Dark Tower

[Michigan]

Damn you, Daddy Darth *fist shake*

I'm only on Wolves of the Calla, and I'm finding it hard to start. #4 was a bit poor for me (mind you, it's only my first read of the series), but Mr King? Stop! Lemme read upto #7 first.

4 was poor? It was heads and shoulders above the first three, in fact it was the only one that I actually thought had a cohesive plot and didn't just meander from one idea to the next as King made it up as he went along.

 

[Eventine]

And I'm also not a fan of "fill in the gap" books. There can never be any big changes to the characters or universe, because we already know what the state of the characters and universe must be when a "gap" book reaches its conclusion. If there is going to be a new DT book, I'd like to have it taken beyond what we already know.

Wizard and Glass was really a "gap" book though, and it was one of my favourites in the series. I've been reading the graphic novels, mainly because I've been interested in seeing the battle at Jericho Hill, but unfortunately I don't think they've nailed the characterisation of Alain and Cuthbert which has been disappointing. Depending on the subject matter, I think King could do a great job of sorting out a "gap" book, but my concern was also that we'd only see filler.

Also, I forgot to post this when I first heard about it:
http://www.stephenking.com/multimedia/dt_video/

 

[Loerwyn]

I sat myself down, and started Wolves of the Calla. I'm about 125 pages in and I'm really enjoying it.

I think the problem for me, with it, was the first bit. I find the Roland/Eddie/Susannah/Jake/Oy parts so much more interesting and fun to read - Probably why I wasn't overly impressed with #4. I also got highly confused when Eddie/Jake/Oy were in NYC in the 'dream', and there was a 'John Chambers' who often was referred to as 'the other Jake'. No offense, Mr King, but please, don't do that to me.

Apart from the prologue to WotC, and the bit about Mia, I'm enjoying it. It'll be the longest series I've ever read, and hopefully not the last.

 

[Werthead]

Ron Howard, director of films such as The Da Vinci Code, Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind, has signed on to tackle a movie trilogy based on Stephen King's seven-volume Dark Tower sequence. According to the source, there is also the possibility of a spin-off television series being developed simultaneously.

The series, which sees a gunslinger named Roland making his way to the forbidding Dark Tower, is the unifying cosmological link between much of King's other work, although its sales have not been at the same level as his other, more stand-alone books. King is currently writing a new Dark Tower novel that falls earlier in the books' timeline.

J.J. Abrams and the writing team behind Lost, Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, had previously discussed adapting the series as a seven-season TV series, but had changed their minds given the desire to have a break after the conclusion of the six-year Lost project.

 

[Erfael]

I love the Dark Tower, but to this I say: Blech!

 

[Electronic6]

Those are good news and bad news!

The good news is that J.J. Abrams will stay away from the Dark Tower, everything else is a bad news. Movie trilogy and spin-off Tv Show? No thank you. A prequel(?) book? How about re-writing the last two books of the series Mr. King?

 

[Daddy Darth]

I'm up for it. I loved the Dark Tower and can picture Roland in my minds eye and would love to see him come to life. I though JJ et al had the spark and felt positive about that. I am less certain about Ron Howard - has he ever tackled anything in the sci-fi/horror/fantasy genre?

Dark Tower has alot of drama and action and the setting would not be so challenging for the most part. Not like bringing middle Earth to life thats for sure. There would need to be some trimming but maybe not so much - as we know King likes to write alot and there may be a little bit of bloat.

I say Yeah!

 

[metalprof]

I'll watch if Timothy Olyphant plays Roland.

Ken

 

[Daddy Darth]

I am going to have to google him - I picture the Good/Bad/Ugly Clint Eastwood. Sigh!!!!

 

[metalprof]

I am going to have to google him - I picture the Good/Bad/Ugly Clint Eastwood. Sigh!!!!

He's not as beat up as ol' Clint was, but in his role as the gunslinger sheriff in Deadwood on HBO, Olyphant just oozed coolness and intensity. Pictures don't really do him justice, you have to see the walk and the talk, too, but:

http://static.tvguide.com/MediaBin/...eadwood/Crops/deadwood-timothy-olyphant10.jpg

http://www.tvsa.co.za/images/actors/o/olyphant_timothy_5_300x430.jpg

and I did not know he already had a Stephen King connection!

http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/timothy-olyphant/photos/176927/48034

Ken

 

[Daddy Darth]

Well that will be mandatory b/c Roland says a lot with out saying a lot - if you know what I mean. He is gonna have to have the ability to say alot with his eyes and expressions.

 

[Loerwyn]

Agreed, DaddyD. I wonder who'll play Eddie and Susannah, and if Oy will make an appearance. I wouldn't be surprised if they went for more "normal" people rather than famous actors, because they often make it much better. I mean, look at Watchmen. Most of those actors aren't huge names (actually, are any of them huge names?) and they were brilliant IMHO.

Of course, you can't have the Dark Tower without Oy. Ake!

 

[Ras Gonzo]

IMHO the ONLY director who could have done any justice to a live action Dark Tower movie died, Stanley Kubrick.

The is no way in blue hell that this series would bear any resemblance in movie form compared to the books. There would be WAY too many important things cut out or changed. The best way to deliver this fantastic story to the big screen would be animie. Imagine what a talented animator could do to this series, someone like Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away).

 

[Werthead]

IMHO the ONLY director who could have done any justice to a live action Dark Tower movie died, Stanley Kubrick.

We would certainly have been waiting for the film as long as King took to write them And King would probably not have let Kubrick anywhere near any of his books ever again. King's opinion of The Shining is famously negative (although King's TV movie version can best be described as a car crash in an abbatoir).

That said, an offbeat, avant-garde director may be the way to go with this project. But the last time a studio thought this was a good idea was David Lynch with Dune, and that didn't work out so well (commercially, any way).

 

[Electronic6]

We would certainly have been waiting for the film as long as King took to write them And King would probably not have let Kubrick anywhere near any of his books ever again. King's opinion of The Shining is famously negative (although King's TV movie version can best be described as a car crash in an abbatoir).

That said, an offbeat, avant-garde director may be the way to go with this project. But the last time a studio thought this was a good idea was David Lynch with Dune, and that didn't work out so well (commercially, any way).

Well I find Kubrik's The Shining much better than the book. At least the climax was better. And more creepy.

And Dune would have been a masterpiece if the studio execs. let Lynch work his magic. A masterpiece!!! Want to buy Dune 6 Hour Long Directors Cut.

 

[TheImp]

IMHO the ONLY director who could have done any justice to a live action Dark Tower movie died, Stanley Kubrick.

nah, Akira Kurosawa. but he's dead too

if i had to choose among living directors to do it, i'd go with either guillermo del toro or ridley scott. that said, ron howard is a great choice in his own right.

 

[TheImp]

Ron Howard, director of films such as The Da Vinci Code, Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind

dont forget willow

 

[Eventine]

I'm not a fan of adaptations at the best of times, and think this one would be a failure. Not much else I can say.

 

[Loerwyn]

guillermo del toro

Now that could be good, but he's incredibly busy
I think the Dark Tower could be good but as was said above, a lot would have to be cut and I'm not sure that would be a good thing. Perhaps they'll do a Peter Jackson and give us ~3x3hr movies? That would allow them to cover much more ground.

 

[TheImp]

it would be interesting to see how they do it. i mean the LOTR was 3 books, so a trilogy was logical. but the Dark Tower is 7 so they'll have to be smart about it.

i think they'd do it like this;

film 1 - book 1/2
film 2 - book 3/4
film 3 - book 5/6/7

that just seems the most logical to me story wise.

sadly film 3 will probably suck, if you ask me.