movie...

[nd9743]

something i dont get...i was looking at pics and drawings of scenes from the book and there were stills of milla jovovich. is there something reminiscent of a movie to this book?

[kingfrogger]

Just curious: where were these stills and pics you were looking at? In the book? On a website?

Also:

(Once again, let me say that I haven't finished the book yet, but...) Does anyone think that it would be possible, with the complexity and multi-level structure of the book, to MAKE "HOL" into a movie? Would that cheapen the effect? I think it probably would, but it was something that I'd be curious to see...

[TG]

Myself being a film minor (gotta pay the bills with an IT job first), I've actually thought and thought and thought about making <font color="#0000FF">House</font> Of Leaves into a movie, if not just maybe one of the Explorations. The effects would be easy to pull off, at least for the first two, but from then on, it gets more complicated, and I can see it cheapening the entire thing. I think that if MZD would direct or be in on the movie in a creative design capacity, it'd turn out alright, but I can see a <font color="#0000FF">H</FONT>OL movie being real cheap.

Little background, my English teacher here at Penn State makes <FONT Color="#0000FF">H</FONT>OL required reading for his course. Since buying it, I've now driven pretty much my whole family insane, and acquaintances are lining up to read it now. Thanks to my English teacher, I've now corrupted a segment of the population with the book. I'd bet he reads these posts, too.

[Ardis_21]

If there is a movie, it should be directed by David Lynch (Lost Highway).

[litesneeze]

Well, there was one thing that I was wondering. I know this book is fictional but in the beginning of HOL, there was a mentioning of "Exploration B" in a movie format. Does anyone know if anything along the lines of that actually exists?
~Eric

[TG]

You answered your own question, litesneeze. images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

The movie never existed. Johnny looks for it, but he can't find it, and he says this in his comments somewhere (don't have my copy with me, so I don't have the page number). Thus, nothing ever existed in that fashion.

As for the suggestion of David Lynch directing, I wouldn't really go for that. I still think MZD should direct, because I think he's the only one that really knows what the hell he was doing with this work. I'd be curious to see if Lynch has read <font color="#0000FF">H</font>OL, and if so, what he thought.

Some film major friends and I made a version of "The 5 1/2 Minute Hallway" for a class project. It wasn't hard to do. Unfortunately, it's only on Beta right now, and it's school property now, so I can't distribute it. I doubt it would do it justice, also. You'd all probably be disappointed. images/smiles/icon_sad.gif

[ June 23, 2001: Message edited by: TG ]

[Tempast33]

forget movie, i think a rather complex interactive dvd or dvdrom type set up would go the furthest to doing the book justice. or somthing like that as an alternative for an audio book. i mean the exploration voice overs are awesome themselves. just a thought

[badfish2]

you guys,
somebody already offered mzd to make the movie and NO he did not sell out, i dont think making it a movie would even come close to the actuall experiance of reading the book, and look ppl just need to get off og their ass and educate themselves for once. Just use your imagination. images/smiles/icon_mad.gif

[TG]

First, I resent your tone. Hardcore.

Second, we're just throwing ideas out. Thinking of another way to bring the book to life. It's called discussion. Get used to it, because there's a lot of it around here.

However, I do agree with your notion that the movie wouldn't really do it justice. I don't think anything would do it justice, because the imagination has no boundaries, whereas film and video and any other physical media has boundaries.

Lighten up. images/smiles/icon_smile.gif

[ladyniccole]

Although I have not read the book yet, after reading some of the other posts on both Poe's album and this book, I have an idea to offer up. There are many interactive DVD's out there and I think that maybe that could be a great idea for making the book more multi-media integrated, although I believe people should still read the book. (Some people don't read enough anymore, they just wait for the movie...grrr...)

Back to the idea of an interactive DVD though... Does anyone remember the books when you were a kid that had a different storyline depending on what YOU chose? You know, you read a section and it gives you 2 or 3 choices for where you want the story to flow...? Maybe that could work well for a DVD type idea, just filming scenes and allowing the audience to choose which path to take through the story... Maybe and maybe not... images/smiles/icon_confused.gif

[cloudsurfer]

Making a movie from that book? You guys have some great ideas, but here is a proposition... I am a great H.P. Lovecraft fan. Lovecraft developed a style that left everything to the imagination. Lovecraft scared me. Mark makes me forget what sleep was. The reason is that Mark writes from the darkness of the soul and allows the common man to find that imagination that we lost as children, Mark makes the monster's in the closet and the boogie man in the dark shadows real. You will never find that in any movie, any reading, anything, other than the words of the soul.

[mtvogel73]

Actually, there's a couple interviews in which Mark takes on the question of a possible movie and says, in not so few words "no way". I totally and completely respect and agree with Mark's decision not to sell the film rights.

