"The Mote in God's Eye"

[krispos42]

I just read it again for the first time in about a decade, as well as the sequel "The Gripping Hand". Once again, couldn't put the damn things down one I started reading them.

And with all of the remakes being made today of films done in the past, the endless rehashing on concepts, I can't help but complain about this!

There is a treasure trove of excellent science-fiction that has been written in the last half-century that only now movie studios and GCI firms can bring to life without a major "cheese" factor. Niven, Clarke, Heinlein, Asimov...

Why are we getting a "Transformers" remake when we could be getting "The Mote in God's Eye", "Lucifer's Hammer", "The Legacy of Herot", etc., etc., etc.?

Pisses me off to no end.

:rant:

[salvorhardin]

1. I really enjoyed The Mote In God's Eye

Hard science fiction at its' best. Hard to believe it was published almost 35 years ago now! Damn, now I'm going to have to read it again and the sequel for the first time.

I agree. There's an ocean of amazing, imaginative and gripping writing that could finally be made into film and we get nostalgic dreck like the Transformers or another Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I'd love to see Ringworld or The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress.

[krispos42]

4. "Ringworld" would be an excellent choice

Some of the short stories in "N-Space" would be good as well. There's one about a bartender, an alien, a Secret Service agent, and memory pills that is entertaining (I think it's called "The Fourth Profession", as well as one called "Inconstant Moon" that might make a good movie as well.

And have fun with "Mote". I'm reading it again two week after reading it for the first time in over a decade. Damn, it's good!

[YankeyMCC]

2. I understand what you're saying and sympathize

but then again do we want a Michael Bay version of Mote or other classic works?

I too would like to see some of the classics used as the basis for good movies but I'd rather they leave them be if there's no commitment to find the write production, direction, writing team to do them well. What we need is a team like the one that did LoTR. A talented person (or three) with talent and vision, who was/is a fan of the work they are translating.

[krispos42]

5. Peter Jackson

"Mote" is a long and complex book, and Niven and Pournelle had to cut a lot out of it to make the publisher happy! Peter Jackson seems to have this talent for making long movies that don't draq too much, and the story would need that.

PJ might have to cut the book into two parts, the first part ending with the middies reported being killed to Captain Blaine, and the second part picking up from there.

Actually, PJ could probably cut the two books into three movies. The first (The Mote in God's Eye) ending with Lenin jumping back to Murchenson't Eye after picking up the Motie embassy, the second (The Mote Around Murchenson's Eye) picks up with the Council talking with the Moties, deciding to put in the blockade, then jumping ahead into the sequel and ending with the half-dozen Motie ships discovering the new Jump point to the red dwarf, and the third movie (The Gripping Hand) takes the rest of the sequel to it's conclusion.

[AllegroRondo]

3. I'd love to see some of Clarke's stuff done right

like the Rama series, or the Trigger, or Light of Other Days.

but the studios do Transformers, because theres less risk. Its a movie with a built in audience base, the kids from the 80's who know the toys and cartoons. And its all about the $. Less risk is better, as far as they're concerned - thats why we get so many sequals and remakes, and hardly any new stuff.

[krispos42]

6. Kubrick took the plunge with "2001", and that worked out well

"Rama" would be a good start, definately. "The Light of Other Days" could be a good one as well. I don't think I ever read "The Trigger", but I tend to forget the titles of stories... :blush:

[AllegroRondo]

7. Trigger was his "anti-gun" book

someone discovers a radio/radiation frequency that as a side effect turns any gunpowder or explosive inert. He takes the idea to its conclusion, and describes what would happen in a world where all guns and bombs are becoming rapidly useless.

Sadly, few in Hollywood these days are willing to take a big risk like Kubrick did with 2001. If its not a sequal or a remake of a TV show, they wont spend big money to produce it.