland".

I thought Scanner was the most CG-heavy of the PKD films so far, since the whole thing was digitally rotoscoped to give it its characteristic look. OR are you saying that the look was unneccesary, and didn't need to have been used to convey a true vision of PKD's work?

JonTheCelt

Quote - > Quote - Wow.  I'm surprised there are so may Belgariad fans around here.  I was always a bit embarassed about having liked that series so much.

Big fan of Beldin, here.  I admire his style.

one scene I'd love to see, animated, acted whatever..

Feldegast just stopping the fight in Torak's throne room by jugging... sumersaulting into the air and landing as Beldin and the balls becoming Fireballs....

that scene made me a real fan of Beldin :)

Something giant, something that conveys the "vastness of space and time." The Star Wars universe was very small and cozy, kinda like a Western . . . yes, there's a giant desert out there, but there's only one saloon in town.

The only film which ever really made me feel that was the original "Alien". Being a kid, seeing that in 1979 or so . . . wow. Scared the heck out of us, but the sense of mystery was even better than the scare factor.

Two books that have the "vibe" to them:

"Rendezvous with Rama" -- Strangely, Arthur C. Clarke hasn't been filmed since 2001 (though "Independance Day" did owe something to "Childhood's End")

Gregory Benford-- "Against the Sea of Suns" would be a good example, though there are many more.

Dragonlance novels, GG Kay's Fionavar Trilogy and umm The Mirror of Her Dreams by Stephen Donaldson.  I added a quote below about Mirror of Her Dreams. :) -DR

Quote From Amazon.com:

"The daughter of rich but neglectful parents, Terisa Morgan lives alone in a New York City apartment, a young woman who has grown to doubt her own existence. Surrounded by the flat reassurance of mirrors, she leads an unfulfilled life—until the night a strange man named Geraden comes crashing through one of her mirrors, on a quest to find a champion to save his kingdom of Mordant from a pervasive evil that threatens the land. Terisa is no champion. She wields neither magic nor power. And yet, much to her own surprise, when Geraden begs her to come back with him, she agrees.

Now, in a culture where women are little more than the playthings of powerful men, in a castle honeycombed with secret passages and clever traps, in a kingdom threatened from without and within by enemies able to appear and vanish out of thin air, Terisa must become more than the pale reflection of a person. For the way back to Earth is closed to her. And the enemies of Mordant will stop at nothing to see her dead."

"Childhood's End"

"Stranger in a Strange Land"

Uh........Bleak House by Charles Dickens.......?  War and Peace?  I wonder how well a CG version of Pride & Prejudice would go over?

I would like to see Phantastes by George MacDonald in CG.  For those who don't know, George MacDonald was the forerunner of writers like Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.  MacDonald's work heavily influenced both men.  Tolkien might have been the father of modern fantasy -- but MacDonald was the grandfather.

http://www.amazon.com/Phantastes-George-MacDonald/dp/0802860605

*"Rendezvous with Rama" -- Strangely, Arthur C. Clarke hasn't been filmed since 2001 (though "Independance Day" did owe something to "Childhood's End")

uh uh there was 2010. *

I would like a live action "Household Gods by Judith Tarr and Harry Turtledove", a children's movie of Sabriel by Garth Nix, and a CGI version of Neuromancer by William Gibson

Philip Jose Farmer's " A Barnstormer in OZ "

OK, so most of his books could be done in CG. LOL.

I'm going to take this to a new level of childishness, but I for one would love to see a Thunder Cats CGI movie :).

Any novel by William Gibson, but especially Idoru, which is about a virtual pop music star followed by a rabid bunch of cyberfans linked through a Second Life-type community, although I understand someone may be developing an anime version. Gibson's most recent novel, Pattern Recognition (a bestseller), is apparently being made into a movie. Gibson is one of the founders of the cyberpunk literary movement. Bono and The Edge are big fans. Some of you may know Gibson as the author of Neuromancer (another good topic for a CG movie, it was the first novel to win all three major science fiction book awards). I think it was as visionary as any novel published in the last 25 years. In their 1990 novel The Difference Engine, he and Bruce Sterling helped popularize the "steampunk" idea -- advanced science mixed with 19th-century design and mentality. The theme has made its way into a number of Poser props, costumes and figures as well as the actual name of a Poser vendor. SS

I just read Terry Pratchetts "Bromeliad Trilogy".  I would LOOOOVE to see this in 3d!

