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| Earl |
 Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:05 pm |
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Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 2621
Location: Houston
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Joe Vitus wrote: People mention Catcher in the Rye. Does anyone really want to see a movie of that? The whole empahsis isn't on what happens (which is fairly mundane), but on how Holden perceives it. That's the key to the novel, why so many people have taken it to heart. Take away that controlling voice, that perspective, and what are you left with? Reducing it to a document of the exterior activities would take the heart out of the thing.
I'm one of those who mention it and I've been thinking about it since it was assigned to me in high school. I've reread it a handful of times since then. (I think I'm about due for another.) I used to think that Matthew Broderick, when he still looked young enough to play a teen, would've made a good Holden. And come to think of it, my musings on the subject never went beyond the casting of Holden. I never considered it the way you explained it above and you made an excellent point.
Another fave which, as far as I know, hasn't been filmed is G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday. Even though it was written almost a century ago, I believe it is especially relevant in the post-9/11 world. In fact, it could just as easily be modernized and set in 2010 as in 1910. The casting of the character of Sunday (there I go again on the casting) might be tricky, but it could be done. |
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| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:23 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
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I've never read anything by Chesterton! Everyone who has says I'd love him.
I can see Broderick as Holden. |
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| Earl |
| Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:34 pm |
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Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 2621
Location: Houston
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Joe Vitus wrote: I've never read anything by Chesterton! Everyone who has says I'd love him.
I can see Broderick as Holden.
Next time I see you I'll loan you my copy of The Man Who Was Thursday if you want. It's a fast read; my paperback copy is somewhere around 190 pages. It has "Property of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" stamped in it because I never returned it to my high school. I'm thinking of giving it back to my teacher (who is still on the faculty) when I go back for my 25th-year class reunion in 2008. |
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"I have a suspicion that you are all mad," said Dr. Renard, smiling sociably; "but God forbid that madness should in any way interrupt friendship." |
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| yambu |
| Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:08 pm |
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Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 6441
Location: SF Bay Area
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I'd like to see a remake of All the King's Men. The movie was ok on its own, but it betrayed Robert Penn Warren's novel in many ways - or at least I thought so when I read the book. Of course, the character Willie Stark is loosly based on Huey P. Long, one of the most fascinating politicians of the last century. (Ever catch Ken Burns's documentary?)
A lot of the novel's action takes place in New Orleans, so this could be yet another boost for the city. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:41 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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Did you know there's a remake coming out in October? Here's the cast:
Sean Penn .... Willie Stark
Jude Law .... Jack Burden
Kate Winslet .... Anne Stanton
Patricia Clarkson .... Sadie Burke
James Gandolfini .... Tiny Duffy
Mark Ruffalo .... Adam Stanton
Anthony Hopkins .... Judge Montague Irwin |
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| yambu |
| Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:46 pm |
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Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 6441
Location: SF Bay Area
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| Holy shit. Sean Penn! That's great. Thanks. I should read the book again. |
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| ehle64 |
| Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 10:47 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 7149
Location: NYC; US&A
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Holy shit. That cast!
Mark Ruffalo and Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under) are doing a Clifford Odets play @ Lincoln Center. I'm salivating. |
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| mo_flixx |
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:19 am |
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Joined: 30 May 2004
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Joe Vitus wrote: ...Most 20th century novels don't adapt well to the screen, maybe because they so largely take place within the conciousness of the character or characters. One of the major reasons Gatsby has never been successfully filmed (and they've tried and tried and tried). People mention Catcher in the Rye....
I think this can apply to a number of 19th C. authors as well. I'm surprised at the number of successful adaptations of Henry James to the screen (both large and small - tv).
Then there are the successful 20th C. adaptations of the novels of a different sort - the Clancys, the Grishams, ...and yes, _Gone With the Wind_. |
Last edited by mo_flixx on Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:34 am; edited 2 times in total |
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| mo_flixx |
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:27 am |
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Joined: 30 May 2004
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[quote="Joe Vitus"]
Quote: I'd love to see a director like Mary Harron or George Clooney take a stab at it. Both of them have adapted strange literary works brilliantly -- Harron with American Psycho, Clooney with Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
After watching 1-1/2 seasons of "Crime Story," dare I suggest Michael Mann? Some the episodes demonstrate some truly brilliant visual insanity. The one I watched last night ("Femme Fatale") was partly inspired by '50's film noir and partly by John Frankenheimer's "Seconds." |
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| daffy |
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:28 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 1939
Location: Wall Street
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| Marc |
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:42 am |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
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| The new film version of ALL THE KING'S MEN has been sitting on the shelf for awhile. The buzz is bad. I bet its a stinker. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:43 am |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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| Jackie Earle Haley. It looks like the only film I ever saw him in was Breaking Away. |
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I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
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| ehle64 |
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:47 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 7149
Location: NYC; US&A
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| Wasn't he in the original Bad News Bears, too? |
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It truly disappoints me when people do something for you via no prompt of your own and then use it as some kind of weapon against you at a later time and place. It is what it is. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 1:06 am |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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| Yes. I've only seen part of that. |
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I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
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| bocce |
| Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 5:06 am |
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Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 2428
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joe...
sorry i misinterpreted your intent re: the filmed version of CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES.... |
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