[rescue] replacing an Ultra2

[Charles Shannon Hendrix]

Sat, 28 Apr 2007 @ 10:27 +0100, Mike Meredith said:

> On Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:55:27 -0400 (EDT), Sandwich Maker wrote:
> > " From: Mike Meredith <very at zonky.org>
> > " 
> > " 
> > " Blade Runner is a great film, but it isn't the same story as
> > Electric " Sheep, although it is based on the story. Electric Sheep
> > is a great " deal deeper and the action is secondary to the ideas
> > whereas Blade " Runner is the other way around (a very simplistic
> > explanation of the " difference).
> > 
> > welcome to hollywood.
> 
> :)
> 
> I forgot to go on to say that I don't really expect films to accurately
> reflect the books. Too much stuff doesn't transfer well ... in either
> direction. Why worry about it ? I just enjoy the film and the book as
> separate things.

Me too, except for one thing: when the movie is *NOTHING* like the book.

Blade Runner at least kept the ideas of the original story, and the
creator had the integrity to use a different name for it.

Then look at Starship Troopers. They kept the base storyline, but
removed most of the guts of the story. They should not have used the
same title.

Starship Troopers was a vehicle for Heinlein's political ideas, and they
watered it down so much it barely showed up in the movie.

Of course, that's no surprise: Hollywood hates Heinlein.

I've always thought that if I were a billionaire, there are a few
cinematic issues I'd want to take care of:

	- I would redo Starship Troopers with about 25% of the action of the
	  disaster version, and put the heart and soul of Heinlein back in
	  it.  It would probably be about 6 hours long and no one would 
	  watch it, but dammit... it would be good.

	- There would be a lot more sci-fi movies, but not the Hollywood
	  glossy versions.

	- I would make war movies that did *NOT* cover WWII and Vietnam.  In
	  particular I'd cover WWI, the Hundred Years War, and focus on some
	  of the important ancient battles.  

	- I would make a racing movie that had *NOTHING* to do with Nascar,
	  and featured actual racing and human and engineering effort in the
	  sport.

	- Sylvester would bloody that damned Tweety Bird, and put an end to
	  him once and for all.

	- Wyle E. Coyote would have road runner stew.



-- 
shannon           | Work for something because it is good, not just because 
                  | it stands a chance to succeed. 
                  |        -- Vaclav Havel