'Unfilmable Books'

[Nesacat]

Was sent this today:

Unfilmable Books

Watchmen, The Lord of the Rings: These are books that were commonly thought to be impossible to adapt to the big screen. That is, until a filmmaker such as Zack Snyder or Peter Jackson found the keys to unlock them.


Whatever you may think of the final results, the fact is that Snyder and Jackson succeeded in translating the books to film. And that got us thinking about other great works of SF literature that are supposedly unfilmable—and how they might be successfully adapted, and by whom.
It's a heady list. The following novels have captured the imaginations of generations of readers, but have so far been given a wide berth by filmmakers.



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[biodroid]

Looks very interesting. I haven't read Hyperion yet, is it any good?

 

[AE35Unit]

I can't see how any book can be unfilmable these days. Oh I know, how about Haynes Car Manuals. Or Mrs Beeton's Cookbook

 

[Fried Egg]

I think that "The Foundation" trilogy is pretty unfilmable. Unless they changed it beyond all recognition.

 

[AE35Unit]

I think that "The Foundation" trilogy is pretty unfilmable. Unless they changed it beyond all recognition.

Oh Hollywood wouldn't do a thing like that now would they•••

 

[iansales]

I think that "The Foundation" trilogy is pretty unfilmable. Unless they changed it beyond all recognition.

That might be to its advantage.

 

[AE35Unit]

That might be to its advantage.

You not a Foundation fan Ian?

 

[Connavar]

Imo many great books are unfilmable no matter how good the director,writer in film world are.

Some ideas,themes,characters,the spreed of the story just doesnt fit.

Foundation is a good example. You can do it as Battlestar Galactica like epic space opera drama but it wouldnt fit with the history,science etc

Thats why i dislike hollywood trying to make a film out every famous book.

 

[iansales]

AE35Unit - I loved it as a kid, but made the mistake of rereading it last year. Terrible - cardboard characters, clunky prose, and world-building that's essentially 1950s USA with atomic spaceships.

 

[Fried Egg]

That might be to its advantage.

I doubt it because the bits you would have to change are precisely it's good points.

 

[iansales]

It doesn't have any good points - you'd have to add them in to make a film of it.

 

[Fried Egg]

I shalln't be drawn into another debate with you over "The Foundation". I know we shall never see eye to eye on this one. Can't you at least concede that, for you, it's good points are outweighed by it's bad points?

Whereas for me the bad points (which I don't dispute) are outweighed by it's good points.

 

[Urlik]

getting away from the Foundation debate, after the 2 attempts made by Sky, I would have to say that Terry Pratchett's Discworld books are unfilmable (although that could have been down to poor casting and too many liberties taken with the plot)

 

[j d worthington]

I can think of several books which would be at least near to "unfilmable"; at least, any films made from them would likely deviate so far from the book itself as to completely miss not only the incidents but the basic substance and feel of the book.

Having just reread Moorcock's The Blood Red Game, I'd say that is a good example. While the majority of the book might be adaptable as a sf-adventure tale, the core of the book relies heavily on psychological and philosophical points which are all within the characters' heads; the sort of words and images Moorcock picks are openly symbols approximating the thoughts/emotions taking place, and depicting anything like them literally would simply make no sense. On the other hand, the actual thoughts/emotions taking place are too complex and abstract to be realized well in any visual medium -- it takes the word to even approach them.

The same can be said for several of Moorcock's other books, as well as a fair amount of J. G. Ballard. Can you imagine making a film out of, say, The Atrocity Exhibition? Certainly this is one of his landmark books, and remains a controversial as well as iconic book of the New Wave; but making a film of this one would either be boring as blazes, or maddeningly confusing. Next to it, Naked Lunch is a piker's dream. Yet the book can be (and I would argue is) a fascinating, disturbing, challenging, and mind-expanding experience.

I'd also argue that Stranger in a Strange Land, Time Enough for Love, I Will Fear No Evil, and, frankly, the majority of Heinlein's later work, is largely unfilmable. Granted, a film might be made of them, but none could even come close to capturing the sprawl (a term to be taken however one's personal preference runs) or complexity of the stories, let alone their themes.

The Immortality Machine (a.k.a. They'd Rather Be Right) is another that simply wouldn't work on the screen; getting just the story is possible, but again, you'd leave out the heart of the book in doing that, as this depends on the various philosophical discussions within the book -- which, in visual form, would bring any pacing to a complete halt. Ditto for A Case of Conscience, I think.

And then there's always Phil Farmer's "Riders of the Purple Wage" or Strange Relations....

 

[Tillane]

Couldn't argue with any of that, JD - and I'd add a couple more that would be damn near impossible to film (or at least film well).

The first that sprang to mind for me was Sam Delany's Dhalgren: so much of the novel hinges on Delany's use of language and form, and I wouldn't even know where to start translating it to the screen. Another would be Iain Banks' Excession, though for different reasons. The story itself, while complex in places, is pretty coherent - but how you'd convey all the inter-Mind discussions (and there are many) and make them watchable and coherent to someone who hadn't read the book...I haven't a clue.

 

[dask]

I know his stuff has been adapted several times but I still feel Ray Bradbury is particularly difficult to translate for the screen. I've always found him better read then viewed.

 

[Connavar]

RAH is like Philip K Dick, his books are so much about his ideas,themes that you cant make a movie that becomes as good as the book was,in the same vien.

Thats why PKD movies by hollywood are closer to John Woo stories than a PKD original. Maybe thats why they use his early 50s short stories,simple straight pulp like stories like Paycheck,Adjustment Team etc.....

 

[AE35Unit]

I kind of agree with ian regarding Foundation,but for different reasons. I just found it all boring and clunky,too much politicing and not enough S in the F.
And J.D. I'd love to see Stranger in a Strange Land as a movie,excellent story.

 

[AE35Unit]

getting away from the Foundation debate, after the 2 attempts made by Sky, I would have to say that Terry Pratchett's Discworld books are unfilmable (although that could have been down to poor casting and too many liberties taken with the plot)

Have you not seen Hogfather?

 

[j d worthington]

Couldn't argue with any of that, JD - and I'd add a couple more that would be damn near impossible to film (or at least film well).

The first that sprang to mind for me was Sam Delany's Dhalgren: so much of the novel hinges on Delany's use of language and form, and I wouldn't even know where to start translating it to the screen. Another would be Iain Banks' Excession, though for different reasons. The story itself, while complex in places, is pretty coherent - but how you'd convey all the inter-Mind discussions (and there are many) and make them watchable and coherent to someone who hadn't read the book...I haven't a clue.

Yes, Dhalgren came to mind with me, too; but, as I had already listed several New Wave pieces, I thought I'd go on to other aspects of the genre. Let's face it: a LOT of the New Wave would be impossible to transfer to the screen. Barefoot in the Head, anyone? Report on Probability A? "The Heat Death of the Universe"?

(Oddly, though, I think Breakfast in the Ruins could be done quite well as a film; it would mean using a storytelling approach similar to those used in Johnny Got His Gun and Slaughterhouse-Five, but it could be done....)

...J.D. I'd love to see Stranger in a Strange Land as a movie,excellent story.

They probably could make a film capturing the basic storyline... but that simply wouldn't be a film of that novel, which is far too involved in various philosophical, religious, cultural, and political issues to come across as anything other than either (as I said earlier about another piece) boring or confusing onscreen....