Good Books Yet to be Made Into Movies: Just Sayin'
Didya see all those movies I wrote about yesterday yet? No? WTF! Slackers! Here's some more homework: Excellent material for films:
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"Going Long: The Wild Ten Year Saga of the Renegade American Football League in the Words of Those Who Lived It" - Jeff Miller - 2003
--- Would make a terrific mini series for ESPN, just like "The Bronx is Burning" did. The formation of the AFL is a fascinating story that involves some very young and cheeky rich folks battling the establishment (and eventually becoming the establishment), and would interest Vikings and Cowboys fans, along with AFC cities.
"Boys and Girls Together" - William Goldman - 1964
--- A great reading experience when I was a teenager. This one was written by the legendary Goldman back before he got to Hollywood. The story is sensational. Would need a big cast and probably would need to be set present day, but it's a wonderful, complex story/stories.
"The Color of Light" - William Goldman - 1984
--- My favorite Goldman book. The plot of this one involves the education and development of a writer over a decent period of time, but one actor could play the role easily; it wouldn't be a stretch. No idea why this juicy material hasn't been turned into a film. Great scenes like the recent college grad working on a bricklaying crew for a day are gold (That scene would probably need voiceover). Tons of great scenes in this book, and I will always cherish it, whether it gets made into a movie or not.
"It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium" - John Ed Bradley - 2007
--- One of the best sports book in recent years, I can see a decent sized, 30 something actor like Tom Hardy doing the John Ed role (great Southern name: "John Ed Bradley"). Great stuff on the heartache that former athletes go through, and the love inherent in a locker room.
"A Well-Paid Slave: Curt Flood's Fight for Free Agency in Professional Sports" - Brad Snyder - 2007
--- Another mini series on ESPN. It's a crime that this great man's story is not known by each and every professional athlete. The poor guy threw away an All Star career on principle, and wound up LOSING at the Supreme Court, but in the process laid the groundwork for so many future multi-millionaires. And he seemed to pay a huge emotional price for his ordeal. We owe him: the least America could do would be to honor Flood and his family with more attention that would come from a big media event.
"Broke, USA" - Gary Rivlin - 2010
--- I would take the stories about the debt collectors and make a movie out of just that. Good stuff, could be done along the lines of Scorcese's ambulance driver movie, "Bringing Out The Dead'. showing how good people can make conscious choices to dick over the rest of the world.
"Continental Drift" - Russell Banks - 1985
--- As great as the movie version of "Sweet Hereafter" was, and as good as "Affliction" was, this material could be just as good in a film. And whoever makes the movie better not change the final scene. Gritty and sad, powerful material.
===================
Obviously, I read and go to the movies a lot. When you get cut from the Pop Warner team as an 11 year old you tend to develop other interests.
=================
"Going Long: The Wild Ten Year Saga of the Renegade American Football League in the Words of Those Who Lived It" - Jeff Miller - 2003
--- Would make a terrific mini series for ESPN, just like "The Bronx is Burning" did. The formation of the AFL is a fascinating story that involves some very young and cheeky rich folks battling the establishment (and eventually becoming the establishment), and would interest Vikings and Cowboys fans, along with AFC cities.
"Boys and Girls Together" - William Goldman - 1964
--- A great reading experience when I was a teenager. This one was written by the legendary Goldman back before he got to Hollywood. The story is sensational. Would need a big cast and probably would need to be set present day, but it's a wonderful, complex story/stories.
"The Color of Light" - William Goldman - 1984
--- My favorite Goldman book. The plot of this one involves the education and development of a writer over a decent period of time, but one actor could play the role easily; it wouldn't be a stretch. No idea why this juicy material hasn't been turned into a film. Great scenes like the recent college grad working on a bricklaying crew for a day are gold (That scene would probably need voiceover). Tons of great scenes in this book, and I will always cherish it, whether it gets made into a movie or not.
"It Never Rains in Tiger Stadium" - John Ed Bradley - 2007
--- One of the best sports book in recent years, I can see a decent sized, 30 something actor like Tom Hardy doing the John Ed role (great Southern name: "John Ed Bradley"). Great stuff on the heartache that former athletes go through, and the love inherent in a locker room.
"A Well-Paid Slave: Curt Flood's Fight for Free Agency in Professional Sports" - Brad Snyder - 2007
--- Another mini series on ESPN. It's a crime that this great man's story is not known by each and every professional athlete. The poor guy threw away an All Star career on principle, and wound up LOSING at the Supreme Court, but in the process laid the groundwork for so many future multi-millionaires. And he seemed to pay a huge emotional price for his ordeal. We owe him: the least America could do would be to honor Flood and his family with more attention that would come from a big media event.
"Broke, USA" - Gary Rivlin - 2010
--- I would take the stories about the debt collectors and make a movie out of just that. Good stuff, could be done along the lines of Scorcese's ambulance driver movie, "Bringing Out The Dead'. showing how good people can make conscious choices to dick over the rest of the world.
"Continental Drift" - Russell Banks - 1985
--- As great as the movie version of "Sweet Hereafter" was, and as good as "Affliction" was, this material could be just as good in a film. And whoever makes the movie better not change the final scene. Gritty and sad, powerful material.
===================
Obviously, I read and go to the movies a lot. When you get cut from the Pop Warner team as an 11 year old you tend to develop other interests.
posted by joe sweeney at 7:46 AM
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