As he explains, basically, it's about the book. It's about using your imagination.. what do YOU think the halls and rooms in the Navidson house look like? What do YOU think the growling that haunts the hallways sounds like? That's the point. Movies do the "imagining" for you and feed you the creators' impression of what everything looks like leaving you no choice but to see it their way.

That's one of the reasons so many movies just never come *close* to the book they're based on. Nothing can inspire, move or frighten a person more than their own imagination. Unfortunately, so many people don't get this - or are just too lazy to do so. They need to be fed this information and hence just "wait for the movie". I personally feel these people are cheating themselves.

That was a big aspect of The Blair Witch Project that so many people missed. That film spooked me, personally, because it left details to my imagination.. what did *I* imagine Mike, Josh and Heather were seeing? Those thoughts haunted me night after night after seeing that film for the first time. Yet, so many people complained because they never show the witch, etc... To each his/her own, but I always prefer a book over a movie for the very reason that it leaves the visuals to my imagination. The experience is uniquely mine.

[ June 27, 2001: Message edited by: wsimike ]

[blazingdingo]

Like others, I am a film major, and have thought extensivly about what i would do if offered the HOL film. I think the only way to possibly do it justice is
#1) don't make it.

#2) if I were to make a HOL movie, I would make The Navidson Record. Only the type of eqpuipment Will used in the book, HI-8 cameras in the corners of the rooms. As for the hallways and in the labyrinth, since the book is so experimental, make the film the same. Don't show a damned thing. A completely black screen, with only the light from the flares and matches described in the book.

[TG]

While you seem well on your course, I doubt anyone would really find the movie to be better than the book, no matter how well done it is or what production it requires. It's Stephen King Syndrome, if you will.

When I started replying to this, I certainly did not mean that a movie should be made. I personally DON'T think a movie should be made. However, I think the concept was something that should be looked at and discussed (this is, after all, a discussion board).

Do I think it should be at least considered by us? Yes. Do I think MZD should think about it? No, I think he should do what he wants with it, since it's his work. Do I think a movie should be made? No.

Anyway, that's the way I see it. If he's not going to sell the rights, then it's not really worth pursuing, though I do admire and respect what you've done so far, Dan, I'd still lay off him. If he's not going to sell the rights, then he won't.

I'll settle with my now-under-lock-and-key version of The 5 1/2 Minute Hallway, I guess.

Film is a good medium, but the imagination is better.

[MicheleVR5]

OK let's see if we can make this any plainer. images/smiles/icon_wink.gif And also why I don't think badfish2's comment was out of line at all. This is from The Digital Cardinal (http://www.cardinal.wisc.edu/issues/2000/04/20000420/20000420.art_house.chtml). For more interviews check out Exploration Z (http://houseofleaves.4t.com/).

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>
DC: I understand the film rights are not for sale.

MZD: That's correct. It's about the fucking book. Film imagines for you. Books demand your imaginative participation. It's mental muscle that needs to be used.

I have very strong feelings about it. You don't get that sort of creative experience when you go to a movie, it's all done for you, all the sound effects, all the visual.

When you're reading about these dark rooms, you've got an image of what they look like. You're illuminating them in your mind.

You're creating bases, scenes and juxtaposing them to your own history. Imagination is important for people, for the world.

If you imagine, you can imagine the lives of others. If you can do that, you can empathize. It's healthy.

So ... fuck them, I'm not gonna turn it into a movie.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

While I agree that there's no harm in ideas, if you are wanting to actually do a movie you should be doing it for yourself, probably not in hope to sell it to Mark. dan since you have obviously invested so much time and passion into your project I just hope you keep your goals realistic. images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

In any case, there is always the idea of further material being included in later editions... images/smiles/icon_cool.gif

[scuphead]

Hello-
First I talked to Mark at a reading and he said that he would never sell the rights to the book despite the fact that his publisher is going nuts. Anyways I am a filmmaker and a screenwriter and I havedone a few verious porjects based on the book including a stills project based on the five and 1/2 minute hallway and some other short films. I have also written a 166 page screenplay adaption based on solely on the Navidsons. I am now working on an adaption of Johnny's story and will then write an adaption of Zampano's story. The problem that I have been having is getting the sciprts down to a reasonable length. Screenplays generally average about one minute screen time per page so a 166 pages translates into about a 2 hour 45 minute running time and that is heavily edited. Anyways my approach to the whole thing has been to try to write the scripts keeping in mind the not just the story and tone of the book but the experience of reading it as well. As a result I've tried to make the screenplays as imersive as possible by pushing the audience to it's limit by switching mediums playing with perceptions and the like. David Fincher the director of Seven and Fight Club is currently working on a new movie titled THE PANIC ROOM for which he has developed new technology in order shoot the film with virtually no light whatsoever. I've been trying to get in touch with his production company so that I might be able to find out some of his techniques. Anyways maybe someday I will be able to change Mark's mind about the films. Once I have completed the screenplays I will start work on trying to combine them in a style not quite the same but most comparable to the film Timecode. Any thoughts?
Dan

