Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Forums

@hihik:  There are some good ones on that list.  Rama seems like a great choice for the movie treatment.  The studios like any excuse to do some great special effects and the story is simple enough.  No Ender's Game on that list which is surprising to me.

@MT in Austin:  I've not read Forever Peace but I could certainly see a film version of some of Haldeman's other works like Camouflage or The Accidental Time Machine on the big screen for the same reasons as Rama.  Simple stories with lots of opportunities to show off some special effects.  A shape-shifting alien running amok as an evil Nazi doctor?  Time-traveling guy with no control over where and when he'll end up?  That's the plot to dozens of shows and movies by itself:

• The Time Tunnel
• Sliders
• Primer
  
• Time Trax
• Time Cop
• The Butterfly Effect
• Journeyman
  
• Quantum Leap
• The Time Traveler's Wife

I am in agreement with this.  HBO has produced some quality series with excellent production values and loads of atmosphere.  If I was to quibble, I'd say they like to sex it up a bit more than is really necessary but really I'm not going to complain too much.   

PKD has been a Hollywood darling for a long time.  I like the movies too even though I've never read any of his works.  Seems like there was no reason to do so since they keep on making movies. I know.  I know. I own my shame.  I've got a couple on my list starting with The Man in the High Castle so I'm working on it.

You're probably right about the butchering of Camouflage but I think it's a story that could survive the tinkering.  It's not a deep work with a ton of nuance that would get lost in translation.  It's a fun and fast paced read.  Two different aliens hidden among us, one good and one evil, on a collision course of destruction!  It sounds like a summer blockbuster already.  Story and acting would come second to the special effects but that's to be expected.

I'd have a harder time if we were talking about a book like The Sparrow or A Canticle for Leibowitz .  Those are near and dear to my heart and the cuts would be savage and unforgivable.  I'm content to let those play in my head, thanks.  I'm with you on Rama and The Demolished Man.  Those both seem doable to me... in the right hands.  Fingers crossed it's not somebody like Emerich, McG (damn his eyes!) or Bay.

@MT in Austin: I'm not familiar with Morel but I welcome another Dune movie.  It'll be interesting to see what he brings to the movie.  I understand it's going to be a faithful interpretation of the book and you know the special effect will kick ass.  I hope it's not going to be 3D.  I'm already tired of 3D and I'm not a big fan of the inflated prices they're getting for it either.

I'm quite the opposite of you on the Lynch film.  I've always loved it but it may be that's because I saw the movie long before I ever read the book.  I had no preconceived notions about it at all.  I just read Dune recently, you can see my review in the blog, and found that my familiarity with the movie actually enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

I even liked the SciFi channel version too - also seen before I read the book.  But I know how you feel.  I, Robot was a terrible movie to me because aside from a few names and the Laws of Robotics it did not resemble the book at all.  A book I thoroughly enjoyed.  I think I would have liked the movie just fine if it was called something else.

This is disappointing.  I'm interested enough in the series to watch a show based on it but not enough to actually read it myself.  I'm sure there will be mixed reactions from fans.  It's always a hope/fear battle when something you love gets the Hollywood treatment.