http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/24/film.elric.reut/index.html
I have never read Elric, but have heard of it.
Brian
I read several books in the Elric series around Thanksgiving. Even though I liked it, I don’t think it will translate well since so much of Elric had him dealing with extra planar creatures and alternate dimensions. I think that part of the story would be too hard to translate onto the screen and still make it enjoyable. I see them changing a lot. I can almost bet that Arioch will no longer be a demon and the Melniboneans will be all around nice people judging by Hollywood’s penchant for pleasing blockbusters.
I don’t know. I haven’t read all the Elric stuff but that “extra planar” stuff in the stories I have essentially translates to another sound stage. There’s nothing particularly complicated about that portion of the story. Now getting Melniboneans and Elric’s various pals on the screen without a severe lightening up… that’s pretty much doomed I think.
Not that it would be impossible to make a good Elric movie (or set of movies), but it runs so counter to the standard Hollywood method that I doubt we’ll even see a movie get made. I suspect this’ll go through about half a dozen script treatments and get lost forever.
Aye, I’m thinking along the same lines, Some Guy.
And for once, I think I’d be happier if the flick never did get made. I can forsee only darkness and pain coming of it.
I loved the Elric saga once upon a time, and it still occupies a warm little corner of my heart. But somehow, I just think so much would either be lost, or completely re-arranged, in order to get this thing on the screen, that it’d ruin the fun I still get out of re-reading the books, every now and again.
My wife has a bunch of these books; I asked her once if I should read them and she said not to get too into it… once you’ve read a few of them, you’ve read them all. Note that they’re planning on pulling the story from six novels and making one movie out of it, as opposed to some of the more successful written-to-movie transitions, where the written work was a short story or novella.
Actually doing the extra planar junk would be easy but the explanation in the movie will be severely lacking.
Let’s start casting the movie:
For one scary ass mo-fo who is whiter than anything and would make a perfect soft spoken Elric I nominate Michael Jackson. "Blood and souls for Arioch. (high pitched squeel) oo ooo(/high pitched squeel) The only makeup job he will need is a white wig rather than his black one.
We need his fiance, his cousin who kidnaps his fiance, and Moonglum for sure but I don’t know who I would want to cast.
Pulling from multiple stories might not be so bad. For example, I really think that pulling from Elric of Menibone to establish some of the backstory and The Dreaming City to give the payoff to it in one film would be perfect. In fact, if I was doing my ideal Elric movie that’s exactly what I would do.
Elric is going to be a tough role to cast should the film get made and I fear that an actor will get the part more to make the movie into a vehicle for his career than any appropriateness. I’m sure the first thing to be dropped there will be the sickly appearance and in the end you’ll be lucky if he’s an albino…
At least they’re considering doing it right. Rather than one movie to cover 6 books (small as they were), it’d be a trilogy.
And it looks like Moorcock would co-produce. Hopefully he would have enough say to now allow his vision from becoming too scrambled.
The scariest part though:
How about Christopher Walken as Yyrkoon? He’s got the range to play the charming yet demented character.
At a loss for Cymoril.
As well as Moonglum, though for some inexplicable reason, Steve Buscemi came to mind. /shudder
Arioch would have to be CGI.
And whomever they cast for Theleb K’aarna has to be convincing. Nothing worse than a lame villain, even as foil to an anti-hero.
There are a ton of short lived characters. It could be grounds for a plethora of cameo’s, but realistically and hopefully, it won’t be.
For Elric, Stuart Townsend maybe?
I would really like to see Elric done as an Anime, by the people who did Vampire Hunter D. I just think they would have difficulty doing more than a decent original movie followed by a cash-in sequel if it was done in live action. But Anime could spread the story over 1 box office release film (the fall of Melnibone) then a decent length series. If popularity for the series is good, a final (end of the world) film would be an option.
Cheers, Bippy (aka Jerry Cornelius)
Hell, by the time they get done mangling it, Elric will be played by the Rock…
Hush slortar, don’t give them any ideas.
If they go that far, they may as well cast Carrot Top as Moonglum. Y’know, cause he’s got red hair…
<deep husky voice>
“In a world without honor, is a man with a dark past…”
(Shot of the Rock standing topless in the rain roaring defiance at the sky. He is holding an enormous Conan the Barbarian style sword. It has a shiny steel blade covered with fire.)
“Pursued by an ancient evil…”
(Shot of Jeremy Irons, dressed like the sorcerer of Pan Tang. It’s still raining.)
“And all that stands between this evil and humanity is one lonely princess.”
(Jennifer Lopez, chained to a rock, a la Clash of the Titans.)
“This summer, 2004…”
(Flash of poorly done CG dragons).
“Evil…”
(Rock, screaming again.)
“Has met…”
(Rock and Jeremy Irons, sword fighting. No black blade in sight).
“Its match!!!”
(Music changes to Blink 182.)
(Camera pulls out to reveal army of orcs. Cuts to the Rock, standing next to Carrot Top on top of a m1 abrams tank. Fades to black.)
</deep husky voice>
ah, Elric.
We already have a theme song.
“Black Blade”, by Blue Oyster Cult.
ok, maybe not
Elric didn’t get Stormbringer until around the end of the first book. I think him and Yrkoon fought well before he ever got the blade too but I don’t remember it too well now.
Too funny, and sadly, too close to the truth slortar.
Just in rethinking about the saga I can remember quite a few parts that I always thought would make great movie scenes, but now with LotR’s success (and dreaded eventual emulation) and Hollywood’s penchant for casting movies based on popularity rather than talent, I worry.
The sequence toward the end where Elric does battle with the Lords of Chaos, and then pure Chaos consuming the planet; it’s supposed to be a climax to the entire saga, but now I worry it’d just become a reason to parade People’s 20 most beautiful people across the screen.
/overzealous announcer voice
Come see Vin Diesel as the achingly beautiful Arioch!
Take in Christina Aguilera in her cinematic debut as the inexplicable Xiombarg!
Matthew McConaughey playing the role of his life as Jagreen Lern!
And introducing Owen Wilson’s younger brother’s roomate, John, as Sepiriz!
/overzealous announcer
dorkusmalorkusmafia, I believe that the first time Yyrkooon and Elric do battle is in the Pulsing Cavern, when they each wield one of the sister blades.
Though I read the saga way too often back in the day, it’s been a long while so I may not be remembering a smaller skirmish they had prior, but the fight in the PC is the big one.
Skillet38 we have the entire story in music by Hawkwind.
In fact if you consider the live concert dvd, then Elric the film already exists.
Mind you, I think even the Rock would have been better than that strange MIME guy 