# Books you would like to see as films **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2002, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063 "2002-06-14T18:02:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/61 "2002-06-18T05:24:05Z")
I’ve always wanted to see any of Michael Moorcock’s **Eternal Champion** series made into a movie, but in particular the **Elric Saga**. Towards the end of the series, the entire world is slowly overtaken by the forces of Chaos and I always thought that that would make a powerful visual. I also wouldn’t mind seeing Stormbringer doing it’s dark work: black radiance pouring from the blade, crooning sadistically, stealing the souls of the slain and feeding them to its weak master. I like the fact that Elric is an anti-hero. The antithesis of a Conan/Tarzan/Ah-nold type of action hero. Get tired of seeing the same cookie cut hero type in the lead of every movie. Would make for a refreshing change. That and it doesn’t have a particularly happy ending 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![grendel72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/91b2a8/32.png) [@grendel72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grendel72)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/62 "2002-06-18T06:21:59Z")
The Final Programme was made into a movie, wasn’t Jerry Cornelius supposed to be a part of the Eternal Champion series. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/63 "2002-06-18T08:04:44Z")
Jerry Cornelius is an incarnation of the Eternal Champion’s “guide” of sorts, aka Jhary-a-Conel and The Warrior in Jet and Gold, among others. However Jerry is mostly set in “modern” (modern at the time of its writing roughly 30 years ago) day England and IMO not a true part of the EC series. I was unaware that a movie was made of it though. I’ll have to look around for it. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/64 "2002-06-28T10:16:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoggie \* > **I’d like to see a movie based on anything by Ruth Rendell. Though I think they may have made some Mystery! series on her books, in which case I’m mistaken.** I’ve seen two of them: **No More Dying Then** and **The Face of Trespass**. I didn’t like them for several reasons. First off, Rendell’s characters, especially the witnesses and suspects in the Wexford books, always have their quirks. Usually not enough as to be outlandish, but everyone has a definite personality. (Sometimes there will be a mundane person, but then their mundanity is what’s notable.) Anyway, in the adapations, everyone was a generic character. In **NMDT** , generic mom loses her son. In **TFOT** , Drusilla was a generic unfaithful wife, and Gray was a generic slacker. Secondly, the plot is equally by-the-numbers. In **TFOT** , the main characters meet at a cocktail party, thus sacrificing the drama of their encounter in the street when he breaks her perfume bottle. **NMDT** had the subplot of Burden adjusting to his wife’s death; IIRC, that wasn’t even mentioned! And third, **NMDT** gravely disappointed me by not showing the wrap-up of a Wexford the way I’d always imagined them. The Wexfords always end with him taking Burden, and often a third party, step by step through the events leading up to the murder. He gives much consideration to the character traits of the victim and the killer, as well as their circumstances. He usually works in one of his high-brow quotes while he’s at it. Burden always goes from “You’re mad, Reg” to “:smack: Why didn’t I think of that?” to “I need another drink” while Wexford smiles genially and raises his pint. So do you think this was played out in a fixed setting that allowed for closeups, response times and gestures? Not on your tintype! Wexford and Burden trudge along a path by a river in a long-to-medium shot. How enthralling. So I would like to see a **feature** film of a Ruth Rendell. Maybe **The Killing Doll**. Or **An Unkindness of Ravens**. ---
**Author:** ![blinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@blinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinx)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/65 "2002-06-28T11:50:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Netbrian \* > \*\*Any of the three books in the His Dark Materials series would absolutly rock as movies. \*\* I was thinking just the same, though I think it would be quite difficult to do the books justice as a movie - I’d definately see it/buy the dvd/get the t-shirt etc 🙂 I wish I hadn’t read them so I could have that experience again… ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/66 "2002-06-28T15:50:15Z")
Anything by Peter F. Hamilton ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2002, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/67 "2002-06-28T17:26:03Z")
_The Saga of Eric Brighteyes_ by H. Rider Haggard. No kidding, except for the unfortunate name, this is a kickass book. You won’t forget the scene where the witch comes walking across the ocean during a storm. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/68 "2002-06-29T08:05:15Z")