[girl2]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by badfish2:
you guys,
somebody already offered mzd to make the movie and NO he did not sell out<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


*raises eyebrow*

badfish, what would your definition of "selling out", or, for that matter, being "sold in", be?

hi, i'm new here, sorry if i break some rules getting used to things. not sure if dredging up old threads is frowned upon? if so, sorry. =]

[Agrimorfee]

One would have better luck adapting a Stephen King novel or story for film. King approves ANY of his works for film--I think all he asks that he gets a video copy of the finished work and a dollar for his fee. (i THINK he said so in "On Writing", which I don't have with me, his website doesn't say this)

[Hart'sRules]

Guys! Mulholland Drive! Course it would work, just not in ooour minds; I love 'im and hope that it never happens.

With love
d
England for the WC

(ever read Checkov?)

[CWJones]

Sorry if someone else already said this, I haven't read through all the posts yet, but in the book it says that it all started with the 5 1/2 Minute Hallway, and then there was the exploration video, and then the Navidson Record. I think, since they started out with a book about the movie, they should keep going up through the order they were made. Start with the Navidson Record in the theaters, then make the exploration and hallway tape just on video, but not in the actual movies, kinda like how they started out.
It's just my opinion...

[antig88]

Well, I just saw a movie (actually, a screening of an as-of-yet unreleased film) called Hotel, by Mike Figgis (Timecode); if anyone should do a HOL "movie", he should direct. Hotel is a very risky film as it is 1. Shot only on DV 2. Constantly changes ratios (the screen keeps changing sizes – sometimes split into 4 quadrants!) 3. There was no script (only a synopsis). If made (probably not by Miramax), HOL could only exist in art houses for a week – an experimental book needs an experimental film.

[hello?]

oh, I get it... it's IRONY! MZD says that film imagines for you, but he creates a film that doesn't imagine for you because it doesn't exist. Leave poor little House of Leaves alone. Especially you guerilla filmmakers out there. If you already have a mental picture of the house, then you don't need to see it filmed, and it's just plain wrong to constrict the imaginations of potential viewers. Ever see a movie before reading the book? The characters in the book always look like the actors in the movie when you imagine them, don't they? Evil, evil movies. For Christ's sake, can't we do something original with movies instead of adapting every fucking novel that would make a good movie? If the story is good, read the novel. No need for the movie.

I'd better stop now, I don't want to start another bitter debate. You know, do whatever you want. But if they ever manage to make a House of Leave movie, through extortion, blackmail, or torture of Mark Z Danielewski, I will refuse to see it and I think you should do the same.

[JanexBastion]

personally i think making a movie of JUST the Navidson Record wouldn't be good enough. Johnny's part in HoL is just too big to leave out. he is able to show us just how insane someone can go when putting something this complex together. it kind of lets you say "wow, if this guy is going so insane putting this together, what is it going to do to me reading it?" i sure hope i'm not the only one with this opinion...

[ThomasJ]

By making a film of just The Navidson Record, one would be missing all of the important themes presented in <u><font color="blue">House</font color> of Leaves</u> anyway.

It would not be worth my while to see such a film, other than the sake of novelty.

[athena25]

Now now my darlings...I think we all know that if a film was produced, we'd all ruch out to see it, for whatever reasons, we still would, and then log on and bitch about how it didn't conform to our expectations. Well then, in this case film is an adaptation, an idea based on an original, another source document to add to our own ideas. it's a form of criticism even, just expressed in a different way, not neccesarily a 'sell out' per se. But anyhow, i was thinking that a very cool thing would be a box which contained all the documents that HoL purports to be made from, Navidson's films, Zampano and Johnny's notes, bits and bobs from the appendices...ok so it would cost a kings ransom, but I'm a student, £5 is much the same as £50,000 when your skint. Ah, but we can dream...Go, make your films, please, I'd love to see them, and anything else you can produce as a means of exploring this book.

love a.

[Francis Glances]

JaneX and ThomJ have good points here.

The Navidson Record alone would not only miss alot of the themes it would be incredibly boring. The bits inside the house on the CCTV network set up by Navidson would rob the action sequences of any impact because they're so impartial. Inside the corridor an immeasurable and lightless space would be so hard to capture, how could you portray an extending staircase without light and without using CGI which requires motion controlled cameras? Bang goes the hand-held documentary feel of the film.

