If There Were an Amber Movie

[weilide]

This is probably as good a thread as any to note that there is ample Amber love being shown on the Onion AV Club's Which Fictional World Would You Like to Inhabit discussion.

[Croaker]

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.

Most probable thing to happen, yes

The trouble with Watchmen is that it added nothing new.

:lol: And I think that this is what makes it a good movie.

To me, if you're gonna take something to the screen, it is to tell that story, and not another. So, suppressing scenes or adapting a little because you don't have the time or some things won't do well on-screen (like first-person narrative in a prison cell) is OK to me, but adding or changing things isn't, especially NOT when this goes against the very spirit of the original work.

Let's get real: We're never gonna agree on this

it seems to me as though LoTR changed the themes, conflicts, and characters, even as they kept things like visual details.

Exactly

And when this goes agains't the very spirit and tolkien's works (Like Frodo meeting a nazgul at osgiliath... I fail to see how this can't lead to sauron regaining the ring), I just can't say this is a good adaptation, although, as a fantasy movie, it is fine.

Anyway, yes, a limited series would probably best fill the bill that a full-fledged movie.

[gabriel_ss4u]

Hollywood's answer to that:
Sauron Strikes Back; LotR II

[SunBoy]

You know, actually, a first person narrative, if delivered well and well written, in a kind of growingly edgy/insane way, paired with fading-in, -out and -to-blacks, with lots of images of a bearded Corwin alternating between sitting on the floor, banging at the door, hitting the walls, wailing, and clutching his head would make for a great scene. It is pretty cool in my head. Man, I should direct that. Or play it. Nevermind. Point being, you wouldn't have to skip that part, two or three minutes of that, interspersed with what's-his-face bard bringing fags, matches and food, and reaching a climax when Dworkin arrives would work fine, as long as you make very clear visually that time has passed. What's-his-face's haircut, Corwin's clothes, beard and hair specially... yup, I can definitely see it... Now don't you go stealing it, Jerry Bruckheimer (how's THAT for horrifying?).

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

Thanks, I took Craft Disturbing Mental Image at first level .

[Croaker]

Ah, another Belkar follower

[boulet]

My turn to craft nasty mental images!

Imagine Corwin in his cell, barely any light around, he's bent, showing his back to the camera. We can hear him mumbling and singing. His hair are filthy. Fleas and lice have thrown a party. The camera moves forward, showing closer and closer what Corwin is holding in his hands bu lurking over his shoulder. The picture is blurred and the light so dim... But it's getting closer... Corwin is holding something round and kind of white.

[SunBoy]

Heh heh... yup, definitely nice...

And yeah, I worship the Sexy Shoeless God of War.

[Xenon]

lets face it, a movie that focuses on Merlin with lots of CGI effects seems more likely than a good rendition of nine princes. butchered properly, we will end up with 'Ghostwheel' as a horror movie.

oh, and told from Julia's perspective. an attractive woman, boyfriend scares her so she gets magic power.... yeah, that sounds like Hollywood. a Wicca-friendly chick-flick focusing on revenge. and you can still use the script if they wont sell you the rights, just file the serial numbers off.

[SunBoy]

Alright, I concede. That was really disturbing.

[gabriel_ss4u]

I like the way they did it in "Momento"
I can totally see the imagery you conjure Sunboy, This would be a good 1st movie, blending the insanity with the prison time in Amber ala reflection... perhaps even Donnie Darko style with a hint of out-of order scenes of the Hall of Mirrors, visions of Chaos... Constantine like confrontations with the Chaos spawn.
Yeah... If I  were rich...

[Croaker]

There's this movie... Dark City.

Some scenes show very well what Pattern shifting could do.

[gabriel_ss4u]

Yes, my buddy & I were really absorbing it in the theatre and thinking of material to blend into campaigns.
Underworld's visuals help too, there are so many movies. StarWars & Dune, I should start a Pop culture reference thread for used ideas in ADRPG.

Just keep Tarentino away from the script. It might be good, but it won't be Amber.
I really do love the social quipping in the Three Musketeers, the Four Musketeers, and The Return of the Musketeers.

[Sydius Mendoza]

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

Agreed.

HBO is already providing proof of concept that fantasy can be adapted well for a series format. Not a purely faithful adaptation of aSoIaF, but it is a great show. IMO they are the first to really get this right as far as TV goes. But they have the $$$ to produce a quality product.

[Panjumanju]

Although it's not the greatest film, when I watch 1984's "Dreamscape", I am convinced that Dennis Quaid is everything Zelazny imagined for Corwin. Let's be honest - there isn't much difference between Corwin and Fred Cassidy from Doorways in the Sand or most of Zelazny's other protagonists. That's not necessarily a problem. But it does frame well how he could drive a hero forward, and the one time they represented a hero of his on screen - Dennis Quaid.

//Panjumanju

[Sydius Mendoza]

I am convinced that Dennis Quaid is everything Zelazny imagined for Corwin.
//Panjumanju

I can see it.

I re-read the series about once a year. The casting in my imagination tends to shift with whoever the appropriately aged actors of the time are. For the past couple of years every time I've read the series, Jon Hamm is how I picture Corwin. Pairing this with Jeffrey Dean Morgan for Eric makes for a very vivid reading of any confrontation between the two. I first read the series in 1998 so my Corwin of the time was totally Rufus Sewell.

The one casting pic that has never changed (in my head) is that I have always envisioned Benedict as played by Daniel Day-Lewis (circa Last of the Mohicans).


Hmmm... That could be an interesting take on the whole casting idea. Would anybody find it interesting to start a casting thread that focuses on actors that were late 20's to early 40's at the time when you first read the series?

I understand if casting is played-out. But it could be a fresh perspective on the topic....