Sci-fi

Doom · **Posted:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 2:52 pm

It could work but it would be difficult for anyone who hadn't read the book to follow....really, adapting Foundation is just a bad idea....

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 9:22 pm **Posts:** 13057

Doom wrote:

It could work but it would be difficult for anyone who hadn't read the book to follow....really, adapting Foundation is just a bad idea....

Let's ignore it.

GKC

Doom · **Posted:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 3:16 pm

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

It could work but it would be difficult for anyone who hadn't read the book to follow....really, adapting Foundation is just a bad idea....

Let's ignore it.

GKC

I haven't seen I, Robot, or Bicentennial Man, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Starship Troopers....and I cannot imagine I would watch a Foundation movie if it was made...

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 9:22 pm **Posts:** 13057

Doom wrote:

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

It could work but it would be difficult for anyone who hadn't read the book to follow....really, adapting Foundation is just a bad idea....

Let's ignore it.

GKC

I haven't seen I, Robot, or Bicentennial Man, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Starship Troopers....and I cannot imagine I would watch a Foundation movie if it was made...

The BBC Hitchhiker's Guide was watchable.

GKC

Doom · **Posted:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 3:36 pm

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

It could work but it would be difficult for anyone who hadn't read the book to follow....really, adapting Foundation is just a bad idea....

Let's ignore it.

GKC

I haven't seen I, Robot, or Bicentennial Man, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Starship Troopers....and I cannot imagine I would watch a Foundation movie if it was made...

The BBC Hitchhiker's Guide was watchable.

GKC

I'm talking about the 2005 theatrical film....and really trying to make 'Hitchhiker' into a movie is dumb in the first place, as 90% of the humor comes from the style in which it is written....which obviously cannot be translated into film.

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 9:22 pm **Posts:** 13057

Doom wrote:

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

GKC wrote:

Doom wrote:

It could work but it would be difficult for anyone who hadn't read the book to follow....really, adapting Foundation is just a bad idea....

Let's ignore it.

GKC

I haven't seen I, Robot, or Bicentennial Man, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or Starship Troopers....and I cannot imagine I would watch a Foundation movie if it was made...

The BBC Hitchhiker's Guide was watchable.

GKC

I'm talking about the 2005 theatrical film....and really trying to make 'Hitchhiker' into a movie is dumb in the first place, as 90% of the humor comes from the style in which it is written....which obviously cannot be translated into film.

I figured you were speaking of the theatrical film.

The BBC version is watchable.

GKC

Doom · **Posted:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 4:11 pm

The BBC radio version is actually the original, the books are an adaptation of the radio show....but then I bet you know that

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 9:22 pm **Posts:** 13057

Doom wrote:

The BBC radio version is actually the original, the books are an adaptation of the radio show....but then I bet you know that

Yes.

GKC

Bagheera · **Posted:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 6:10 pm

But GKC surely isn't talking about the radio series since he said it was "watchable." I assume he's talking about this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchh ... _series%29

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 9:22 pm **Posts:** 13057

Bagheera wrote:

But GKC surely isn't talking about the radio series since he said it was "watchable." I assume he's talking about this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchh ... _series%29

Yes. Or, to put it another way, both. The radio series, which was the first exposure I had to it (IIRC, while walking around THE CHANGE OF HOBBIT SF book store, just north of LA airport, at some time I can't recall, I first heard something being played, talking about white mice and an experiment). I then heard the whole thing on NPR, while stationed in Florida. Then got the audio tapes. Then saw the BBC TV series, while stationed in Virginia. Then got the VHS tapes.

Then bought the books.

Ignored the theatrical version, though I did see about 3 mins. of it, on cable, before changing the station.

GKC

sunmumy · **Posted:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:07 pm

Bagheera wrote:

Doom wrote:

Bagheera wrote:

FOUNDATION is a poor choice for an Asimov-inspired movie IMHO.

I think it will prove to be pretty close to impossible to adapt, their choices will be to either scrap the actual storyline entirely and make up something else with the same name (which is almost certainly what they will do) or to follow the book and end up making the most boring move ever...

Agreed. It is not movie material at all as it is. It's not even a single story! I don't think a movie that's a series of brief vignettes would work at all.

I could totally see The Caves of Steel working as a movie, though.

Did you say you knew it was in progress?

http://sciencefictionworld.com/films/sc ... cers-.html

Bagheera · **Posted:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:23 pm

GKC wrote:

OK by me, as for as Philip is concerned.

I know you didn't like Palmer Eldritch but what about The Man in the High Castle and Flow My Tears the Policeman Said?

Bagheera · **Posted:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:25 pm

sunmumy wrote:

Did you say you knew it was in progress?

http://sciencefictionworld.com/films/sc ... cers-.html

Had no clue. I hope the producers know more about it than the person who wrote that article.

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 9:22 pm **Posts:** 13057

Bagheera wrote:

GKC wrote:

OK by me, as for as Philip is concerned.

I know you didn't like Palmer Eldritch but what about The Man in the High Castle and Flow My Tears the Policeman Said?

CASTLE, marginally ok, because it falls into alternate history which I am generally fond of. TEARS I have no use for. Or near future dystopias, in general.

