And I don't think westerns are big right now.
I suppose they could change that too. Have it take place on Mars or something.
Elba's Casting CONFIRMED?!!
- Thread starter OldDarth
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And I don't think westerns are big right now.
I suppose they could change that too. Have it take place on Mars or something.
Well, he is one of the film's producers. And from what I can tell, this isn't an honorary title.
But then, I also am irritated that, even if he was utterly powerless to stop it, he didn't voice any opposition. Quite the opposite.
Apparently they are placing a major focus on Jake's life prior to going to Roland's world. Oh, sorry, I mean JACK. Yep, they're changing his name. And his father died during the WTC attacks.And I don't think westerns are big right now.
I suppose they could change that too. Have it take place on Mars or something.
Have I mentioned I'm NOT excited for this movie?
Oh blech. More change for the sake of change.
Next it's gonna be Eddie as meth head from Fresno who speaks with a southern accent.
What's the point of all this?
*sigh* oh well, we still have the books. Ain't no movie can match the film in my head when I read em.
I can't even fathom why you think I'm blaming King for the casting of Roland. I have gone over my words time and time again, trying to see where I might have misleadingly, and quite accidentally, blamed King but -- can't find a thing. I also can't see where I implied King might be able to "stop," the casting choice. Again, I fully understand what it means to option your work, and be completely helpless in fighting changes the publishing house wants made. Once you sell your work, the publisher has creative control. In this case, Goldsman (and Sony) have creative control over The Dark Tower. As for what good it would do for King to stand up and say, "BS?" It would show the TRUE Dark Tower fans that he at least has some semblance of regard for staying true to the story. Might even help those who are disgusted with the casting of Roland to put aside their bias and watch the movie. Make sense?
That's a bit like biting the hand that feeds you, isn't it? And assumes that he has a problem with the changes and casting choices they're making. That said, I do understand your feelings about the changes being made as The Dark Tower is a favorite of mine, too. The way I'm reconciling their vision of the story is to think of this as a new journey for Roland on a completely different level of the Tower than the one that we took through Steve's books. If I want to revisit that journey, I can go back to the books. Would I have rather seen that one on the screen? Sure, and I don't understand why Hollywood producers feel that they have to change things to make them more acceptable for the audience when obviously they already liked it just as it was. Or that they seem to have no regard for what that audience thinks and seemingly don't care if they lose that built-in audience. Doesn't it make more sense to cater to them by making an actual adaptation instead of a loosely based on film and have those people recommend it to others to bring them into the theater? Rhetorical question but one that doesn't seem to have any (good) answer as this has been and will be done for as long as movies are made.
Spoken with pure wisdom and so spot on. I like the way you have thought of this movie as being on a different level of the Tower. Guess I am just a diehard. The books are and always will be the only Dark Tower Journey for me.
Robert Gray
Well-Known Member
I was going to wax long on the issue but Ms Mod put it perspective better than I ever could. I, like her (and you), would like to see the story from the books translated to the screen. I simply accept that (and I'm sure what King has learned over many years of watching his books turned into films which are different) his saying something negative or positive has almost no impact whatsoever. In fact, it is lose/lose for him. If he says something negative, it bites the hands which feeds him. It would reduce his chances of doing it again, and perhaps actually getting his story translated. If he says something positive, we (the fans) will be annoyed when it doesn't match his books. So what he (and most authors do in fact) is say something as neutral as possible. When I read his statement about the Roland casting, I drew an entirely different thing from it than those who thought of it as an endorsement. It sounded neutral to me. The best he can do is try to break even.
I want to address something you say above, which is key to why I think you are aiming this at Sai King. You say "it would show TRUE Dark Tower fans that he at least has some semblance of regard for staying true to the story." He already had regard for that. He already wrote the story. It isn't going anywhere. He doesn't have to show you anything. He doesn't owe you or me anything. The only thing I am grateful for is that he is out there still writing books. He is staying true to the story every day he gets up and spends his morning pouring more words onto the page so we can see the color of his thoughts later. I'm not any happier about the direction of the film (that we can imply only). It just seems a bit unfair, in my opinion, to expect Stephen King to bear our cross. As far as I'm concerned, he has done his part. It is now up to the filmmakers to make a good movie. Following that (or them failing in that) it is up to us as the public to reward or punish them for failing to translate his story to the big screen.
Robert Gray
Well-Known Member
I must have missed the leak or release about this. I really can't see any reason they would change his name from Jake to Jack. That is just weird. It is also odd changing the time line.
The destruction of the World Trade Center (in the books) later buries Black 13 utterly as it was stowed in a locker within the area if I recall correctly.
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you recall correctly.
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Tell ya, like I told yez before--way before all these changes and odd casting choices--DT just won't work as a movie. So much of what makes the story click is because it's a book. Lots of meta fiction and nods to literary genres, themes, other books. No way they encompass all the different ingredients that make this stew so tasty.
Lots of luck, Hollyweird. Give it yer best shot. But if I were a betting man...
Lots of luck, Hollyweird. Give it yer best shot. But if I were a betting man...
Thanks--have fixed those.Spoiler Alert!! Spoiler Alert!!!
Robert Gray
Well-Known Member
Thanks--have fixed those.
Sorry about that. Should be more careful when I first wake up.
I guess we both should--it went right by me, too.Sorry about that. Should be more careful when I first wake up.
Robert Gray
Well-Known Member
I don't really think it matters because;
A) it's not The Gunslinger nor The Dark Tower. It's just something else entirely at this point.
and
B) not very likely a second movie will be made, never mind making it that far into the series.
Thank you.
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Could someone point out to those in charge of this, the Harry Potter movies made a few relatively small changes, and were successful in keeping fans of the book interested AND bringing in new fans for the movie. They did not rewrite character histories just because they could.