“The Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat”, with Steve Martin as Slippery Jim DiGriz. I discovered this series in the '80s, and always pictured Steve with his shock of white hair and over the top humor as the perfect master super thief with a heart of gold. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2002, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/69 "2002-06-29T17:06:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ralph124c \* > \*\*I’d love to see Asimov’s “FOUNDATION” series turned into a movie…however, adapting such a long, complex story would be difficult. Hollywood would almost certainly screw it up! I can just imagine what Hari Seldon would look like-and, the metal-covered world of TRANTOR! \*\* That’s funny…the first time I saw Courscant in “The Phantom Menace” I immediately thought, “Trantor! That’s Trantor!” I thought of it as Trantor for the rest of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/70 "2002-06-30T01:42:37Z")
**Euty** Thanks for the link I loved “Good Omens” as a book and might make a fun movie too! **rackensack** I agree I loved “Master and Margarita” I was not a huge Behemoth fan (the large cat for those who have yet to read the book) I was more a Choir master fan 🙂 I do agree Behemoth would be a fun CGI project. A book I liked called “Catch me if you can” I heard it was being made into a movie and I laughed with joy. I heard Leanardo DeCaprio was going to star in it. I threw up. _sigh_ I loved to see a book called “Wrack and Roll” In my dream world Kevin Smith would do the directing. He has a way of getting dialoge onto screen and keep things moving. With Trevor Rabin writing the music 🙂 I can only hope anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Treviathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/71 "2002-06-30T08:15:46Z")
My first thought upon finishing Peter Carey’s _The True History of the Ned Kelly Gang_ was that it’s got all the markings of a true Hollywood epic. I could imagine Ewan MacGregor in the lead, or perhaps Guy Pearce. ---
**Author:** ![bluecrayola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@bluecrayola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecrayola)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/72 "2002-06-30T10:36:03Z")
_Atlas Shrugged_ by Ayn Rand. _The Fountainhead_ was converted into a movie (with Gary Cooper) – but it was quite lame. ---
**Author:** ![Phoenix\_Dragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Phoenix\_Dragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phoenix_Dragon)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/73 "2002-06-30T14:09:22Z")
Oh yeah, **Snowcrash** would make a cool movie! I’ll second the vote for that one. I’d also say **Starship Troopers** , since whatever person scripted the movie definatly wasn’t making it after the book in anything but name (_Bleh_). I mean, it goes from the book, with a depiction of one of the most lethal and effective ground combat forces ever created, to some WB-teen-group with overweighted assault rifles. I want to see a movie with some good power armor action for a change… Kinda ironic that my copy of the book has a cover with art from the movie. That’s about all they have in common. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2002, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/74 "2002-06-30T20:39:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\*Dan Simmons’ _Hyperion/Endymion_ saga > \*\* _Hyperion_ has far too much plot to fit into a single movie. It could be done as a TV miniseries, I suppose, but then they probably wouldn’t be able to afford the special effects that the book deserves. Martin’s _A song of Fire and Ice_ is another series that might make for a good miniseries. I’d love to see a movie of James Stoddard’s _The High House_, but it probably doesn’t have enough sex and violence to attract Hollywood’s attention. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/75 "2002-08-27T03:25:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grendel72 \* > \*\ ***Snow Crash** , by Neal Stephenson, would make an excellent movie. I don’t know how some of the “sci-fi” trappings would come off using special effects, but the story was the best combination of action and ideas ever. > \*\* I have heard that this movie is being made. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/76 "2002-08-27T07:26:58Z")
_Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World_ by Haruki Marukami. It would be interesting to see if they could handle the dual storylines. Actually, anything by Marukami would make a fine movie. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/77 "2002-08-27T11:21:56Z")
