Joe Haldeman wrote the novel, and it is quite an interesting read if you haven't read it. And if you haven't, do so, seriously. It's been a long time since I read it, and I need to read it again myself. (So please, if I make a mistake here, please correct me, as most of the stuff here outside of the movie comes solely from my own memory).
Basically, it is the story of a war between us and an alien species knows as Taurans. It deals with many of the psychological factors of war, and more or less how inhumane war is. It also deals somewhat with the bureaucracy of the idiots in charge of the war. We'll get back to that in a moment.
Now here is why it is called the Forever War, and why I found it so interesting. It doesn't just deal with the psychological effects of war, or of the time away from family and fiends, but deals with the fact in these areas, that time dilation during flight really sends you into an area that is hard for a lot of people to accept. Imagine going far out into space to do battle, and realizing you are 600 years from the time you left earth. Then of course you make back up a certain amount of time on return trip. Just read the book.
Lets just simplify the entire thing.
It deals with a massive space war, and the effects on a man returning home after the war, centuries out of time from when he left. We had ships or a colony that got destroyed, we blamed them, and since we couldn't communicate, 1000 years of war. Eventually we start cloning, get a new race of people, I believe were called man men, or man man, something like that. They became capable of communicating with the Taurans, and guess what. They didn't do it. So basically we see how non-communication leads to a total disaster, and countless lives lost. Also, if I remember correctly, the people chosen to fight had to have IQ's over 140, or 150. I think 150, but if I say that, it'll be 140 or 160 with my luck.
The book won the Hugo and Nebula awards, and I believe one other award as well.
Now on to what could be great news, or absolutely horrible news. Here is what I know about the movie so far.
Ridley has been trying for ages to make this into a movie, and I heard he finally got the rights to do it a few years ago. He said 2 years ago that Matt Carnahan was on the fourth draft os a screenplay for it. The original was done by David Peoples, the writer of Blade Runner.
Apparently now however, it deals with a soldier that returns to a world he doesn't know after only 20 years. That isn't right by the book right there. But then, no book is ever done properly on screen. (I cite my man Logan as the perfect freaking example of such disasters). If I remember correctly, it was 60 or 600 years before they got back, and his GF/wife would be back shortly before or after him. (Like I say, correct me where I am wrong on this, PLEASE).
Now when this actually gets moving is another guess. He has Prometheus 2 in the works, and from what I read in an article, apparently maybe a Blade Runner 2.
Not sure I like the idea of this made into a movie. I remember I loved that book, even though I don't remember everything about anymore. (Now if you want to discuss "A World Out Of Time," by Larry Niven, we can have a conversation. I have 2 copies now, because I am tired of losing that book somehow). I'm just afraid they are going to end up doing another Logan's Run, (and yes, I'm positively terrified by what may be coming out of that new attempt coming soon).
Well folks, there you go. Anything I got wrong about the book, please correct me on it. And in the meantime, lets hope they don't destroy this as well, or dumb it down for the common populace that barely understand the concept of multiplication any more.
And there is the problem with doing this book. We'll get a 2 hour movie, and 45 minutes will be someone explaining how the time dilation works, (which I admit I forget how he had it written in there as well), but I just don't see them keeping the aspects of the book, and being able to get the regular movie goers to get it all. First you have to get the regular movie goer to understand how time could slow on a ship at near light speeds, and how time could be made up the same way. If I had my book, this would be written a lot better than it is here. I'd have just taken an hour or so and reread the blasted thing.
Damn, guess it's time to get a Kindle. I could have downloaded it from Amazon and read it again already. But then I miss holding the book in hand. Fine, I'll get a blasted Kindle.
And yeah, this could have been written up a lot better, especially if I had my book still. Sorry for the mess of this article folks, bear with me on this one. I realize it's the biggest jumbled mess I have ever written here.
16 comments:
Okay, comp working right again. According to IMDb, this project is in development, and that is all I can get from them unless I become a member of IMDB PRO.
So if anyone knows anything, let us know.
Who cares about war, usually the people that want to fight it, real or imagined! We should start thinking in a better direction and war for almost any reason is a bad idea, I should know I spent a year in Vietnam!
Excellent excellent! Yeah, I finally broke over and got an older kindle just because so many of an authors works (new ones at least) are electronic. Books are not going to disappear but like News week....many will opt for the electronic printing. Plus with me, if I know they are going to be sending out review copies, I have to let publishers know that I would rather have reviews electronically. The times they are a changin
Really anon? Did you read the article at ALL? It is not a conversation on or about war, but a question about a movie being made of an award winning and celebrated cornerstone of science fiction....
Throwing a flame on a moderated discussion page really does not make any sense either. We welcome conversations on subject and enjoy a lively discourse. If that is not your intention, then maybe your efforts would be better spent elsewhere.
