Destination Daddy?
When I first read that Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson were taking on Tintin, my main concern was about the use of motion capture technology. I guess if anybody can pull it off, it's these guys. I just don't want to see it turned into another Polar Express.
Now I'm more concerned that Spielberg is not going to respect the essential blankness of Tintin — that he will try to give him a backstory and (shudder) daddy issues. Fortunately the three films will be based on actual Hergé stories. I'd hate to think of the damage they could do by starting from scratch. The question is how faithful they'll be.
So which books would make the best movies? (Which is not the same question as which are the best books, since everyone knows that's Tintin in Tibet). My votes: Cigars of the Pharaoh, The Broken Ear and The Secret of the Unicorn/Red Rackham's Treasure. You know they'll do those last two (probably combined) to cash in on the pirate trend.
I'd love this to work, but I'm skeptical. Frankly, I just don't see the need for Tintin movies.
On the other hand, I'm willing to bet now that Jackson's adaptation of The Lovely Bones is going to be amazing and will dominate the Oscars.
Related: May 22 is the 100th anniversary of Hergé's birth. I just got word that four amazing cartoonists will be celebrating with a multimedia performance at Beauty Bar in NYC on Monday the 21st. Details here.
Comments
a backstory and (shudder) daddy issues.
Seriously. Can't recall if you commented on it here, but that latest Willy Wonka movie had some promise until it was sunk to the depths of worthlessness by the utterly unwelcome crapola about Wonka's childhood.
Posted by: Vance | May 17, 2007 10:49 AM
Wow, this is kind of exciting news! "The Red Sea Sharks" is another possible seagoing adventure alternative. They're probably not going to pick the silly ones, like "The Castafiore Emerald" and "The Shooting Star", much as I love those. Maybe "The Seven Crystal Balls"?
Posted by: Francis | May 17, 2007 11:09 AM
My vote: do The Black Island as it does not have Capt Haddock. (they can't screw him up) Stay away from my faves, 7 Crystal Balls, Prisoners of the Sun, and in Tibet. Do Castifiore Emerald because I won't care if it's mangled. Land of Soviets and in Congo would be fun to see.
Posted by: danny | May 17, 2007 11:33 AM
danny - I see what you're getting at, but you do, of course, have the option of not seeing the movies at all.
Also, I think Castifiore Emerald is underrated (though it would make a lousy movie).
Posted by: radosh | May 17, 2007 11:37 AM
In the interest of authenticity, maybe they can keep all the racist shit in there.
Sorry, I loved Tintin. I'm just being annoying and anonymous.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 17, 2007 1:06 PM
I prefer "colonialist." And since Hergé himself took the worst stuff out in later editions, cleaning it up yet more would only make it *more* authentic.
Posted by: radosh | May 17, 2007 1:28 PM
Blue Lotus or King Ottokar's Sceptre. Solid adventure.
Posted by: TG Gibbon | May 17, 2007 1:33 PM
If the films get people who otherwise wouldn't read Tintin books to read them, then great.
Posted by: danny | May 17, 2007 6:35 PM
I hope that if they film "King Ottokar's Sceptre", they keep in the thrilling "tourist pamphlet" scene.
Posted by: Francis | May 18, 2007 2:34 PM