Just a thought about book 7

[Lord Mhoram]

When and if book 7 comes out, maybe itll get enough attention dranw to itself that TCTC will be made into a movie.....hey it could happen!

$Falls asleep and dreams$

[Other]

TCTC will never be made into a movie. It's remarkbale enough that LOTR has been made, but a 6-9 film fantasy cycle centred around a rapist? There's never going to be film maker who'll dare do it.

[Nerdanel]

The only even somewhat likely way to make a Thomas Covenant movie would be an amateur film starring us.

If it would have to be a good movie... I think that would be possible but I don't have an idea how to compress the script into something cinematic. It would be very tricky.

[Vain]

TCTC will never be made into a movie. It's remarkbale enough that LOTR has been made, but a 6-9 film fantasy cycle centred around a rapist? There's never going to be film maker who'll dare do it.

I suppose that's the point where many people falter - but it's not really a book centred around a rapist. If you took to reading the Gap series - you'd have a completely different concept of rape and humiliation and I am beginning to think (one book left) that the Gap series would make for an EXCELLENT movie.

As for film-makers not daring - I think you only need to look around at what passes for entertainment these days to understand that film-makers have no taboos.

[amanibhavam]

If you think about it: the majority of "good guys" in nowadays' movies are really "bad guys": they kill, butcher, maim, coerce, lie, steal in the name of some kind of "justice": cops who are less and less distinguishable from the criminals they chase, revenge-takers who break every possible rule just to avenge some offense against them.

So a film that is centered on a man who committed a single crime in a situation where any ordinary man would break down or go mad or do worse things would not be that extraordinary.

[Vain]

Yeah - I'm STILL trying to figure out who the goodies and the baddies are in the Gap series.

[amanibhavam]

the Gap would make a great movie (even a great TV-series), and it mostly takes place in closed quarters, spaceships, stations etc. so the costs wouldn't be enormous, it would just take excellent actors to express all the complex feelings and passions going on

[danlo]

2 cents: I think from a pure film making standpoint Mordant's Need would b the easiest 2 make--after y'all mentioning the Gap, HAD 2 say that...

[Davin]

I hate to say it, but the public in general does not like to think too much when they see a movie. If you look at the more recent successful films, this is fairly evident. They want to be entertained, similar to an amusement ride, scared, made to laugh, sometimes cry (sorry ladies), or gasp in excitement. The Covenant books would be very difficult to successfully carry to film for a broad audience. I would like to see someone try, but I highly doubt it would happen. It is possible with the success that LotR is enjoying, that more money will be poured into fantasy type movies, but traditionally, they have been anything BUT successful. If it were ever brought to the screen, it would probably end up as a little-known cultish type movie. You are more likely to see film adaptations of Eddings, Brooks or Jordan... books that themselves, cater to a "broader" audience. My apologies to anyone who likes these authors and is offended... I myself have enjoyed a book or two by them... well except for Jordan, but they are a distinctly different style, in my opinion.

Davin

[Mouseglove]

In response to Danlo's posting...

From the standpoint of someone looking to adapt a book to film, Mirror of Her Dreams and A Man Rides Through would be easiest to do, and fairly inexpensive... more a period piece than a mammoth fantasy film, but you'd lose almost all the character development beyond Geredan and Terisa in the conversion. Now, if it could be made into a made-for-TV mini-series (perhaps on cable), it could be more successfully adapted.

The negative thing about adapting any literature to film or television is that, from a writer's standpoint, there will always be things left out. Even LOTR is leaving some things out, and re-arranging others. The best adaption of a "fantastic" book I've seen on film is LOTR though, and on television is Stephen King's book "The Stand" but that was done as an eight-hour mini-series.

-Mouseglove

[amanibhavam]

Staying true to the book is not a guarantee for quality. Just look at the two Dune adaptations. While Lynch's Dune movie diverges from the book in many places, still it has style, atmosphere, it is an enjoyable film; and the mini-series... well... it's just cr@p, although it is true to the books almost up to the letter.

[Lord Mhoram]

Davin- if you went to the archives of Tolkien forums right before LOTR was announced to become a movie, trust me youd have seen the same argument. Look how succesful it was! The reason? It was an awesome fantasy, and people liked it!

TC will make a good movie, thats definite. People would like it. IMO thats also definite.

[Turint]

I really don't think that TCOTC is suitable movie material. Considering the rape of Lena early in LFB and the amount of dislike and aggravation that a reader, much less a movie goer, can develop for TC, I don't think that all of that negativity can be neutralized, much less overcome in 1 movie imo.

While multiple movies might be able to make TC more palatable, the general public wouldn't continue to see the sequels imo because TC is a felonious, dislikeable, self-pitying jerk throughout a good portion of the series. Only with much time can somebody develop a semblance of understanding regarding his mood/actions/personality.

[amanibhavam]

IMHO you don't have to like Covenant - there's aplenty of people in the series you can be fond of, that compensates for TC's shortcomings

[Lord Mhoram]

Movies are going to have sex. You guys have tunnel vision if you think just because of a rape scene, its not a suitable movie.

[Davin]

I never meant to imply that it wouldn't be a suitable movie. I simply doubt it would make a SUCCESSFUL movie. If the budget was reasonable enough, it might be a profitable movie, but I would be surprised if Lord Foul's Bane turned into a "blockbuster" film. It would, however, be a very nice thing to see happen.

Davin

[Guest]

I think the reason that the Lord of the Rings adaptation is so well done is that the director passionately loves those books! They are an act of art, passion, and love. Peter Jackson is literally giving up YEARS of his life to make them. I would be afraid that if the TC books are made into a movie that some director who doesn't love or understand them will make typical Hollywood garbage out of them. Not all Hollywood films are garbage, but those which are well done seem to be things that the director feels passionate about, like Schindler's List, which is an obvious act of love on the part of Spielberg. As in all jobs, I think that a lot of Hollywood stuff is accepted by the people who make or act in it so that they can put food on the table. So the movies/tv shows, whatever, are lacking the passion and fire that an adaptation of the TC books would need. Now, if someone could find a director of the stature of jackson who loves Donaldson, thta could be magical!