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A Sound of Thunder

blamanj writes "One of the great sci-fi short stories, Ray Bradbury's A Sound of Thunder is scheduled to be released on film next month. Links to the trailers (QT, Real, WMP) can be found here. The original story prefigured chaos theory in its 'small changes, large effects' premise. Indeed, when I first heard the term 'butterfly theory,' I assumed it was based on Bradbury's story. Unlike the original, however, the film won't be touching on dystopian politics, but appears to have been turned into a 'Jurassic Park'-style creature feature. Sigh. Oh, well, we can hope that the new Fahrenheit 451 will be treated with a bit more respect."

10 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. Its already happened by MeridianOnTheLake · · Score: 5, Funny

    I watched the preview and my theory is that this has already happened. Some doofus stepped off the path and killed a butterfly, because the rest of the trailer bears absolutely no resemblence to my memory of Ray Bradbury's story.

  2. Re:Hollywood by skinfitz · · Score: 4, Funny

    It will probably be turned into a comedy chick flick.

    FARENHEIT 451 - THE TEMPERATURE THAT *LOVE* BURNS!

    Starring Ben Stiller & Cameron Diaz

  3. Spoiler by GoofyBoy · · Score: 3, Funny

    Thees is goo chort storrie.

    Mee hapie Bush waz re-ellectd.

    --
    The surprise isn't how often we make bad choices; the surprise is how seldom they defeat us.
  4. What about Ray? by Vinnie_333 · · Score: 4, Funny
    Martin: As your president, I would demand a science fiction library, featuring the an ABC of the overlords of the gentre: Asimov, Bester, and Clarke.

    Milouse: What about Ray Bradbury?

    Marin: I'm aware of his work.

    --

    "We shall party like the Greeks of old! You know the ones I mean." - HedonismBot
  5. Re:Hollywood by Spoing · · Score: 2, Funny
    1. Starring Ben Stiller & Cameron Diaz

    Unfortunately, I can see that;

    Ben: What is that? Is that a book?

    Cameron: Yes, it's a book. What's the big deal.

    Ben: They burst into flames...get rid of it.

    Cameron: That's silly. It's just a book. Why are you so scared?

    Ben: I'm not. [grabs book tosses it out the window] [book hits Fireman on the helmet]

    Cameron: Hey! I was reading that!

    Ben: Books are bad for you. [flaming book comes back through the window, hits Ben]

    Cameron: Ah! Put it out put it out!

    Ben: See! AHAHAHA!

    Cameron: Drop and roll.

    Ben: What -- you read that in a book?

    Cameron: Yes!
    --
    A firewall can not protect you from yourself. Turn off what you do not need. Do not use the firewall to do your work.
  6. Great spot for a TV commercial by hellfire · · Score: 5, Funny

    *Fade up, its a dystopian world 2054, things constantly break down, the sky is polluted. Cars with the MS logo are crashing randomly on the side of the road. Computer screens flicker, and some of them even show BSODs*

    *Cut to scene in a corporation*


    Salesrep: We offer time travel services! Go back in time and play pranks on you favorite CEOs!

    Client: Sounds like fun! Can i throw a pie in bill gates face?

    Salesrep: your in luck! He gets pied in history. We'll send you back in time and it won't disrupt the timeline.

    Client: great, I want to pay that SOB back. I look around and see all the things that have gone wrong and I get so mad.

    *cut to time machine*

    Expedition leader: remember... stay on the path. Now ready your pies!

    *time machine starts, expedition walks in, cut to scene in japan. Bill Gates is attending a conference. A japanese prankster sneaks up on bill with a cream pie.*

    Leader: get ready... he's almost there... now!!!!

    *Bill is pied from every direction. He quickly ducks into a bathroom to freshen up*

    Client: woo hoo *gets a little excited, but slips on pie on the path. He catches his balance but not before stepping off the path*

    Leader: get back on the path! now! Everyone back home quick!

    *cut back to corporation as the expedition comes home*

    *scene has dramatically changed. It's more utopian. Everything works flawlessly and is clean. Cars in near collisions find ways to avoid each other safely and automatically.*


    Leader: what happened?

    Salesrep: sir? Nothing has happened, you've returned safely.

    Leader: Damnit we changed the timeline. I have to find my wife!

    Salesrep (looking puzzled): you can use that terminal there to email her, use the search engine to locate her, or place voice call even.

    Leader: what? no! Thats impossible, Microsoft computers don't work that well, it would break down or I'd send her a virus! I can't risk that!

    Salerep: Microsoft sir? Microsoft has been dead for decades. Everyone uses Linux now.

    *Leader turns to client, pushes him into a chair and lifts the client's boot. Under his boot is an MSN butterfly, crushed and dead.*

    Announcer: Change your future with Linux!!!

    --

    "All great wisdom is contained in .signature files"

  7. Re:It's the Election, stupid by mhackarbie · · Score: 2, Funny
    Actually, the previous election works even better.

    Ok, who was the fool who stepped on the butterfly?!!

    --
    Building a better ribosome since 1997
  8. dupe by Temsi · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hollywood executives aren't the only ones who do the same thing over and over... now Slashdot does it too!

    Previous version of this story here

    --
    -- This sig for rent.
  9. All hopeful posts.. by Lord+Bitman · · Score: 2, Funny

    didnt watch the fucking trailer.
    Remember Timecop? No? Good. May the same be said of this load. "Time Ripples" are always unforgiveable.

    --
    -- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
  10. Didn't this already happen? by toastgoddess · · Score: 2, Funny

    The wrong guy wins a close election because of a problem with a butterfly?