On the theme subject, I consider the Whalestoe Letters to be fundamental to the story. And they're unfilmable without using narration which would be naff.

Personally I'm glad there will never be a film although I'm all in favour of students trying.

[No Other God]

Another idea:
I'd be interested to see a movie done about the effects of the book. I know I haven't slept well since reading it, and if everyone else's comments are any indication, this book has had a sizeable impact on all of our lives. I'd like to see a film done (maybe even a documentary) about the effect HoL has had on all of our mindsets. You could even use Poe as background music.
I think it'd also bring together a lot of the disparate feelings of isolation that many feel after reading the book by showing that everyone has some kind of intense reaction to this book. Oh, and a film like that would draw in a lot more readers, too.

[delirium]

I would like to see a movie done which would be about not making a film of HoL.

Plot synopsis:

Initially some avant-garde student filmmakers would discuss filming the novel in a pretentious conversation littered with pop-culture references and half-understood quotations from prominent French intellectuals.

Then, after approximately 38 seconds, their attention span exhausted, they would swiftly move on to another topic of conversation (possible contenders being 'the music and cultural resonance of Depeche Mode', '1980's US Foreign Policy in Latin America', and lastly 'Anna Kournikova vs Britney Spears - who would win in a bareknuckle fight?'.

Fade to Black.

Cut to Credits.

[ECHOLALIA]

ATHENA: not a box set, a trunk filled with hand-written notebooks, rolls of gaffer-tape,Lude's scissors(with maybe a few stray hairs still caught in the pivot), a punch in the mouth from "Gdansk Man", a couple of splinters for your fingers, magnesium flares, a compass( useless of course), and a fistful of E's to get in the right frame of mind......

but just how would they package the deep scratches in the floor????

images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif


p.s. sorry, i forgot to sign.

ECHOLALIA

[ May 28, 2002: Message edited by: ECHOLALIA ]

[athena25]

I like the way your mind works...

love a.

[ECHOLALIA]

OH, IT DOES WORK? THAT'S NOT WHAT they TOLD ME...."IRREPAIRABLY DAMAGED BY UNKNOWN TRAUMA"IS HOW they SAID IT............

...IT is rather dark in here ..........

.......... ............

.................. ........... ............


.ECHOLALIA.
images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[Min]

When ever a good book is made in to a movie, the film makers are rarely tring to make the film better than book, they're just trying to take good content and present it in the best way they can. As for people not reading and waiting for a movie why should that be any reason not to produce a film, and that kind of spiteful attitude can really hold you back in life. As for leaving it up to the imagintion, that can be done in film, just dont touch the house with any atempt to represent in the audiences reality. Focus on Jonny's interaction with Zampanio's trunk of possible lies, never make the decision that the house is real (or fake). That would be a strong and cathartic film for me. A film is nothing more than a point of veiw with alot of work put in to it. Its no diferent than what's posted on a web page, so why not have a movie, why not have a thousand diferent versions. That way a thousand different people can make more sense of the book for them selves...Yeah I like to play devil's advocate.(film wise I dont think the Navidison Project Should be touched with a ten foot pole.

[jeffminter]

A[n extended] History of the One I Love would make an amazing movie.

[kawasaki]

I don't think that <font color="blue">House</font color> Of Leaves (ha! I got blue) should be made into a film either, but for the record I did start thinking about how you'd do it shortly after I finished the book.

My only idea of making it work was to make it two films. And, unfortunately, change it.

1)Film the Navidson Record. Release the Navidson Record.

2)A 'Making Of' mockumentary. Transpose Johnny into a character of the director. He can be exactly the same, everything can be exactly the same except for the fact that instead of holing up in his room completing the book from Zampano's fragments, he's completing a film from Zampano's fragments. It leaves room for pretty much every plot aspect of the book to be explored (no film could ever explore _all_ the ideas and codes etc).

To reiterate, I don't think it should be done, but that's how I think it could be.

[Diablophonic]

oH mY gOD. sOMEONE SIGNED WITH A QUOTE FROM A jULIA rOBERTS mOVIE. oH MY gOD.

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by the sky is empty:
...Oh god , i hope not...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

DO NOT READ ANYMORE OF THIS SITE UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED READING THE BOOK. IT WILL TOTALLY SPOIL THE EXPERIENCE FOR YOU AND POSSIBLY TAINT YOUR INTERPRETATION.

[Davey B]

I'm just up to Navidson measuring the outside of his house , I'm currently living in a more than desolate windswept middle of nowhere region of West Wales and I am slightly on edge now.
This (big) glass of wine is , I'm glad to say , helping a little .
I can appreciate that I may be coming across as some unbelievable novice and for that I apologise.......you'll have to bear with me for a while......it's black as pitch out there now..........movie ?

