Unfilmable Films

[silverlining]

I've just read that Michael Faber's brilliant, creepy and totally bonkers novel "Under The Skin" is being made into a film by Jonathan "Sexy Beast" Glazer.

 

God only knows how he pitched that one.

 

So what other novels would you describe as unfilmable?

 

They always used to say "Naked Lunch" was unfilmable. But if you can get funding and make a good and watchable film from "American Psycho" anything is possible.

[RedinSweden]

In a similar vein as naked lunch and american psycho, Catcher in the Rye would be impossible if you ask me.

[PestiRed]

Rancid Aluminium, Dead Babies & The Beach were supposed to be unfilmable. And having watched the results, they were right

[Guest TK-421]

Neuromancer would be a challenge.

 

The feel of the American Psycho movie is very different to the novel, in my view. The book is a slow burner and the first half of it is pretty much dispensed with in the movie. Not that I found the movie a disappointment, more that it was trying to achieve different things and wasn't an attempt at realising every aspect of Bateman's character on film.

[Henry Chinaski]

The Sound and the Fury would make a pretty shit film, or anything which isn't so story-lead.

 

I also thought the film Dune couldn't possibly have worked but saw it recently and I quite enjoyed it.

[Ziggy Stardust]

In a similar vein as naked lunch and american psycho, Catcher in the Rye would be impossible if you ask me.

 

Yep, I tried to come up with a basic plan on how I'd do it for a film project a few weeks ago, it was shit.

 

If I can't do it, it simply cannot be done.

[Duff Man]

In a similar vein as naked lunch and american psycho, Catcher in the Rye would be impossible if you ask me.

 

Not that I'm disagreeing, but why?

[WaltonRed]

On the road

[Kevin D]

In a similar vein as naked lunch and american psycho, Catcher in the Rye would be impossible if you ask me.

 

I think Catcher would be unfilmable, too, because after about 15 minutes it would become apparent that Holden was an insufferable, whining, self-pitying twat and everyone would get up and leave.

[Dr.Filth]

Irvine Welsh's Marabou Stork Nightmares was difficult enough to read, never mind film.

[brucespanner]

The wasp factory by Iain Banks would be a hell of a challenge to make.

 

I would love for somebody to try and capture the madness of setting sheep on fire and such like! I love Franck's brother as a character.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Irvine Welsh's Marabou Stork Nightmares was difficult enough to read, never mind film.

 

That is a great shout, great book. I'd love to see Filth made into a film too, but no idea how they'd pull that one off.

 

I thought the film version of American Psycho was an insult to a great book. The film was, imo, total dogshit. Completely missed the whole point of the book.

[jamespp]

The Bible, doubt they could fit that into 3 hours

[The Flâneur]

Ulysses, by Joyce. A film would be rather dull.

[piscinin]

Ulysses, by Joyce. A film would be rather dull.

 

There have been two adaptations, both very bad.

 

House of Leaves, Metamorphosis, The Illuminatus! Trilogy (and others of their ilk) likewise would all lose so much in the adaptation that it would be a similarly pointless exercise.

[The Flâneur]

Neuromancer would be a challenge.

 

I was going to suggest this, but that was mainly because I had close to no idea what the fuck was going on in the novel and as such was terribly, terribly ashamed.

[Guest TK-421]

It's not exactly light reading. I saw Gibson do a book signing, he said he'd choose Ridley Scott to direct but that it would be difficult.

[The Flâneur]

I think it's got scope tbh, but it'd be a fine line between Bladerunner and Tron.

[Pony Princess]

Watchmen was considered unfilmable. A few things nark me off about the film (lack of multi-tenticle psychic octopus alien) but Zack Snyder did a very good job.

[Red Banjo]

On the subject of Irvine Welsh - Porno couldn't be made into a film, well not a mainstream one anyway.

 

I know the whole point of the book is pornography but you just cant imagine Johnny Lee Miller and Ewan McGregor in this version.

[Guest TK-421]

I think it's got scope tbh, but it'd be a fine line between Bladerunner and Tron.

 

It would need to be big budget and I don't think it has enough commercial appeal so probably won't get done. Which is a shame, because it's a visionary piece of work and all the rest of it. The Matrix is Neuromancer light.

 

Did you see Johnny Mnemonic? What a piece of shit that turned out to be. I made a bunch of uni people I no longer know go and see it. It was dreadful. On the plus side (?) we saw Terry Christian in the foyer. I love a good celeb spot.

[The Flâneur]

It would need to be big budget and I don't think it has enough commercial appeal so probably won't get done. Which is a shame, because it's a visionary piece of work and all the rest of it. The Matrix is Neuromancer light.

 

Did you see Johnny Mnemonic? What a piece of shit that turned out to be. I made a bunch of uni people I no longer know go and see it. It was dreadful. On the plus side (?) we saw Terry Christian in the foyer. I love a good celeb spot.

 

One arched an eyebrow in that regard many times throughout the novel. Never watched the Mnemonic, looked awful and have no clue as to any novel it might relate to. Matrix has been made, Girl With a/the Dragon Tattoo is in production. It'll remain a novel for a while, I think.

Edited July 8, 2011 by The Flâneur
I'm trollyeded, BRWAEJTHROUGH!!!!

[mars]

Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light - old science fiction novel. The main character is reincarnated several times into different bodies and much of the novel hinges around technologically advanced humans posing as gods (mostly Hindu gods but Buddha also makes an appearance). The Christian priest in it isn't a hero. I'm guessing lots of religions would be unhappy if this were made into a film.

 

Norman Spinrad's Bug Jack Barron.

 

Moorcock's Jerry Cornelius novels.

[Guest TK-421]

One arched an eyebrow in that regard many times throughout the novel. Never watched the Mnemonic, looked awful and have no clue as to any novel it might relate to. Matrix has been made, Girl With a/the Dragon Tattoo is in production. It'll remain a novel for a while, I think.

 

If there was a time to make Neuromancer it would have been on the back of the success of the first Matrix. Johnny Mnemonic was based on a short story by Gibson, it didn't really have the potential to be a full length movie in the first place. It's a low budget shambles.

[razor]

On the subject of Irvine Welsh - Porno couldn't be made into a film, well not a mainstream one anyway.

 

I know the whole point of the book is pornography but you just cant imagine Johnny Lee Miller and Ewan McGregor in this version.

 

I think it would be an excellent film! I could see all the characters while I was reading it. However, yes, getting McGregor back would be hard, but you never know.

 

Filth, I agree, would be more difficult.