Can Hollywood Make a Good SF Film?

[SPOOFE]

The starfighters fought like spacecraft 'cuz he had the special-effects people copy the scenes from old WWII movies.

Sheesh.

ANYWAY, not to get off-topic or anything…

But what do those “greats” have in common? They were NOT book adaptations.

I don’t think that’s entirely it. The problem doesn’t arise simply from a movie being an adaptation from a book, but the fact that if you were to make a movie using the novel as a script, you’d wind up with a movie that’s seven or eight hours long. So SOMEthing has to go, and usually it’s something critical. Hence, the difficulty of making a good book adaptation.

[Danielinthewolvesden]

Yes, that IS part of it, but I think that the screen version never lives up to “the movie in your head” is also important.

[SPOOFE]

Well, the “movie in your head” is different for everybody. Reading a book is definitely a better experience for those with strong imaginations (like me!!! Wee!!). But for those with no imagination whatsoever (yes, there are a few, poor souls), the movie would be better for them.