A Magnum of Bollocks

[--Pete]

Hi,

For example, Bladerunner was well done in my opinion in relation to the Philip K. Dick story, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?".

Unless a book is mostly padding, I don't think a movie can capture a full length novel. Short stories or novellas are better material for movies. Which is why I agree with you about Blade Runner. Another good film adaptation is Ellison's A Boy and His Dog, although few enjoy the subject matter.

Unfortunately, for some short stories, the lack of screenplay material hurts the movie version when the absence of of dialog leads the director to fill in with "Hollywood movie stuff".

There was no absence of dialog in Dune or Starship Troupers yet the movie versions completely missed the essence of the books. Some subjects lend themselves to movies, some do not.

What do we know about the screenwriters (Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade) other than it was the same team who worked on "Casino Royale"?

Why does this matter? Shouldn't the final product stand on its own merits rather than its pedigree?

So, based on that criteria, how does the film represent the 1960 short story "Quantum of Solace"?

Haven't seen it, can't see it till it comes out in DVD. But on the basis of the short story, I'm guessing all they really used is the title. It's been a long while, but I don't think QoS was a Bond story.

How good a writer is Iam Fleming anyway?

Ian?:)Depends on what you are looking for. A light story, good for an evening's read, is about what he delivered. The Quiller books, by Adam Hall, are a bit deeper and a bit grittier. But for a really challenging read, the works of Le Carre beat them both. I still don't really understand his The Looking Glass War:)

Did you know that he also wrote "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"?

Yes.

--Pete