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Post by Battlechantress on May 7, 2011 18:06:12 GMT 1
Summit might finally get around to making it (for real), though there are already signs that this movie will probably suck: * These are the same people who are responsible for bringing "Twilight" to the big screen * They are looking for a project that will rival the upcoming "Hunger Games" franchise * They want to market it to "tweens". That right there is a huge red flag * They want to turn it into a series (and let's face it, the quality of the books themselves drops off considerably after "Speaker For the Dead") Yeah, even if this project finally sees the light of day, it's probably going to be a huge disappointment. For those that haven't read the books yet, just visit your local library and read the first one. Card doesn't need your money.
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Post by Cali on May 7, 2011 18:40:57 GMT 1
Orson Scott Card? Moar like Orson Scott Tard.
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Post by Mister Buch on May 7, 2011 21:34:32 GMT 1
Knight introduced me to Ender's Game a couple of years ago, and I loved every page of it. Once it got to the Giant's game, anyway. I must be Card's political opposite, but I absolutely adore that book.
I really don't think that book will translate into a film - sure they can make some nice action set-pieces with the games, but it just seems to me that watching it all happen would destroy the sense of desolation the book gives you. Eh, I guess they could pull it off if they took it seriously, made it an art-house flick.
Not like this, though. I'd hate for that brilliant, hard, thought-provoking right-wing novel about war and cruelty to children to become a youth-oriented summer franchise. (I haven't read the other books in the series, but after the first one's ending I just don't see how sequels could be justified.)
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Post by Cali on May 8, 2011 0:25:32 GMT 1
If I was a cop I'd arrest Orson Scott Card and plant cocaine in his car.
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Post by Knightfall on May 8, 2011 0:31:51 GMT 1
Despite my fierce disagreements with OSC's views, Ender's Game was a fantastic book. I've been intrigued by how a movie version would turn out, but, I mean, not much happens visually. The zero gravity training sessions are pretty much the only bits of "marketable action" in the book, so I'm not sure how they're gonna market it to Hunger Games fans.
One of the main reasons why it worked is because the narrative was driven internally, so a lot of the drama was on account of Ender's mental conflicts. Not sure it's gonna translate well, but if they get a good director and keep Card the hell away from messing with production, it could work. (I remember reading his own spec script for the movie version. He's a terrible screenwriter.)
But all that aside, I really liked Speaker for the Dead. I'd still recommend it, Buch, if you ever decide to return to the series. But seriously: stop there. Xenocide made me want to punch someone in the jeans.
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Post by Cali on May 8, 2011 0:41:06 GMT 1
If I wasn't so busy I'd take pictures of Orson Scott Card while he was sleeping and leave them on his doorstep.
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Post by Battlechantress on May 8, 2011 1:08:01 GMT 1
Card still has massive amounts of control over the script (and damn near everything else, by the sounds of it). Several good directors already walked away from the project just because of that.
Honestly, this book would do better as a miniseries, IMO. But there's the types of miniseries that SciFi tends to air, and the better quality stuff that the BBC tends to make. Odds are, given Card's political stance, we'd end up with the former.
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Post by Mr. Glow on May 8, 2011 1:22:26 GMT 1
What's so bad about this Orson guy, anyway? (I've only ever heard the name.)
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Post by Mister Buch on May 8, 2011 1:33:42 GMT 1
Card is famously very right-wing and homophobic. The Ender series actually reflects a lot of his politics - well I can confirm that the first book does at least - in a 'Starship Troopers' kind of way. But I'd say it's no less wonderful for it. Card himself is undeniably a tosspot.
But Cali - you've been awfully quiet on the subject. What do you think of him?
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Post by Battlechantress on May 8, 2011 4:08:44 GMT 1
His early books don't even come close to representing his political views as they are now (they seem to have worsened considerably after September 11). If you have the stomach, poke around his website for that. There are those who seem to think that Card himself is one of those who is so anti-gay that he's probably got some serious repression issues going on (using his own words from at least one of his books as evidence). I don't know if I agree with them or not, but I wouldn't be surprised either.
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Post by jklinders on May 8, 2011 10:09:52 GMT 1
*quickly wiki's this work which somehow stayed off my reading list all these years*
WTF? Marketing to tweens? WTF? The subtext of this book is even nastier than Farnham's Freehold and I thought nothing could touch that book for sheer ick factor. And they are going to market this to tweens? OK who do I need to break a 2x4 over the head to knock some sense into them.
I was never really a fan of Card. I knew he was one of the big names of the genre but I doubt I could stomach his work for very long based on the snippets I have seen.
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Post by Cali on May 8, 2011 19:54:00 GMT 1
If I had a car, I'd tail Orson Scott Card to his house before ambushing him in his driveway.
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Post by Cali on May 8, 2011 20:09:41 GMT 1
*Ahem*
But seriously, sorry about all that. To be honest the only exposure I've had to Card's works was the audiobook of Ender's Game, which my brother and I listened to on a long drive across the country. I thought it was pretty good to be honest.
Oh, and I read about OSC's neocon beliefs on the Rational Wiki. To be honest, I really can't say I care too much. When an artist states his political beliefs in a very passionate manner, it tends to not bother me or affect how I like his/her works. Ted Nugent may be a batshit insane xenophobic, environmentally destructive asshole, but that doesn't mean Stranglehold wasn't one of the most awesome rock songs ever.
John Milus may be the most hilariously paranoid libertarian in the US, but that doesn't affect me thinking that Conan the Barbarian wasn't an amazing movie. HP Lovecraft was horrendous racist, but that doesn't affect my respect for Cthulu.
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Post by jklinders on May 8, 2011 20:20:36 GMT 1
Ender's Game looks like something to read...once. I could care less about his politics as I don't think that has much bearing on the price of tea in China. But the story is still...ick. In truth it's almost certainly less ick than Farnham's Freehold. I'd have to actually read it though to be certain.
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Post by Mister Buch on May 8, 2011 23:24:58 GMT 1
You couldn't care less, Linders. If you could care less, then we only know that you do care, to an unspecified degree.
Sorry, but...
You COULDN'T care less.
You are tearing me apart, Linders.
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