NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article344232.ece

Well, it would appear that Mr. Pratchett has finally sold out to the lure of TV dramatisation. Can a film be far behind? I doubt it.

Although Hogfather is one of my favourite Discworld books (an opinion which distinguishes me from most Pratchett readers), I fear that transferring Pratchett's books from paper to screen is going to be botched. While the BBC had a success with Johnny and the Bomb, the Discworld series is an entirely different kettle of fish.

Thoughts? Opinions? Hate mail?

I'll hope for the best, watch it, then if they mess it up I'll bitch and whine.

.. the beginning of the end. :(

I have serious doubts about that, to be honest.
I mean, how on earth are they going to film the anotations? And what's Pratchett without the anotations? :eek:

I'm-a try and be optimistic.

Meanwhile I'm going to try and dig up a copy of both the book and video of Johnny and the Bomb.

*Crosses fingers and prays that it goes well*

He seems to have been sensible so far, hopefully it'll get dont well

*goes back to praying for discworlds soul*

I have serious doubts about that, to be honest.
I mean, how on earth are they going to film the anotations? And what's Pratchett without the anotations? :eek:

They could do little freeze-frame asides like they did with the BBC version of the Hitchhiker's Guide?

You make it sound as if Terry has been corrupted by the greedy capitalist pigs. Pratchett IS the corrupter. I've never met anyone who's met him for more than a couple of minutes and liked him (that's actually a fair few people). The guy probably sold out first chance he got that paid well enough. Terry Pratchett may be funny, but he is no means nice.

Be nice if they could get the series to look somewhat like Josh Kirby's illustrations. I presume they're not using animations though.

Actually I think there's already been a couple of animated films made of the discworld. Anyway, the discworld books have already spawned plays, graphic novels, quizbooks, calanders, videogames, boardgames, and Om only knows how many other hideous pieces of merchandising. Much as I love the books, Terry selling out is nothing new. Nor is it a bad thing, if it's done well. So far none of them have though :(

The BBC did an animated version of one of the Discworld books a few years ago. I don't think it really worked, and I can't imagine a live-action version being any better.

I have serious doubts about that, to be honest.
I mean, how on earth are they going to film the anotations? And what's Pratchett without the anotations? :eek:They'd be the first to be cut. If you're making a screen adaptation you normally have to cut significant chunks out so the film doesn't get too long. It's why most adaptations never live up to expectations, because they lose those special touches.

Actually I think there's already been a couple of animated films made of the discworld. Anyway, the discworld books have already spawned plays, graphic novels, quizbooks, calanders, videogames, boardgames, and Om only knows how many other hideous pieces of merchandising. Much as I love the books, Terry selling out is nothing new. Nor is it a bad thing, if it's done well. So far none of them have though :(I liked the Last Hero. And I thought the videogames were quite cute.

Well, the Last hero's kinda different, it's a Discworld book with lots of pictures, when I said Graphic Novels I meant basically Soul music in comic book form. And yeah, the games were cute, but not much else. They felt a bit like the books had been chopped up and put in video-game form. It hasn't ALL been bad, but there has been huge ammounts of merchandising. I loved Nanny Ogg's cookbook though :D

Well, the Last hero's kinda different, it's a Discworld book with lots of pictures, when I said Graphic Novels I meant basically Soul music in comic book form. And yeah, the games were cute, but not much else. They felt a bit like the books had been chopped up and put in video-game form. It hasn't ALL been bad, but there has been huge ammounts of merchandising. I loved Nanny Ogg's cookbook though :D

Woops, I've got to watch it when I'm logging into and out of my accounts and posting at the same time :confused:

A lot of Discworld's greatness is in the narrative, and I think the only way an adaptation can be succesful is if the book's strongest points are the dialogue or the plot, which I might add should have a clear outline to which it can be reduced. Lord of the Rings may have received a fair share of criticism but you'll have to admit it's great material for a film, except for the splitting perspective later on, because the story can be reduced into just a bunch of events and encounters.

You can't do that in Discworld. It's just bland, uninspired, boring fantasy (Well, there are some interesting concepts and plot twists, but those too lose a lot without the narrative) without the narrator's commentary. How can you duplicate the Josh Kirby effect for a movie audience? (I'm talking about the illustration of Twoflower with four eyes.)

