# Paradise Lost Film?



## Joel007 (May 29, 2007)

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | 'Paradise Lost movie' announced

What do you think of the idea to make Paradise Lost into a film? I don't know how they're going to manage it, but the teaser trailer looked like any other horror film to me. How can you do justice to such a classic poem?


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## HoopyFrood (May 29, 2007)

Oh, enough already! There have been many threads today about books being turned into films. Soon people are going to just say "Well, no, I won't read the book, I'll just wait until they make the film..."

There are some film adaptions that have been very good, like Lord of the Rings, but they can never really recreate the books, no matter how good the film might be and how much is spent on it. Why can't the two mediums be seperated for a while; concrete on making some good, original films. 

I'm not saying don't ever adapt a book into a film ever again...but it seems after the success of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, directors are jumping on the bandwagon to make something they know will do moderately well in cinemas just because people have enjoyed the books. 

Woo...minor rant.


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## The Ace (May 29, 2007)

I'd LOVE to see the religious right's reaction to this one.


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## Joel007 (May 29, 2007)

As a fanatical facist fearsome faithful follower, I'm going to wait for ratings and reviews before deciding whether to watch it myself. I tend not to enjoy horror films unless they're amusing or deeply thoughtful.


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## jenna (May 30, 2007)

Wow, one of my favourite pieces of literature ever. They had better do it justice, or else suffer the wrath of Jenna..


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## PTeppic (May 30, 2007)

Having seen the trailer a couple of times I thought the title was just a pun on the word Paradise, it starting in an eastern holiday, er paradise (e.g. somewhere like Goa, or maybe the Thai islands). Didn't get any hints of "Paradise Lost" the book... but I haven't read it, either...


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## j d worthington (May 30, 2007)

It's not that it _can't_ be done... but it would be extremely difficult, and unlikely to be done well. The best option would be (I hate the word, but) a miniseries, with a really good script and some actors who have a lot of Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre under their belts, who can deliver such stilted dialogue (even if it isn't as archaic as Milton's original) in such a way that it actually has emotional impact. So I have no objection to it being done....

... just one heck of a lot of scepticism about it being done well.


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## Rane Longfox (May 30, 2007)

HoopyFrood said:


> Oh, enough already! There have been many threads today about books being turned into films. Soon people are going to just say "Well, no, I won't read the book, I'll just wait until they make the film..."


While this may be going rather off topic... I disagree. I think it's more likely to get people to read the books, really.


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## j d worthington (May 30, 2007)

Rane Longfox said:


> While this may be going rather off topic... I disagree. I think it's more likely to get people to read the books, really.


 
On that one, Rane... there is a certain amount of justice on both sides, I think. There are those who, when assigned the thing for classes, will rent the film instead (rather than even read the Cliff notes!), but there are also those that are intrigued enough to look up the original after seeing such a film... it happened with *The Odyssey* a few years ago, and even (despite *Troy* being such a flawed film) with *The Iliad* (albeit to a lesser degree). Certainly it happened with *LotR*; and it has happened with *Wuthering Heights* and *House of the Seven Gables* and *The Scarlet Letter* -- not to mention *Frankenstein* (and *Dracula*) several times. Some will be disappointed, others will suddenly find that they actually have a taste for the classics, one they never knew they had.....


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## Gav (May 30, 2007)

Damn, I thought this was going to be a movie about a heavy metal band.


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## Gav (May 30, 2007)

Joel007 said:


> BBC NEWS | Entertainment | 'Paradise Lost movie' announced
> 
> What do you think of the idea to make Paradise Lost into a film? I don't know how they're going to manage it, but the teaser trailer looked like any other horror film to me. How can you do justice to such a classic poem?



Where's the trailer?


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## PTeppic (May 30, 2007)

Ah - it would seem that it is unfortunate that UK cinemas at the moment are showing trailers for a teens-in-peril flick set in "paradise" (which apparently is Brazil, not the far east).

Apologies for any confusion caused by my post...


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## Joel007 (May 30, 2007)

Ah, that must be the one I saw 
I thought it looked like no relation to the book.


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## Teresa Edgerton (May 30, 2007)

> I'd LOVE to see the religious right's reaction to this one



I think these might be the very viewers they are trying to attract.

Here's a website with a little more information:

Paradise Lost Study Guide


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## Rane Longfox (May 30, 2007)

JD - yes, but those who are having to studsy it for an assignment or whatever don't have any choice in the matter. I was talking about, like... normal people, who normally wouldn't even consider reading it, I would imagine.


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## jetblack (Jun 3, 2007)

I have seen the film called Paradise Lost! Saw it in London last night and got my nerves- jangled bigtime. Check out site at :: PARADISE LOST :: IN CINEMAS JUNE 1 ::.It is an original story - it isn't  based on any book and it isn't a remake of an earlier film.

The story -without giving too much away - is about young backpackers who get stranded in the Brazilian jungle and then find themselves in a terrifying trap. What really makes this film stand head and shoulders above all the others that have come along in the last few months is the use of the awesome beauty of Brazil. The jungle and cave locations were incredible and I loved the way the film kept cranking up the tension right to the end!

Loved the ambition and the lavish production values that are evident right through this shockbuster. Ace!!!


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