While this may seem like Hollywood butchering another classic novel, it is in fact a genuine idea from the director of Ratcatcher and We Need to Talk about Kevin. With this latter being a brilliantly handled, chilling, drama, the Scottish born Lynne Ramsay has proved herself one of the few female directors (how sad is that comment?) with the potential to pull this off. Thus instead of just dismissing the idea of 'Moby Dick in space', we are going to give her a chance to explain. So, here we go...
"This is really the first time I've spoken about it" says Ramsay. "Moby Dick is a fantastic novel, an American classic, and I'm working on something loosely based on that. It's science-fiction, so we're taking the premise into the galaxy, creating a whole new world, and a new alien. It's a very psychological piece, mainly taking place in the ship, a bit like Das Boot, so it's quite claustrophobic."
So there we have it. That's the pitch. What do you think? This is the second mention of a Moby Dick themed film. Both taking the book way out of context (Wanted's Timur Bekmambetov wanted a FX heavy, action-adventure, revenge film). While neither one is true to the novel though, there is a clear winner as far as the art of film goes. Indeed the concept seems more interesting from Ramsay's mouth. For the moment then our screams of anguish are replaced my murmurs of interest but we will have to wait and see whether she can really turn a literary classic, based in the ocean, into a film classic, based in "the galaxy". So what's your thoughts? Will it be a brilliant piece of psychological art, or a butchering of a classic novel? Both? Can you make a classic film that destroys a classic novel? Is one person's artist another's butcher? Let the lines blur....
don't agree with the scepticism Washington's more than earned her acting stripes. Maybe there is a little sexism at work, after all i don't see you discussing the flops that were miami vice and shutter island :/
ReplyDeleteanyways keep it real mr.director. xxx
p.s. would appreciate something on the new film The Help that's coming out!
oops i meant this comment for the QT post, sorry x
ReplyDeleteappreciate the thoughts here taylor:) sexism is something i desperately try to avoid. indeed, that and and racism are the major pitfalls of the hollywood industry. I'd hope that my positive outlook towards films like Hanna, Kill Bill and the director Lynne Ramsay would show that i am far from sexiest.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, over criticism was something i was aware that i could be accused of for the Washington post.The truth is though, she hasn’t blown away yet. If you say she has the potential then yeh, maybe. But at the moment she has being stuck with the ‘weeping-woman’ role (see Save the Last Dance, Ray and the Last King of Scotland).
As for XXX and fast and furious...
You’re not the only one to point that one out. But just because i enjoy to critically analyse films does not mean to say that i don’t have guilty pleasures. Are they total tosh. Yes. Do i enjoy them. Yes. It probably is the man inside me coming out (fast cars, loose women etc.), but don’t think i do not know these are some of the worst films put to cinema.
As a final note, Miami Vice and Shutter Island. why do you mention these two specifically? Do you feel they are particularly sexiest?
If i was going to comment on them i would say a) Miami vice = Michael Mann. That means that its good. Just for that fact. He creates another kind of movie experience that makes what is otherwise an absolutely diabolical film, good. Shutter island meanwhile...never felt the passion to write anything on it. The only thing to say about shutter island is that it marks the point where the scorsese we all knew and loved went away...
I hope this answers your comment sufficiently. Thanks again. Vincent.