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Gord
Acolyte
Canada
14 Posts |
 Posted - 20 Dec 2023 : 09:52:05
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Poll Question:
Which FR novels would you like to see most on the big screen?
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
890 Posts |
Posted - 20 Dec 2023 : 10:02:20
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My choice: None of the above.
I do not trust whoever would make such a movie will respect the original content as written in the novel. Quite the opposite in fact. |
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Gord
Acolyte
Canada
14 Posts |
Posted - 20 Dec 2023 : 12:20:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
My choice: None of the above.
I do not trust whoever would make such a movie will respect the original content as written in the novel. Quite the opposite in fact.
Debbie Downer eh. lol
OK, assuming that the novel would be brought to life exactly the way you would want it, which would you choose?
And I would add, I don't expect a film to ever be the same as the novel. It never happens and I gave up wanting that back in the 1980's.Somethings just can't be translated from book to film very well and filmmakers usually change some things to give the audience a surprise.
For me it's Songs & Swords followed bt Icewind Dale. But I myself would make changes to the latter. I wouldn't have Wulfgar as a child barbarian raised by Bruenor and Drizzt, I would just have them as good friends. How that came to be could be a different story. And I would completely delete Guenhwyvar out of the picture.
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Edited by - Gord on 20 Dec 2023 12:21:26 |
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1265 Posts |
Posted - 20 Dec 2023 : 17:14:51
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Finder's Stone for me, best showcase of the Realms and it's a great mystery box story as well which seems to be a thing for hollywood these days.
Icewind Dale Trilogy would be interesting even if I am not a Drizzt fan, really showcases the entire Sword Coast in those 3 books.
While I love Elfsong, and recognise the greatness of Elfshadow (despite my nitpicks of the various plotholes in that one), I don't know if the 5 Song & Swords books would be a great movie series. Not enough Arilyn in Elfsong nor Danilo in Silver Shadows.
The Pools books could work if adapted well, you've got some great characters and a bit of nostalgia for all those who played the Gold Box games. All the characters are basically super powered heroes from the get go which works in a fun movie. |
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1265 Posts |
Posted - 20 Dec 2023 : 17:17:02
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| And god love Ed and his amazing world so much, I don't know how anyone could adapt Shandril's Saga to film. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6353 Posts |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 21 Dec 2023 : 14:03:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
I'd go with the Simbul's Gift, good character development, plenty of history, even an interesting (not one dimensional, moustachio twirling, moronic) bad guy.
You know what... I wouldn't have thought to say that particular novel.. but damned if you aren't right. It's one of those novels that the particulars have escaped me since its been 20 years or more, but it stuck with me how well developed the characters were. Also, like you said, villains that weren't silly. I will add that this author was one of the authors for the excellent thieve's world series from the 80's/90's, which was also excellent for character development. They could take and add a bit into that storyline even and make a decent story/movie. Not that I didn't like Lauzoril before this novel, but this novel made me think of him as a real human... with a wife and children.... which is something we never really see with a lot of the FR villains. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Gord
Acolyte
Canada
14 Posts |
Posted - 21 Dec 2023 : 16:59:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
I think any drizzt novel would make a poor movie, it would be far too similar to the original D&D movie with Jeremy Irons, very campy, with poor character and story development and plenty of plot holes.
They would also be incredibly short films with very bad dialogue.
That's a whole lot of assumptions. Though I'm not Drizzt fan, I would wait to see at least who was being hired to write, produce, direct, act etc before forming any opinions.
I personally wouldn't want to see The Dark Elf trilogy. I didn't care for the series a whole lot, but if they made it into films, I would have to check them out anyway of course. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6353 Posts |
Posted - 21 Dec 2023 : 22:06:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Gord
quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
I think any drizzt novel would make a poor movie, it would be far too similar to the original D&D movie with Jeremy Irons, very campy, with poor character and story development and plenty of plot holes.
They would also be incredibly short films with very bad dialogue.
That's a whole lot of assumptions. Though I'm not Drizzt fan, I would wait to see at least who was being hired to write, produce, direct, act etc before forming any opinions.
I personally wouldn't want to see The Dark Elf trilogy. I didn't care for the series a whole lot, but if they made it into films, I would have to check them out anyway of course.
I'm mostly assuming they stay true to the source material, otherwise what would be the point of turning it into a film.
Drizzt dialogues are bad, the villains are campy stereotypes, the pacing and plot is haphazard at best, and the fight scenes take up 50% of the book in description but last seconds in real time.
Would make a movie I do not want to watch. Although I did enjoy the first 3 novels. I couldn't read the others because they were identical to the first 3. |
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Gord
Acolyte
Canada
14 Posts |
Posted - 22 Dec 2023 : 13:41:02
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| Simbul's Gift is a part of The Nobels, but you haven't voted? |
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ElfBane
Learned Scribe
USA
277 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2023 : 05:26:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Seravin
And god love Ed and his amazing world so much, I don't know how anyone could adapt Shandril's Saga to film.
