An encouraging development in the movie world

[Domi]

These are old news, I guess, but I came across the announcement that Kay's Lions of Al-Rassan is planned to be made into a movie. I have to say that it is encouraging, to see fantasy to be 'movie-aized' more often, especially the fantasy which can potentially prove to the world that fantasy genre does not start with LoTR and end with Harry Potter. Kay writes low-magic settings usually, but he is a wonderful writer (my second most-beloved fantasy author after G.R.R. Martin).

 

http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/tickermas...s.cfm?tmID=2229

[NiGHTMARE]

If you're not doing so already, you may want to keep an eye out for the Narnia movies. There's going to be at least three of them, if not more.

[BevH]

I've seen trailers for the new Narnia movies... well, at least the first one, and it looks promising.

[Domi]

I have not read Narnia, as I got an impression that it is actually a children's book, like Harry Potter, and I just prefer the more adult, darker, heavier fantasy

[BigRob]

The Chronicles of Narnia were written quite some time ago, back when children's books had some rather nasty edges in them. Certainly the final book does. It's been a long time since I read those books, but I remember them quite fondly, so I'm rather looking forward to the movies.

 

Something I tend to find about fantasy movies made these days is that they try to work some real-world aspects into the setting, presumably to keep the audiences from getting confused about a different society. It just ruins things for me.

 

One major gripe I have is about everyone in medieval type settings being squeaky clean. I mean they don't have to go Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but how many peasant farmers have teeth that white? I thought LoTR did that very well.

[Domi]

Well, Kay is deliberatly 'real-lifish'. The "Lions" is a fantasy about almost-Spain conquering almost-Moors

[KIrving]

I don't know if I can handle the thought of 'The Lions of Al-Rassan' being made into a movie. I love the book too much!! (The same goes for CS Lewis novels). If they're done well though and stick to the story and make realistic actor choices, then I suppose it could be good....maybe...I don't know....I'm too scared they might cast Orlando Bloom as Ammar ibn Khairan.

[Domi]

OK, now, I am going to have nightmares. Sweet Bloom as Khairan will add a new dimension of tragedy to the story. On another hand if he plays Nino, I think I'd like to see that (loved that ambush scene)! My main concern though is the loss of the narrator's voice, as Kay's writing is so much in the nration that it hurts...

[Pekka]

I have not read Narnia, as I got an impression that it is actually a children's book, like Harry Potter, and I just prefer the more adult, darker, heavier fantasy

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You definitely should read Narnia, if only for educational purposes.

 

All Narnia books are wonderfully written, and though they are mostly aimed at children, it is as BigRob said: they have some nasty edges in them. The difference between modern children's literature and the old classics is stunning. I'm currently reading Narnia with my daughter (it's been like decades since I last read them), and we have both noticed the differences in various subjects. In my opinion, Lewis did a remarkable job at dealing with some of the major questions of human life in a thoroughly enjoyable and exciting way.

 

I'm a little sceptical about the coming movies. The trailer of the first one (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) seems to focus mostly in action and violence, whereas there isn't that much warfare and bloodshed in the novel. Not that I have anything against such things in a movie, but maybe it isn't such a good idea to mix Conan the Barbarian and Narnia together... We'll see.

[Kulyok]

have not read Narnia, as I got an impression that it is actually a children's book, like Harry Potter, and I just prefer the more adult, darker, heavier fantasy

 

What turned me off from Nalia books was a massive amount of Christian references, and similar ethical background. But I am going to see the movie, regardless.

[Domi]

I might try it, but this year is definetly a star-year with all my favorite autors publishing and the discovery of Kay.

 

Martin finally has the Feast out, Hobb starts a new world in the Crossing. Waiting on these two, I am doing a Kay's spree and I think I would want to read all of his books. Plus, yeah, I will read Jordan's latest for the continuity's sake, I guess...

[Rabain]

I read Kay's A Song for Arbonne while I was on holiday a few weeks back, very nice! I was half-way through Sailing to Sarantium when I left it on the plane on the way home...ouch.

 

You might like Janny Wurts if you haven't read her already, not so much the Cycle of Fire trilogy but the Empire series with Fiest is good and her most recent To Ride Hell's Chasm is awesome though the name doesn't do it justice.

[Domi]

Thank you, I will check her out once I run out of other books (though I doubt it will be soon) I think I will probably have at least a month of extasy over the Feast.

[Tameon the Dragoon]

What turned me off from Nalia books was a massive amount of Christian references, and similar ethical background. But I am going to see the movie, regardless. smile.gif

 

I had no idea Nalia was an author.

 

Narnia seems okay, but I did notice a hefty bit of warfare. To be honest, it got me excited, but then again I never read the books...which, of course, got me in quite a bit of trouble with my friends when I said this, as they all loved them as youngin's.

[NiGHTMARE]

There was a fair amount of warfare in some of the Narnia novels, and since not even CS Lewis was sure of the correct order for his novels, the first film might not be the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

 

There's also a rumour that each of the three Narnia films may not neccessarily correspond with one of the seven novels. They might combine elements from two or more.