Powerless in Seattle

[Bill Campbell]

On Thu, Dec 21, 2006, Fairlight wrote:
>On Thu, Dec 21, 2006 at 03:15:56PM -0500, Jay Ashworth may or may not have
>proven themselves an utter git by pronouncing:
>> On Thu, Dec 21, 2006 at 03:11:22PM -0500, Fairlight wrote:
>> > As for trees...  Turns out water vapour is a bigger problem than CO(2).  I
>> > quote James P. hogan:
>> 
>> Speaking of James, would you ask him if anyone's ever optioned Thrice
>> for film?
>
>I'll ask next time I talk to him.  :)  AFAIK, however, none of his books
>have ever been optioned, as I remember one conversation where he said it
>would be nice, but hadn't happened.  Assuming my memory is correct.  I'll
>ask him directly.  Don't ask me why nobody has, other than Hollywood has no
>real stomach for intellectual work.  Actually, if you look at some of the
>campaigns (Crusade, FireFly, SG-1 season 11, etc.), you'll see that the
>studios have less stomach for intellectualism than the viewers that number
>larger than you'd expect in this day and age of mindless content.  About
>the most promise shown in the last decade was that Brin's "Startide Rising"
>was to be made into a movie.  That project since became vaporware, despite
>the fact the director was a fan, though it would be a -great- SF movie, and
>acquired all the rights at some great trouble--and actually I think had
>started production.

Hollywood doesn't have a good record with things like this.  They totally
botched Heinlein's ``Starship Troopers'', turning the main characters
into something resembling Nazi storm troopers.  Of course Heinlein's
philosophy is anathema to the mindset of most in Hollywood.  One of my
favorite expressions was in Anne Fairbairne's book ``That Man Cartwright''
when the main character described his Limousine Liberal wife as being
``educated beyond her intelligence''.

On the other hand, IMHO, there have only been two really good SF movies,
``Blade Runner'' and ``Enemy Mine'' with everything else that goes under
the name SF being horse operas set in space.

FWIW:  The power came on here about ten minutes ago, just after I finished
filling the generator for about the 20th time this week.  I'm going to
leave the computers on generator while I go back to pick up my stuff
from my friend's house since I've often seen the power go off shortly
after it's restored.

Bill
--
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