Oh god , i hope not.

Love 2 all

"the mind is a terrible thing to taste"

[Davey B]

evening all ,

many thanks for the kind advice fatwoul , but fear not , it will be a good long while b4 i am back amongst you . I got me some reading to do , dig ?

I have to ask - can any of you believe that somebody with a mohican would , in this cultured , educated land , still be a victim of finger pointing and plug socket jokes...

Am i in the company of many Brits on this site ? Just curious i guess . See you all around sometime........

"Goths don't have friends , they only have people they say Goodbye to ."

[ninziestar]

I heard DMZ bought the film rights (basically so no one else makes one because it wouldn't be as good as the book) I'm not sure if it's true though

[Diablophonic]

oH MY gOD. i RECOGNIZED A QUOTE FROM A jULIA rOBERTS MOVIE. oH MY gOD.

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ninziestar:
I heard DMZ bought the film rights (basically so no one else makes one because it wouldn't be as good as the book) I'm not sure if it's true though<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

DMZ?

Some kind of humourous reference between MZD's name and the demilitarized zones of Vietnam, where Zampano was supposed to be fighting years before? Or did you just type it wrong?

[lazysmurff]

can you have a freudian slip while typing?

[chinawhite]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by the sky is empty:
evening all ,

I have to ask - can any of you believe that somebody with a mohican would , in this cultured , educated land , still be a victim of finger pointing and plug socket jokes...
."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I realised i was too old for "weird" hairdos when I was in the grocery store and I gave the finger to a little kid who was staring at me. When you're younger, you don't mind the stares, or you actually like them. But when you start to get annoyed with it, it means you should give it up (this is just what worked for me. I'm not telling you what to do.). It's too bad too, because I didn't look that way to get attention, I looked that way because I liked it. But now I try to stay within the range semi-acceptable styles, just for the convenience of it.

[Davey B]

bless u china
i know what you're saying and I'd already succumbed to "normality" before even reading your post so , hey , great minds and all...

i know i said it would be a while b4 showing up around here but there's a funny kind of pull when u realise that you can be both intimate and dismissive amongst people you have never met . or are ever likely to .

the discourse , the "kinship" of a common interest that is both harmless and yet stimulative , the thoroughly non - judgmental atmosphere of this place.......i don't know....things like this i thought i would steer well clear of .... i guess it's just nice to know that you can make friends without meeting them

ah , listen 2 me. i am tired and i am a bit pissed so take care everyone

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chinawhite:
...So, anyway, welcome. Are you a Brit? There's alot of them on this site. What part are you from?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can usually spot the Brits - Here's the general rule:

Clever and insightful post - Member of the Great Britannic Empire, that shall one day reign sumpreme again (Britain)

Whiny and/or oversensitive post - Doodle

Post which makes hardly any sense - Continental European

God I love doing that...

<font size="1">

[Mr. Staircase]

Christ, I am all of those and then some. Must be my Atlantian blood.

[chinawhite]

Yeah, you know, it probably wouldn't hurt to keep checking in on the board while you're reading HOL because most of the posts won't make sense until you're done with the book.
So, anyway, welcome. Are you a Brit? There's alot of them on this site. What part are you from?

[timehasnoplace]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by delirium:
I would like to see a movie done which would be about not making a film of HoL.

Plot synopsis:

Initially some avant-garde student filmmakers would discuss filming the novel in a pretentious conversation littered with pop-culture references and half-understood quotations from prominent French intellectuals.

Then, after approximately 38 seconds, their attention span exhausted, they would swiftly move on to another topic of conversation (possible contenders being 'the music and cultural resonance of Depeche Mode', '1980's US Foreign Policy in Latin America', and lastly 'Anna Kournikova vs Britney Spears - who would win in a bareknuckle fight?'.

Fade to Black.

Cut to Credits.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Beautiful.

-----

The next option is creating your own House of Leaves. Consider this: Instead of a film about the book, how about a film about the reader? Or the author? OR how about a film that tells the story of a white New York Cop and a minortiy LA Cop getting otgether to save the world from terrorists/ drug lords/ crooked cops while reconicling their socio-ethnic ignorances?

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chinawhite:
Problem: Bonemaster is a "member of the Great Britannic Empire"<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No he isn't. If he has ever said so (and I don't know because I stopped reading his posts a long time ago), then he is merely lying to make Britain look slightly foolish. He is a doodle. Trust me.

[chinawhite]

What about all that shit you were talking to him about getting buggered by soldiers or whatever?

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chinawhite:
What about all that shit you were talking to him about getting buggered by soldiers or whatever?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ohhh yeah. I forgot all about that. He said he was from Colchester. Well, firstly I am delighted at forgetting that - it shows how totally un-memorable that fuckwit was. Second, he was probably lying - I maintain that he is a doodle trying to pass as British to give us a bad name.