It would be an extremely sad story. The novels are almost unreadable, but at the same time, very hard to put down. She is such a tragic hero. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2023 : 13:45:29
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Smells like Dragonsfoot...
I still say the Crystal Shard would make for a good movie.
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The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2023 : 15:56:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
I'm mostly assuming they stay true to the source material, otherwise what would be the point of turning it into a film.
I'm assuming you've not read many novels and then seen the movies "based" on them.
A friend of mine insists that every movie based on a novel should have a "bookslapper" on staff. This is a person who has read the novel and who can slap the director with it when they try to respin something.
I've seen movies that did a fairly good job of following their origin novels... And I've seen many, many others where it seemed that no one involved with the movie had ever been in the presence of the novel, and that the movie was based on a one-sentence description of the book. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2023 : 16:01:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
My choice: None of the above.
I do not trust whoever would make such a movie will respect the original content as written in the novel. Quite the opposite in fact.
I'm with Delnyn on this. Hollywood has a long history of taking a lot of liberties with novel adaptations, to the point that sometimes the novel and the movie are two entirely separate things with few similarities.
We saw liberties taken with the recent D&D movie, and that didn't even try to adapt an existing story.
While there are Realms novels that I think would make good movies, I simply don't trust Hollywood to do that. I've read too many novels and then seen the movies to have any faith in them, there.
It's one of many reasons that I've always advocated for exactly what Honor Among Thieves did: tell us a new story, with new characters. There's so much potential in the setting that there's no reason for anyone to limit themselves by sticking with an existing story. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
890 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2023 : 18:00:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Gord
Debbie Downer eh. lol
OK, assuming that the novel would be brought to life exactly the way you would want it, which would you choose?
I notice Gord inserted the adverb "exactly", which implies absolutely zero discrepancy. My adverse appraisal is because Hollywood deviations are not exactly subtle or continuity-preserving. Not getting things exactly is different from not giving a hoot about lore, continuity or believability for the viewer who read the original material.
quote:
And I would add, I don't expect a film to ever be the same as the novel. It never happens and I gave up wanting that back in the 1980's.
See the above entry about what are tolerable versus intolerable differences.
quote:
Somethings just can't be translated from book to film very well and filmmakers usually change some things to give the audience a surprise.
Then ask if the film should be developed at all. Maybe the answer is "Yes" but please take option "No" into account.
quote:
For me it's Songs & Swords followed bt Icewind Dale. But I myself would make changes to the latter. I wouldn't have Wulfgar as a child barbarian raised by Bruenor and Drizzt, I would just have them as good friends. How that came to be could be a different story. And I would completely delete Guenhwyvar out of the picture.
These are two examples of significant deviations. Just do a Forgotten Realms "What If?" anthology much like Marvel Comics did. That way, you can tell your own story and not market the Lord Ginsu films under the original titles. Or even better, just start from scratch with new characters.
This goes back to my repeated assertion about the problems of reskinning established IPs rather than letting original material stand on its own merits.
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HighOne
Learned Scribe
214 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2023 : 22:27:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Gary Dallison
I'm mostly assuming they stay true to the source material, otherwise what would be the point of turning it into a film.
I'm assuming you've not read many novels and then seen the movies "based" on them.
A friend of mine insists that every movie based on a novel should have a "bookslapper" on staff. This is a person who has read the novel and who can slap the director with it when they try to respin something.
I've seen movies that did a fairly good job of following their origin novels... And I've seen many, many others where it seemed that no one involved with the movie had ever been in the presence of the novel, and that the movie was based on a one-sentence description of the book.
I have seen people argue that movies should make changes to the book they're adapting, otherwise "What's the point of seeing a movie if it's exactly like the book?"
They were not joking. They were serious.
I try not to be a misanthrope, but when I hear things like that... |
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Giant Snake
Seeker
57 Posts |
Posted - 25 Dec 2023 : 00:52:58
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| Interpretation is what it is and will always be. We all know it with the tailoring every DM is going to bring |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3286 Posts |
Posted - 25 Dec 2023 : 08:10:01
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| Spellfire. Blast them Zhents, Beholders, and Dracoliches! |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 25 Dec 2023 : 19:17:24
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quote:
Originally posted by HighOne
I have seen people argue that movies should make changes to the book they're adapting, otherwise "What's the point of seeing a movie if it's exactly like the book?"
They were not joking. They were serious.
I try not to be a misanthrope, but when I hear things like that...
I'll admit that I've refused to watch some of the Disney remakes, because they were simply doing live-action versions of animated flicks with few, if any changes.
