The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag

[Urlik]

has anyone heard anything about the film in production?
its release is scheduled for 2011 and it is being produced by Alex Proyas.

does anyone have any ideas or thoughts about possible casting or any misgivings concerning how well this will translate onto the big screen?


(sorry, I thought I posted this in the RAH forum. could a mod please move it to the appropriate place. many thanks)

 

[j d worthington]

So moved. And no, this is the first I've heard of such. I shudder to think what they'll do with this one.....

 

[Urlik]

if it was done as a psycological thriller it could work

I'm also undecided about Alex Proyas as producer.
the Crow was fantastic but him being behind I, Robot doesn't inspire me with confidence.

 

[revelshade]

I, Robot was doomed the moment it became a Will Smith vehicle. The studio math: "Will Smith + sci-fi = big dumb loud summer blockbuster. Double the effects budget and make sure every writer in our rolodex adds his two cents to the script."

But I think Dark City was a fantastic science fantasy film. If no big stars get involved and Proyas is left alone he just might surprise us.

I don't mind details being changed or the action being turned up a notch or two, as long as it all leads to that picnic.

The first problem that occurs to me right off the top of my pointy little head is that the heroes are a happily married couple (I love how Heinlein is a big fan of marriage - Yay marriage!). Send them through the Hollywood cliche' machine and suddenly her part will be reduced by half plus now they're strangers thrown together by chance who fall in love over the course of the movie. Oh, and maybe he's already married (unhappily) and it turns out his wife is, yes, one of them! Brilliant! And in the end his new girlfriend kills his evil alien wife in some over the top way and has a funny one-liner! Joy!

So yes, the odds of it being both a good movie and a respectful adaptation are slim, but stranger things have happened.

"In the end as in the egg..."

Oh, and who could play Hoag both before, when he's a non-entity and after, when he's... ?

 

[Connavar]

After ST i hope to never see a RAH work in hollywood film again. Maybe if its a small independent film with quality director who respects the original work.

 

[Mirannan]

After ST i hope to never see a RAH work in hollywood film again. Maybe if its a small independent film with quality director who respects the original work.

Moon is a Harsh Mistress would make an incredible movie if done properly. Of course, Hollywood would butcher it; the language used by many of the characters (bizarre argot with lots of loanwords, many from Russian) would be scrapped. So would one of the basic ideas of the setting, the highly unconventional family structure (which may well be a logical outgrowth of the distorted sex ratio); the Moral Minority would have fits.

They would also have to squeeze in a vehicle chase of some sort, somehow. At least one, probably several. And Mike probably wouldn't be in it at all.

 

[BigBadBob141]

Just what is the unpleasant profession of Jonathan Hoag???
I read this story some years ago and I just can't remember?

 

[j d worthington]

Just what is the unpleasant profession of Jonathan Hoag???
I read this story some years ago and I just can't remember?

You're probably going to hate me for this, but it's true: art critic.....

 

[BAYLOR]

I read this book recently. Gripping book and great stuff.

 

[BAYLOR]

Im surprised that hollywood hasn't tried to option this one .