What 2005 movie are you looking forward to the most?

[Welverin]

Kong is being made by a man with passion, someone who can really tell a story (you've got to admit that, right?)

Well, someone else's story at least.

 

[John Crichton]

Well, someone else's story at least.

I don't think this can be stressed enough.

I think Jackson is a wonderful director and he does his job very well. He does what a director is supposed to do.

 

[Kai Lord]

Well, someone else's story at least.

If you're saying that because you believe that in and of itself is a bad thing, then you might want to sit down and watch a couple of small little movies titled "The Godfather" and "Jaws."

 

[John Crichton]

If you're saying that like its a bad thing, then you might want to sit down and watch a couple of small little movies titled "The Godfather" and "Jaws."

I don't think that is a bad thing. Directors should get credit when they direct a screenplay well. But props have to be given to the source material being the original idea.

 

[Kai Lord]

I don't think that is a bad thing. Directors should get credit when they direct a screenplay well. But props have to be given to the source material being the original idea.

Which PJ has always done. In contrast, I've never really heard Coppolla or Spielberg speak too much of the novels upon which their career establishing films were based.

 

[John Crichton]

Which PJ has always done. In contrast, I've never really heard Coppolla or Spielberg speak too much of the novels upon which their career establishing films were based.

That doesn't surprise me as Jaws and The Godfather were made way before the internet was around and this kind of news wasn't readily made available. Speilberg did speak about the story that Minority Report was based on and A.I. as well. A.I. was terrible (except in parts where it was brilliant) but you get my point. I'm also pretty sure that Coppolla has paid his dues to Puzo's original work.

As for PJ's story-telling ability, I can say that he can put together a good adaptation of previous material. It helps that LotR had one of the best authors in history. I give Jackson a ton of credit for the job he did, with Walsh and Boyens. However, writing a screenplay based on previous material isn't as hard as writing something original. Especially something that has won fans around the world for over 50 years.

Now, I know he has written stories for other movies he has directed. Unfortunately, for the sake of arguement, I cannot say I've seen any of them. I know that I want to see The Frighteners as I am a Mike J. Fox fan. Heavenly Creatures sounds good but I don't have a huge desire to see it at the moment altough I'm sure I will if it comes on cable. I'm referring only to what I have seen so far and what this thread has been about. If PJ wants to make King Kong, great. I hope it is awesome and I really enjoy it. But there is no way I am even remotely looking forward to that more than I am to Star Wars: Episode III.

 

[Kai Lord]

That doesn't surprise me as Jaws and The Godfather were made way before the internet was around and this kind of news wasn't readily made available. Speilberg did speak about the story that Minority Report was based on and A.I. as well. A.I. was terrible (except in parts where it was brilliant) but you get my point. I'm also pretty sure that Coppolla has paid his dues to Puzo's original work.

As for PJ's story-telling ability, I can say that he can put together a good adaptation of previous material. It helps that LotR had one of the best authors in history. I give Jackson a ton of credit for the job he did, with Walsh and Boyens. However, writing a screenplay based on previous material isn't as hard as writing something original. Especially something that has won fans around the world for over 50 years.

I believe you are incorrect. Adapted stories tend to be based on works of proven quality, but have more critical fan bases, especially those stories that don't fit perfectly into other mediums (like a thousand page novel compared to nine hours of film.) Original screenplays (which are rarely very original anyway), have to earn their success without as much expectation or scrutiny. A widely appealing film is a very difficult work of art to create, whether its an adaptation or not. Neither can definitively be said to be more difficult than the other.

Also, capturing the spirit of a literary work while making the *necessary* modifications to suit the medium is much more daunting than simply photographing the characters reciting lines from the book.

 

[John Crichton]

I believe you are incorrect. Adapted stories tend to be based on works of proven quality, but have more critical fan bases, especially those stories that don't fit perfectly into other mediums (like a thousand page novel compared to nine hours of film.) Original screenplays (which are rarely very original anyway), have to earn their success without as much expectation or scrutiny. A widely appealing film is a very difficult work of art to create, whether its an adaptation or not. Neither can definitively be said to be more difficult than the other.

You may believe I am incorrect but I believe we are both correct. There are a ton of "cans" in there. You have proven yourself correct and incorrect by your last sentence.

Doesn't change the fact that PJ had a ton to work with. He could have botched it, but he didn't. And if you were a big PJ fan you should have known that he wouldn't.

Also, capturing the spirit of a literary work while making the *necessary* modifications to suit the medium is much more daunting than simply photographing the characters reciting lines from the book.

Can be, sure. Adapting a great work can be tough but much of the storytelling is already done for you. So the movie-making part can certainly be a challenge but the story has already been told. That said, PJ and crew did a wonderful job with LotR. I couldn't have hoped for more. PJ didn't create LotR or any of the characters, he put them on a screen and made them visually come to life. Kudos to him.

Now if only he could create more LotR movies...

 

[Kai Lord]

Now if only he could create more LotR movies...

If you mean literally, as in The Hobbit, it doesn't look like that will ever happen. I believe Chris Tolkien owns the film rights, and he'll never sell them. If you mean figuratively as in films of LOTR quality, boy, I'd be impressed if he spent the rest of his career making films half that good.

 

[John Crichton]

If you mean literally, as in The Hobbit, it doesn't look like that will ever happen. I believe Chris Tolkien owns the film rights, and he'll never sell them. If you mean figuratively as in films of LOTR quality, boy, I'd be impressed if he spent the rest of his career making films half that good.

I guess I mean that I wish there was more to tell, which I honestly don't believe is true. I'd watch The Hobbit but I don't think it is neccessary. The LotR was such a fantastic journey that only different characters in a totally different time period with a different, non-related story could even have a chance to work in my mind. For sheer emotion, nothing will top these movies for some time. The only thing that will come close is Episode 3, but Star Wars and Lord of the Rings mean something completely different to me.

I can only hope that something else, cinematically, will come along that has given my so much joy and sparked my imagination so. Okay, I am now gushing, time to stop...

So, yeah: 2005, Star Wars. Sweet.