we don't have to like "cookie's fortune," do we?
"the long goodbye" made me mad until i learned that leigh
brackett wrote the script with altman. it was one thing for
someone on the outside to deconstruct the whole p.i. genre
and quite another for someone on the inside....
-- tony
http://www.myspace.com/thelegendarytonyrenner
--- In
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "Brian Thornton"
<tieresias@...> wrote:
>
> Not in TL's world, Patrick. Didn't you get the
memo?
>
> We've all got to like and respect Altman, and
pretend we understand him.
>
> Sort of like the emperor's new clothes.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Patrick King
> To:
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 2:00 PM
> Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Re: The Long
Goodbye
>
>
> Sure, and the public who spent their $12 to see
a
> movie based on a book they loved, are free to hate
it
> and say bad things about it.
>
> Patrick King
> --- Terrill Lankford
<lankford2000@...>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > >From: jimdohertyjr
<jimdohertyjr@...>
> > >Sent: Feb 9, 2007 7:27 PM
> > >To:
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
> > >Subject: RARA-AVIS: Re: The Long
Goodbye
> > >
> >
> > >What I did say is that a filmmaker making a
movie
> > based on source
> > >material from another medium owes some
fidelity to
> > that source
> > >material.
> >
> >
> > That's just not true. In the real world of
books and
> > film, the only thing a filmmaker owes a
novelist is
> > a contract and a check. If the movie made
breaks
> > with the spirit of the contract, the author (or
his
> > estate) is free to sue the filmmakers
afterwards -
> > as is happening right now with Clive Cussler.
But
> > few, if any, producers would have given any
novelist
> > the kind of control Cussler had over SAHARA.
I'm
> > sure there was nothing in the Long Goodbye
contracts
> > that promised absolute (or any, for that
matter)
> > fidelity to the source material. The cost of
the
> > rights for a book are miniscule compared to the
cost
> > of making and marketing a motion
picture.
> >
> > It is a "seller beware" situation. Anybody out
there
> > who wants to protect their books from the shame
of
> > "misadaption" should just turn down that
filthy
> > money when the producers come calling. And
they
> > should leave instructions with their executors
that
> > they never want Hollywood ruining their good
name
> > after they are dead as well.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > If he has contempt for the material, why make
the
> > movie?
> > >Why not make a movie from an original
screenplay
> > that he believes
> > >in? Or make a movie from a
novel/play/whatever
> > that he believes in?
> > >Why make a movie based on a novel he has
contempt
> > for, by a novelist
> > >he has contempt for, featuring a character
he has
> > contempt for?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Maybe he has something to say about all of that
as
> > well. Who said all art must be generated out
of
> > respect?
> >
> > (And for the record, I believe you are putting
a lot
> > of words in Altman's mouth.)
> >
> >
> >
> > >
> > >The film may be good or bad depending on
the skill
> > of the director,
> > >cast, and crew, but that's not the
point.
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > I beg to differ. That IS the point
exactly.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >The point is what the filmmaker owes to
the
> > originator of the
> > >material, and for members of a list devoted
to the
> > work of people
> > >like Chandler to defend as meretricious a
piece of
> > crap as Altman's
> > >film on the basis that "It's good in its
own right,
> > and, anyway we
> > >can't really expect a director like Altman
to do a
> > faithful version
> > >of Chandler and have to judge it on its
own
> > merits," quite frankly
> > >mystifies me.
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > As does your opinion to anyone sitting on the
other
> > side of the aisle, Jim.
> >
> > I've said it before and I'll say it again. I
like
> > both the book and the movie, but for
completely
> > different reasons. I'm not sure why they
can't
> > co-exist in our universe, but hell, I'm
just
> > vacationing here anyway.
> >
> > TL
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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>
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