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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."
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.
The on-tape version of this story was one of my favorite tapes for a long time. It featured truly excellent acting and sound effects and was better than any movie I can imagine. The horror in the voices of the travellers having returned and discovered what they had done still sends a cold shiver down my back.
I found a copy at my local library, definatly something to look up before it gets picked up by the movie fan masses.
What post? The one you're carrying inside your rusty innards!
Oh, well, we can hope that the new Fahrenheit 451 will be treated with a bit more respect.
You don't know Hollywood very well do you?
I wonder about all these "remakes" where the message of the book is erased (I even include "I, Robot" in that...). How many people will not read books because they saw the films and think they know what they were about, desite the films being sanitised, pro-corporatist and watered-down?
Great, now a title like this rings the bell of M. Moore instead of R. Bradbury. Great indeed.
It's like when I saw in a DVD review of TRON that it was the Matrix of the eighties. I shouldn't comment on this further.
I just guess today's bright minds can't take the burden of even just 10-20 years of cultural heritage. Let alone history.
I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I can think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.
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
What book? "A sound of thunder" is a cheesy 2 page short story where a guy goes back in time, steps on a butterfly, and rewrites all of history.
For a 2 pager, it's a good story. But sheeit, get a grip on it people, it's not the greatest story I've read by a long shot.
I'm surprised anyone thought it was worth a movie. It was barely worth the Simpsons spoof.
I have a feeling what happened was, someone wrote a script about going back in time to hunt dinosaurs, suits noticed the similarities in plots, and just bought the rights to the story rather than risk a copyright suit down the road.
I like Bradbury and all, but this just seems like a goofy short story to get worked up about.
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
*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!!!
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