Greetings SF Fans and welcome to Wednesday's exciting post. Today I want to talk a bit about remakes and updates in the science fiction world.
SciFi Channel provided some new insights into the production of its new Flash Gordon TV series over the past few weeks as well as some tidbits about the famous Battlestar Galactica series and prequel (Caprica) for those who were interested. It seems that lately everything old is new again, and the networks seem to have come to the conclusion that this is not necessarily a bad thing. Personally, I have to agree. Remakes of shows like Kolchak, The Night Stalker have bombed in the ratings war, but the unstoppable juggernaut that is Battlestar Galactica is making up for the lack of traction for other failed re-imaginings. The question is why some of these re-treads succeed (like The Outer Limits) where others fail (like The Twilight Zone).
The answer is difficult to see, but I think it mostly lies in the idea that some shows divert very little from the original and thus are compared unfavorably to their progenitor and fail. Kolchack was very similar to its 1970's original, and there-in lay its doom. People tuned in expecting to get the original and they got something that was very similar but not quite the same. The opposite is true of Galactica. People tuned in to see a reprise of the original only to find something radically different from what they were expecting. Some didn't like it, but most did, and thus it thrives.
Some shows, which are obvious remakes, change their names in order to pretend that they are not the same show and guarantee new viewers. Seaquest DSV was obviously a remake of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea just as it was fairly obvious that Time Tunnel was the inspiration for both the Sliders and Quantum Leap franchises. Still you have a bunch of new shows that want to pretend that they are not remakes, and that is OK. After all, I loved The Equalizer, so Burn Notice is obviously going to appeal to me, just as those who liked Forever Night will enjoy the upcoming Moonlight. The real question is will they succeed?
With Flash Gordon coming to SciFi channel later this year, we can only hope that they learned the lesson and have made it different enough to survive. I hold high hopes that this production will give us all the kind of retro-science-fiction style flair that we expect while giving us edgier humanist inspired drama. There are talks that Buck Rogers, Commando Cody (a.k.a. the Rocketeer), and Lost in Space may be seriously being considered to return to TV in new re-imaginings, so let's just hope that they have a glimmer of thought on how to improve upon their classic forebears.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
Weber-cize!
So, I have decided to create a new form of exercise for SF fans. I call it Weber-cizing. Please allow me to explain.
I have been on a David Weber reading glut of late, and I had not noticed until a fellow SFSNNJ member pointed out that those books are heavy. At first I thought she meant that they contained many unique thought provoking ideas (which they do), but in actuality, she meant that the book weighed a whole lot (which it manifestly does). I, in turn, thought about the fact that I did not seem to notice the weight of the massive tome, and so I decided that I must be getting some heck of a lot of exercise from reading this book. When I got home, I looked at my bookshelves, and lo there were many really large books. Thus developed Weber-cizing (I tried using the Robert Jordan books first but trying to dead-lift them all proved well-nigh impossible).
On a more serious note: David Weber has been off his game for a while with the Honor Harington series, but I have to admit that At All Costs was fantastic. After War of Honor I was really dreading this book, but it was fantastic. I had high hopes after reading Off Armageddon Reef and am pleased to announce that the Weber we all know and love is back with a vengeance. Great characters and situations that explode with emotion show that Weber can keep the story going and the readers are certainly interested in following where it leads.
In other news, check out SciFi.com for their SciFi essentials books at http://www.scifi.com/essentials/books/. There are some real gems in there.
I have been on a David Weber reading glut of late, and I had not noticed until a fellow SFSNNJ member pointed out that those books are heavy. At first I thought she meant that they contained many unique thought provoking ideas (which they do), but in actuality, she meant that the book weighed a whole lot (which it manifestly does). I, in turn, thought about the fact that I did not seem to notice the weight of the massive tome, and so I decided that I must be getting some heck of a lot of exercise from reading this book. When I got home, I looked at my bookshelves, and lo there were many really large books. Thus developed Weber-cizing (I tried using the Robert Jordan books first but trying to dead-lift them all proved well-nigh impossible).
On a more serious note: David Weber has been off his game for a while with the Honor Harington series, but I have to admit that At All Costs was fantastic. After War of Honor I was really dreading this book, but it was fantastic. I had high hopes after reading Off Armageddon Reef and am pleased to announce that the Weber we all know and love is back with a vengeance. Great characters and situations that explode with emotion show that Weber can keep the story going and the readers are certainly interested in following where it leads.
