books that should be movies

[able123]

You know how sometimes you read a book that is sooooo good you wish it was also a movie ? Of course some books just should stay books cause they cant be improved by being a movie. But given the right treatment etc sometimes a really good book can also be a really good movie.

Most good books that get made movies have to introduce characters or voice over or something so that what characters only ' THINK TO THEMSELVES ' in the book can be delivered to the audience of the movie.  Thats kinda tricky.

Anyway, this book I'm reading now would be a great movie if it could be treated well re: the above problem.

It is " The Mouse In The Moon ".  It's the same author who wrote " Beware The Mouse " and " The Mouse That Roared ". The Mouse That Roared got made into a movie ( I think with Peter Sellers in it ? ) and was hilarious.

The Mouse In The Moon ( copyright about 1962 ? ) happens after the mouse that roared...

Grand Fenwick ( a little country started by some wayward Englishmen back around 1400 maybe ) which is between the Swiss and the French , sorta in a little valley between mountain ranges, needed some money in " The Mouse That Roared", so they decided to attack the United States with their Longbows and their small army of about 12 guys.  So they sailed to NYC and attacked with the intention of LOSING quickly, so that the U.S. would then spend a ton of money to rebuild the country they defeated... kinda like Germany and Japan after WW2 etc etc.

Plans went awry however, because the little group found some professor who had just invented the Q-bomb and the plot thickened... and Grand Fenwick ended up winning the " war ".

Well, in the book " The Mouse In The Moon" , Grand Fenwick is applying for some financial aid from the U.S. to buy their Queen ( equiv of a Queen, as they are sorta Medieval even in modern times but with a parliment of sorts ) a fur coat ( Russian Sable )... and the professor who lives in Grand Fenwick now ( inventor of Q bomb ) is studying rocket fuel problems re: sending a man to the moon which the Russians and Americans are in a race to do ... and which threatens to "politicise" the moon territories, and space in general.  Eg. If the Russians get there first will the moon be Russian ??

[the_wine_snob]

John T.,

My wife feels the same way, concerning "medical dramas," as she lives those, and does not need them on her "day off."

Hunt

[Jim_Simon]

"Flynn's novels are taken so seriously one high-ranking CIA official told his people,  “I want you to read Flynn's books and start thinking about how we can more effectively wage this war on terror.”

That's just cool.

[the_wine_snob]

Jim,

I have heard similar.It is like the "Science Fact" group, to whom NASA comes, when they want to get "beyond." Think A C Clarke, and similar here.

Seems that the "intrigue" set, do a better job at research, than many of our Inteligence community. Not sure how that plays with you, but it makes me worry greatly. Thor seems to do a great job of research.

Hunt

[John T Smith]

>better job at research, than many of our Inteligence community

No links, just faulty memory, but I know that I have read articles concerning the difficulty of gathering "live" intelligence (ie-spies) in many parts of the world, so CIA types have to use technology... which is not always that great or timely

It may be that our spy agencies do have the technology to intercept cell phone calls... but considering the volume, I'd guess it is VERY difficult to pick one "bad" conversation out of the millions of calls made every day

Especially considering the bad guys are not ALL stupid, and the smart ones are going to use code words to hide the real subject of the call

"Please deliver a pizza (bomb) to the party (rival gang meeting) at 1234 Any Street at 9PM"

[the_wine_snob]

I'll never order out for pizza again!!!!

Hunt

[isislives1]

Bu örnekte güzel fakat İstanbul'da geçen bir konudan yazılan mecidiyeköy kitabı muhakkak film yapılmalı. Neden derseniz? aşk intikam aksiyon zeka herşey var bu kitapta ve okumanızı öneririm.

[Jim_Simon]

"Rogue Wave" by Boyd Morrison would make a terrific summer blockbuster.  You'd hardly even need a screenplay, the director could almost work directly from the novel.

[the_wine_snob]

I do not believe that a movie has ever been made of Absalom - Absalom by William Faulkner.

Hunt

[able123]

==============

Back to the question - I always thought that Thomas Pynchon's V would make a good movie. However, then the temptation would be to do a  prequel film of The Crying of Lot  49, and a sequel with Gravity's  Rainbow. That would be tougher than Harry Potter and LOR  rolled into one. The latter book makes reading James Joyce like a walk  in the park.

===============

I would rather have a sharp stick in my eye than have to re-read " The Dubliners".

Having checked out the reviews of the above books by Pynchon, I realize this is proof positive that friends can exist despite their exceedingly bizarre taste in books.

[the_wine_snob]

I would rather have a sharp stick in my eye

For a moment, I though that you were using a reference to V... [Gotta' read it to understand the reference.]

