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Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
Notre Dame by Victor Hugo.
Although there are two versions of this book, and a Disney animated
movie, none of them have stuck to the real tragedy of the original
story. Plus none of them explored 'Notre Dame' Cathedral as a
character. So I'd love to see this made into a film. When I was
younger and dreaming of being a director this was my pet project, I
even started doodling a graphic novel of it. So this is very much top
of my list of Books into films.


That'd be my first choice, my second would be Don Quixote also
known as the unfilmable book, as I'm sure poor Terry Gilliam would
agree with.
No one seems to have been able to adapt this book by Cervantez. It is
a difficult character, but I reckon it's possible these days.

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Originally posted by thatweirdgirl:
I second! btw, I'd love to see a Notre Dame graphic novel.

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Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
Notre Dame by Victor Hugo.
Although there are two versions of this book, and a Disney animated
movie, none of them have stuck to the real tragedy of the original
story. Plus none of them explored 'Notre Dame' Cathedral as a
character. So I'd love to see this made into a film. When I was
younger and dreaming of being a director this was my pet project, I
even started doodling a graphic novel of it. So this is very much top
of my list of Books into films.
In terms of cast and crew :
Director: Tim Burton
Music: Danny Elfman
Cinematographer: Stephan Czapsky
Adaptation: Richard Gravanese(sp) (He wrote Fisher King)
Cast:
Quasimodo - Ron Perlman
Frodo - Gerard Depardieu
Phoebus - Jude Law
Esmeralda - Morena Bacarin or Lenor Varela

...

Lastly a concise TV show about :
On Thousand and one Nights. With a new cast and crew every week. Telling these great fantasy tales. Some great directors could have a go at directing a show every week. That'd be fun.

Those are my choices for now. :)

TheSomnambulist

www.cirqus.com

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i third the notre dame de paris nomination! one of my very favorite books of all time. the disney version is fun in its own right, but when lined up with the movie..well..you can't. who's brilliant idea was it to make a disney movie out of that kind of tragedy, anyway?

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have you seen the musical notre dame de paris? i didn't see the english version (which i heard was pretty bad) but the french version was frelling brilliant. i think up to date it is the best adaptation of that book (although i haven't seen the early 20s/30s films).

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i'd been searching for an esmeralda forever and then i saw firefly and was like damn, here she is.

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i think summer glau would also be brilliant, especially with her dancing skills. actually, now that i'm think about it, i think i like the idea of summer even better..esmeralda was so free and innocent in the beginning.

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i know nothing at all about directors so i couldn't tell you anything, but i think joss would do great with the tragedy/comedy aspect. well, not so much comedy per se, but there is a lot of humor in nddp.

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gonna have to research casting a bit...i haven't thought the other characters out so much yet. who would be gringoire?

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easily my favorite character...casting is crucial. but for frollo, i think daneil lavoie or michel pascal would be really great. and garou for quasimodo. but then, i'm really partial to the musical casts. in fact, put richard charest and patrick fiori in there somewhere as gringoire and phoebus.

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i absolute love your 1001 nights idea. i think that would be so much fun, if done correctly.

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el alquimista (or the alchemist) is apparently going to be made in reality, but i haven't heard any solid plans on it yet, so i don't really know. the only thing about alquimista would be that it would seem to be actually a very slow film, since it's all about this one boy whose name is referred to about once in the entire book. some young, olive-skinned, talented (and preferably pretty) boy, a newcomer...any ideas?

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wow. that was long. i apologize. i have some kind of odd attachment to notre dame de paris. i think i'll post more later .

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Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
In fairness to Disney all of the versions tend to end on a light note.

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I haven't no, I have to admit the idea of a musical version doesn't appeal to me straight away, but then I could be swayed if it really is that good. I'm just not into musicals particularly. The early 20's film, which I saw when I was young I remember as being engaging but I've forgotten about the specifics, and I'm not sure how accurate to the book it was.