In other news, check out SciFi.com for their SciFi essentials books at http://www.scifi.com/essentials/books/. There are some real gems in there.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Riding On Their Fathers' Coat Tails
In an age where the mid-list is shrinking and authors have a harder and harder time getting published, it is amazing to see the hoopla and bally-hoo surrounding some works of fiction. Granted, we all know that having a parent with multiple bestsellers is pretty much a guarantor of your getting published, however I cannot help but wonder if the print and advertising budgets for these emergent authors isn't hurting the publishing industry. After all, having a parent who is a great writer is no indicator that the child is going to be a great writer; creativity is not solely down to genetic chance. Let's take a look at several examples of recent books that would probably not have seen the light of day had it not been for famous forebears.
First let us look at the son of Stephen King. Joe Hill is a great writer who would likely be published without his ties to the master of modern horror. Heart Shaped Box, which we will be discussing this evening at the Ramsey Borders, is a great book that is a lot of fun for any fan of Peter Straub's Ghost Story, and is an excellent suspenseful debut novel. All this said, if the book were by anyone else, I somehow doubt that we would see 25 or 30 copies on the shelf in the horror section of the book store. In this case, though, it can be forgiven. Joe Hill seems to take great pains not to remind everyone of who his dad is, and I count that in his favor.
Our next example is that of Brian Herbert. With the last (they promise) book of the Dune universe created by his father due out later this year, we can look forward to an end of almost a decade of prequels and sequels to his father's work. Brian Herbert was, and is, a solid writer with a great mind, and his independent works are absolutely phenomenal. Unfortunately, his real rise to fame has been in expanding the universe that his father created using a combination of his father's notes and his own rememberances of things that they had discussed. While I love the Butlerian Jihadand the stories of the machine wars, I was not too pleased with the House Atreides/Harkonnen/Corrino books. Hunters of Dune is fantastic, and I eagerly await the last chapter. Sadly, though, I have the feeling that Brian Herbert will be relegated back to the midlist once the Dune books are done.
My last example is Christopher 'Let me see if I can wring a few more sheckles out of my dead father' Tolkien. Christopher Tolkien is a hack with little or no talent, who hoards his father's work like Smaug hoards gold. The Children of Hurin yet another expansion of daddy's Silmarillion hit the shelves earlier this month to much fanfare and acclaim. This is a travesty! The fact that the man did some editing work on a short story and wrote some bits and bobs to tack onto it should not give him room to throw his name on the by-line. The book is probably marvelous (I will be buying my copy this evening), but the fact remains that it is JRR Tolkien's book, not Christopher's. I should also point out that his father had done a number of translations (including Sir Gawain and the Green Knight) which we will never get to see because the books are public domain, thus the translations are public domain, and it seems that if Christopher cannot get any money for them, they will never see the light of day (in case you are feeling sorry for him or think that he needs the money, rest assured he doesn't need the money or your sympathy as he is very wealthy).
Anyway, now that I have vented my spleen on the subject of Christopher Tolkien I will sinmply wrap up by saying: Remember, judge the author, not their parents.
First let us look at the son of Stephen King. Joe Hill is a great writer who would likely be published without his ties to the master of modern horror. Heart Shaped Box, which we will be discussing this evening at the Ramsey Borders, is a great book that is a lot of fun for any fan of Peter Straub's Ghost Story, and is an excellent suspenseful debut novel. All this said, if the book were by anyone else, I somehow doubt that we would see 25 or 30 copies on the shelf in the horror section of the book store. In this case, though, it can be forgiven. Joe Hill seems to take great pains not to remind everyone of who his dad is, and I count that in his favor.
Our next example is that of Brian Herbert. With the last (they promise) book of the Dune universe created by his father due out later this year, we can look forward to an end of almost a decade of prequels and sequels to his father's work. Brian Herbert was, and is, a solid writer with a great mind, and his independent works are absolutely phenomenal. Unfortunately, his real rise to fame has been in expanding the universe that his father created using a combination of his father's notes and his own rememberances of things that they had discussed. While I love the Butlerian Jihadand the stories of the machine wars, I was not too pleased with the House Atreides/Harkonnen/Corrino books. Hunters of Dune is fantastic, and I eagerly await the last chapter. Sadly, though, I have the feeling that Brian Herbert will be relegated back to the midlist once the Dune books are done.