This has come up before, and some of my suggestions from earlier times have already been listed. I think that Alfred Bester’s **The Stars my Destination** and **The Demolished Man** would be wonderful choices. Bester’s “take” on telepathy could be done beautifully on the screen – it’s so very different from the “voice over talking in your head” way it’s usually shown. Telerpathy with CGI visuals would be a welcome change. The Stars my Destination has the most visceral, dramatic opening you could ask for. I’ve often visualized filming it. Fredric Brown’s works would make greart movies His underrated mysteries alone would be great, but his sf and fantasy short stories and novels could make great flicks. He wrote **The Mind Thing** , for instance, as the plot for a low-budget movie, and I could easily see it being filmed. A lot of his other works would lend themselves to screenb treatment. But the one I’d really like to see is **Arena**. I’ve filmed it a thousand times in my head. It’s been ripped off so many times it’s not funny (e.g. – “Fun and Games” on the original Outer Limits). But nobody’s done it straight, and nobody’s done it justice. Not even Star Trek, even though they nominally based an episode of TOS on this short story (and gave Brown credit). If your only exposure to this one is watchingh Shatner beat the Gorn by inventing gunpowder, then go and read the original story. It’s a treat. I always thought they should have done more of Federick Forsythg’s work. **The Day of the Jackal** was superb. **The Odessa File** had a lot to recommend it, although they screwed it up a bit. **Dogs of War** and **The Fourth Protocol** were disappointing. There was a good adaptation of **The Careful Man** , but it had very bad distribution. I’d like to see more of his stuff done – it’s far better than Clancy. When it came out, I thought **The Devil’s Alternative** would make a good mini-series. It’s dated now, but might make a good period piece. And, for once, I’d like to see someone play Mark Twain’s **A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court** _straight_, without making a vehicle for a singer or comedian, or making it too “politically correct”. ---
**Author:** ![Sengkelat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Sengkelat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sengkelat)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/78 "2002-08-27T19:10:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ITR champion \* > **Martin’s _A song of Fire and Ice_ is another series that might make for a good miniseries.** A miniseries is the only way to do it justice in terms of time. But a miniseries doesn’t have the budget to hire good actors, make good costumes, and have good special effects. I think it’d come off as a soap opera in crappy renfaire costumes. I’d like to see C. J. Cherryh’s **Chanur** series done as a two movies, one for the first book and a loooong movie for the 3rd-4th books. They’d have to make sure to get the plot, which is very complex, just right. But the space battles would be great. Err, if you can film ships at near lightspeed and stationary ships in the same frame. I’d also like to see HP Lovecraft’s _The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath._ It’s an pretty good story, though the “it’s all a dream” aspect might bother some people. And the director would have to make sure he captured the feeling of awe and wonder of the strange worlds Randolph Carter visits; that’s really the whole appeal of the book. Another suggestion is John Gordon’s 1968 book _The Giant Under the Snow._ It’s a kid’s book about three english kids and magical stuff. Those sorts of films are big right now! The kids (in their early teens) discover the truth of an ancient legend in which a band of long-dead (?) norsemen attempt to raise a great earthen giant. There’s a scene where one kid (having gotten the power of flight) folds his arms and dives out of the snowy sky, at the last minute spreading his arms and landing, hawk-like, on two dessicated norsemen with a sickening crunch. I absolutely want to see that scene on the big screen, as well as when the giant is inevitably raised. The book has a good, short plot, is well paced, and would lend itself really, really well to a creepy yet action-packed film. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/79 "2002-08-27T19:45:07Z")
Some great suggestions, especially **Good Omens, Anno Dracula,** and **The Stainless Steel Rat** series. I’d love to see a big budget adaptation of **Lord of Light** , although Hindu groups might protest the depiction of far future humans pretending to be their gods. ---
**Author:** ![Melon\_Farmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Melon\_Farmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melon_Farmer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063/80 "2002-08-27T20:36:46Z")
**Shibumi** by Trevanian. I saw **Harrison Bergeron** on cable. It was actually very cool. I saw an interview w/ Vonnegut about it and he basically said that while it didn’t precisely follow the story, they had turned it into a “Paddy Chayefsky-type story” (his words) and he liked the end result very much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-you-would-like-to-see-as-films/114063.md?page=5)