Books that made you say: "This Should be a Movie" (1 Viewer)

[Matt<>Broon]

The Master of Rain by Tom Bradby.

Why this hasn't been taken up I don't know. Especially since colonial asia seems to be all the rage right now.

Perhaps I should pitch it to someone.

 

[Malcolm R]

Neither did I, but I held a copy in my hands this past weekend in a big chain bookstore and the webstores say "ships in 24 hours."

 

[Eman_Ramos]

For those that don't know, they're making one of the Dirk Pitt novels, "Sahara", into a movie:

Here's the link

I'm kinda excited about this, only because I grew up reading Cussler, and just now am starting to read them again.

And guess who's Dirk Pitt? Matthew McConaughey...I don't know what to think about that. Other than, that wasn't who I envisioned as DP. But I am having fun trying to cast the other characters (Giordino, Sandecker, etc.).

 

[Brook K]

Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melibone could be an excellent fantasy series and would offer a "hero" unlike any seen on the screen before.

Moorcock's Hawkmoon series could also be cool with its fantasy/sci-fi mix.

It could never be made because of cost and politics but I was always interested in WWIII type scenarios and one of my favorites is Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising

 

[TheLongshot]

Actually I really liked Enchantment, I think it's his most recent great novel (his other stuff has been only average of late)

That's basically how I describe this book. At the halfway point, it becomes very predictable. It is one of those things that once you know everything, it loses its magic.

Jason

 

[Patrick McCart]

Buster Keaton's autobiography, "My Wonderful World of Slapstick."

 

[Neil Joseph]

The movies could never do them justice...

- Nightfall (Isaac Asimov)
- The Ugly Little Boy (Isaac Asimov)
- The Rowan (Anne McCaffrey)
- Lyon's Pride (Anne McCaffrey)
- Damia's Children (Anne McCaffrey)
- Damia (Anne McCaffrey)

 

[Jim_C]

I've always wanted to see Stephen King's Dark Tower series in film form.

Enders Game would make a great movie.

Song of Ice and Fire would be awesome.

LOTR

 

[Lew Crippen]

A good many novels written in the 19th Centaury.

 

[Adam_D]

The Death Gate Cycle - Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman

The Dragonlance Chronicles books by Weiss and Hickman (Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, Dragons of Spring Dawning, etc.)

Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

and more of Dean Koontz stuff to hit film.



adam

 

[Terry St]

Wheel of Time: Peter Jackson is a GOD. I never thought LOTR could be done, and done well. I'm just to cynical to believe lightning would strike twice. Besides, this story is just too long to be done right.

Some of the WoT books are excellent. Some are not. One thing is undisputable though: they are looooonnnng!!! On that we are in agreement. Jordan's WoT series is perhaps better suited to several not-so-mini-series than it is to feature films. There is just too much material to tackle and Jordan is still adding to it! Any feature film adaptation of WoT would almost have to be an original story entirely unrelated to the novels. That or it would have a dangling end to set up the mother of all sequel franchises. Hell, who knows if the books will ever actually end!!? Jordan seems intent on bequeathing an ongoing series well into book #40 to his children.

-----

Two books that stick out in my mind...

"Neuromancer" by William Gibson: This is the original genre-starting and still untopped cyberpunk thriller. Done right, a movie based on this book would make the Matrix movies look like boring gutter-trash. It's a shame nobody's been interested in adapting Gibson's work to the silver screen since one of his short story's was used as the basis for the woefully incompetent "Johnny Mnemonic". (I'm sorry, but it wasn't a particularly good short. The presence of an ex-military cyborg dolphin in it really should have tipped people off. Amazingly, the film was even worse!)

"Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman: This book has Terry Gilliam written all over it, but could probably be good if made by someone else too. I actually read some rumors that Gilliam was working on it at some point, but haven't seen any updates recently. The basic concept sounds pretty dull. The Antichrist is born but, due to a mix-up at the hospital, he winds up being raised as a normal kid. The apocalypse has come, complete with the four horsemen as well as some biker-gang tagalongs, but the Antichrist sort of likes things as they are... Honestly, the book is much better than it sounds. It is one of the all-time most hilarious pieces of fiction I've ever read. It's right up there with "Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy", which apparently is getting the silver screen treatment soon too.