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Hey I thought that too!!! Although it crossed my mind that for the role she may now be too old. Esmeralda was supposed to be sixteen wasn't she? Or in her teens I think.... So it may require an entirely new face, but certainly I saw Morena and thought how pefect she is for Esmeralda.

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That's a fair point, her free spirit is in tune with Summer, and she would seem more like a person who would have a pet goat.

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You know I wondered about Joss and how he may interpret it, I'm not sure though... I think Burton is more in tune with the kind of character Quasimodo is, I mean look at Edward Scissorhands, he's not too far off the Quasimodo character. They're both handicapped, both loners, and both live in a gothic retreat... I'm sure Burton drew upon the great Gothic characters to find Edward Scissorhands so I think he's just there to start with.

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Yeah I totally forgot about Gringoire. Hmmm Yeah I may have to come back to you on that one, I'll give it some thought. Wait actually now I think of it Dominique Pinon from Delicatessen, and Alien4 would be superb.

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Sadly I don't know these guys. I wish I did as I'd love to see how you're visualising this. Oh and apologies for spelling Frodo, in my original post, too much Lord of the Rings these days! I mixed 'em up.

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Why thank you :) I'm often surprised that nobody in hollywood has tapped into these tales. I'd love to do these also.

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Yeah read this a while back now, it didn't make a huge impression on me at first, but It would demand a different kind of consideration if filmed. As you say it's a slower paced book. It would need to be shot with great camera work because there's a great deal where little is happening and it's mostly in the desserts of north Africa so the imagery would need some work to keep the viewer engaged, still in terms of a young actor playing the part I'm not sure. You'd need a young unknown, but perhaps a young looking Willem Dafoe type person would work? What d'ya think?

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Hey no need to apologise I enjoyed every word you wrote. Plus I too have a strange attachment to Notre Dame. Why is that do you think? I know that everytime I got to Paris I have to go to Notre Dame and circle it taking photos, or drawing parts of the exterior?!?! I'm not sure why I do that, but I'm completely obsessed by it. The last time I went, which was in January, I ended up just sitting outside it for a couple of hours, trying to soak up the 'vibe' of the place as it may have been all those years ago.

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I must admit, I'm the type that comes down favorably on the side of musicals. But only if they've got a crazy good story line and involve some type of tragedy...Mamma Mia!, for example, bored me to death. The thing about Notre-Dame de Paris, though, is that there isn't a single line of spoken dialogue. Everything is sung beautifully in French. I'd recommend listing to clips of the Original Cast Recording (I think they've got them on Amazon). For starters, "Les temps de cathédrales" and "Belle" are gorgeous songs in their own right. My personal favorite is "Lune", I think. But then you could end up hating it..a lot of my friends just look at me funny when I tell them how amazing it is .

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Cool, I'm not crazy! Or maybe we both are. Hee. Yeah, Morena's age is the only thing I had against her playing Esmeralda, and that's where I originally got the idea for Summer playing her instead. Although Morena has the absolute perfect look and "undefinable allure", she's not quite as carefree as Summer can be. Or maybe one day she'll do a part as Esmeralda and blow us all away. Who knows?

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Hahahaha. I think I'm going to have to go rewatch the cow scene in "Safe".

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You know, that's actually a really good point. I think Burton is great with the gothicism. The only thing I have with that is that a.) I'm afraid Burton will make it all wacky-like (not that I've got anything against wacky, but I don't know how that would play out with this material) and b.) I don't know how he would deal with the gothicism, whether he would actually put a focus on the cathedral, which would probably be a first, or whether he'd make all the human characters different. Man, I really want to see this film made now.

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Hmm..I don't think I know him. The problem I have with coming up with good casting ideas is that I seem to be physically incapable of remembering people outside of what I'm currently watching/thinking about. So right now all I can see is the Firefly cast and, for some reason, the League of Extraordinary gentlemen (). Hee and I don't think either fit all that well, outside of a few select actresses.

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You're welcome . I vaguely remember seeing a film a long while ago that was based on the tales and starred Dougray Scott...I think I kind of liked it, but it wasn't all that special. This definitely needs to be made, as well.

