Stranger In a Strange Land (1 Viewer)

Jim Williams · Apr 20, 2003

I thought that I heard a few years ago that this (Stranger In a Strange Land) was going to be made into a movie, but I haven't seen or heard anything more about this. Does anyone know if this is still in the works or whether it ever was?

Phil Florian · Apr 20, 2003

I remember a long while back Tom Hanks showing an interest but now he would be a bit old for Smith but too young for Jubal. Maybe when he is a bit older? I really wonder how well this book would translate today as a film. I haven't read it in about 10 years but when I did, I thought it seemed a bit of a product of its time vs. some of his other works. Just my opinion. I doubt the serious misogyny of the novel would survive to the screen, in any case. Still, any science fiction that makes its way to the big screen is fine by me!

Phil

Eric F · Apr 20, 2003

Hopefully they'll be smart and set it in the 60s.

The book was such a part of the Hippie/counterculture/free-love movement it's hard to see it set in modern times- It would actually defeat the whole point.

Grok that?

Ben Seibert · Apr 20, 2003

This would be great as long as it is more faithful to the book than ST (but then again, what isn't?).

Jack Briggs · Apr 21, 2003

There were rumors even as far back as 1968/1969 that the novel was on its way to the big screen. I don't think it's ever going to be made into a film. Even Robert Heinlein should have known better in 1961 than to posit that intelligent life could exist on Mars. Also, though Stranger is strongly identified with the 1960s Counterculture, it's an association that Heinlein loathed (he was as hawkish as they come).

Patrick Sun · Apr 21, 2003

And yet, I could see someone like Val Kilmer in the Michael Valentine Smith role, and maybe Daniel Benzali as Jubal.

RobertR · Apr 21, 2003

Yes, so many changes would have to be made to the story that there would be no point other than name recognition in keeping the title.

TheLongshot · Apr 21, 2003

Yes, so many changes would have to be made to the story that there would be no point other than name recognition in keeping the title.

And to be honest, it would look a lot like other similar films. ("Meet Joe Black" comes to mind.)

As much as I'd like to see one, I don't think any film version would do the book justice.

Jason

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Henry Gale · Apr 21, 2003

Did you remember to dress?

Eric F · Apr 21, 2003

Heinlein should have known better in 1961 than to posit that intelligent life could exist on Mars.

That wasn't the point. You could say the same about any work of fiction.

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RobertR · Apr 21, 2003

You could say the same about any work of fiction.

No you can't. Labeling a work as fiction does not absolve you of the responsibility to remain in accordance with scientific fact. It really ISN'T that difficult to write a fictional work that respects science.

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Steve Schaffer · Apr 21, 2003

I don't think this could be done as a theatrical movie without cutting out way too much.

Stephen King's The Stand couldn't be done as a 2 or 3 hour feature, but the miniseries despite or perhaps partly because of it's lower production values (no huge stars or fancy cgi to muck things up) was excellent.

I could see Stranger in a Strange Land being done as a miniseries on Sci-Fi channel perhaps.

The book is more than a little anachronistic in it's attitudes towards women, though Jubal's secretarial pool could really kick ass. This would have to be handled carefully for a tv version, but I think if Nick Garris (sp?) and the team that's done the recent King miniseries like The Stand, Storm of the Century, and Rose Red got a crack at it the result could be quite good.

Eric F · Apr 21, 2003

No you can't. Labeling a work as fiction does not absolve you of the responsibility to remain in accordance with scientific fact. It really ISN'T that difficult to write a fictional work that respects science.

I can't argue with logic like that. I think you need to look up "fiction" in the dictionary.

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RobertR · Apr 21, 2003

I think you need to look up "fiction" in the dictionary.

I think you need to understand that "fiction" does not mean you get to make up your own physical laws without explanation.

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Phil Florian · Apr 21, 2003

I think you need to understand that "fiction" does not mean you get to make up your own physical laws without explanation.

Yes it does.

Phil

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Eric F · Apr 21, 2003

Robert- you're the first person I've ever come across who thought "Stranger" was meant to be "Hard" SF.

Dan Rudolph · Apr 21, 2003

Yes it does.

No it doesn't.

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Patrick Sun · Apr 22, 2003

Aren't we confusing "fiction" with "fantasy"?

RobertR · Apr 22, 2003

Aren't we confusing "fiction" with "fantasy"?

Exactly, Patrick. Stranger is supposed to belong to the science fiction genre, not fantasy. "Soft" SF is not the same thing as "fantasy".

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Eric F · Apr 22, 2003

Fiction is imaginary. There are sub-classifications, but ultimately the only laws it follows are the ones emerging from the author's mind.

I don't understand how you read fiction if you're always struggling with "that's impossible" type of thoughts. The fact that he set it in modern day times might be confusing, but I take it for what it is. Who cares if Smith came from Mars, Jupiter or Pluto? That's besides the point.

Now if Heinlein claimed Stranger was based on fact, I'd have a bone to pick with him...

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