I have never read a PKD book that I have enjoyed, CASTLE marginally excepted. I have never read a PKD book twice. I have not looked at a PKD book since around 1991.

GKC

Bagheera · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:22 am

GKC wrote:

CASTLE, marginally ok, because it falls into alternate history which I am generally fond of. TEARS I have no use for. Or near future dystopias, in general.

I have never read a PKD book that I have enjoyed, CASTLE marginally excepted. I have never read a PKD book twice. I have not looked at a PKD book since around 1991.

Tell us how you really feel. ::):

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 9:22 pm **Posts:** 13057

Bagheera wrote:

GKC wrote:

CASTLE, marginally ok, because it falls into alternate history which I am generally fond of. TEARS I have no use for. Or near future dystopias, in general.

I have never read a PKD book that I have enjoyed, CASTLE marginally excepted. I have never read a PKD book twice. I have not looked at a PKD book since around 1991.

Tell us how you really feel. ::):

Include Ballard, Disch, Vonnegut, Delany, Brunner, Spinrad, others.

I need to stop this excessive use of smilies I've developed.

GKC

angelicdoctor · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:38 am

I am joining rather late to the discussion so I will just add my recommendations, which have probably already been offered so my apologies in advance.

1. C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy

2. Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Forget the movie. That was a tragedy. Read the book and disregard everything you know about the film.

3. Timothy Zahn's Star Wars Thrawn trilogy. This tells of the events following the fall of the Emperor Palpatine and of the struggles of the New Republic to get back on its feet.

4. Frank Herbert's Dune I was hesitant at first to read this, however, after diving into it I was fascinated by a space fantasy that mixes the Old Testament and the stories related to the prophet Mohammed with modern Western culture and our middle eastern energy dependence. Unique. The oil...er...the spice must flow!

Doom · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:47 am

angelicdoctor wrote:

Timothy Zahn's Star Wars Thrawn trilogy. This tells of the events following the fall of the Emperor Palpatine and of the struggles of the New Republic to get back on its feet.

Heh, heh, some definite 'soft' sci fi, but excellent nonetheless...if only the rest of the Expanded Universe was as good as the Thrawn trilogy, I wouldn't have given up on it 15 years ago.....indeed, I liked it so much that I started reading some of Timothy Zahn's other non Star Wars related works, 'Cascade Point' and all that....he's a great writer, and Grand Admiral Thrawn is still the ULTIMATE Star Wars villian.....and I think we tend to forget how many of Zahn's ideas actually became canon and were incorporated into the prequels....before 'Heir To The Empire', the capital world 'Coruscant' was simply called 'Imperial City' (obviously just a stand in until they could come up with a real name)...too bad Zahn couldn't have written the screenplays to the Prequel Trilogy...

Quote:

4. Frank Herbert's Dune I was hesitant at first to read this, however, after diving into it I was fascinated by a space fantasy that mixes the Old Testament and the stories related to the prophet Mohammed with modern Western culture and our middle eastern energy dependence. Unique. The oil...er...the spice must flow!

The first book is okay, but the series gets dumber and less tolerable as it wears on. I gave up about 1/3 of the way through 'Children of Dune' and I doubt I will ever finish it.

GKC · **Joined:** Thu Feb 20, 2003 9:22 pm **Posts:** 13057

Doom wrote:

angelicdoctor wrote:

Timothy Zahn's Star Wars Thrawn trilogy. This tells of the events following the fall of the Emperor Palpatine and of the struggles of the New Republic to get back on its feet.

Heh, heh, some definite 'soft' sci fi, but excellent nonetheless...if only the rest of the Expanded Universe was as good as the Thrawn trilogy, I wouldn't have given up on it 15 years ago.....indeed, I liked it so much that I started reading some of Timothy Zahn's other non Star Wars related works, 'Cascade Point' and all that....he's a great writer, and Grand Admiral Thrawn is still the ULTIMATE Star Wars villian.....and I think we tend to forget how many of Zahn's ideas actually became canon and were incorporated into the prequels....before 'Heir To The Empire', the capital world 'Coruscant' was simply called 'Imperial City' (obviously just a stand in until they could come up with a real name)...too bad Zahn couldn't have written the screenplays to the Prequel Trilogy...

Quote:

4. Frank Herbert's Dune I was hesitant at first to read this, however, after diving into it I was fascinated by a space fantasy that mixes the Old Testament and the stories related to the prophet Mohammed with modern Western culture and our middle eastern energy dependence. Unique. The oil...er...the spice must flow!

aThe first book is okay, but the series gets dumber and less tolerable as it wears on. I gave up about 1/3 of the way through 'Children of Dune' and I doubt I will ever finish it.

When I restarted my SF con-going, around 20 years ago, Zahn was the first author I met. Got the trilogy signed.

He was at Dragoncon this year, got about 6 more things signed. I do recommend him as a writer.

GKC

Bagheera · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2012 11:30 am

As far as Vonnegut is concerned, I don't know that I would put him in the sci-fi category. I did enjoy Cat's Cradle, Player Piano, and Slaughterhouse-Five, but not really much else. Faux autobiographies get old fast. And I can't believe a satire as ham-fisted as "Harrison Bergeron" would ever get any attention.

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