The Film Thread

[Xann]

Dark City

 

'The City Of Lost Children' does it better.

[villa4europe]

as soon as they cast Will Smith they couldnt do that ending IMO

 

anyone seen the django interview? turned down the role of django because he thought that waltz would be considered the main character rather than himself

 

clearing in the woods

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Dark City

 

'The City Of Lost Children' does it better.

 

Can't have done it much worse.

[mikeyp102]

if you never plan on reading the book (you should) then read the spoiler -

in the book the ending is a brilliant twist, he spends day after day killing the vampires (they are vampires, the book doesnt **** about) because they are monsters, he befriends a woman, but she is a trick playing on the fact that his loneliness has sent him a bit insane, she is a vampire that evolved slightly and with the use of make up and im sure drugs she can live in sunlight, she tricks him in to being captured, whilst captured he realises that the new breed of vampires are creating a future society and that HE is the monster, they are all terrified of him because he goes round killing them in their sleep, the woman who tricked him helps him commit suicide before they execute him, thats why he is the legend

will smith and hollywood werent going anywhere near that ending so why bother making the film? they could have done will smiths film and not called it i am legend because its that far from the book

Wow that sounds epic

[Stevo985]

The Golden Compass on Film4 now, can't think of a comparable example of someone taking such a fantastic book and turning it into such an awful film.

Wasn't it that bad that they canned doing the sequels?

I think (and I can't remember where I read it) that it was a combination of that, and the fact that the second and third books touch on some pretty controversial subjects that are key to the story. Effectively religion and how it's more or less evil.

 

It all happens in this parallel world, so I'm not sure whether they could have gotten round it by making it clear it wasn't like that in the real world. But my point is I think people were pretty reluctant to make the sequels because of how controversial they'd probably end up being.

 

But I agree with the OP. Never in my experience has a book been done less justice. They ar eliterally my favourite books of all time. The film was terrible.

[BOF]

if you never plan on reading the book (you should) then read the spoiler -

in the book the ending is a brilliant twist, he spends day after day killing the vampires (they are vampires, the book doesnt **** about) because they are monsters, he befriends a woman, but she is a trick playing on the fact that his loneliness has sent him a bit insane, she is a vampire that evolved slightly and with the use of make up and im sure drugs she can live in sunlight, she tricks him in to being captured, whilst captured he realises that the new breed of vampires are creating a future society and that HE is the monster, they are all terrified of him because he goes round killing them in their sleep, the woman who tricked him helps him commit suicide before they execute him, thats why he is the legend

will smith and hollywood werent going anywhere near that ending so why bother making the film? they could have done will smiths film and not called it i am legend because its that far from the book

Wow that sounds epic

Indeed. I look forward to the (re-)make with a less egotistical actor.

[Stevo985]

To be fair, whilst I don't rate I Am Legend that highly, I thinK Will Smith is actually pretty good in it. Considering he's the only actor in most of it, it's a good performance.

 

I don't think it's his fault the movie is a bit shit.

 

That real ending does sound better though. Even the alternate ending that they actually filmed was better than the one they used.

[mjmooney]

I'm glad that I Am Legend spoiler was hidden, as I've seen the film (meh), but I DO intend to read the book.

[Stevo985]

If anything it's made me want to read the book more, despite knowing the ending now!

[Designer1]

None of the three adaptations of I Am Legend really do it justice (Last Man on Earth being the closest). Although Omega Man is a great movie.

And as for Will Smith, I'm sure he's a nice bloke as he seems to come across that way but I can't stand him in most m ovies. He's so one dimensional. I seem to recall he was decent in Six Degrees of Separation but apart from that I don't rate him.

[Stevo985]

I'm kind of the same. He's had a few good performances, and contrary to others, I like the guy, I think he comes across really well when I've seen him interviewed and he's been on chat shows etc, and that's all I can judge him on.

 

But as an actor on the whole he's in that band of actors that are harmless, I don't dislike them, but are nothing special.

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

'Wild Wild West' scarred me for life.

[Eames]

 

The Golden Compass on Film4 now, can't think of a comparable example of someone taking such a fantastic book and turning it into such an awful film.

Wasn't it that bad that they canned doing the sequels?

I think (and I can't remember where I read it) that it was a combination of that, and the fact that the second and third books touch on some pretty controversial subjects that are key to the story. Effectively religion and how it's more or less evil.

 

It all happens in this parallel world, so I'm not sure whether they could have gotten round it by making it clear it wasn't like that in the real world. But my point is I think people were pretty reluctant to make the sequels because of how controversial they'd probably end up being.

 

But I agree with the OP. Never in my experience has a book been done less justice. They ar eliterally my favourite books of all time. The film was terrible.

 Agreed Brilliant books. If you want a decent dramatisation R4 did a fabulous job - its available on CD.

 

The theme isn't anti-religion as such - more anti-dogmatic organised religion

 

The Magisterium is clearly a very thin metaphor for the Catholic Church - with its Inquisition etc.

[BOF]

Re- Will Smith. I actually think he's OK in the films he's in. I don't expect him to be winning oscars any time soon. But if someone is saying that he is turning down roles because there might be bigger roles within the same film then that's when I start to think he might be a bit of an egotistical tosser IRL.

[mjmooney]

Hmmm. I've seen The Golden Compass, and I found it reasonably enjoyable.

 

I haven't read the book.

 

Surprising, really. After all, I like the theme, I suck up books like water, I'm a big fan of 'literary SF', everybody I know with similar tastes raves about it, but...

 

I know I'm never going to read it. Just don't want to.

[Stevo985]

 

 

The Golden Compass on Film4 now, can't think of a comparable example of someone taking such a fantastic book and turning it into such an awful film.

Wasn't it that bad that they canned doing the sequels?

I think (and I can't remember where I read it) that it was a combination of that, and the fact that the second and third books touch on some pretty controversial subjects that are key to the story. Effectively religion and how it's more or less evil.

 

It all happens in this parallel world, so I'm not sure whether they could have gotten round it by making it clear it wasn't like that in the real world. But my point is I think people were pretty reluctant to make the sequels because of how controversial they'd probably end up being.

 

But I agree with the OP. Never in my experience has a book been done less justice. They ar eliterally my favourite books of all time. The film was terrible.

 Agreed Brilliant books. If you want a decent dramatisation R4 did a fabulous job - its available on CD.

 

The theme isn't anti-religion as such - more anti-dogmatic organised religion

 

The Magisterium is clearly a very thin metaphor for the Catholic Church - with its Inquisition etc.

 

Yeah agreed, but I think the metaphor is pretty clear, if not explicit. I was only 12 when I read the books and I picked up on it so it can't be that thin.

 

 

I very nearly went to see the stage version.

 

I have no frickin idea how that would have worked, but apparently it was good. But tickets were like £45, and I'd have had to take my sister to avoid going on my own so it would have cost me a shit load.

 

I'll have a look for the R4 version.

Edited April 4, 2013 by Stevo985

[Designer1]

http://youtu.be/FAgirTtfobk
 
Oh.my.word.
 
That is looking awesome.

Edited April 4, 2013 by Designer1

[AVFCDAN]

I like will smith but wild Wild West was truly an abomination. Hancock isn't too far away either.

[Houlston]

Although Smith was possibly in the only chick flick its acceptable for a man to watch before Gosling turned up.

[Stevo985]

Hitch?