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Pratchett's 'Good Omens' On The Big Screen
martial writes "The book 'Good Omens' is in the process to be adapted for the big screen. The book was reviewed on Slashdot before. The book was written by Terry Pratchett (Discworld) and Neil Gaiman and speaks about the apocalypse in a pretty funny way. For the movie version, little is known other than Terry Gilliam (Monty Python member and director of 12 Monkeys and Brazil) is going to be the director. The information about the movie is available at the Internet Movie Database." Until this goes into something other than pre-production, it is a rumor and should be treated as such.
I have to admit, I usually dislike movies based on my favorite books. And _Good Omens_ is one of my most favorite books. It is just about the funniest book I have ever read. Just ahead of The _Hitchhiker's Guide_ 'Trilogy'.
But Good Omens will be even harder to put into a movie than other favorites like _Ender's Game_. Why? Well, one of the best things about _Good Omens_ is the language. Full of nuance and wit, the narration tells more than the dialog or actions.
On the other hand, Gilliam is an excellent director and knows his way around wit. Still, I'm not sure if he is quite suited to the part. Omens is very understated in many ways (I think the best humor is understated humor), whereas Gilliam tends to go for overstatement. Certainly in his older work, and to some degree in his more modern works. (If you don't think so, watch Brazil again, talk about overstated)
Nevertheless, no matter how much of a let down the movie is or isn't it will make me remember the book, and that can't be a bad thing. I will certainly see the movie when (and if) it ever comes out.
For anyone who as not read _Good Omens_, DO IT NOW! It is easily the funniest book I have ever read, and ranks up there in the 10 best books I have read (and I have read quite a lot, never had a TV past 5th grade, so...). Do not wait for the movie, you will lose out if you see the movie first, no matter how good it is.
Damnit, I just realized I lent out my copy of Good Omens and never got it back. Now I want to read it again (for about the 5th time).
--Nick
Found this on Discworld Monthly
Neil Gaiman confirmed that Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Time Bandits) will write and direct the feature film version of Good Omens, the novel Gaiman co-authored with Terry Pratchett. Gaiman told SCI FI Wire that Gilliam will write the screenplay with Tony Grisoni, who worked with Gilliam on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Peter Samuelson, Marc Samuelson (Arlington Road) and Chuck Roven will produce the film, and talks are ongoing with several studios to develop the project.
Gaiman said he plans to keep his distance from the film. "Terry Pratchett and I have elected not to get involved--we both got our fingers burned some years ago trying to write a Good Omens movie for Sovereign Pictures, for producers who bought Good Omens and then immediately began trying to turn it into something else. We decided that this time around we would give the book to people who seemed to understand it and let them make the film."
Gaiman also had high praise for Gilliam and the Samuelsons. "We turned down a lot of producers before the Samuelsons came along, and they impressed us by understanding what the book was about (and not just understanding what happened in it and the meaning of several of the longer words)," Gaiman said. "I think Terry Gilliam is the perfect director for Good Omens in every way, and I've been an enormous fan of his since Jabberwocky."
Gaiman added that he is "really looking forward to going and eating popcorn at the premiere. Or those little raisin things with chocolatey stuff on them."
Good Omens: or, The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, is a tongue-in-cheek telling of the Apocalypse from the viewpoint of an angel and a devil who realize their best interests lie in working together to postpone the Day of Reckoning.
I guess that makes the whole thing a bit less of a rumour :)