 

[Adam_D]

Also i forgot Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson


Adam

 

[TheLongshot]

However, nothing whatsoever will be done about casting or hiring until after the script is finished. The film's release will not be scheduled until the script is fully agreed upon AND the director has finished his next film. So it will certainly be at least two years and more likely three, maybe even four years before the film is released.

Otherwise: You are going to wait a while for this one.

Jason

 

[Bill Williams]

There's a number of books I would enjoy seeing translated into movies:

The Bible - While there was a version done in the 1960's, a more comprehensive version could be done for the 21st century. But as the earlier poster commented, someone would be upset at certain portrayals and depictions. Look at Mel Gibson's upcoming film "The Passion": some people are already getting upset over it, and it's not even seen release yet, though Gibson has stayed faithful to the four Gospels. And if you think that's bad, check out the album "Inside Star Trek" from the 1970's, which is the second disc of the Star Trek: TMP expanded score. Gene Roddenberry had some interesting insight as to how Hollywood producers would be very miffed at a faithful script treatment!

Shadows of the Empire - This would make a great Star Wars film or TV miniseries! Of course, they'd have to incorporate the novel, the comics, and the video game all into one comprehensive story. This one's got to be done!

I also agree with the Thrawn trilogy - very well done indeed!

Red Storm Rising - This is one great Tom Clancy book that should be turned into a movie. Very realistic combat portrayal.

The Cardinal of the Kremlin - Why hasn't this been turned into a film yet?

Murder on the Titanic - A great novel that had more emotional resonance, I have to admit, than James Cameron's "Titanic", and is very faithful to history, but without the sex and language.

The Hobbit - A MUST!

 

[Darcy Hunter]

I'd love to see a big-budget version of Stephen King's "The Mist" on the big screen. I know that this has been in various stages of development over the years (with Frank Darabont attached to write and direct at one point), but every time I read it, I just keep thinking that it would be a huge hit if done right. The danger being if the producers decide to take the "Eight Legged Freaks" approach, and make the movie overly jokey. I want to see a "Close Encounters" approach, that is, treat it as if it really happened, and make the characters react like real people would if thrown into such a bizarre and horrifying B-movie scenario.

 

[Tony Whalen]

Hey Eman, I didn't know about "Sahara". Cool news.

I agree... interesting to see who will be cast in the various supporting roles. Who are you guessin?

 

[Rich Malloy]

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" was also done before as a movie called "Purple Noon". I don't know if either film is any good, since I haven't seen them.

I like both films a great deal, but prefer Minghella's on-balance. In fact, I think Minghella's film is one of the most underrated films of recent years. But if you're a Ripley fan and haven't seen "Purple Noon", you're doing yourself a grave disservice... I'm sure you'll find flaws as a fan of the novel, but this is a damn good movie (yes, available in R1 on DVD).

There are plenty of novels, great and otherwise, that I'd like to see as films, but I usually think "good film fodder" when I read mysteries, particularly of the historical variety. The big seller this summer, "The Da Vinci Code", might make a good flick, as would "An Instance of the Fingerpost" from a few years back.

Of course, I probably thought that about "Fingerpost" because it very much resembles the multi-perspective narrative of "Rashomon".

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

To the Vanishing Point. A really good book by Alan Dean Foster about the threads of time unraveling.

Also the Peter David Star Trek Books that are much better than Trek written today for Television (ie:Enterprise).

 

[Dan Rudolph]

Neil, I think The Ugly Little Boy could actually be done well. And probably not for a whole lot of money.

I think Nightfall really isn't a good candidate, but you certainly could do better than the two previous attempts.

 

[Andy Sheets]

Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melibone could be an excellent fantasy series and would offer a "hero" unlike any seen on the screen before.

The Elric series was just optioned recently by the guys who did American Pie and About a Boy (the Weitz brothers, I think their name is?). I don't think any serious development has gone on yet. I'm a bit skeptical that Elric would be adapted by Hollywood intact, but it might be something to keep an eye out for.