... I realize this is proof positive that friends can exist despite their exceedingly bizarre taste in books.

Hunt, whose Joycean days are now far behind him.

[the_wine_snob]

Brad Thor's Full Black.

Hunt

[Jim_Simon]

Brad Thor's Full Black.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!  Take a step back there, Tex.

You wanna go that route, you need to start at the beginning with Lions of Lucerne.

[able123]

hehe... " Tex "... that was funny....

dont know if it will "stick" though...somehow 'wine snob' and 'tex' just seem like opposites....

is there such a thing as a cowboy with a big stetson drinking fine wine ??

[the_wine_snob]

Now, if we were talking Lone Star beer...

Hunt

[the_wine_snob]

I have not read it yet, but hear that Lions IS a must-read too.

Thanks for reinforcing that.

Hunt

[Jim_Simon]

You should read the series in order.  They kind of flow into one another.  Same with the Vince Flynn novels.

[the_wine_snob]

Jim,

Thank you for that tip. I have broken the order, but will start with the first next (starting to sound like "who's on first?" there - sorry), and the work up. That will likely fill in a few "blank spots" for me.

Appreciated,

Hunt

[John T Smith]

Jim Simon wrote:

You should read the series in order.  They kind of flow into one another.  Same with the Vince Flynn novels.

Sadly, no more Vince Flynn books http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/06/19/best-selling-author-vince-flynn-dies-at-age-47/?intcmp=features

[Jim_Simon]

Damn!  I love his books so much that I will put down whatever I'm in the middle of to read his newest Mitch Rapp thriller.  Ironically, The Survivor will be his last title, due out this fall.

Fare well, Vince.  You were loved, you will be missed.

[John T Smith]

>The Survivor will be his last title, due out this fall

Another article said that may not happen... no details, but "reading between the lines" of discussion about his failing health for the past several months, I got the impression that the book was not finished

Of course, if it is simply a matter of editing and small rewrites, the book could still happen

[the_wine_snob]

Farewell Vince

I have been looking for comments on The Survivor, but have not had much luck. Maybe too soon?

I have forgotten the source of this conversation (Hannity maybe?), but when George W Bush was in office, he met Flynn, pulled him aside and commented:

Bush - "You sure do a great job with your books. How do you get so much sensitive information?"

Flynn - "Mr. President, I have some great sources."

Bush - "Well, maybe I should just read all your books, 'cause your 'sources' are better than mine. I waste too much time with those Daily Security Briefings, and you seem to have all the right intel."

Flynn - "Thank you for the kind words Mr. President. I will see that all of my books are in your office by tomorrow."

I would like to think that Flynn was far enough along in the last book, that a good editor, and maybe a few writers, could wrap it up. We will see.

RIP Vince,

Hunt

[John T Smith]

>looking for comments on The Survivor, but have not had much luck. Maybe too soon?

I didn't keep a link (found the article on either Foxnews or Googlenews) but it said the book was due this November... and now may not happen

[the_wine_snob]

I've not found that one yet - just the tons of obits.

Amazon still has the Autumn release date up, but who knows how quickly that might be changed?

I was about to pre-order The Survivor, and Brad Thor's soon-to-be-released book (July, 2013), but will now wait a bit, and see what shakes out.

Thanks,

Hunt

[the_wine_snob]

Jim,

Just read Lions of Lucerne and then Trail of the Assassin. Working my way up to Full Black again. Have my "travel reading list" all set for Oct.

Now I think that most Brad Thor material SHOULD be done as a movie series. Can't say who should play Scot Harvath yet, though.

Thanks for the H/U on the order. I see what you mean.

Hunt

[the_wine_snob]

Jim,

I took your advice, and completely agree with you. I put down Full Black, and did everything before. I had to hit a Barns & Nobels in DC to fill in the few blanks, but just finished all of the Scot Harvath books, and in order. Unfortuntely, I ran out, while in London, but did not have Full Black with me, and could not find it in Mayfair. Those books went far too quickly, but then we had some very long flights, and then a few rainy days, so I was knocking them out in about a day.

Now that I am back home, and have Full Black in hand, I should have them all done, and will start on The Athena Project (Athena was a previous Bulldog, so it holds a special place in my heart). I just wonder who I would cast as Harvath, Tracy, Adera, President Rutledge, and the rest. Interesting pondering there. I also found THIS link, on a movie (or movie franchise). Guess that I was not the only person to see the potential there. Full Black was starting very well, but your advice was right on, and greatly appreciated. I now understand. I missed one book, due to what I had in my suitcase, and after filling in that blank, re-read it (took only the time to fly from SFO to IAD).

Thanks,

Hunt