Anyway, the discworld books have already spawned plays, graphic novels, quizbooks, calanders, videogames, boardgames, and Om only knows how many other hideous pieces of merchandising.

Eh, I just can't wait for sausages!

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/08022006/344/sir-david-star-discworld-film.html

that gives me some small hope

Although Hogfather is one of my favourite Discworld books (an opinion which distinguishes me from most Pratchett readers)... Like me :) (My favourites are Maskerade and Monstrous Regiment)

...I fear that transferring Pratchett's books from paper to screen is going to be botched. I do share the worry. His books would be extremely difficult to transfer to a different format - they might be able to pull it off, but I honestly doubt it. :(

Well, the Last hero's kinda different, it's a Discworld book with lots of pictures, when I said Graphic Novels I meant basically Soul music in comic book form. And yeah, the games were cute, but not much else. They felt a bit like the books had been chopped up and put in video-game form. It hasn't ALL been bad, but there has been huge ammounts of merchandising. I loved Nanny Ogg's cookbook though :DOh, yes... I remember, I saw one of the graphic novels in the library one. Awful. The memories still cause me pain. I only flicked through Nanny Ogg's cook book as I didn't have the money to buy it. :(

Hmm... maybe I have a good opinion of the videogames as I didn't have to pay for them. :eek:

I liked the Last Hero. And I thought the videogames were quite cute.

Discworld Noir was a fun game... And had a plot and dialogue that could provide a basis for a movie, perhaps?

Discworld Noir was a fun game... And had a plot and dialogue that could provide a basis for a movie, perhaps?Probably not as the storyline was just that of a cliche PI story with jokes thrown in.

I think perhaps one of the early watch books probably has potential to be made into a film. Or one of the independent books. I think many of the later books rely on you already knowing the history of the chracters quite well. Hogfather was the first dw book I ever read I hated it. 3 years later I read Sourcery or Pyramids and loved them. 5 years later I begrudingly read hogfather again and liked it.

The BBC did an animated version of one of the Discworld books a few years ago. I don't think it really worked, and I can't imagine a live-action version being any better.
They did weird sisters and soul music and I think they are very good.

Several books have successfully been made into stage plays. There's a change of delivery for you and yet it worked.

And why "sold out". He makes a product. Markets it and if he makes money he "sold out". That's just silly.

'Praps he's not nice 'cos it's a good way of getting people to leave him alone.

Don't care - I like most of his books a great deal and don't dislike any of them. All I want is a good read for my money. Deal done. Nothing more to say.

Oh dear. Of all the books to choose...they'd just better do Death justice, that's all I can say. Funnily enough I just finished rereading hogfather a few days ago, and I can't imagine how they will turn it into a movie, without it being awful. Oh well, we have to hope :(

Several books have successfully been made into stage plays. There's a change of delivery for you and yet it worked.

And why "sold out". He makes a product. Markets it and if he makes money he "sold out". That's just silly.

'Praps he's not nice 'cos it's a good way of getting people to leave him alone.

Don't care - I like most of his books a great deal and don't dislike any of them. All I want is a good read for my money. Deal done. Nothing more to say.
They actually translate quite well into play form. I've seen the Hogfather at the Edinburgh Fringe, and it does work. Whether it works as a big budget production is a different matter.

Oh dear. Sky One is involved. It's doomed.

Bring on the Rincewind, the Sam Vimes, the DEATH.

I extend the benefit of the doubt and look forward to it.

http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article344232.ece

Well, it would appear that Mr. Pratchett has finally sold out to the lure of TV dramatisation. Can a film be far behind? I doubt it.

Although Hogfather is one of my favourite Discworld books (an opinion which distinguishes me from most Pratchett readers), I fear that transferring Pratchett's books from paper to screen is going to be botched. While the BBC had a success with Johnny and the Bomb, the Discworld series is an entirely different kettle of fish.

Thoughts? Opinions? Hate mail?

Meh, they've already done a couple of the books as cartoon (Wyrd Sisters and another one I think, Mort maybe). Haven't seen them though, so cannot comment.

I would give them the benefit of doubt too. As long as they aren't intended for "mainstream" appeal, they ought to be reasonably good.

