I, Robot

Menschenfresser

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I've always wondered why Hollywood hasn't done more to exploit the wealth of good stories/characters/settings contained in the novels written by the godfathers of SciFi. There have been some movies but they have not proliferated enough to delve the likes of Heinlein or Dick or Asimov.

Granted, they do "sex-up" and action-ize the stories. I guess they prefer the SciFi/horror genre over pure Science Fiction. Aliens over Star Trek.

I'll watch it though so long as the reviews give it more credit than White Chicks.
 

SparceMatrix

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I imagine that the Will Smith movie will have very little to do with the original short story. I am convinced that "Independence Day" was actually originally intended to be an interpretation of Clark's "Childhood's End".

If they are going to bring written science fiction to the screen, they need to show more fidelity to the stories.
 

Siberian HEAT

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I'm hoping they make Rendezvous with Rama, as they are rumored to be doing. Hopefully that will open up the some of the other classics. With the advent of CGI - it has become possible to produce science fiction at a more believable level and within a reasonable budget. I think as computer graphics become more commonplace and realistic (we are ALMOST there now) you will see more and more sci-fi stories getting their air time. After all, Hollywood is really running out of stories to tell. That is why we see the same stuff re-hashed over and over (how may King Aurther movies are there?).

In a way it is probably good that a lot of the "classics" of sci-fi haven't been done yet - as they would probalby get cheesy treatments or completely altered stories (Starship Troopers for e.g.) to more easily cater to the public. One good example is Lord of the Rings...5 or 10 years ago that movie just wouldn't have been possible. It's success insures other classics of sci-fi and fantasy will be coming soon!
 

Mephisto

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Menschenfresser said:
There have been some movies but they have not proliferated enough to delve the likes of Heinlein or Dick or Asimov.
There have been quite a few movies based on Philip K Dick novels and short stories. "Total Recall" was based on "We Can Remember it for you Wholesale," "Blade Runner" was based on "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," and there were also "Paycheck," "The Minority Report," and "Imposter." Granted, the Hollywood script-writers took liberties in order to make movies that were more accessable to the general public, but the translation from paper to screen wasn't all that bad.

Don't get me started on "Starship Troopers." What a joke that turned out to be.

Anyway, I hardly think Dick has been ignored.

Also of note are two made-for-SciFi-Channel miniseries based on Frank Herbert's "Dune" and "Children of Dune." Both of which stayed true to the original novels and were much better than the Stanley Kubrick debacle from the '80's.

From what I've seen of the "I, Robot" previews, I'm not too eager to run out to the theater and lay down my hard-earned money. It may be a good movie to someone not familiar with Asimov's stories, but I'm doubtful that a sci-fi fan such as myself will enjoy it.
 

airBiscuit

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Mephisto said:
Don't get me started on "Starship Troopers." What a joke that turned out to be.
"Flip six three hole on one and you can score."
"I'm from Buenos Aires, and I say kill 'em all!"
"Figuring things out for yourself is the only freedom we truly have."
"Negative! This planet crawls, sir!"
"What good is a knife in a nuke fight?"
"I'm doing my part!"

-- ahem -- sorry :p

Anyway, I hardly think Dick has been ignored.
Indeed, a lot of the movie adaptations have been pretty good, or at least intriguing. They haven't always had A-list production values, though.

Also of note are two made-for-SciFi-Channel miniseries based on Frank Herbert's "Dune" and "Children of Dune." Both of which stayed true to the original novels and were much better than the Stanley Kubrick debacle from the '80's.
Didn't see the mini-series, since I heard that it was pretty bad. Dune from 1983 was written and directed by David Lynch, of "Twin Peaks" fame. Kubrick had nothing to do with that project as far as I know. It would have been a much different movie if Kubrick were behind the camera.

;)
 

Foggy

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I would love to see Rendezvous w/Rama made into a movie - I always
wondered how other people pictured the spiders, water creatures etc. The
scale would be quite interesting - no sets here :D
 

Kraut

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I'd like to see some more of the darker SciFi, a la Blade Runner, Dark City, Brazil or Gattacca :devil: :alien:
 

Menschenfresser

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Reason I mentioned Philip Dick is that many of his what, 36 novels, are just traditional dramas set in some really strange situations w/strange props and obsessions. Special effects needn't play such a big role other than backdrops, etc. I think some of his stories would make good indie films. Hollywood has been more prone to pick out Dick's ideas or plot points and wrap different stories around them. Although I haven't seen Paycheck.

Although many of his novels are hardly coherent. I have "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" on my desk and I can't imagine that one in movie format.
 

Mephisto

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airBiscuit said:
Didn't see the mini-series, since I heard that it was pretty bad. Dune from 1983 was written and directed by David Lynch, of "Twin Peaks" fame. Kubrick had nothing to do with that project as far as I know. It would have been a much different movie if Kubrick were behind the camera.

;)
D'oh! My bad! :crosseye:
 

ER_Chaser

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haha... I probably will go to see the movie today .. :D ... the reason is simple, I kinda like will smith, he is kinda cool :p
 

Temujin

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ER_Chaser said:
haha... I probably will go to see the movie today .. :D ... the reason is simple, I kinda like will smith, he is kinda cool :p
Weren't you in a movie with him? Oh no that was the other funny black guy!
 

MonsterZero

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Well, the first reviews are in and the movie is a disappointment. The average score it gets is something like 6 out of 10.
 

RhondaBrwn

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Arthur C Clark "Rama" Novels

I agree with the folks who suggested the "Rama" series of novels for a movie. I think special effects and computer graphics have finally reached the point where they could realistically handle the idea of of a huge revolving cylinder with this immense world inside.

Sierra released a little known game based on the novels called, aptly enough, "RAMA" with 3 CD's worth of graphics. I just dug it out now and I wonder if it will run under XP... I may load it up and try it out!

For the uninitated, the series involves four novels:

Rendezvous with Rama
Rama II
Garden of Rama
Rama Revealed

The series was co-written with Gentry Lee

Great series of novels and it would make a heck of a movie project! The novels are breathtaking in their scope.

Definitely a great summer read!
 
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