GR (The Movie)

[Brian D. McCary]

> From: David Marc Fischer <davemarc at panix.com>
> Subject: Re: GR (The Movie)
> >
> >All of his lengthier works would, however, probably work best in the
> television medium, where they could be serialized. 

Gotta agree: serialization will probably be the key to any successful
visual translation of GR, though it could be done on screen,
ala "Alexanderplatz".  Let's face it, *no* two hour movie could come
close to capturing all of the three longest works, and how many of
us could sit through a 24 hour video marathon?  How many listers have
ever tried to sit down and read all of GR in one weekend?  Why should
a film be any differant?  If, on the other hand, the work was edited down
to anything approaching a typical movie, who would take responsibility for the
characters and scenes which were omitted?  Serialization would, at the very
least, get around this dilemma.

The real problem, however, would be cost.  TV can make extended stories like
Roots (or Masterpiece Theater) work because they can keep production
costs low.  The camera work is simple, the scripts are cut to the bone, 
even the sets can be smaller because of the reduced aspect ratio.  Furthermore,
suspense points can be evenly spaced, allowing for storyline interruptions
for commercials, which permit funding.  A cheap, half-ass version of GR
on the little glass teat would be worse than no version at all.  Due to the
relative dearth of Pynchon fans (despite our rabid fanaticism) no producer,
TV or Movie, will touch one of his books with a ten foot pole.

For a case study of big book to movie projects, try renting "Catch 22", a
valiant but misguided disaster, based on a book with a much larger (and
therefore more profitable) readership.  It reminds me of the Charge
of the Light Brigade....

Brian McCary