Please, help us stop terribilistic movie directors in their tracks!

[StarryMan82]

Dear Sci-Fi true fans,

Even though I am not too well known on these boards, I would like to draw to your attention the following Petition, one which is aimed against Mr. Roland Emmerich's "plans" to produce, screenwrite, and direct the Asimovian space saga 'The Foundation Series'.
Why? Well, IF you are a true (I repeat: 'a true'!) Sci-Fi fan, be it "hard" or "soft", you will NOT accept such a proposed type of directing and/or of screenwriting!.. Remember, for example, 'Independence Day'? It too treated the extraterrestrial issue, but... in a puerile manner, of course, namely with: *American* Military "ingeniousness", guns, "humor", and hot-shot "heroism". So, please, help us/YOU stop such directors in their tracks by first reading and, second, by counter-signing the below proposed Petition. And, please, be serious in your (e.g., intended) comments. It would be much like a... red flag.


Petition Online - Petition Online has been retired


Thank you sincerely and in advance!


The Petitioner(-s)

 

[Webster]

Dear Sci-Fi true fans,

Even though I am not too well known on these boards, I would like to draw to your attention the following Petition, one which is aimed against Mr. Roland Emmerich's "plans" to produce, screenwrite, and direct the Asimovian space saga 'The Foundation Series'.
Why? Well, IF you are a true (I repeat: 'a true'!) Sci-Fi fan, be it "hard" or "soft", you will NOT accept such a proposed type of directing and/or of screenwriting!.. Remember, for example, 'Independence Day'? It too treated the extraterrestrial issue, but... in a puerile manner, of course, namely with: *American* Military "ingeniousness", guns, "humor", and hot-shot "heroism". So, please, help us/YOU stop such directors in their tracks by first reading and, second, by counter-signing the below proposed Petition. And, please, be serious in your (e.g., intended) comments. It would be much like a... red flag.


Petition Online - Petition Online has been retired


Thank you sincerely and in advance!


The Petitioner(-s)

Where to begin, where to begin..................

First off, Starry..............
Welcome to the forums!

As to the topic at hand...............I've read your post and find it interesting in its' criticism of Roland Emmerich, but........I sincerely disagree with your post for a couple of reasons.


(1)As of now, we really don't know in what direction Emmerich will take Foundation as a film, although according to the following SF World article, the talk in Hollywood is that he is looking to do something along the lines of what Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy.Considering the success of LOTR(17 Academy Awards, 4th-highest grossing film series in history after Star Wars, 007 & Harry Potter), that's a tall order for any director to match but Emmerich's pretty well-regarded in Hollywood, so if the studios' trust him w/Asimov's work, let's wait and see where it goes.

(2)Your criticism of Independence Day is well-meaning but off-the-mark. For one, what's wrong with having things such as "American ingeniousness", "humor" and "hot-shot heroism" within a sci-fi film? ID was an action-oriented sci-fi film; you're gonna' have those things in it, my friend. IMO, they helped add to the film's overall style. I guess the fact that it grossed over $800 million worldwide[$816,969,268 total; 24th-highest grossing film of all time didn't factor into your criticism, did it?

There are a couple of other criticisms' that come to mind but since Cool Sci-Fi is a family institution, I'm going to bite my tongue and stop before I catch the ire of the mods' and admins here. FWIW, with the kind of criticism above towards Roland Emmerich going anywhere near Foundation, I really, really hope it turns out to be one of the great films of all times, for the sake of poetic justice.

BTW, Starry.............I took a glance at the petition you linked above. For the record, I like both Asimov and Clarke but I also happen to think Emmerich knows a thing or two about sci-fi, so I guess that means I'm not a "true sci-fi fan", huh?

 

[Tim]

It's very difficult to show anyone who has a real track record for producing something like the book in any genre. It is not merely direction, writing and/or writing. There is the actors, the budget, the producers, the moneymen, anything can come between a direction and its goal.

Since movies are a cultural learning process, better that the film be made by someone with the experience and capability to make a film, who has discussed awareness of other styles and how best the film could be made, rather than the alternative, which is nothing, or even sale of the rights to someone who will dump or ruin it.

Therefore, I'm pretty satisfied with the process so far and think it will be at least reasonable.

 

[Ultraviolence]

I say give it a chance. Not all sci-fi movies end up like Dune or Starship Troopers. Some of them come out pretty good.
Blade Runner
Logan's Run
Star Wars
Just to name a few.

 

[Webster]

I say give it a chance. Not all sci-fi movies end up like Dune or Starship Troopers. Some of them come out pretty good.
Blade Runner
Logan's Run
Star Wars
Just to name a few.

My sentiments exactly. To this day, I still wonder how Hollywood could take one of the best sci-fi works of all time in Starship Troopers and let Paul Verhoeven butcher it to the point where, if someone sees it before reading the book, that could actually turn them away from the genre.....that's how bad ST was(and yes it did make $100 million+ in theaters, which considering how bad ST was as a film, will be one of the great mysteries of all time...........).

 

[Wolfrunner]

I say give it a chance. Not all sci-fi movies end up like Dune or Starship Troopers. Some of them come out pretty good.
Blade Runner
Logan's Run
Star Wars
Just to name a few.

What's wrong with dune? I think it's a brilliant film, I would probably go as far as to consider it a classic of Sci Fi.

 

[Viktor Kuprin]

Dear Sci-Fi true fans,
So, please, help us/YOU stop such directors in their tracks by first reading and, second, by counter-signing the below proposed Petition. And, please, be serious in your (e.g., intended) comments. It would be much like a... red flag.

Sorry to tell you, StarryMan82, but big corporations aren't going to be influenced by a petition like this. The real world doesn't work that way, believe me. If Emmerich's latest movies made money, then he'll be considered a choice pick no matter how badly he and the goofus screen writers will butcher the story.

And, hey, I enjoyed David Lynch's Dune! Kenneth McMillan was a superbly creepy, perverted, crazed, evil Baron Harkonnen.

 

[scifichic]

Just learned that the director for Predators is Antal Nimrod. Antal NIMROD!! Self explanatory and tastefully ironic. I really like Alexandre Aja who did The Hills Have Eyes. He is young, creative and can present a story in a really thrilling way. I saw today that he is directing Piranha 3D which comes out in August and I am super stoked to see this genius at work. He pays attention to every scary detail and promises thrills along the way. PIRANHA 3D WILL BE AWESOME!

 

[Starbeast from Planet X]

What's wrong with dune? I think it's a brilliant film, I would probably go as far as to consider it a classic of Sci Fi.

"I agree, the film definately had spice!"​

 

[Ultraviolence]

I was referring to the original. You know the one that had Sting in it. Excuse me I have to shower after remembering that one.