My last example is Christopher 'Let me see if I can wring a few more sheckles out of my dead father' Tolkien. Christopher Tolkien is a hack with little or no talent, who hoards his father's work like Smaug hoards gold. The Children of Hurin yet another expansion of daddy's Silmarillion hit the shelves earlier this month to much fanfare and acclaim. This is a travesty! The fact that the man did some editing work on a short story and wrote some bits and bobs to tack onto it should not give him room to throw his name on the by-line. The book is probably marvelous (I will be buying my copy this evening), but the fact remains that it is JRR Tolkien's book, not Christopher's. I should also point out that his father had done a number of translations (including Sir Gawain and the Green Knight) which we will never get to see because the books are public domain, thus the translations are public domain, and it seems that if Christopher cannot get any money for them, they will never see the light of day (in case you are feeling sorry for him or think that he needs the money, rest assured he doesn't need the money or your sympathy as he is very wealthy).
Anyway, now that I have vented my spleen on the subject of Christopher Tolkien I will sinmply wrap up by saying: Remember, judge the author, not their parents.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Battle Among the Stars
Since the last of the Star Wars prequels came out, people have been wondering "What's Next?" OK, to be fair, only the people actively emplyed by THX and LucasFilms have really been asking that question, since most of the rest of us have become somewhat disenchanted with the franchise. Still, it is a question that must be asked.
George Lucas continues spouting about all of these 'bold, visionary, exciting' projects that he has in the works. Animated series, live action dramas, and more are allegedly on the horizon for Star Wars to come to the small screen. What I am wondering is why these projects do not seem to be getting much traction in the TV community? Obviously these films made money, and are recognizable even by non-fans (you must be hiding under a pretty big rock if you have not heard of Star Wars), so why is it taking so long for a TV project to be green-lighted?
One reason may be that TV studios need only hear Lucas' self-congratulatory commentary from the DVDs of his films to know that it would be obvious that 2 directors chairs would be needed (one for Lucas and a second for his ego). The problem with that, is that Lucas high opinion of his abilities is not unfounded! Lucas is a canny and intelligent man, and his films definitely have an impact. People complain about Star Wars Episode I all the time, however what they fail to notice is that Lucas has made a film that is notworthy and excites discussion and criticism. Complain all you like, but remember to ask yourself: could you have done any better? For myself, I would like to think that if I had all of Lucas' resources, I could make a far superior film. Of course, many people might find my movie a bit dull and plodding. Everyone is a critic, and that means that we all get to say how we would "make it better".
While I think that the idea of a Star Wars TV program is a laudable one, I have to say that I will not hold my breath waiting for one. First, the budget would have to be really big for the effects on a live action project. Second, an animated project would need more of a community involvement than Lucas seems to embrace. Third, the timetable for completion of episodes is a hurdle that Lucas may not be comfortable with. Fourth, Indiana Jones 4?
What say you?
George Lucas continues spouting about all of these 'bold, visionary, exciting' projects that he has in the works. Animated series, live action dramas, and more are allegedly on the horizon for Star Wars to come to the small screen. What I am wondering is why these projects do not seem to be getting much traction in the TV community? Obviously these films made money, and are recognizable even by non-fans (you must be hiding under a pretty big rock if you have not heard of Star Wars), so why is it taking so long for a TV project to be green-lighted?
One reason may be that TV studios need only hear Lucas' self-congratulatory commentary from the DVDs of his films to know that it would be obvious that 2 directors chairs would be needed (one for Lucas and a second for his ego). The problem with that, is that Lucas high opinion of his abilities is not unfounded! Lucas is a canny and intelligent man, and his films definitely have an impact. People complain about Star Wars Episode I all the time, however what they fail to notice is that Lucas has made a film that is notworthy and excites discussion and criticism. Complain all you like, but remember to ask yourself: could you have done any better? For myself, I would like to think that if I had all of Lucas' resources, I could make a far superior film. Of course, many people might find my movie a bit dull and plodding. Everyone is a critic, and that means that we all get to say how we would "make it better".
While I think that the idea of a Star Wars TV program is a laudable one, I have to say that I will not hold my breath waiting for one. First, the budget would have to be really big for the effects on a live action project. Second, an animated project would need more of a community involvement than Lucas seems to embrace. Third, the timetable for completion of episodes is a hurdle that Lucas may not be comfortable with. Fourth, Indiana Jones 4?
What say you?
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
I'm Holding Out For a Hero!
As most, if not all, of you have guessed, I am a huge fan of the NBC TV series Heroes. Great writing, superb acting, excellent direction, and magnificent production values have combined like a perfect storm of television to create one of the best shows on network TV. Gripping and fraught with emotion, one cannot help but be moved to tears by the drama of this show.
