OT: Five Books I'd Love to See Made Into Movies

[Encircled]

Continuing the McLean theme, I always really liked "South by Java Head"

Good shouts on "Red Storm Rising" and I'd love to see someone attempt to film an Iain M Banks novel.

[RevRick]

Seems as if a good many of us ran into Alistair McLean as younger individuals...
I read almost all of them and just about threw up when "Ice Station Zebra" was borked by Gollywood.

[ChezDaJez]

Or how about a well-done movie of "Japanese Destroyer Captain"?

Absolutely! Especially if done in a vein similar to "Letters from Iwo Jima"

And CR's nomination of "Red Storm Rising" gets my vote as well.

Chez

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: Encircled
Continuing the McLean theme, I always really liked "South by Java Head"...

One of the big responsibilities when me and my family are about to embark on a major camping trip is to select a book to read by headlamp in my sleeping bag after the day's work is finally done. On our three-week trip to California and back this past month, I selected South by Java Head. That's probably the fifth or sixth time I've read this fine MacLean book.

In addition to some of his great books that were turned into movies ranging from okay to poor (Guns of Navarone, Ice Station Zebra, Where Eagles Dare, and Breakheart Pass), MacLean wrote a number of other novels, ranging from exceptional to decent, that would make good movies, including: The Golden Rendezvous, Night Without End, When Eight Bells Toll, Black Shrike, The Way to Dusty Death, and Bear Island.

But MacLean also penned quite a few works that deserve to be thrown in the trash pile. Just to name a few: Athabasca, Goodbye California, Seawitch and Flood Gate.

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: JWE
As you might imagine, I love these [Kenneth Roberts'] books. When I first read them, some 40 odd years ago, I simply had to get a copy of Philadelphia as seen from Cooper's Ferry. It was a print by Joseph Wood, done in 1801 and so perhaps well known to Kenneth Roberts, but out of his book's timeline. Nonetheless, I got one and it's one wall of my office, just opposite to "The Empress of China; In the Straits of Sunda, July 30 1784" by Raymond Massey.

Kenneth Roberts should be required reading for any young mind. A good movie (or two), righteously done, might prompt todays youth to read his stuff and maybe do a skoosh of critical thinking.

I first stumbled upon a Roberts book - Rabble in Arms - in my highschool library in the mid 1970s. I was smitten and since then have purchased multiple copies of each book while reading and re-reading each every few years. Roberts writing is so fine that the reeader doesn't realize he's reading words - rather the reader's mind just develops mental pictures like watching a movie. The experience is exquisite for anybody who loves to read.

And Roberts was such an exceptionally gifted and meticulous historian that he forces a reader to reexamine preconceptions - like the idea that Arnold was a knave or that the Tories were the "bad guys" in the American Revolution. After reading Oliver Wiswell, I bought and read many books explaining the Loyalist cause in the Revolution. That changed many of the ideas I had been taught as a youngster, helping me realize that both sides in our Revolution had alot of good people with firmly held beliefs that explained their loyalties.

[John 3rd]

Concur that the Last Full Measure would be great!

[Dixie]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Don't remember Capt. What was the dog's name?

Rhymes with Digger, which I believe is the name they are considering.

[danlongman]

You know you can't do history if you are going to hurt somebodies' feelings.
War should be like school is today. Non-competitive and no one injures their self esteem.
Re-do's for battles that don't work out. Like giving the Japanese one for Midway because they
attended every day of the war and brought everything they needed to win.
They just had a bad day and the USN got lucky.
And do not get me going about Nukeyular weapons...in all future runnings of WW 2 if the americans get one everybody gets one.
El Cid has the right idea.
cheers

[MarkMohrifield]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I understand remake of "Damnbusters" is in the works.

Sounds like it's about a bunch of guys who go around breaking things[;)] Which I guess is an accurate, if incomplete, description of the real film.