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But..Willem Dafoe is scary! Actually, the only thing I've seen him in was the English Patient and he was kinda creepy in that one. But I'm looking at Google pictures and damn, I can definitely see it. If he was way way younger and had slightly darker skin, he'd be perfect for Santiago.

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Wow, I've finally found someone who loves Notre Dame de Paris as much as I do. I tell all my friends to read it and they're like "umm..but..it's long..and..I'll just go watch the Disney movie." I, too, absolutely love the cathedral..simply put, it's gorgeous. And also very different-looking, what with the squared tops and all. After reading Notre Dame de Paris, I wanted to explore every bit of the cathedral to see if I could find Frollo's little room thingy.

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Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
It is tricky with musicals isn't it? I usually find the wealth of music overwhelming, or strident. Plus I'm really fussy when it comes to music in general, so I'm often jarred by the 'style' equally as much as the tune itself. Funnily enough the only musical which I did like tends to be hated by everyone else and that is Absolute Beginners Have you seen it? Well none of my friends quite understand how I can hate musicals and yet like that one, and to be honest I have no idea either. Oh and Blues Brothers but that's slightly different... :)

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Yeah we could be crazy Still we're having fun with it so what's the harm. Morena as she is now is perhaps the closest I've seen who fits the description of Esmeralda - but if it were to be made, I think in all reality it would need someone considerably younger and more vulnerable looking. But for now, if I re-read Notre Dame of Paris, she'll be my Esmeralda.

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I like that scene :) Cows are funny! Mind you so are goats! My parents used to have goats and they used to crack me up! You ever hear a goat sneeze? That's the funniset thing ever.... As they eat the tall grass, often it'd tickle there noses and make them sneeze and they look so perplexed as to what is happening to them that it's all the more hilarious! They were funny those goats.....

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I think Burton's on tune to do something not just dark, but also serious... I just think he's approaching that time. Big Fish was a revelation, and although not gothic, it proved his ability to tell a tale of sadness without over sentiment, which is what Notre Dame needs. Also Burton is the most unrelenting when it comes to finalés... He rarely has a happy ending, and often leaves a touch of ambiguity or sadness to his films' conclusions. In all honesty I can't think of a better director for this, save someone like Burgman or Woody Allen (in his serious modes). Directors can be very fearful of melancholia for an ending, but even with a major studios imput Burton has manged to do this. Look at Batman and Batman Returns. A huge blockbuster, with a very ambigious ending.

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As for your second point that's an uncertainty really. I know what you mean. He possobly could treat the Gothic as nothing more than a visual vehicle. This is his style to a certain extent so you have a point there.

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Heck I'll make it if someone gives me the budget! I'm all into this idea again now!!! Ho humm!
*Throws hands into the air*

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I've not seen the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, I've heard nothing but poor reviews for that so I've kept avoiding it. As for the Firefly crew playing parts aside from Summer and Morena I can't visualise the others having too bigger role, although Sean may possibly fit the bill of Phoebus..? What do you think?

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Really? I didn't know about that. Interesting. There is of course the Sinbad films, but that's such a small part of the tales, and again vaguely following the narratives.... No looks like it's up to us again ;)

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Wouldn't he just? That is how I read the book thinking of him as a young Willem....

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Same here! I keep trying to encourage my friends to read this book too, but alas no-one gives it the chance....

Do you remember that beautiful line in the book, where Hugo is describing Quasimodo and he basically and more lyrically says, how given Quasimodo's shape and disfigurement, there could never be a place where he belonged more perfectly than in amoungst the gothic statues, and gargolyes of Notre Dame?

I loved that description of Quasimodo and of Norte Dame.

So yeah believe me you have found someone who loves this book as much as you do! I'm amazed too that I've found someone who loves this book as much as I do!! I thought I was utterly alone on this one.

Cool. I'm happy.

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I actually have never heard of that one...why's it so hated? Heh, the Blues Brothers. The only quibble I had with Notre-Dame de Paris was that they pronounced ANAGKH as anarkia. Maybe it´s my Greek training, but it just bugged me.

