NationStates Jolt Archive


Another Asimov rant...

Klonor
20-12-2005, 07:23
Here we go again......

Okay, remember my rant way-back-when that condemned all of Hollywood to Hell because of the bad book-to-movie I, Robot conversion? No? Okay, I'm not that suprised since it was a while ago. Basically, the movie had nothing to do with the book. Literally. The main character in the movie wasn't even in the book. The secondary character (just a tiny bit behind the main charatcer) was so far off from the book charatcer that, in the previews, I didn't even know they were the same person. In fact, the move and book didn't even have the same plot. At all. The book didn't even have a singular plot; it was a collection of short stories, none of which resembled the movie in any way.

Anyway, eventually I stopped bitching about it (Well, not really, but it was a bit less) because I learned some nifty info. The script, when written, had absolutely nothing to do with the book. It was originally titled Hardwired and had no connection to Asimov in any way. But the director, either an Asimov fan or just someone knowledgable of Asimovs large fanbase, had the title of the movie and the names of three of its charatcers changed to match the book so that it would appeal to the Asimov fan. This calmed me down a bit and I was able to tolerate the films existence. But now.......ugh.

I was in Barnes & Noble on Sunday and was browsing through the Asimov section for new material (He might have died more than a decade ago but new stuff keeps appearing) when I noticed a copy of I, Robot. I swear my heart actually stopped for three seconds. The cover, where older editions had the robot QT-1 in worship of the Master (One of the short stories had a robot overcome with religious fanaticism), was a close-up shot of Will Smith from the movie. Will Smith as the charatcer that isn't even in the book. There is also the tagline "One man saw it coming" which was the tagline for the movie. What the hell was there to see coming in the book?

I could stand the movie when I thought it was an adaption of the book, it was even easier when I found out that it wasn't, but this just feels like an arrow through the head. Whenever there's one of these God-awful book-to-movie conversions I (And many others) console myself with the thought that "At least it isn't the book. No matter how bad that movie is, at least the book isn't any worse. At least the original material is still free from that filth." But this crossed a line. This time, the bad movie has actually effected the book.

I swear, I feel like shooting somebody.
Santa Barbara
20-12-2005, 07:27
Marketing. That is the only logic at work there. Don't tell me you were really surprised? Will Smith creates hella moola wherever he graces with his presence.

As long as they didn't actually change the book itself....
Lunatic Goofballs
20-12-2005, 07:28
Want to hear something that'll make you feel a little better?

Thousands of people are going to buy that book and wonder what the fuck happened to Will Smith's character. :)
Eroding Beachfront
20-12-2005, 07:53
Ya, I can see why you are outraged at the lack integrity in the movie industry, but just think how many more minds will be graced by Asimov's amazing stories because a pawn was placed on the cover. Maybe they will proceed to read The Caves of Steel, and the rest of the Robot Series. Maybe even they will continue the saga and read all of the Foundation Series. Maybe this world will actually become a better place because some jackass moviemaker decided to ride on the coattails of one of the greatest science fiction writers of all time. No one can read that much Asimov and not become a better person, it's been proven.
Klonor
20-12-2005, 07:56
Nah, it won't happen. I held out some hope for a while, but then I noticed that most of my non-Asimov-reading-friends came out of the movie commenting about how the movie blew and, therefore, Asimov "can't write for shit."

That's when I realized that he might not be getting the publicity we all wanted.
Santa Barbara
20-12-2005, 07:59
Nah, it won't happen. I held out some hope for a while, but then I noticed that most of my non-Asimov-reading-friends came out of the movie commenting about how the movie blew and, therefore, Asimov "can't write for shit."

That's when I realized that he might not be getting the publicity we all wanted.

True.

And the people who liked the movie will not enjoy reading the book.

So basically, fuck you Asimov!

...but at least Foundation is safe from evil hollywood screenwriter Jeff Vintar.

WAIT NO IT ISNT! (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/000133.html) ARRRGH IS NOTHING SACRED. :headbang:
Big Jim P
20-12-2005, 08:01
C'mon lets face it: hollywood would screw up a wet dream. Anytime I see some classic piece of literature being made into a movie I am saddened. Almost as saddened as I am at the thought that for most of the pop-culture zombies out there, this will be their only exposure to them.
Cahnt
20-12-2005, 13:58
Wasn't the film (ostensibly) based on an Eando Binder novel of the same title, rather than the Asimov anthology?
H N Fiddlebottoms VIII
20-12-2005, 14:29
No one can read that much Asimov and not become a better person, it's been proven.
Yeah, sure . . .
Whatever the magical leprechaun sitting on your left shoulder tells you must be right!
Argesia
20-12-2005, 14:40
You know, I wasn't even gonna read all your post, as I am not at all interested in Asimov, do not know what I am doing on this thread, and my right eye keeps going out of focus.
But then I did, and your revolt sounds very legitimate to me. You have my approval for shooting somebody. Make sure it's a character that's not in the book heheh.
Anti-assimilation
20-12-2005, 14:55
True.

And the people who liked the movie will not enjoy reading the book.

So basically, fuck you Asimov!

...but at least Foundation is safe from evil hollywood screenwriter Jeff Vintar.

WAIT NO IT ISNT! (http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/000133.html) ARRRGH IS NOTHING SACRED. :headbang:

That is really sad... while i havent read the robot series, i have read the Foundation series (i have the robot seires in my big book stack marked "to be read" but since the start of college that pile hasnt dropped at fast as it used to.. though i hope to get to them sometime) i have heard rants from friends of mine about the movie "I, Robot" and was as such spared from what they assured me was "a total waste of time". But to hear that the Foundation serise it threatend by this insane director is truly sad. It is my hope that something happenes that makes it impossible for him or anyother to finish a flim that would degrade the foundation as much as I, Robot has been.
The Wimbledon Wombles
20-12-2005, 18:28
I swear, I feel like shooting somebody.
Wouldn't it violate the First Law of Robotics?
Neo Kervoskia
20-12-2005, 18:33
This proves that god isn't compassionate. Fuck you Hollywood, fuck you in the ear! :mad:
Legless Pirates
20-12-2005, 18:36
Wouldn't it violate the First Law of Robotics?
Only if it wouldn't conflict with the zeroth law of robotics
Neo Kervoskia
20-12-2005, 18:38
Only if it wouldn't conflict with the zeroth law of robotics
Burn...
Moantha
21-12-2005, 02:14
I know introduce the negative first law. A robot shall not pervert Isaac Asimov's works, or through inaction allow Asimov's works to be perverted. :D