[chinawhite]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by timehasnoplace:


The next option is creating your own House of Leaves. Consider this: Instead of a film about the book, how about a film about the reader? Or the author? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I would love to see a documentary about the HOLer and how the book has effected their lives. HEY! We could all be in it! That would be cool.

[chinawhite]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by fatwoul:


You can usually spot the Brits - Here's the general rule:

Clever and insightful post - Member of the Great Britannic Empire, that shall one day reign sumpreme again (Britain)

<font size="1"><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Problem: Bonemaster is a "member of the Great Britannic Empire"

[freelancer]

the proposition of a movie is, at best, irrelevant. Truant says, in the Intro, no less, something to the effect of: 'you will not find the Navidson record anywhere. No rental shops, many of the people in Hollywood quoted in The Navidson Record, I've contacted and they've never acknowledged its existence.' So as much as I would love to see the film, it would ultimately make the book obsolete, in addition to only capturing a fraction of the depth of the piece.

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by freelancer:
...Truant says, in the Intro, no less, something to the effect of: 'you will not find the Navidson record anywhere. No rental shops, many of the people in Hollywood quoted in The Navidson Record, I've contacted and they've never acknowledged its existence.'...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Except of course, for the video collection of that member who claimed he had a copy of the Navidson Record a few weeks ago.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by freelancer:
...So as much as I would love to see the film, it would ultimately make the book obsolete, in addition to only capturing a fraction of the depth of the piece.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Although creating the Navidson Record would make the book obsolete, it would be perfectly plausible to make a movie of House of Leaves.

Johnny never sees the Navidson Record himself, so no effects would be needed. No actors would be required to play Zampano, Navidson, Tom, Karen, Chad, Daisy

It would just be a film about a strange guy who works in a tattoo shop.

It might be OK, but making HoL into a film is a bad idea, and we all know that really.

[chinawhite]

You're absolutely right. But, in the event that they DID make a movie out of it, I'd have to go and see it. I want to know how a director would envision Johnny. It would most likely be disappointing, but I still couldn't not go.

[chinawhite]

On the topic of books to movies, which do think was the worst, and which the best?

Worst: Queen of the Damned, by far. Just cashing in on the new stupid 15 year old kid's goth thing. And badly. The plot was changed so much that it didn't even remotely resemble the book, which is great.

Best (as in true to story, character, etc...) : I hate to say it, but Harry Potter. I'm not saying that I especially liked the movies, but I think that they did do a great job visually with it. I was actually disappointed that it was so true to the book, because it was exactly like reading the book again. There were no surprises.
I know there is definitely a better answer to the "best" question, but I can't think of one at the time. Maybe the Virgin Suicides? It definitely had the best soundtrack. It totally fit with the vibe of the book/movie.

[freelancer]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chinawhite:
On the topic of books to movies, which do think was the worst, and which the best?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Haven't read harry potter nor did i see the film, and maybe I'm on the wrong site when I say that I love what Peter Jackson did with LOTR, but many Other adaptations of high quality exist as well.

Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho" and
"Rules of Attraction"('Less than Zero' had very little to do with the book)

Fight Club
"All the President's Men"
"Die Hard" (yup, was based on a book by Roderick Thorp)
HBO's "Band of Brothers" from Steven Ambrose
just to name a few.

[silver474]

chinawhite, you are SO right about Queen of the Damned. The Vampire Chronicles are my favorite light summer reading, and I was kind of excited about the movie, since QotD is my fave in the series. I went to see it with a friend who's a bit goth-y, but had never read the books. He liked it, and couldn't understand why I went off for about 10 minutes afterwards about how much I loathed it.

I mean, I guess it would be a semi-ok (read: moderately as good as other Hollywood crap) movie if it wasn't supposed to be "based" on a well-researched, interesting, intricately plotted book.

I think LotR is a good adaptation, considering that an actual totally true-to-the-book adaptation would last, like, a day.

Harry Potter movies are exactly like the books.

The Princess Bride does a good job, although the book has a more snarky tone.

An interesting adaptation is High Fidelity. They changed a lot from the book (especially since they moved it from London to Chicago, a lot of the dry, subtle British wit was shifted to loud American humor) but I still like it. But I like the book and the movie in two totally different ways, if that makes sense.

Reading American Psycho made me want to throw up, but the movie made me laugh. Huh.

The Hours looks good. I liked the book and want the movie to be good.

I like the idea of Adaptation. Has anyone seen it? I haven't yet, but it should be interesting.