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HAHAHA! I want one! Hee, now I'm having Angel flashbacks.

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He did Big Fish? I didn't know that! That was a brilliant movie (and an even better book). I don't actually remember the first Batman films (except that Jack Nicholson was frelling scary), but I'll have to go rewatch them. I think he really might be the best choice for this..namely because after Mighty Aphrodite, I cannot take Woody Allen seriously.

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Yeah...I wouldn't mind a lot of visual Gothicism, especially with the cathedral, as long as he does put a great focus on the cathedral itself.

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Hee! I'll help!

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Oh, by all means, keep avoiding it. I was forced to sit through it half of it two days ago and...:shudder:. The only reason I didn't poke my eyes out was that I love Stuart Townsend. It could've been such a great movie, but...blech. You know, Sean does have a certain Phoebus quality to him, what with the nobleness and all. Actually though, I could see him as a Jehan as well, with all that naked singing he does on top of Hippocrates .

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Sinbad films? I know the animated movie Sinbad with Brad Pitt, but I don't think that's what you're talking about...Heh. Another project. Wheee!

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Yuhuh! Now...who do we know that's a young Willem Dafoe?

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Yes...I love that passage. I love everything about that book, even the "Bird's Eye View of Paris", which is really nonsensical unless you're a bird. Or unless you plan on making a detailed map of Paris in 1482 which, since I've got nothing else to do over the summer, I might as well :). The part that upset me the most (aside from Esmeralda being taken away from Paquette and then Paquette dying, and that whole last part of the book..ow...) was when Gringoire disappeared and left Esmeralda to Frollo. For some reason, that moment upsets me more than anything.

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Originally posted by BlueHandTwoByTwo:
I really fell for "LOVELY BONES" by Alice Sebold and "THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME" by Mark Haddon. Both, I feel, would be unfilmable, as they are primarily narrator-driven pieces and the movies would have to rely too heavily on "Voice overs".

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Originally posted by perfessergee:
There have been many great suggestions on this thread, but here's a couple that haven't been seen yet:

Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos series (Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion and The Rise of Endymion). If you haven't read Simmons, by all means do; he's awesome.

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Stephen Stirling's Island in the Sea of Time series.

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Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
I'm not really sure. It came around the mid eighties, and I think the idea of resurrecting the 'musical' was deemed silly. Fact is I thought it was really hip. David Bowie was in it and he wrote some of the songs. It was about 60's Britain. I thought it had some style and punch, but everyone else I know just thinks it's trash... It was directed by Juiln Temple who later went on to do 'Earth Girls are Easy'.

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Yeah I loved that intro to that episode. Just the way he looks down at those goats. Funny.

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I couldn't get that flash to work - I'm on my lowly 56k modem thingy and I've not downloaded the latest version of flash. I'll try at work another time. Thanks though. I read some of the stuff there.

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Yeah Big Fish is awesome.... Really moving. I have to admit I wasn't a big fan of the first Batman, although Jack Nickelson was great. No I was more into Batman Returns - that's seriously twisted and Bizarre, and Michelle Pfeiffer is brilliant. Danny Devito as Penguin is tragic and Keaton as Batman is finally allowed to be the suffering hero.

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Y'know these days though, most probably it'd have to be a CGI Notre Dame :( Not sure I like that idea, but you can see why it would be so....

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Hey - excellent. Maybe we should collaborate on an adaptation :) Man I wish I could really commit to that. So much work and so little time.. Oh well we can dream eh?

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I'll keep doing so :) As for Sean - you know maybe he's just too nicer a guy for that part. I really despised Phoebus when I read the book! I projected images of all the guys I went to college with who stole the hearts of girls I liked... Ok so a tiny bit jealous but y'know I'm ok now....However that was the power of the book.