Like any great, well thought out show, Heroes asked alot of questions, and has still not answered many of them. We have been shocked, surprised, and awed throughout the season, and more than a few tears have been shed during the taut moments of desperate internal and external struggle around and amongst the characters of this epic story. We watched Claire Bennett mature from a vapid cheerleader to a responsible and courageous adult. We have watched the metamorphosis of Noah Bennett from heavy to hero. We have seen Hiro and Ando progress from adolescent fancy to serious saviors. We have seen the fall and redemption of Nathan Petrelli and Matthew Parkman, as well as the revelation of numerous others. Most importantly we have watched as Niki took control of her life to save DL and Micah without the aid of her alter-ego Jessica. This has been 23 episodes of amazing story and rich character developement all around.
Perhaps the most telling characters in this show about super-powered men and women are the very ordinary people who surround them and help them. The story would be pale and dull without Noah Bennett, Ando, Mohinder, and Mr. Nakamura working to help shepherd in what can only be thought of as an age of the hero. It is important that these seemingly ordinary, everyday people are sometimes more impactful than the super-heroes around them. The moral of the story is, I suppose, that even the regular guys can make a difference.
Well, enough of my gushing about my favorite show, I will close by quoting Molly Walker and say only, "You are my hero!"
Like any great, well thought out show, Heroes asked alot of questions, and has still not answered many of them. We have been shocked, surprised, and awed throughout the season, and more than a few tears have been shed during the taut moments of desperate internal and external struggle around and amongst the characters of this epic story. We watched Claire Bennett mature from a vapid cheerleader to a responsible and courageous adult. We have watched the metamorphosis of Noah Bennett from heavy to hero. We have seen Hiro and Ando progress from adolescent fancy to serious saviors. We have seen the fall and redemption of Nathan Petrelli and Matthew Parkman, as well as the revelation of numerous others. Most importantly we have watched as Niki took control of her life to save DL and Micah without the aid of her alter-ego Jessica. This has been 23 episodes of amazing story and rich character developement all around.
Perhaps the most telling characters in this show about super-powered men and women are the very ordinary people who surround them and help them. The story would be pale and dull without Noah Bennett, Ando, Mohinder, and Mr. Nakamura working to help shepherd in what can only be thought of as an age of the hero. It is important that these seemingly ordinary, everyday people are sometimes more impactful than the super-heroes around them. The moral of the story is, I suppose, that even the regular guys can make a difference.
Well, enough of my gushing about my favorite show, I will close by quoting Molly Walker and say only, "You are my hero!"
Monday, May 21, 2007
Big Screen vs Boob-Tube
Recently there has been a lot of talk about the differences between the movie experience and the TV experience. One issue that keeps coming up again and again is the fact that theatres are running a slimmer and slimmer profit margin due to the rising cost of showing features, and that most films (especially non-blockbusters) may soon be avoiding the multi-plex altogether. With the cheapening of huge TVs, sound systems, and projection technology, we are seeing more and more people waiting to 'catch it on video'. The main question is whether this will destroy the cinema culture that we have come to embrace.
Now, TV on the other hand is getting better. Edgy new concept shows and re-imaginings of classic shows of yesteryear have pushed the TV envelope to create new and more interesting programming in that media. Before Babylon 5 only soap operas did huge multi-season story arcs, now that is the norm. Before 24, nobody thought of running a show in 'real time' (don't get me started on what my opinion of the timing on 24 is like), but now many shows are using that sort of format of things going on in conjunction (though not as tightly as 24 does). We can look back as far as Bewitch'd and I Dream of Genie, but really, it has been Charmed that has inspired a new glut of modern fantasy/magical realism TV series (Sabrina the Teanage Witch, The Dresden Files, the remake of Kolchak, and many others). As we get further along, will TV eclipse movies. Realistically, my answer for SF and Fantasy is a resounding yes!
More and more we are seeing adaptations of classic books for the silver screen, however due to the previously mentioned rising costs, that could prove problematic. A TV Mini-series can cost as much, or more, than a movie, but you get more time toi tell your story and faithfully adapt the book to a visual format. Done properly, these mini-series are far more popular than the rather clipped films in the theatres, and the chance to recoup monies with advertisers is better than praying to the dark gods of Hollywood that the box office take is good.
In 10 years I see the theatres being reserved for horror movies and big-budget blockbusters, as these can work on home theatre units but really need the shared experience of a theatre to generate their punch. Everything else (and I really do mean everything) will be relegated to DVD, streaming internet, and Digital HD TV. The real question is, what do you think?
