Comics To Film

There's been a bit of a spate of comics to film adaptations in recent years, but mostly it's been American superhero comics that have been adapted, with variable results. Watchmen, I thought, was excellent, likewise the X-Men franchise. Daredevil and the Hulk, rather less so. But surely there's a wealth of material to be found in British comics that would translate wonderfully well to the big screen? As far as stuff that's already been seen goes, there's precious little in comparison to the glut of superhero movies, even if we go back a couple of decades. Tank Girl tanked, Judge Dredd was dreddful, and what else has there been? Personally, I'd like to see Rogue Trooper, Marvelman, Doomlord or Nikolai Dante on screen, and done properly-and sensitively-a big screen version of Charley's War could be an Oscar winner...

A Rogue Trooper film would be amazing if done right...and, yes, Charley's War would be worth watching - as long as Russell T Davies didn't get his hands on it - imagine Captain Jack as Charley? NOBODY would be safe, never mind the Jerry!

GBF wrote:A Rogue Trooper film would be amazing if done right...and, yes, Charley's War would be worth watching - as long as Russell T Davies didn't get his hands on it - imagine Captain Jack as Charley? NOBODY would be safe, never mind the Jerry!

I would have said 'as long as Hollywood didn't get their hands on it. Charley would suddenly be Chuck from New Jersey, and the British wouldn't be involved at all...

'Charley' would have to be an English film by an English director with English actors... It could work as long a Danny Boyle didn't get his hands on it...

GBF wrote:'Charley' would have to be an English film by an English director with English actors... It could work as long a Danny Boyle didn't get his hands on it...

It could also potentially work as a TV serial. The BBC have always traditionally been good at period dramas.

While I agree with what you say about the BBC - I think it would only work as a feature film. A really gritty piece like 'Saving Private Ryan'. The reason that film worked is because you felt like you were there. The only thing I've seen that stands out about the First World War is Kubricks 'Paths of Glory'. The BBC would water it down and lose the point - war is hell after all!
Naah - full length feature film or forget it!

...and why don't I have one of those neat little icons (beneath the avatar) that connect me to the Crikey! website - like what you have??!!

GBF wrote:...and why don't I have one of those neat little icons (beneath the avatar) that connect me to the Crikey! website - like what you have??!!

Because you haven't activated it in your profile?

Bingo! It's that easy...

GBF wrote:Bingo! It's that easy...

See children? Old people can learn to cope with modern technology!

Breaking news - Tony has been sacked for insubordination!!!

GBF wrote:Breaking news - Tony has been sacked for insubordination!!!

I shall seek my fortune in Hollywood, with my script for Strontium Dog: the Movie. Come to think of it, if I start writing it today, chances are it'll still see the light of day before the new Judge Dredd movie...

I'm not bothered about comic movies, really -- happy with comics as comics.

Liked Blade, X-Men 2 and Spider-Man 2, but that's about it. Haven't seen any comic-related films since Hellboy 2.

Spiff_B wrote:I'm not bothered about comic movies, really -- happy with comics as comics.

Liked Blade, X-Men 2 and Spider-Man 2, but that's about it. Haven't seen any comic-related films since Hellboy 2.

I think the last one I saw was Watchmen, which I thought was very well done but still lacked something. I'm also baffled as to why Zack snyder inserted a lot of pointless and unnecessary violence into the script while simultaneously removing one of the few really violent scenes from the comic-the murder of Nite Owl-which actually had a point to it!

I'd go for a Strontium Dog movie over all most anything else. Accept, may be for a Q Karts and a Q Bikes movie.

But then again, anything would be better than Harry Potter. Don't get me wrong, great book and films but they suck up so much money and time. Not much else gets a look in these days. Thank God the whole cycle will be over soon. Although my guess is there are publishing agents out there with the next Potter out there.

So my Q Karts and Q Bikes could be some way off!!!!!!

happyhooker wrote:I'd go for a Strontium Dog movie over all most anything else. Accept, may be for a Q Karts and a Q Bikes movie.

But then again, anything would be better than Harry Potter. Don't get me wrong, great book and films but they suck up so much money and time. Not much else gets a look in these days. Thank God the whole cycle will be over soon. Although my guess is there are publishing agents out there with the next Potter out there.

So my Q Karts and Q Bikes could be some way off!!!!!!