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Woah!!! Yeah you're in for a treat if you can buy these on DVD. They're great fun! They're really Ray Harryhausen's masterpieces, very enjoyable. I have The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad made in 1958 on DVD. Its famous for having a sword fight between Sinbad, and a Skeleton warrior. Similar to Jason and the Argonauts but came earlier so it's not as polished. However the adventure is very enjoyable. Cyclops, Giant Eagles, Genies, Dragons, man you name it it's got it. Fantastic film. However there is one version where Vincent Price is side kick to Sinbad played by Douglas Fairbanks JR - this is a superb film and Vincent Price is hilarious. It was actually thought a bit racey as it had a lot of delicately dressed women in it.

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Presently no, but I'm going to keep my eye out for one.

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Yep. Right there with you. Fact is the last third of this book is absolutely soul destroying. I wont say too much in case somebody here wants to read it, but I have a feeling we both agree on a specific moment very near the end that just tears you apart... I think I read that last third of the book in one go, just for the fact I couldn't possibly put it down - for fear that I'd be in the wrong emotional place when reaching it's finalé. It was just so gripping!

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Originally posted by Lindale:
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine is an amazing book that was made into a travesty of a movie (mostly through huge, ridiculously unnecessary changes to the characters and plot). I choose to denial myself into believing it hasn't actually been made into a film, allowing me to add it to this list.

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Originally posted by TheUnblinkingKiller:
The "His Dark Materials" Trilogy by Phillip Pullman

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Originally posted by airylli:

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Originally posted by TheUnblinkingKiller:
The "His Dark Materials" Trilogy by Phillip Pullman

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The problem with this is that the rumor is that they've cut out all of the clerical stuff from the story to make it "more accessible".

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Originally posted by TheUnblinkingKiller:
"Clerical Stuff" Like what? The Alethiometer? THAT'S certainly not an integral part of the story... Sheesh Hollywood...

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Heh yeah, when you get a chance, definitely give it a look. It's like a cross between the Disney and the book..very funny. I really like some stuff on that site...I'm looking forward to when it's completely renovated.

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Hmm. Was Keaton Beetlejuice? Haha anyway, yeah, I now definitely need to rewatch those. I love Michelle Pfeiffer. And twisted and bizarre = of the good.

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Damn...actually being shot in France would be absolutely amazing. I think, as producers, we should demand that. :P Of course permission to shoot inside of the cathedral itself might be a little bit difficult and possibly sacreligious..damn.

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Oh, to be an important and influential person. Sigh. Maybe I'll reread the book and adapt it..although I'm trying to read it in the French now and it's..kinda hard .

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Oh, definitely too nice. But I think it'd be interesting to see Sean pull off a mean mean character. Phoebus was eeeevil. Although he seemed more of just a self-centered coward to me, wherease Fleur really did seem evil to me. I think Liam Neeson would actually do a really good bad/tortured guy as Frollo..although keeping Notre-Dame a non-big-star production would probably be a better idea.

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Argonauts! This sounds like a load of fun..I'll definitely have to check those out as well. What else is summer for, eh? Hee, "delicately dressed".

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Oh man, I know. I was on a loooong flight to Korea when I was finishing up the book for the first time and I've never cried during a book and I've maybe teared up in a Buffy episode or a movie very few times..but that third act really killed me. Soul destroying indeed.
I was very close to sobbing. I think the guy next to me was a little bit afraid. Hee.

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Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:
I'm sure if we grease the right palms we could gain permission :) however could be cheaper to replicate certain key areas on a soundstage. Exteriors however would benefit from the real deal.

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Oh that'd be great. My best friend is french and she's always telling me how much better some of my favourite films would be if I could read/understand French. I know a little but nothing like enough to enjoy a book.

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I like the idea of Liam Neeson playing a tortured Frollo, but yes a big named star would change the element of it.

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Oh it is. It's a typical rainy sunday afternoon kinda film. Perfect.

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He,he... Maybe he took note and decided to go read it for himself.
It's a cracking book. I love the classics. I tend to prefer those to more modern books, although there have been a few that I have enjoyed none have had quite the impact that this one has made on me.

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