The comment I've gotten more oft, though, was when the possibility of reading a book was mentioned, and the response was "I'll wait for the movie to come out." |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 25 Dec 2023 19:18:25 |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 26 Dec 2023 : 01:45:07
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Movies not even close to the novels is fine by me.
Hells, look at the MCU...not really much like the comics...but still awesome fun to watch!
The only thing I would truly care about is if it is just a good movie...like the new D&D movie had almost NOTHING to do with the Realms I know...but it was still a fun movie. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Gord
Acolyte
Canada
14 Posts |
Posted - 28 Dec 2023 : 23:22:16
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| I have no issue with a film not being exactly like the book. As said, I would make changes myself to certain things and characters, and I'm sure if any of these novels did make it to the big screen, there would be some changes to all of them. |
Edited by - Gord on 30 Dec 2023 12:03:28 |
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Rymac
Learned Scribe
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2023 : 00:58:52
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| An anthology series of films, like the Harpers book anthology. |
- Ryan |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7970 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2023 : 07:15:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Gord
I have no issue with a novel not being exactly like the book. As said, I would make changes myself to certain things and characters, and I'm sure if any of these novels did make it to the big screen, there would be some changes to all of them.
Pool of Radiance started off as a video game (a CRPG). It was so successful that they quickly made an AD&D mini-campaign adventure and a novel for it. Each of the three interpretations had differing characters, items, details, subplots - but each of them followed the same general plot with the same general villain and same general conclusion (assuming the players/heroes were successful).
I rather liked these differences. They weren't just dropped in as little easter eggs for attentive lore collectors. They were inventions of the programmers, designers, authors, editors who each understood the full narrative and each had agency to unfold or reveal the narrative in their own way.
(All that being said ... the CRPG is rather primitive and clunky by today's standards, the adventure needs a lot of extra attention from other sources to make it properly robust, and the novel was memorable to me as being truly unmemorable. If I didn't have great passion for the CRPG and the AD&D module then I would never have re-read such a mediocre, juvenile, and contrived novel.) |
[/Ayrik] |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11696 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2023 : 15:14:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Brimstone
Spellfire. Blast them Zhents, Beholders, and Dracoliches!
While I would love this and the people here would..... I gotta say that I first read that when it was released and was a bit overwhelmed with the number of characters (I wouldn't be now if I reread it as I KNOW who those people are now... but the realms was just released at the time). So, from that perspective, if the goal is to take the average person and bring them into the theater... this isn't a good option. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7970 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2023 : 17:37:16
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lol Dragonlance overwhelmed me with the number of characters.
It seemed like the "heroes of the lance" kept on adding every random adventurer they came across. At one point there were probably about two dozen characters in the "adventuring party". Imagine being the DM for a party of about 20 PCs. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2023 : 22:09:48
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Best I think I ever managed was 8 consistent players. If there were 20 people sitting at my table I'd probably "divide the party" and play two different nights! lol
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
lol Dragonlance overwhelmed me with the number of characters.
It seemed like the "heroes of the lance" kept on adding every random adventurer they came across. At one point there were probably about two dozen characters in the "adventuring party". Imagine being the DM for a party of about 20 PCs.
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The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Athreeren
Learned Scribe
130 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jan 2024 : 20:32:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
quote:
Originally posted by Gord
I have no issue with a novel not being exactly like the book. As said, I would make changes myself to certain things and characters, and I'm sure if any of these novels did make it to the big screen, there would be some changes to all of them.
Pool of Radiance started off as a video game (a CRPG). It was so successful that they quickly made an AD&D mini-campaign adventure and a novel for it. Each of the three interpretations had differing characters, items, details, subplots - but each of them followed the same general plot with the same general villain and same general conclusion (assuming the players/heroes were successful).
I rather liked these differences. They weren't just dropped in as little easter eggs for attentive lore collectors. They were inventions of the programmers, designers, authors, editors who each understood the full narrative and each had agency to unfold or reveal the narrative in their own way.
(All that being said ... the CRPG is rather primitive and clunky by today's standards, the adventure needs a lot of extra attention from other sources to make it properly robust, and the novel was memorable to me as being truly unmemorable. If I didn't have great passion for the CRPG and the AD&D module then I would never have re-read such a mediocre, juvenile, and contrived novel.)
I mostly remember how the magic user starts with an archmage's equipment, which is probably the only safe way to ensure that a first edition wizard has a chance to survive until level 2. |
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Seravin
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1265 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2024 : 22:49:02
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| Yeah with 1d4 hp and a single spell per day to cast, a 1st level wizard was all but useless by the ruleset of the early editions. The best you could hope was something AoE to take out more than one enemy (sleep, color spray, burning hands) |
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Topic |
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Novels to Films