[chinawhite]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by freelancer:


Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho"
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You know, that is the only book ever in my life that I actually had to stop reading because it horrified me so much. I got to the part where he started describing te homeless guy and the dog and I knew what was going to happen. i just can't take doggie torture. But i did like the movie. I'm wondering...how did you interpret the ending? Do you think that it was all just a fantasy of his, that it never happened? Or do you think that everyone just covered it all up so as not to disturb their perfect, corporate lives? Or, something else?

[chinawhite]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by silver474:
chinawhite, you are SO right about Queen of the Damned.

I mean, I guess it would be a semi-ok (read: moderately as good as other Hollywood crap) movie if it wasn't supposed to be "based" on a well-researched, interesting, intricately plotted book.

The Princess Bride does a good job, although the book has a more snarky tone.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, I especially like the whole "family tree" thing on QOtD (the BOOK, not the movie), and I was so disappointed that they almost totally blew that off in the movie. And what about the whole Marius thing? That was sooo way off. And they reduced Lestat to some trendy pretty-boy.

Yeah, I really like the Princess Bride, both the book and the movie, but I do prefer the book. Although I loooove Andre the Giant in the movie. They could not have found a better person for that role. RIP, big boy.

[yosemite sam]

personally i think it could be done. when johnny was talking to thumper and it went to the book, it could start there have a flashback up till the talk and then go on from there. but i wonder about the footnotes, and minotaur, but i guess they could be put in as a voice over of johnny's thoughts. but, it would in no way compare to the book. it would be crappy, but c'mon if they made a House of Leaves movie you cant tell me you wouldnt see it. because if you did i wouldnt believe you.

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by devil from paraadise:
...but c'mon if they made a House of Leaves movie you cant tell me you wouldnt see it. because if you did i wouldnt believe you.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I didn't watch The Shawshank Redemption for 3 years because I decided from the adverts that it was crap. When it finally came on TV, I saw half of it reluctantly, and decided it was actually a good film. I now have it on video.

Believe me, if I decide not to watch a film, it will not be watched, until it arrives on TV. And even then I still might not.

It also depends on the hype. The more hype a film gets, the less inclined I am to watch it, which is why I have never seen Titanic, and didn't watch The Fellowship of the Ring until my mum bought the DVD.

[chinawhite]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by fatwoul:


It also depends on the hype. The more hype a film gets, the less inclined I am to watch it, which is why I have never seen Titanic, and didn't watch The Fellowship of the Ring until my mum bought the DVD.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I totally agree. The more adverts i see for a movie, the less I want to see it. It seems a little desperate to have so many commercials for a movie. Same thing if alot of people tell me, "You have to see this movie". It makes me all the more determined not to see it.

[ianthebruce]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by fatwoul:


I didn't watch The Shawshank Redemption for 3 years because I decided from the adverts that it was crap.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ah Fat, how could you? That's my FAVORITE movie!

[Kermitchic]

I think the two most intriguing aspects of the book is the way the stories enclosed in it seem so real and in reality all three (The Navidson Record, Zampano's interpretation of The Navidson Record, and Johnny's interpretation of Zampano's interpretation of The Navidson Record) are fiction, and the way the book is set up. (i.e., pages written in backwards text, one word on a page, etc.)

Although a film may be interesting, I doubt that these two aspects would be able to be recreated, and if so, they would definitely lose something in the transfer from paper to film.

However, although I feel that retaining the effectiveness of these two ideas would be impossible, I agree that creating a film of PART of the book, such as The Navidson Record or simply one exploration would be interesting, although one could argue that the effectiveness is still diminished because imagination plays a large role in the impact this book puts forth to the reader.

It's really a question of how talented the writer/director is and how willing people are to accept someone else's interpretation of a book that is effective due to the personal interpretation the reader has.

[timehasnoplace]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by fatwoul:


It also depends on the hype. The more hype a film gets, the less inclined I am to watch it...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

"The more advertising I see the less I want to buy."

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by timehasnoplace:
"The more advertising I see the less I want to buy."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes.

[eurotrashkitty]

wow this is an old thread that i am dredging to the surface...i was searching in the search function (be proud of me, fat) for stuff about the ring because i have been enamoured with that film since it came out. i mean, honestly. i usually HATE big budget hollywood studio crap movies that are in regular movie theatres, but THIS! this was bordering hol-like! i mean, not in the plot or anything, but in the leagues and leagues of untold, implied symbolism.

anywho, this thread caught my eye cuz someone mentioned david lynch. while i don't think hol should EVER be made into a movie EVER EVER EVER, i don't think david lynch would be right to direct. maybe mzd. he does seem to have a sort of cinematic flair, speaking only from my experience reading his shot for shot detail of a film that never existed. but i think jan svankmajer would REALLY make this film good. anybody fans?

[chinawhite]

I think Sam Rami would be a good director for it.

