If There Were an Amber Movie

[weilide]

This isn't technically a role-playing subject but what the heck...

What if there were to be an Amber movie? Who would be good director and actors? Where should it be shot? (For my two cents, I think Vigo Mortenson might make a good Corwin and Robert Downey Jr, with appropriately dyed hair, would be a fun Bleys).

Similarly, what would be the challenges in converting the books to the movies? For one, I think that while first-person narration is great for the novels, it would be kind of a disaster on screen unless it were reigned in considerably. However, in the absence of an offscreen narrator scenes such as the one where Corwin discovers Flora's trumps in her study, the scene in which he recovers his memory in Rebma, and the years he spent blind in the dungeon would all be difficult to convey concisely.

[gabriel_ss4u]

I fear to hink of the blunders that are possible in rushing it to film. We'd need a devoted cast/production crew (like LotR), to even make it work.
An all star cast is hoping too much I believe. But there are sites dedicated to this very subject.
Anime Amber
Japanese Amber
Hollywood Amber
(Who would be best in the rolls?)
I'm thinking Cristian Bale might make a good Corwin, perhaps Davis Laruso as Brand? I'd have to think about it.
If Timothy Dalton Buffed up he might make a good Eric.
I'll get back to ya on that.

[weilide]

Actually, it occurred to me that the actor who played Rorschach in the recent Watchmen movie might be an interesting Brand. He plays unhinged so well…

[weilide]

Oh, and for directors, I think I might have to go with Guillermo del Toro, speaking of LotR…

[Croaker]

We'd need a devoted cast/production crew (like LotR), to even make it work.

Make it Sin City, then. Or Watchmen. Or any of those few, but faithful, adaptations. But not LotR

Unless, or course, you want things like a cheerful, funny Benedict xracking jokes at every turn, invented scenes where Corwin profess his undying love to dara, a final fight of Corwin vs Buffed-up brand, or any of the other abominations they would carelessly change or create.

(References are to things like Faramir's character, Frodo meeting a nazgul face to face at osgiliath without nothing serious happening, and the, hopefully abandonned just before it was filmed, final fight or Aragorn vs Sauron)

[Jason D]

If there were an Amber film, there would almost inevitably be some changes made by Hollywood execs:

Corwin would likely be played by Zack Efron, if Ashton Kutcher is unavailable. Random... sounds like a perfect role for Jack Black if they get their way.

There would likely only be four or five princes and one or two princesses... one of the latter would turn out to be not really Corwin's sister so she could be his love interest.

Corwin's years in the dungeons would be portrayed as a black screen and "Three years later...".

There would be like three or four Shadows, and most of them would look almost exactly like locations within a two-hour drive of Vancouver.

Finally, it would end with Corwin saving the kingdom, getting the girl, and taking the throne.

Believe me, no movie is better than what would likely happen.

[jibbajibba]

Make it Sin City, then. Or Watchmen. Or any of those few, but faithful, adaptations. But not LotR

Unless, or course, you want things like a cheerful, funny Benedict xracking jokes at every turn, invented scenes where Corwin profess his undying love to dara, a final fight of Corwin vs Buffed-up brand, or any of the other abominations they would carelessly change or create.

(References are to things like Faramir's character, Frodo meeting a nazgul face to face at osgiliath without nothing serious happening, and the, hopefully abandonned just before it was filmed, final fight or Aragorn vs Sauron)

The trouble with Watchmen is that it added nothing new. I love the LotR films, extra scenes, elves at Helmsdeep and all.  NOt the sdame as the book but aside from the tripple ending a truely GREAT movie (or set of three movies maybe that is why they needed 3 endings ...hmm..)
I am sure we have all been though this how woudl you do an Amber movie trip dozens of times. I first did it in 1983 for Christ sakes :-)  and even found the school exercise book it was in the other day (interestingly enough at the same time I also said Stallone shoudl play Judge Dredd as it woudl be the only way to attract enough money to the film, to avoid the spawn of shit that was Tarnsman of Gor, and look how that turned out )
Any way geek fans would all love Viggo as Corwin, Cristian Slater as Random, Oliver Reed to be reserected to play Ganelon with Sean Connery as Oberon and etc etc etc ....
The mini series is the way to go and a few shows have proved there is mileage in that. Hey the first book even meets the Lost format for feeding information peicemeal tot eh viewer. Will it happen ... who can say  SF channel had the rights after WB's late 90's effort came to nought I guess they will expire and it will be put back into the box. Maybe when I win the Euro-Millions jackpot I will make it my self.

[boulet]

I'd have an animation rather than a regular movie. For some reason I think a director would have more freedom and capacity to faithfully interpret Zelazny's work. Hell, Studio Ghibli could make something awesome with Amber. Oh yeah I'd buy that !

[Lady Vivamus]

I've actually had discussions with my friends about the challenges of adapting something like Amber to the screen; the narration in particular is a thorny issue, because (as with any first person narration) much of the important stuff comes out in the commentary, not in the action. It would be fascinating to see how people tried to overcome the problems, whether they were successful or not.

Personally, I would rather see a cast of unknowns, like with Watchmen, because then people will be watching Corwin, or Brand, not the name-- too many stars distract from the story.

Any adaptation is going to have to make changes, not because Hollywood is stupid, but because page and screen are such different mediums. It is impossible to re-create something in a different medium; even the most faithful adaptations make changes, and there will always be fans who hate them. I agree that I would rather see Sin City or Watchmen style changes, though the former more than the latter, than LoTR style; it seems to me as though LoTR changed the themes, conflicts, and characters, even as they kept things like visual details. Whoever wrote the adaptation (and directed it, for that matter) would have to not only be a fan, but a fan who got it, and that's hard to find.

But I can't say I would expect much; there are more painful adaptations out there than ones that even come close, by a long shot. Still, it would be fun.

[jibbajibba]

A Raymond Chandler style voice over like they used in Bladerunner , or Sin City come to that, would take care of the narration dodad. Not breaking cinematic ground I know but ...:-)
I don't think an animated movie would work so well. Hollywood's attraction for adult animation is limited which means a temptation to simplify the plot structure to appeal to a less sophisticated audience. The anime route would require too many pyrotechnics for what is basically a story about the people more than anything else.
We should all get video recorders and make a scene each and post it to You Tube :-)

[boulet]

Sorry, Hollywood wasn't part of my equation

[David R]

The creative team behind The Sheild should handle an Amber project.

Regards,
David R

[SunBoy]

We should all get video recorders and make a scene each and post it to You Tube :-)

Now that I'd like to see...

on-t, sadly I totally agree with jdurall... add Eric's final words being... [crying]...I love you so much, brother...[/crying], and Corwin screaming teary-eyed to the skies, and you pretty much have it...

[weilide]

I would think extensive narration would work better for a mini-series / series rather than for a movie or a series of movies.

[Lady Vivamus]

on-t, sadly I totally agree with jdurall... add Eric's final words being... [crying]...I love you so much, brother...[/crying], and Corwin screaming teary-eyed to the skies, and you pretty much have it...

... my God, that's a horrifying image...