'Truckers' was done by Cosgrove Hall in the 90's, as a stop motion animation. Whether there were plans at the time to also make 'Diggers' and 'Wings', I don't know, but they certainly never surfaced. Still, if you can find copies of the original one, they're well worth a watch, Connie.

JonTheCelt

Moorcock's DANCERS AT THE END OF TIME books. Witty, stylish, tons of opportunities for some wild visuals.

Quote - 'Truckers' was done by Cosgrove Hall in the 90's, as a stop motion animation. ......
JonTheCelt

I didn't know that! I'm finding some info on it... very cool :)
http://www.toonhound.com/truckers2.htm

IMHO Michael Moorecock's "Jewel In The Skull" series warrant a great CG film.

I also second beryld's call for Frank Herbert's "The Jesus Incident."

Finally, I'd love to see a CG adaptation of Marvel Comics' Adam Warlock series. That'd really float my boat.

Quote - > Quote - > Quote - Wow.  I'm surprised there are so may Belgariad fans around here.  I was always a bit embarassed about having liked that series so much.

Big fan of Beldin, here.  I admire his style.

one scene I'd love to see, animated, acted whatever..

Feldegast just stopping the fight in Torak's throne room by jugging... sumersaulting into the air and landing as Beldin and the balls becoming Fireballs....

that scene made me a real fan of Beldin :)

Oh I'd love to see the Belgariad brought to life. But the whole connection between the Belgariad and the Mallorean was addressed by the Mallorean itself. : )  

Its feels like the same, because it was supposed to be the same because the original Prophecy became broken, and thus repeated itself until it could be set on course, which could only be accomplished by one aspect of the Prophecy overcoming the other. : )

It's not the Belgariad feeling like the Malloreon that was the problem... it was the Elenium/Tamuli feling like the Belgariad/Malloreon... :)

JonTheCelt

I just found "Truckers" the movie. Very cool looking! I love Terry Pratchett's works. Can't wait to watch this!

Michael Marshall Smith's Only Forward, Spares and One Of Us.
Iain M Banks's Use Of Weapons, Excession, Consider Phlebas, Inversions and Against A Dark Background.
Jeff Noon's Vurt and Pollen.

I'll second the suggestion of Niven's Ringworld, with the exception of the Ringworld Throne, which I thought was complete pants.  Protector would have to be done, to make sense of Ringworld Engineers.

Quote - I just found "Truckers" the movie. Very cool looking! I love Terry Pratchett's works. Can't wait to watch this!

Where, where? Do tell?  I didn't find it yet!

Quote - Any novel by William Gibson, but especially Idoru, which is about a virtual pop music star followed by a rabid bunch of cyberfans linked through a Second Life-type community, although I understand someone may be developing an anime version. Gibson's most recent novel, Pattern Recognition (a bestseller), is apparently being made into a movie. Gibson is one of the founders of the cyberpunk literary movement. Bono and The Edge are big fans. Some of you may know Gibson as the author of Neuromancer (another good topic for a CG movie, it was the first novel to win all three major science fiction book awards). I think it was as visionary as any novel published in the last 25 years. In their 1990 novel The Difference Engine, he and Bruce Sterling helped popularize the "steampunk" idea -- advanced science mixed with 19th-century design and mentality. The theme has made its way into a number of Poser props, costumes and figures as well as the actual name of a Poser vendor. SS

Much as I like Gibson's work, I shied away from mentioning it.  Remeber Johnny Mnemonic? Bleah.

I think Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is still the best example of how to make a CGI movie (rather than a movie with CGI effects). You can't get away from the human actors. CGI sets are getting much more common. CGI characters, animated and lip-synced to real actors, are even getting into TV. How about The Atrocity Archive?