I have a feeling Q-Bikes would have been a more likely candidate for a kids TV series, circa about 1980. It's the sort of thing I could have seen ITV doing...

I didn't think the V for Vengeance film was any good... oh wait, it was based on a comic that Alan Overrated made when he ripped off the story. I suppose it worked well as a film about the rip-off.

Anyway, an actual V for Vengeance film would be great, but idiots would raise cries of "rip off!" in the wrong direction. It would have to be done in the Boy's Own style of Where Eagles Dare, though. Not the modern "war is hell" style with "documentary style" camerawork everywhere reducing expensively-staged battles to incoherence.
Oh and it would need to end with a pan up to the sky and a harmoniously-sung patriotic song... maybe a Polish or Czhech one, as those seemed to be the countries where the Deathless Men primarily hailed from... though the action seemed to be mostly set in France or Germany.

Oh yeah, I also think Charley's War would be better as a series... it was sheer quality for years and years, there's too much for a mere film! (or even a trilogy, LOTR style). Also i imagine a series where 90% of the footage is in trenches or smoky/gassy battlefields would be pretty cheap too, just the thing for the recession!

See, I thought that, too! I'll bet the BBC could pull off a Charley's War series brilliantly without breaking the bank-they've already got the uniforms in stock, left over from Blackadder Goes Forth! (no? Well, maybe not...)

So, another one less than enthused by Mr Moore? Mike, have you met Alanultron5? Mike, Alan-Alan, Mike...

Don't you think a (maybe) six episode, BBC produced Charley's War would be over long? All those scenes in the trenches and rain would be tedious over several weeks. How many times can you show men going 'over the top', getting shot and falling down? a series would be boring. A feature film would hit hard, have captive (ouch) audience in the theatre for a couple of hours and really get the point over. Uniforms from Blackadder?!? There were only six weren't there??!!
I really enjoyed Watchmen (though, yeah, it did miss out the Night-Owl's death). It was true to the GN (but left out the 'Black Freighter', the Taxi driver/lesbians thing and the two guys at the newsstand - who appeared at the end) and how many times do these Hollywood people like an idea, buy an idea and then change it completely? I understand most of these deleted scenes are in the Special DVD - is that correct? They were cut because it would have been overlong...for whom, I don't know - but I'd like to see the whole thing!
I thought the scenes with Dr Manhatten on Mars were some of the best filmed. I just wish Mr Moore would watch it...

GBF wrote:Don't you think a (maybe) six episode, BBC produced Charley's War would be over long? All those scenes in the trenches and rain would be tedious over several weeks. How many times can you show men going 'over the top', getting shot and falling down? a series would be boring. A feature film would hit hard, have captive (ouch) audience in the theatre for a couple of hours and really get the point over. Uniforms from Blackadder?!? There were only six weren't there??!!

But there wouldn't be room for all the various separate plots, like Blue's story...

I really enjoyed Watchmen (though, yeah, it did miss out the Night-Owl's death). It was true to the GN (but left out the 'Black Freighter', the Taxi driver/lesbians thing and the two guys at the newsstand - who appeared at the end) and how many times do these Hollywood people like an idea, buy an idea and then change it completely? I understand most of these deleted scenes are in the Special DVD - is that correct? They were cut because it would have been overlong...for whom, I don't know - but I'd like to see the whole thing!
I thought the scenes with Dr Manhatten on Mars were some of the best filmed. I just wish Mr Moore would watch it...

Tales of the Black Freighter is out on a DVD of its own. I think they worked out that if they included the Tales sub plot and all the deleted scenes, the film would come in at about four and a half hours, which would be a bit too much for most cinemagoers. It is great, though. The casting was spot-on, too.

The best thing about the casting in Watchmen for me was the fact that I didn't know who any of the actors were - I've not seen them in anything before this, so I had no expectations and there was no 'star' to be set up for the take. Similar to Star Wars (Guiness aside) they were all largely newcomers, bit parters. That's one of the reasons it worked so well. The same applied to 'Band of Brothers'. Believe it or not (and you probably will) I'd not seen Matt Damon before 'Ryan'...if fact Tom Hanks was the only 'star' of the cast I'd seen before this film. The same with Gary Oldman - he'll always be Lee Oswald to me.
Who would make a good 'Charley'? - the guy who plays Rorshach?

