Greatest films never made

[Kroms]

Well I've been thinking a lot about the Games Industry's parallels to the Hollywood Studio System lately, and I'm thinking about this long-list of films that never got made (I guess it's better than being recut/slaughtered by the studio brass, aka Hitman/Blade Runner/Brazil/you name it).

[1] Napoleon, written and directed by Stanley Kubrick.

I think Mystery Man on Film's guide through the screenplay is good if you can't be bothered to read the screenplay for yourself. The screenplay itself is a fascinating read, and the reason I became so interested in the man.

[2] Heart of Darkness, written and directed by Orson Welles.

The man who brought you Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil (even if it was recut) and The Magnificent Ambersons (this was butchered) was going to adapt, for you, this classic book to the big screen, and Hollywood being Hollywood said no.

His Don Quixote looked interesting too.

[3] Everything by Terry Gilliam.

This is just really, really sad.

[4] Que Viva Mexico, by Sergei Eisenstein

In the same article linked in number two. Tragedy.

[5] Rendezvous With Rama, directed by David Fincher

Then again, this one might finally be out of Development Hell and might make screens as soon as "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" wraps-up. I think, with Perfume and Lord of the Rings, we've finally proven that no book is unfilmable. This should be a classic.

What do you guys think? Can you add to the list?

[Gabez]

I saw Lost In La Mancha, the documentary about Gilliam's Don Quixote, and the film did look good. Shame they kept on getting washed away by the rain!

A Gilliam produced Gormenghast film would be really worth watching -- shame he seems to have lost interest.

There was talk of a Last Express movie -- I think Jordon "Prince of Persia" Merchner penned a script, or something, but it never came to be. There was also talk of a Deus Ex movie that might also have been good.

[Kroms]

Originally Posted by Gabez

I saw Lost In La Mancha, the documentary about Gilliam's Don Quixote, and the film did look good. Shame they kept on getting washed away by the rain!

A Gilliam produced Gormenghast film would be really worth watching -- shame he seems to have lost interest.

There was talk of a Last Express movie -- I think Jordon "Prince of Persia" Merchner penned a script, or something, but it never came to be. There was also talk of a Deus Ex movie that might also have been good.

You seen "Brazil"?

Deus Ex would have to be handled by someone with a taste for visual slick and style, and a good handle on storytelling. The obvious choices would be Ridley Scott, James Cameroon, Spielberg (ugh) or David Fincher, but I'd actually want Terry Gilliam to do that one, or Guillermo del Toro.

[itchythesamurai]

Would've loved to see Gilliam take a stab at Watchmen.

[Gabez]

Watchmen the Terry Pratchett book? Whatever, it's about time a proper movie was made of Pratchett -- not that the TV movies aren't good as well.

I'd like to see a film of the Diggers/Truckers/Wings books.

[itchythesamurai]

Watchmen as in one of the best graphic novels of all time. By Alan Moore. But I agree with you that a proper Pratchett movie would be cool.