So I jusr saw the Ring last night, and I have to say that, while it was a great movie ( I loved the ending, CREEPY!), I was a little disappointed. Probably because everyone told me how great it was. I would like to see the original, though.

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chinawhite:
...So I just saw the Ring last night...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have now seen it twice; I went again on Friday with my little sis. She liked it too.

[ThomasJ]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chinawhite:
So I jusr saw the Ring last night, and I have to say that, while it was a great movie ( I loved the ending, CREEPY!), I was a little disappointed. Probably because everyone told me how great it was. I would like to see the original, though.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

<font face="Arial">I enjoyed The Ring very much. Of course, I saw very little advertising, as I do not really watch television, and no one told me much about it, seeing as I avoid my friends.

I would agree with the current popular opinion of this thread: over-hype turns me off. For this reason, I did not see The Fellowship of the Ring in the theater. If <u><font color="blue">House</font color> of Leaves</u> had been subject of similar mass-media attention, I doubt that I would have so likely to read it.

Of course, once I read a book, see a movie, or hear a musical artist, I let my own opinion take over. I don't let advertising and media dictate what I do or don't like.

As a side note, I also don't believe that a band can "sell out." Musicians ultimately would like to make a living from their music. It would be wrong to condemn them for doing so. It would also be wrong to say that a musical group has less validity once they make money. Often, a musical group has more freedom over their art once they have proven that they can sell records.

Yikes, I'm babbling. Sorry.

[ThomasJ]

<font face="Arial">Oh...
as far as excellent book-to-movie adaptations go, I personally think that the movie of Fight Club was better than the novel. To me, it just seemed more organized and fleshed out.

Stand By Me is an excellent adaptation of Stephen King's novella "The Body."

Ok. I'm done thinking for right now.

[Yggdrasil]

2 things.

The Ring sucked ass. Ringu was better, but still not all that spooky (though I wonder what I would've thought had I seen it before the dumbed down Hollywooded American version.)

Mulholland Drive was the biggest mind fuck since HoL. I'd put off watching it for a long time, but after seeing it for the first time last night I wish I'd seen it earlier. If any of you haven't seen it yet - GO SEE IT!!! IMO it's Lynch's second best film (behind Memento), but definately worth checking out.

P.S. don't know why I'm druding this thread back up, I'm just super bored.

[Ra-ra]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chinawhite:
I think Sam Rami would be a good director for it.

So I jusr saw the Ring last night, and I have to say that, while it was a great movie ( I loved the ending, CREEPY!), I was a little disappointed. Probably because everyone told me how great it was. I would like to see the original, though.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If you haven't already you definately should. Although personally I think Ring O is by far the most interesting and creepiest of the lot.

Sorry, I know I've said this before but I really do love these films...

[Ra-ra]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chinawhite:


Yeah, I especially like the whole "family tree" thing on QOtD (the BOOK, not the movie), and I was so disappointed that they almost totally blew that off in the movie. And what about the whole Marius thing? That was sooo way off. And they reduced Lestat to some trendy pretty-boy.

Yeah, I really like the Princess Bride, both the book and the movie, but I do prefer the book. Although I loooove Andre the Giant in the movie. They could not have found a better person for that role. RIP, big boy.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Who wrote 'Princess Bride'? I've
loved that movie since I was a kid and would sooo love to read the book!

[LaureMarie9]

If I were to make a movie about the book, I'd focus on Johnny and Johny only. No actual filming of any hallway whatsoever. But I would try to film all the stuff about Echoes and the ftairs. I reallly don't think it would work though.

A documentary about the reaction would be cool. And it could feature student films of the 5 1/2 minute hallway, and people trying to find their own "5 1/2 minutes". with all the creapy stories we have, it could be scary enough w/ out actually ruining anyone's interpretation of the book, and when we see it in the movie theaters, ONLY the people who have read the book will really understand, so it'll be a movie where you actually have to read to book to get it. HAHA! literate people will get their revenge!

One of my fave book/movies was the last unicorn. Even though its' a kid's thing it's still very intrigueing and intense. rhyming cats and time traveling butterflies and happy endings yay! images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[silver474]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ra-ra:
Who wrote 'Princess Bride'? I've
loved that movie since I was a kid and would sooo love to read the book!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
William Goldman. He says it's the "good parts version" of the S. Morgenstern classic, but Morgenstern never existed. It's a fun literary device.

[fatwoul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by silver474:
...William Goldman...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

...who also wrote Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, which is on TV at this very moment:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, 1969 (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0064115):

Butch Cassidy: What happened to the old bank? It was beautiful!

Guard: People kept robbing it.

Butch Cassidy: Small price to pay for beauty.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Cool film...<font color=757575><font size=1>

[ April 21, 2003: Message edited by: fatwoul ]