I have to say I'm a little nervous that this particular book will not make a full translation into a movie. As much as I like the book I will probably have to disassociate the two and just try to enjoy the movie on its own merits. The only way to do it right would be a couple of movies and without a proof of concept I can't see that being funded by Hollywood folks. As long as the spirit of the book remains intact...that's usually the most I can hope for (i.e. poor Robert Heinlein undoubtedly spinning in his grave over the tone of Starship Troopers). At any rate, I will remain hopeful and cautiously optimistic. :)
I have to say I'm a little nervous that this particular book will not make a full translation into a movie. As much as I like the book I will probably have to disassociate the two and just try to enjoy the movie on its own merits. The only way to do it right would be a couple of movies and without a proof of concept I can't see that being funded by Hollywood folks. As long as the spirit of the book remains intact...that's usually the most I can hope for (i.e. poor Robert Heinlein undoubtedly spinning in his grave over the tone of Starship Troopers). At any rate, I will remain hopeful and cautiously optimistic. :)
Now you see why I brought up my man Logan. That is exactly what I am afraid will happen.
And I am almost willing to bet that when the new Logan's Run comes out, I probably should not do the review on it. It probably will not be nice in any sense of the word, because I know they have already screwed it up beyond repair. Just look at the people in it. Every one of them are way too old to be in the movie. They'd be good for Logan's World, but not Run. And I bet they do to this, what they did to my man Logan. I can almost guarantee it.
Omg do I hear that! with the forever war movie gaining speed I have to agree that I am totally worried that they will screw with it. Logans Run the book was believable and frightening...the movie was STOOOOOOOOOOOOPID and TURABLE
Just checked into IMDb again to check the progress of Logan, and they've even taken down all the people they had listed that were in it.
It does say however that they die at 21, so maybe at least that part will be accurate.
I so want that movie to be done right, and The Forever War. But I also wish for aliens to land, give me my own ship, and tell me where to pick up and drop off my first illegal load.
I think I have a better chance of the aliens giving me that ship, than of Hollywood getting a movie right.
And I just found out that the Magic Kingdom For Sale/Sold by Terry Brooks is also up for a movie. The rights have bounced around since the 80's and IMDb has it listed as in development for years now.
So far though, Mr. Brooks is still in talks, and no actors chosen or anything. Here is another one I hope that they just don't do at all.
Okay, do enough so we can see Willow in a still, then end the production.
Dark dark dark Kall. But I guess you are more emotionally vested in the movie as far as Logan's Run. Forever War well I for one am REALLY just putting it out of my thoughts. The last time I was hoping a movie would be handled properly they gave us a 50' naked blue shinny dude.
It was 1972, and I was 8 going on 9. Matter of fact, I believe it was in a set of books I got for my birthday that year.
I read Logan's Run. Yeah, it was kind of over there for me. I fell totally in love with that novel, and even started working on what the DS gun would really look like. (Not that contraption they showed us in the movie, though I do have plans for that gun that use a small canister of propane. It fires just like it too. One of these days I'll get around to building that sucker.
I got the plans from a guy that built one and showed it on youtube.
Hell, I even use to dress like Logan.
So yeah, I guess you're right. I am slightly emotionally invested in Logan and Jessica.
Of course, I also was known to walk into stores, including the motorcycle shop for parts dressed as the Doctor from my time. Hat, coat, scarf, the entire thing.
Wow, I really was a geek wasn't I?
"Magic Kingdom For Sale/Sold by Terry Brooks is also up for a movie." Now that's very interesting. They would have a lot of room to play in converting a book like that to a movie. While that was a good book I would be interested in whatever take they would have on converting it to a screenplay. Something like Logan's Run is going to be (was) much tougher to capture the spirit of.
I had started to discover science fiction about that time as well. In the sixties it was comics and anything thick. Not that I was any type of intellectual, just wanted books that lasted a long time, so I read R&f of the 3rd reich and that ilk. When highschool started some of the books in the Lit class floored me. Fail Safe, On the Beach, Animal Farm, Brave New World, 1984 to mention just a few. It was a huge block to last a whole year, I had them all read in less than a month. In this period I also found that the movies never really were as good as the book. Logan's Run was ruined. Some to my surprise were not. Andromeda Strain for one.
Yeah that was me. Somewhere around 4 I started reading, and Fantastic Four was more or less where I started at. Well, Archie, and spidey were there but the FF just grabbed me. (Besides, Sue was cute even then). Then around 6 mom helped me read war of the worlds. Her and great grandma that is.
(Now you see why I fit so well with small town, small mentality, long red hair to my shoulders, Bell bottoms. and fringed boots and jacket in 1969 1st grade small town Ohio).
Wow the discussion that refuses to die! and no Jim I am not complaining, I love it! Especially this one. I get nervous when some movie guy starts fondling one of the classics. The track record proves me out! I am not at all confident that this is going to be the one that breaks the mold... Not even sure I could keep an open mind at this point.
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