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    Roland Emmerich takes the reins on "Foundation"

    I'm not really sure how to feel on this one.... On one hand, he can make visually stunning movies; on the other, none of his movies have been especially complex; particularly in the way Foundation is...

    A big-screen version of Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” trilogy is now in the hands of Sony and writer-director-producer Roland Emmerich (“Stargate,” “Independence Day,” “Godzilla,” “The Patriot,” “The Day After Tomorrow,” “10,000 B.C.”).
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    Last edited by DigiFluid; 17 January 2009, 03:27 PM.
    "A society grows great when old men plant trees, the shade of which they know they will never sit in. Good people do things for other people. That's it, the end." -- Penelope Wilton in Ricky Gervais's After Life

    #2
    Yay? :scratches head:
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      #3
      From memory have not he wrote most of his previous movies through.
      This could be interesting.
      Anyway what is foundation about.

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        #4
        Originally posted by knowles2 View Post
        From memory have not he wrote most of his previous movies through.
        This could be interesting.
        Anyway what is foundation about.
        D:

        The Foundation trilogy are some of the best work that Isaac Asimov ever wrote.

        It opens in a universe where there's a thousands-of-years-old Empire spanning the entire galaxy. Mathematical genius Hari Seldon has invented a new form of mathematics, sort of a fusion of math and sociology whereby the patterns of large numbers of people can be used to "calculate" the future. Don't worry, there's no long numbers or weird symbols to have to read, it's just a plot device.

        Seldon predicts the imminent demise of the Empire and 30000 years of dark ages before the rise of a new Empire; and petitions to have a Foundation set up at the far end of the galaxy to preserve knowledge and expedite the return of civilization in a mere 1000 years.

        The three books then tell the story of the Foundation and its evolution along its (predicted) path back toward galactic civilisation. Every so often a "Seldon Crisis" emerges where the Foundation can only take one path or else face extinction, and when that crisis is resolved, a hologram of Seldon makes a public appearance congratulating them on surviving the crisis and telling them to enjoy their newfound prosperity, but be prepared because it won't last forever and they'll face a new crisis soon enough etc.


        Honestly, amazing trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation). The later sequels and prequels, were kinda meh, but the original three were just fantastic. Some of the best sci fi I've ever had the good fortune to read, right up there with Dune.
        Last edited by DigiFluid; 17 January 2009, 05:16 PM.
        "A society grows great when old men plant trees, the shade of which they know they will never sit in. Good people do things for other people. That's it, the end." -- Penelope Wilton in Ricky Gervais's After Life

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          #5
          Hmmm, to be honest, I have never heard of these. I will definitely have to read up on them a bit though. Seems interesting enough.
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            #6
            Interesting choice. Though I am excited Foundation is getting made and it's NOT a remake, I'm worried too. Haven't read the novels since I was a teen but it Asimov and Arthur C. Clark that introduced me to sci-fi so have read all their stuff at least once each.
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              #7
              Originally posted by DigiFluid View Post
              D:

              The Foundation trilogy are some of the best work that Isaac Asimov ever wrote.

              It opens in a universe where there's a thousands-of-years-old Empire spanning the entire galaxy. Mathematical genius Hari Seldon has invented a new form of mathematics, sort of a fusion of math and sociology whereby the patterns of large numbers of people can be used to "calculate" the future. Don't worry, there's no long numbers or weird symbols to have to read, it's just a plot device.

              Seldon predicts the imminent demise of the Empire and 30000 years of dark ages before the rise of a new Empire; and petitions to have a Foundation set up at the far end of the galaxy to preserve knowledge and expedite the return of civilization in a mere 1000 years.

              The three books then tell the story of the Foundation and its evolution along its (predicted) path back toward galactic civilisation. Every so often a "Seldon Crisis" emerges where the Foundation can only take one path or else face extinction, and when that crisis is resolved, a hologram of Seldon makes a public appearance congratulating them on surviving the crisis and telling them to enjoy their newfound prosperity, but be prepared because it won't last forever and they'll face a new crisis soon enough etc.


              Honestly, amazing trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation). The later sequels and prequels, were kinda meh, but the original three were just fantastic. Some of the best sci fi I've ever had the good fortune to read, right up there with Dune.
              That sounds pretty epic and large scale, with a lot of special effects involved and frankly their no one better in Hollywood that does epic like Roland Emmerich, he just never got the story portions of the film right before but their always a first time for everything.
              Last edited by knowles2; 19 January 2009, 07:18 AM.

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                #8
                The thing is I'm not sure The Foundation series is fit for the screen. I mean, most of it is about thoughts and there are a lot of times when you don't see who is talking so I'm not sure if they'll be able to make it right.

                Right now I rather have only the books to read but who knows if it won't turn out to be a great series.

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                  #9
                  The Foundation series is some of the best scifi around but I don't think a film would do it justice. Three films perhaps but it isn't as well-known as Lord of the Rings to garner that kind of interest. I can't think of any recent Asimov adaptations that has really grasped the spirit of the originals. A mini-series might do better but I don't know if anyone would want to pump in that sort of money into a television project without being sure of its success.

                  It's a fantastic piece of literature though so well-thought through and well-written. I'd hate to see it butchered for the big screen.
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                    #10
                    Putting the Foundation Trilogy on screen I think would be extremely difficult, as would say "Cities in Flight" by James Blish. I just don't see works of those magnitude being very adaptable to the big screen.

                    I think perhaps the Honor Harrington series by David Weber would be a better fit, and of course should we ever be so lucky as to see the Master Chief make it to the big screen I will have likely died and gone to the big white light in the sky.

                    Lots of these things get picked up for development and never go anywhere, so I am not holding my breath.

                    Afterthought: A work I always thought would be nicely adaptable is "Voyage of the Space Beagle" by A.E Van Vogt and I would love to see that classic on the big screen.
                    Last edited by Espeon1962; 07 March 2009, 06:12 PM. Reason: Added Afterthought
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