GBF wrote:The best thing about the casting in Watchmen for me was the fact that I didn't know who any of the actors were - I've not seen them in anything before this, so I had no expectations and there was no 'star' to be set up for the take. Similar to Star Wars (Guiness aside) they were all largely newcomers, bit parters. That's one of the reasons it worked so well. The same applied to 'Band of Brothers'. Believe it or not (and you probably will) I'd not seen Matt Damon before 'Ryan'...if fact Tom Hanks was the only 'star' of the cast I'd seen before this film. The same with Gary Oldman - he'll always be Lee Oswald to me.
Who would make a good 'Charley'? - the guy who plays Rorshach?

No, too old and too American sounding. I'll have to think about that one...

He was amazing as Rorschach, though. Really made you believe in the character.

He's an actor - he should be able to do an 'English' accent (our Damien Lewis makes a good yank after all - but then, he's talented!!). 'Rorshach' is too old though. But that Charley guy does look older than his 16 or 17...they all did back then!! Maybe Hollywood could buy it and film it in Hawaii or something...you know, turn it into something else like they did with 'Pearl Harbour'...

GBF wrote:He's an actor - he should be able to do an 'English' accent (our Damien Lewis makes a good yank after all - but then, he's talented!!). 'Rorshach' is too old though. But that Charley guy does look older than his 16 or 17...they all did back then!! Maybe Hollywood could buy it and film it in Hawaii or something...you know, turn it into something else like they did with 'Pearl Harbour'...

That's what I'm afraid of. If any Battle strip were to be filmed by Hollywood, it should be Major Eazy. He'd fit into that kind of storytelling. Charley has to be a British production.

Pat Mills is trying to get Charley on the radio...

GBF wrote:Pat Mills is trying to get Charley on the radio...

Now that could be interesting! Assuming you mean as a radio serial and not 'Pat has flipped and is trying to radio Charley from a trench in his back garden...'

I'd quite like Scooter girl to have a film made of it but I doubt many people read it.
I'd also like to see a real Thundercats movie. The comics did wonders for the series just like Transformers.

Hourglass wrote:I'd quite like Scooter girl to have a film made of it but I doubt many people read it.
I'd also like to see a real Thundercats movie. The comics did wonders for the series just like Transformers.

I'd like to see Thundercats, too. And following the abysmal GI Joe, maybe an Action Force movie...

I quite liked GI JOE. offensively jingoistic and patronizing of other culture,and utterly devoid of Physics (ICE SINKS LOL) but it could have been so much worse.

If we're going out on limbs, why not Dan Dare in the style of Sky Captain? I think there was a CG animated Dan Dare series (with retro 50's-style stuff) a few years back that's probably cool. I might have to search for a DVD this weekend!

felneymike wrote:If we're going out on limbs, why not Dan Dare in the style of Sky Captain? I think there was a CG animated Dan Dare series (with retro 50's-style stuff) a few years back that's probably cool. I might have to search for a DVD this weekend!

Dare's name keeps coming up in connection with TV and film projects. There was one planned as far back as 1982, which rewrote Dan's origin; the revived Eagle adopted it as the basis for their Dare strip. Dan became a Battle of Britain pilot who'd been placed in suspened animation and woken up in the 21st century. It upset the purists quite a bit (though not half as much as the 2000AD version which turned him into Clint Eastwood, then gave him super powers).

What we really need is a film from the bad guys POV. I think a new Kingpin film could be good. The last was was terrible.

Hourglass wrote:What we really need is a film from the bad guys POV. I think a new Kingpin film could be good. The last was was terrible.

You do know that movie was actually supposed to star Daredevil, don't you? Though yeah, it was pretty lousy. Aside from Colin Farrell as Bullseye, who was absolutely perfect. Actually, I'd like to see a Doctor Doom movie. Or maybe The Spider?

I'd like a Carnage one but I cant see that now DISNEY (I almost puke saying that name) have the rights.

Hourglass wrote:I'd like a Carnage one but I cant see that now DISNEY (I almost puke saying that name) have the rights.

HG, I really doubt if Disney are going to interfere too much in Marvel's operation, honestly. It might well be the death knell of Howard The Duck, but that's as far as it'll go...

tony ingram wrote:

Hourglass wrote:I'd like a Carnage one but I cant see that now DISNEY (I almost puke saying that name) have the rights.

