Elric first and then The War Hound and the Worlds Pain?

[RJC]

Michael,

I haven't been on multiverse.org for a while and imagine my surprise when I arrived to find out there was a big budget movie in the works!

Congratulations - I hope that it will turn out well and also bring more fans to the books too!

I don't know if you remember a year or so back we discussed on the old message boards that my wife and I had been thinking that War Hound would make a great movie. At the time you were still very anti-movie (and with the product Hollywood puts out I certainly don't blame you!) but I think you agreed with us that Gary Oldman would be perfect for the part of Von Bek which was very interesting. He's my favourite actor.

Any chance that if the current project goes well we might see that great epic turned into a movie as well? Strangely enough my wife Anne has recently been practicing her screenwriting by adapting War Hound just for fun. See now you've gone and got our hopes up.. :)

[Omaru]

War Hound would be a great one to make into a movie. It's an independent, self-contained EC story and it is a pretty clear representation of some of Mr. Moorcock's overarching ideas and themes. On top of that, the setting and the background of the protagonist are a little closer to something the average viewer can identify, which I think would help create a broader appeal. For my more personal, selfish desires I'd rather see a JC film, but putting that aside for the broader picture I think War Hound is an obvious choice.

[RJC]

War Hound would be a great one to make into a movie. It's an independent, self-contained EC story and it is a pretty clear representation of some of Mr. Moorcock's overarching ideas and themes. On top of that, the setting and the background of the protagonist are a little closer to something the average viewer can identify, which I think would help create a broader appeal. For my more personal, selfish desires I'd rather see a JC film, but putting that aside for the broader picture I think War Hound is an obvious choice.

That is what we were thinking as well: it is a great epic story but it is also contained in a more traditional story arc. Food for thought I suppose. Hopefully Elric does big business and then there will be a scramble on for all things Moorcock. As long as Michael keeps some control over the material and doesn't get turned off the movie industry sleaze again that is.. :)

[Michael Moorcock]

Yes, it would be nice to see Warhound filmed one day and I agree it would be easily filmed. But we haven't got to the filming of Elric yet,
so we'll have to see what happens!

[Apophis]

how about Behold the Man. Just think of the controversy surrounding Last Temptation and the new one Passion of Christ. Behold the uproar! It would make Moorcock a househ9old name! ;)

[dlackey]

Behold the Man would make a great film. Even as a Christian, I think it gives you things to think about that you might not have considered before. You are right though, it would probably be one of the most controversial films ever, and you would have morons going "so where did he get the time machine from again?"

[Michael Moorcock]

Perhaps my greatest disappointment was that Behold the man was never made. It was bought by Mai Zetterling's company and had a script by David Hughes. We were close to filming but Mai was having trouble with the British unions, who insisted on her using a far bigger crew than she wanted (or had used with the Svenskfilminstitut, with whom she'd made her other films -- which are rather Bergmanesque and use some of the same actors). Most of Mai's attempts to work within the UK/US system were unsuccessful (including the not very good Scrubbers) but she made some good TV films, including one about Van Gogh. We talked periodically about making the film, which I think would have come across excellently -- David Hughes is a fine novelist, still around -- but nobody would back her vision of my book -- which in my view was better than the book!

[Tales from Tanelorn]

David was female, non do plume?

I think it would be an important thing to present a film version of "Behold the man" The controversy would likely be enormous, but it would get people thinking about the roots of Chritianity and self sacrifice...

It may cause you problems getting Elric (and Corum) made though so perhaps you should wait until those are done!

[Anonymous]

I cocnur whole heartedly with your opinion of the cinema potential in Warhound, and I also agree the Gary Oldman would make an excellent Von Bek. The stunning scene involving the Holy Grail at the end would make great cinema and the Dragon of course, always potential in a Dragon!

[Tammywilding]

For my part any of the Books could make a good Film, so long as the Film makers stuck to the Storyline !

Filmmakers have an annoying habit of reinventing characters/stories to suit themselves.

Perhaps Elric would lend itself more to a TV series of a set number of episodes, rather than a Film ? (More time for storylines and plot development?)

They did something like that with Dune, and it wasn't too bad.

[Wanderlust]

The Dancers at the End of Time via Mike and Terry Gilliam?