[mdiehl]

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Armor by John Steakley

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: AcePylut9

50 Shades of Grey

[:D]

warspite1

Just reading old threads that AW1Steve posted re the interesting thread on Admiral Richardson - and came across this. Well you got your wish AcePylut9 - I hope you enjoyed it [:D]

What do they say? Careful what you wish for...... [:)]

[LeeChard]

I haven't gone through all the posts, but
'Ringworld' by Larry Niven, if it hasn't been mentioned.

[Trugrit]

Modern movies are, with the rare exception, not very good. It is all special effects today.
Blow something up rather than tell a compelling story.

Do you really want to see your favorite books butchered down to 2 hours by modern Hollywood?

I’m a big fan of John Le Carre. I like all the TV versions of his books.
I own the Alex Guinness version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley’s People and have watched them over 20 times. Both 6 Hours long.

I have also seen the movie version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and think it is inferior to the TV version.
I liked The Night Manager and once again it is a long TV version.

Alistair McLean’s books do better on the big screen because they are simpler stories but I would
Love to see a 6 hour TV mini-series of South by Java Head.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129 ... _Java_Head

It is very close to John Le Carre’s work, but I don’t want the movie version.
I don’t think you can do it justice in a 2 hour movie.

[Lecivius]

Little Ship, Big Men

The little ship that could

[;)][:'(]

[John 3rd]

I would love to see The Destroyermen Series by Taylor Anderson turned into film. THAT would be a lot of fun to watch!

[Macclan5]

ORIGINAL: Trugrit


Modern movies are, with the rare exception, not very good. It is all special effects today.
Blow something up rather than tell a compelling story.

Do you really want to see your favorite books butchered down to 2 hours by modern Hollywood?

I’m a big fan of John Le Carre. I like all the TV versions of his books.
I own the Alex Guinness version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Smiley’s People and have watched them over 20 times. Both 6 Hours long.

I have also seen the movie version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and think it is inferior to the TV version.
I liked The Night Manager and once again it is a long TV version.

Alistair McLean’s books do better on the big screen because they are simpler stories but I would
Love to see a 6 hour TV mini-series of South by Java Head.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/129 ... _Java_Head

It is very close to John Le Carre’s work, but I don’t want the movie version.
I don’t think you can do it justice in a 2 hour movie.

I echo this sentiment.

Many and more books by Le Carre, Deighton. Bomber was mentioned.

John Le Carre, Len Deighton both had truly good or great BBC PBS TV series.

Ticker Tailor (sadly omitted most of the plot of the Honorable School Boy).

Game Set March was also excellent although the Author himself hated it and tried to suppress its future distribution. SS-GB is supposed to be good (Feb 2017)but is not easy to find in Canada.

I would also add "Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene - a very old book - with a fine (1950's ) movie albeit played on the light side rather than the human / governmental tragedy..

-

All of these authors books could be be redone into more epic movies if the producers and directors stay true to the author's works.

I guess the danger is that the original TV interpretations are so good - what comes after is always less satisfactory ??

[spence]

I would like to see the third of the Gettysburg movies: Last Full Measure.

I think this was the best of the series (about the Civil War in the East). It's such a pity that "Gods and Generals" was so poor that it insured the "last chapter" would never attract more than $.14 worth of investment.

[AcePylut]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: AcePylut9

50 Shades of Grey

[:D]

warspite1

Just reading old threads that AW1Steve posted re the interesting thread on Admiral Richardson - and came across this. Well you got your wish AcePylut9 - I hope you enjoyed it [:D]

What do they say? Careful what you wish for...... [:)]

Ha! LOL. I started reading this thread today and was "When did I post 50 Shades of Grey... they already made that a movie"? (Acepylut9 was a moniker I used because I got confused on my email addy for this acct).. and I read 2012.

Oh well, I never did go see the movie.

[crsutton]

The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester. A forgotten gem. Perhaps his best work.

[Canoerebel]

Ross, you nominated that book early in this thread. I caught it a few days ago, while re-reading the thread (thanks to Warspite). I'm tracking down The Good Shepherd now. Thanks.