I would give them the benefit of doubt too. As long as they aren't intended for "mainstream" appeal, they ought to be reasonably good.
It's made by Sky One.

It's made by Sky One.

The stamp of disapproval is already raised...

I don't know whether to yell, "That's friggin amazing" or to just sit back and watch what everyone's been predicting, terrible failure. Too bad Harrison Ford's too old to play Vimes. I didn't check, when's it scheduled for release?

The best that can be hoped for is that some chavs will stumble across it while pissed out of their skulls on White Lightning this christmas, start reading the books, and maybe be educated a little bit.
Or not...

I don't know whether to yell, "That's friggin amazing" or to just sit back and watch what everyone's been predicting, terrible failure. Too bad Harrison Ford's too old to play Vimes. I didn't check, when's it scheduled for release?

Chirstmas 2006.

The animated Discworld stories were ok; hopefully the live action will be better. What I wanna know is when we poor Yanks will see it!

The animated Discworld stories were ok; hopefully the live action will be better. What I wanna know is when we poor Yanks will see it!
Depends on how law abiding you are I guess. ;)

It's being made by Sky 1. Don't worry about being able to see it. Worry about whether it's going to be worth watching.

It's being made by Sky 1. Don't worry about being able to see it. Worry about whether it's going to be worth watching.

Hey, Sky One have made some good stuff like....

...

...

Well...

...

Hex...

...

No, that was aweful...

I've never met anyone who's met [Pratchett] for more than a couple of minutes and liked him (that's actually a fair few people).Shall I first of all and put my hand up as someone who might be biased. (Have all the books, many in hardback and paperback, never mind playscripts, graphic novels, animations (WS and SM, that is), as well as GURPS Discworld/DW Also, etc...) As I said, I might be biased.

On the other hand, I've met quite a lot of people who seem to like him. We're all fanatically biased, maybe. Who knows. But I think that if your only experience of his personality (and the experiences of your acquaintances) is having gotten to the front of a seven-hour long signing queue on the second signing session of a day half way through one of the regualr tours he makes, then he might have been more welcoming of a packet of frozen peas than yet another person bringing 15 books for him to sign (three of them not even his) and a witty comment or two along the lines of "doesn't Ponder Stibbons look a lot like Harry Potter?" or whatever...

Mind you, I quite look forward to meeting Jack Cohen again at this year's Discworld Convention... Maybe because he's not in as much 'demand' as PTerry (in general) yet I personally find him (and Ian Stewart) just as interesting from an intellectual POV..!

Hey, Sky One have made some good stuff like....

...

...

Well...

...

Hex...

...

No, that was aweful...

Battlestar Galactica was OK. I dunno if Sky actually made it though. I just doubt that they can capture the wit and style of Pratchett.

Battlestar Galactica was OK. I dunno if Sky actually made it though. I just doubt that they can capture the wit and style of Pratchett.

Sorry, didn't watch it. Only saw Hex because my sister watches it.

Though I believe Battlestar Galactica was a joint project between Sky One and an American production company.

I think perhaps one of the early watch books probably has potential to be made into a film.I'd put my money on G!G! as the best one to film... For many reasons I won't go into here...

Or one of the independent books.I've always thought it'd be 'neat' to see a film version of the Holywood book (Moving Pictures), but... Well, it might not survive the process.

Let's see... Well Small Gods might be interesting (suitably 'independant') save for any idiots who get out of the wrong side of bed and take umbrage over the religious connotations... Pyramids, likewise.

Maybe Monstrous Regiment? That seems to be safe (unless we end up insultig the Lithuanians, or somesuch), and is very independant (as long as Vimes can be portrayed as suitably benevalant/sensible in his involvement) and yet modern in its writing...

I think many of the later books rely on you already knowing the history of the chracters quite well. Hogfather was the first dw book I ever read I hated it.Probably not the best to start on, no...

3 years later I read Sourcery or Pyramids and loved them. 5 years later I begrudingly read hogfather again and liked it.I'm privilidged enough to have started from the beginning, nearly two decades whence, so my commiserations for jumping into the wrong place (though the 'wrong' place might differ person to person, and I know some people for whom the TLF/TCOM were the 'wrong' first books...).

Oh, I could say much mroe about this subject, but it'd be a bore... I'll leave it there...