Now, TV on the other hand is getting better. Edgy new concept shows and re-imaginings of classic shows of yesteryear have pushed the TV envelope to create new and more interesting programming in that media. Before Babylon 5 only soap operas did huge multi-season story arcs, now that is the norm. Before 24, nobody thought of running a show in 'real time' (don't get me started on what my opinion of the timing on 24 is like), but now many shows are using that sort of format of things going on in conjunction (though not as tightly as 24 does). We can look back as far as Bewitch'd and I Dream of Genie, but really, it has been Charmed that has inspired a new glut of modern fantasy/magical realism TV series (Sabrina the Teanage Witch, The Dresden Files, the remake of Kolchak, and many others). As we get further along, will TV eclipse movies. Realistically, my answer for SF and Fantasy is a resounding yes!
More and more we are seeing adaptations of classic books for the silver screen, however due to the previously mentioned rising costs, that could prove problematic. A TV Mini-series can cost as much, or more, than a movie, but you get more time toi tell your story and faithfully adapt the book to a visual format. Done properly, these mini-series are far more popular than the rather clipped films in the theatres, and the chance to recoup monies with advertisers is better than praying to the dark gods of Hollywood that the box office take is good.
In 10 years I see the theatres being reserved for horror movies and big-budget blockbusters, as these can work on home theatre units but really need the shared experience of a theatre to generate their punch. Everything else (and I really do mean everything) will be relegated to DVD, streaming internet, and Digital HD TV. The real question is, what do you think?
Friday, May 18, 2007
The Dork is Rising...
I apologize for not posting my rantings more often this week, however things have been a bit hectic. I recently found out that I am being laid off in September (bad news), but my friend wants to hire me to work for him (good news), but he doesn't need me to start right away (bad news), but he does need my help with a couple of minor things (good news), and wait, no, he may need me to start now after all (good news). I think I got whiplash from watching my future bouncing across the table. But enough of that noise, on with the show!
This week has been great for Science Fiction. Spider-man 3 and 28 Weeks Later are at the top of the box office, Heroes beat 24 for its time slot, the SciFi channel is starting to put more pressure on interesting new programs like Tinman, Flash Gordon, Dresden Files, and more, and Wizards of the Coast is focusing on more player friendly game mechanics. All in all, a great week all around.
Personally, I am more than a little interested to see what projects SciFi is cooking up in its lab. I really hope that we can look forward to more great new original mini-series like Battlestar Galactica, Dune, Lost Room, Earthsea, and, of course, Taken. Tinman looks fantastic, and I really hope that it lives up to its appearances.
Speaking of living up to one's appearances, I have to admit that I am pesonally a bit psyched by one upcoming project: The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper is being made into a movie!!!! I loved those books, and will now have to re-read them in anticipation of the film. This will mean that I will have to gush like an adolescent fanboy about what a superior writer Cooper is to Rowling (sorry J.K., I love your books too, but Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander beat you in the writing department). Seriously, the SF renaissance will come with the new generation of readers and movie-goers, and the best way to get kids to read is to get them excited. Major motion pictures do that, as evinced by the increase in interest in the Lord of the Rings and the Narnia books after the release of those movies. Get a jump on the movie, read this book now!
This week has been great for Science Fiction. Spider-man 3 and 28 Weeks Later are at the top of the box office, Heroes beat 24 for its time slot, the SciFi channel is starting to put more pressure on interesting new programs like Tinman, Flash Gordon, Dresden Files, and more, and Wizards of the Coast is focusing on more player friendly game mechanics. All in all, a great week all around.
Personally, I am more than a little interested to see what projects SciFi is cooking up in its lab. I really hope that we can look forward to more great new original mini-series like Battlestar Galactica, Dune, Lost Room, Earthsea, and, of course, Taken. Tinman looks fantastic, and I really hope that it lives up to its appearances.
Speaking of living up to one's appearances, I have to admit that I am pesonally a bit psyched by one upcoming project: The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper is being made into a movie!!!! I loved those books, and will now have to re-read them in anticipation of the film. This will mean that I will have to gush like an adolescent fanboy about what a superior writer Cooper is to Rowling (sorry J.K., I love your books too, but Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander beat you in the writing department). Seriously, the SF renaissance will come with the new generation of readers and movie-goers, and the best way to get kids to read is to get them excited. Major motion pictures do that, as evinced by the increase in interest in the Lord of the Rings and the Narnia books after the release of those movies. Get a jump on the movie, read this book now!
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