Short stories/novellas/novels that should be made (or remade) into movies

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prfesser

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First on my list would be a remake of "Shane." The climax in the book was some of the best writing I've ever read. The movie was terrible, but it was a 50s movie so it's excusable. I'd like to see a producer, director, and screenplay writer come up with scenes as good as what Jack Schaffer's writing brings to mind.

"Let's Get Together" by Asimov. Perhaps someone could do as good of a job with it as was done with "I, Robot." I know, that movie didn't quite fit any of his stories, but it was a darned good presentation just the same, and it felt an awful lot like Asimov.

Several of Heinlein's "juveniles" could be done well (please, NOT by whomever did that travesty of Starship Troopers). Farmer in the Sky. The Star Beast. Have Space Suit, Will Travel. Maybe even Friday, though it's not a juvenile.

What are your choices?
 
The Long Watch by Heinlein. Heroism like that always gets me in a big way.

Loophole by Clarke. The twist at the end of the short story could translate into a pretty good crowd pleaser, I think.

At the Mountains of Madness, The Call of Cthulhu, and The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by Lovecraft, just because they are some of his greatest works in general.
 
'Along The Scenic Route' - Harlan Ellison, 1969.

"In a near future, freeway drivers on the 101 Pacific Coast Highway challenge one another to mortal duels under official supervision. Family man George upgraded his family car and can't resist a provocation from a punk cutting him on a cruise with his wife. The road rage and ritual duel turns to a deadly battle using futuristic enhancements."
 
By R A Heinlein
Space cadet, starman jones, tunnel in the sky. Hogan; inherit the stars. P Briggs; moon called. Lee Corey ( Stine); contraband rocket, shuttle down, abode of life. To name a few :).
 
"The Moon is a Harsh Mistress". Not sure how you'd do the reduced gravity on the moon. This is an important plot element as troops from Earth are sent to suppress rebellion. Everything else would be straightforward.
 
Properly treated... The DragonRiders of PERN books. I'd be cool with Peter Jackson giving it a go (though Andy Serkis may have a problem with protraying Ruth)... And the dragons damn well better be based on the work of Michael Whelan.

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"The Moon is a Harsh Mistress". Not sure how you'd do the reduced gravity on the moon. This is an important plot element as troops from Earth are sent to suppress rebellion. Everything else would be straightforward.
According to the moon-landing-was-a-fake crowd, all you'd have to do would be to slow down the action. :rolleyes: :questions:
 
the Dosadi experiment - Frank Herbert

To continue the series of 'Hitch Hiker's guide to the Galaxy'. Sadly, the 1st move was poorly received, so the series ended there..

The Colditz story - [various]

the story behind the Altamont free music festival: tell the story from the the Stone's tour manager perspective, or from a roadie / groupie.. We all know how it ends, but what a great soundtrack! obviously 'R' ..
 
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Oh, so many good choices here!

I've always thought Frank Herbert's better novels were Whipping Star and The Dosadi Experiment. Much better than Dune series, in my opinion.

Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series would be fantastic, but, alas, James Coburn passed before he could play "Slippery" Jim DiGriz. However, I would also love to see his Deathworld series done as a movie or miniseries.

I would also love to see Heinlein's books done in a way that he wouldn't roll over in his grave. Puppet Masters and Starship Troopers were horridly filmed.

Lovecraft's books would be difficult to properly film, but I think Guillermo Del Toro would be up to the task.
 
I would have said Terry Brooks' Shannara universe, but it's already been done terribly.

Next up, The Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher. Great gumshoe private dick stories, the twist being Harry Dresden is a wizard, in a rich universe.

Also consider Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever books, which is actually already owned by Disney. Not to stir the controversy pot, but one of the first scenes would include a rape which can't be removed from the story without completely changing it, so that's a challenge.
 
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Also: a decent "The Dark Tower" miniseries or series of movies. I haven't watched the movie but I don't see how a seven-book series (three of them are huge!) can be condensed into a good two-hour movie.
 
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