Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Asimov's Foundation Series on the Silver Screen


First Showing reported today that the Isaac Asimov Foundation Series is on the chopping block. That is to say, producers Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne (the guys who brought us the Lord of the Rings series) have stepped up to the plate to bring these classic sci-fi novels to the big screen.

Now, I'm not a huge Asimov fan. But I'm guessing that I would be if I had read any of his stuff. However, I know there are a few dedicated Action Direct fans who claim intimate relationships with him and this series specifically. This entry is all about getting your feedback. Is this a horrible, bad, no good idea? 

What's your take?


4 comments:

Sean said...

1)have loved asimov, and especially this series, since i was a young teen. would love to see a successful adaptation.
2)concerned that it will totally suck: 2a)most of asimov is dialogue. there isnt a whole lot of action
3)although a very difficult adaptation, there is something cinematic about the original Watchmen (something, i think, Foundation isnt).
4)i think, if we get anything good/faithful, it will be more like "remains of the day" than "transformers".
5)like "dune" (84), it's easy to get lost in soon-to-be-crap special effects. this book is all about awesome ideas, not awesome battles, a difficult thing to translate.
6)a big part of what was successful about the books for me was the incredible hopefulness for the future that was laced into Asimov's fantastic writing style. the main reason that "lolita" the book is so good, and "lolita" the movies suck, is because nabokov was one the greatest writers in the english language that ever lived. his book isnt awesome because of the plot. i propose that a large part of the awesomeness of "foundation" is the touch of asimov.
7)at the hands of most directors, actors, set designers, producers, etc. this could translate into a "serenity" remake with Hari Seldon bouncing around - abysmal.

Casey said...

That's interesting. Sounds like it could be amazing as long as they keep it as a mind bending Sci-Fi film, rather than a cheap action Sci-Fi, it could be good. I don't know who they are going to get to direct it, but that might be the key.

I was thinking about Dune when I put this one. Despite the soon-to-be crap special effects that Lynch used, it remains a classic in my book. Do you think it will take a strange visionary like Lynch to pul of the Foundation Series?

Sean said...

well, maybe im too big a fan of the book dune - id say it helped form my consciousness.
i like the lynch movie, but im not sure id say that he really "pulled it off".
but yes, i do think you need a visionary to successfully do this. ask me who? i have no idea. i always say aronofsky when someone says, "no one could pull that off" but im not sure he's the answer...

Rafa Z said...

Well I am only fifteen and I love the series and I will be honest in saying that i think it a bad idea only because of the fact that when I grow up to be a director I was going to buy the rights and make them a movie trilogy myself. But off course that again my idea is yet in hands of people with the ability to do this before me just like a game of the godfather, another movie of alexander, and many others yet i have some under my sleeve. Seems to me that it is great for you to do this films, I will only have to go for the remake in 30 years or so, off course.