# The greatest sci-fi movie never made? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 13, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431 "2008-02-13T14:56:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/1 "2008-02-13T14:56:32Z")
Inspired by [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=455485) My candidate would be a five-book series, The Demon Princes by Jack Vance, where Kirth Gersen tracks down the five so-called Demon Princes that killed his parents: Attel Malagate the Woe, Kokor Hekkus, Viole Falushe, Lens Larque and Howard Allan Treesong. One of the great classics of science fiction, I’ve always thought it would make a wonderful cinematic experience in the right hands. I did hear that Vance has a distrust of Hollywood, for which one can easily forgive him. I live in hope though. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/2 "2008-02-13T15:08:59Z")
I wouldn’t want Hollywood to get my hands on any of my favorite SF novels. Their track record for adapting SF is abysmal. ---
**Author:** ![Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Olive\_The\_Other\_Reindeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olive_The_Other_Reindeer)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/3 "2008-02-13T15:09:02Z")
“The Caves of Steel” by Asimov - it just begs to be adapted to the big screen. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/4 "2008-02-13T15:42:30Z")
Starship Troopers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rhythmonly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@rhythmonly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhythmonly)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/5 "2008-02-13T15:44:38Z")
“Valis” by Phillip K. Dick. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/6 "2008-02-13T15:50:00Z")
**Buckaroo Banzai vs. The World Crime League!** ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/7 "2008-02-13T15:51:22Z")
Ringworld. I know there has been talk about it, but I think it would make a pretty cool movie. In fact, perhaps a better movie than it is a book. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/8 "2008-02-13T15:58:56Z")
[QUOTE=aldiboronti] Inspired by [this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=455485) My candidate would be a five-book series, The Demon Princes by Jack Vance, where Kirth Gersen tracks down the five so-called Demon Princes that killed his parents: Attel Malagate the Woe, Kokor Hekkus, Viole Falushe, Lens Larque and Howard Allan Treesong. One of the great classics of science fiction, I’ve always thought it would make a wonderful cinematic experience in the right hands. I did hear that Vance has a distrust of Hollywood, for which one can easily forgive him. I live in hope though. [/QUOTE] An interesting choice. I personally think that Vance’s Planet of Adventure novels ( **City of the Chasch, Servants of the Wankh, The Dirdir** , and **The Pnume** ) would make a fine series. Lots of scope for CGI aliens there. Of course, the novel that would make the best movie is Bester’s **The Stars My Destination**. I would loooooove to see a good movie made from it. Which is why I hope Hollywood never does one. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/9 "2008-02-13T16:00:47Z")
_Rendezvous with Rama_. It simply could not be done justice, and even if it were, they’d f&ck it up by making sequels. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/10 "2008-02-13T16:07:25Z")
[QUOTE=Rocketeer] …Servants of the Wankh… [/QUOTE] I would _love_ to see them try to release a SF movie with that title here in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/11 "2008-02-13T16:11:26Z")
I don’t think either _Ringworld_ or _Rendevous with Rama_ are filmable. They’re both basically exploration stories. To do them right, it would cost $100 million+, and I don’t think there’s enough conflict in the stories to draw enough people to make the cost worthwhile for a studio. They’re basically niche movies. My idea would be to do them animated, which would be cheaper and which would be cool with their audiences. It might be possible to do _Gateway_ live action, but I think animated would be better for that one, too. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/12 "2008-02-13T16:13:46Z")
Obviously, “[The Moon is a Harsh Mistress](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325631&highlight=Moon+Harsh+Mistress)”. Actually, I am serious, this might be the single best book in the history of Sci-Fi. I think it is still relevant today. We got revolution, war, political intrigue, economics lessons, physics lessons, an AI supercomputer, a penal colony, space colonization and lessons in forming revolutionary cells. Laser fight and tossing rocks would be way cool. The characters are fleshed out in quick order. Jim ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/13 "2008-02-13T16:14:35Z")
[_Snow Crash!_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_crash) Lotsa action, lotsa larfs, social commentary\*, and all the SFX can be done by computer because **that’s how it is in the book!** - Although the parody of H. Ross Perot/L. Ron Hubbard is now a bit dated . . . ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/14 "2008-02-13T16:14:55Z")
[QUOTE=RikWriter] Starship Troopers. 😃 [/QUOTE] You beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/15 "2008-02-13T16:16:04Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] _Rendezvous with Rama_. It simply could not be done justice, and even if it were, they’d f&ck it up by making sequels. [/QUOTE] Well, there were sequels to the book, weren’t there? 😉 Personally I’d like to see John Varley’s “Titan”/“Wizard”/'Demon" trilogy, but like everyone else has said, Hollywood would just screw it up anyway. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/16 "2008-02-13T16:20:07Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Obviously, “[The Moon is a Harsh Mistress](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325631&highlight=Moon+Harsh+Mistress)”. Actually, I am serious, this might be the single best book in the history of Sci-Fi. I think it is still relevant today. We got revolution, war, political intrigue, economics lessons, physics lessons, an AI supercomputer, a penal colony, space colonization and lessons in forming revolutionary cells. Laser fight and tossing rocks would be way cool. The characters are fleshed out in quick order. Jim [/QUOTE] It might need some reconceptualizing, however. Kinda hard, nowadays, to sell the premise that the Earth is using the Moon as a **farm.** Or that the Lunar colony is thereby doomed to starvation because of a water deficit. Only way the Moon will ever be colonized on that scale is if there’s a way to make water out of local materials; which there probably is. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/17 "2008-02-13T16:22:42Z")
**Footfall** could make a fairly good movie. It wasn’t all that good as a book, so no problem with the fan base, either. Gotta add a bit of sex interest, though. The thing about **“The Stars My Destination”** is that some of the best stuff takes place in the dark, or in the minds of the players. Good reading, sure, good cinema, maybe not. Charlise Theron can play Olivia Prestigan, though, and I won’t mind. And Jessica Alba for the telepath chick, whose name I cannot remember. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/18 "2008-02-13T16:24:02Z")
The advertisements for _Jumper_ make me wish for a screen adaptation of _The Stars My Destination_ . I also wouldn’t mind seeing if someone could bring Zelazny’s Amber series to the big screen. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/19 "2008-02-13T16:26:33Z")
[QUOTE=Bill Door] I also wouldn’t mind seeing if someone could bring Zelazny’s Amber series to the big screen. [/QUOTE] The whole thing? naah. I wasn’t able to finish the books, I cannot imagine sitting through all the movies. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431/20 "2008-02-13T16:27:43Z")
[QUOTE=Shoeless] Well, there were sequels to the book, weren’t there? 😉 [/QUOTE] No. There’s weren’t. Clarke never got around to it. Shame, that. But perhaps it’s just as well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-sci-fi-movie-never-made/437431.md?page=2)