Asimov at the Movies

[bob_fox]

I'm really happy that they're starting to make films out of Isaac Asimov's books.

The Bicentennial Man came out a few years back, and next month I, Robot will be making its way onto the big screen in the US. According to http://movies.yahoo.com, they also plan to make movies of some of Asimov's other Robot stories as well as of part (or all) of his Foundation series.

I hope they make a movie of Pebble in the Sky; that's one of my favourite books.

BTW According to http://www.asimovonline.com, Isaac Asimov wrote 506 books!

[Acriku]

The movie itself looks really good, but when connected with the book, what in the hell happened? Ah well, the book itself couldn't have made a blockbuster seller.

[Vanguard3000]

I saw the trailer a while back, and I must say, it doesn't look very good.  I mean, I can understand it'd be hard to fully base the film on the book, which was in fact a sequenced anthology.  Alex Proyas, who directed one of my favourite films (Dark City) is directing it, but it just looked weak.  I'd still like to see it, as I may be (and hope I am) wrong.

[bob_fox]

Yes, the movie isn't based directly on any of the nine short stories in the I, Robot collection. However, I read the preview for the film at Yahoo and it seemed to have the Asimov sci-fi 'feel' to it. Other than that, I don't know how strong the connection is between the book and the film.

Personally, I liked the way the robots looked in The Bicentennial Man, but some of I, Robot's robots will probably be done with CG at least some of the time (that's the impression the preview gave me in any case).

[Vanguard3000]

In the trailer, it looks as though the robots will be entirely CGI, with that wierd jellyfish-skin look to them.

[Acriku]

Seeing as there are probably thousands of them ;)

[Mahdi]

And none look even remotely like Alan Tudyk who plays them.

[bob_fox]

In the trailer, it looks as though the robots will be entirely CGI, with that wierd jellyfish-skin look to them.

Oops, sorry, I misread the preview. I read it again recently - here's what it says on the subject of special effects:

Special Effects Note: (1/28/03) This film will be a combination of live-action actors and sets with CGI robot characters. It's not currently known which FX companies will be handling that intensive work. (2/15/03) Specifically, the lead robot character will be played by a human actor on the set, who will then become the basis for the finished product, as CGI is overlayed his performance, ala "Gollum" in The Lord of the Rings.

[Andoreion]

Hopefully, they'll do 'Foundation' next  ;D

[exatreide]

Ba, Cave of steel!

[bob_fox]

I just recently read The Stars Like Dust which is Asimov's second Galactic Empire book. I really like it, though Asimov himself said it was his least favourite work.

I've enjoyed all the novels and short stories I've read from the Empire period (which is set somewhere between the Robot and Foundation periods), so I hope they make films of some of Asimov's stories from that period, especially Pebble in the Sky.

I'm currently reading The Rest of the Robots. Interestingly enough, the word "robot" comes from a Czech word meaning "worker".

[Mahdi]

I'm not a fan of asimov.

[exatreide]

obviously...it must be the hats...