HG, I really doubt if Disney are going to interfere too much in Marvel's operation, honestly. It might well be the death knell of Howard The Duck, but that's as far as it'll go...

Yeah, I'd be amazed if there was much difference -- apart from wider distribution of Marvel comics and products, and all Marvel movies distributed by Disney after current contracts expire.

Spiff_B wrote:

tony ingram wrote:

Hourglass wrote:I'd like a Carnage one but I cant see that now DISNEY (I almost puke saying that name) have the rights.

HG, I really doubt if Disney are going to interfere too much in Marvel's operation, honestly. It might well be the death knell of Howard The Duck, but that's as far as it'll go...

Yeah, I'd be amazed if there was much difference -- apart from wider distribution of Marvel comics and products, and all Marvel movies distributed by Disney after current contracts expire.

Tha age old rivalry between Marvel and DC has another layer to it now, though; Marvel are being published by the owners of Mickey Mouse, and DC are owned by the creators of the Looney Tunes!

The REAL fun will start if and when the Kirby Estate goes for all those copyrights...

GBF wrote:The REAL fun will start if and when the Kirby Estate goes for all those copyrights...

When does that occur? Is it 50 years, or 70?

In the publishing industry I believe it's 28 years before copyrights to come up for renewal. There was bit of a rumour back in 1989 that Jack was going sue Marvel and, if successful, walk down the street to DC with the rights to FF, Fury, and just about everything else and let them publish his creations. That was the rumour and I don't know if its true or not but let's face it, if they belong to anyone they belong to him! I don't know what the deal was back then but Jack got some artwork back (barely 1500 pages out of the supposed TEN THOUSAND he drew for Marvel in the 1960s and he didn't take them to court. When I was at his home in 1988, Roz said to me that I shouldn't ask Jack about it because of all the legal stuff and it would upset Jack.
I thought the Kirby estate were going for it about now...

In a way, I rather hope they do. It would shake things up and might lead to a few of the surviving creators being offered substantial compensation packages in return for not rocking the boat further down the line (apologies for the mixed metaphor).

Siegal & Shuster were compensated more than once down the years weren't they? - people will always want more. Jack made a very good living but should have been a zillionaire for his impact on the whole medium. But things don't happen like that. I hope the Kirby estate go ahead and do this - but I doubt they'd win. It would cost them a fortune they don't have in legal fees...

GBF wrote:Siegal & Shuster were compensated more than once down the years weren't they? - people will always want more. Jack made a very good living but should have been a zillionaire for his impact on the whole medium. But things don't happen like that. I hope the Kirby estate go ahead and do this - but I doubt they'd win. It would cost them a fortune they don't have in legal fees...

The Superman situation isn't cleared up yet. DC may have negotiated the rights to use the Superboy name again, but the copyright situation is still to be fully determined.

I very much steer clear of anything that Alan Moore has a hand in! I state clearly I do not like what he stands for-or his `Ethos` As I told Tony in an E.Mail I met a few people who worked at DR Who Weekly/Monthly at a London comic mart and their `experiences` with he and his `work` left them very unhappy with the man!

I don't look down on anyone who enjoys what he does, that's arrogance! but I don't want owt! to do with his `output`

On the Film subject! If only Sparky comic had the sense to register their `I. Spy` character then I for one think he would have far surpassed that `so-so` `Inspector Gadget` offering!

I'll agree to that about I.Spy, though I think that Mr Moore is still the best comic writer this country has produced. Whether a person likes him or not, he's entitled to his opinion as we all are. I don't think there is any argument really of his impact on comic writing.

A bit like Arthur Scargill really! To some a hero! To others a Demon! Take your sides please!!

Don't get me wrong! Alan Moore is no hero of mine - and neither is Scargill! I just think Moore is a top writer...the other stuff is the other stuff!!

So, are we now arguing over whether Arthur Scargill's comics writing outweighs his actions as head of the NUM?

I'm not arguing about anything! Scargill did more to help Thatcher than people realise...

GBF wrote:I'm not arguing about anything! Scargill did more to help Thatcher than people realise...

Which is definitely not something you can say for Alan Moore. This thread appears to have veered wildly off topic...