The Jim Butcher Files: Dresden . Codex Alera . Cinder Spires & More

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

Starship Troopers is one of my all time favorite novels. It's one that I reread every year at leat once.
I saw the movie before I'd read the book, and I hated it. It was because of that experience that I refused to read what I thought was drivel.
I wish wish wish that I would have read the novel years earlier, and had never seen the movie.
I'm not one of those fortunate souls that are able to clear my mind of the book before watching the movies. Sometimes, as with LotR, and The Hunger Games, one is pleasantly surprised. Other times, as with Congo and Sahara it feels like a bout of food poisoning in my brain!

Have you ever stopped and thought about 'why' you 'hated it'? It probably wouldn't appeal to someone who wasn't looking at it as the satirical piece that Verhoeven was aiming for when he made it. The NAZI-like society complete with both broadcast and chanted political slogans in a Scifi-comic book wrapper.

[Melon Soda]

I actually haven't watched the Hunger Games but I honestly can't complain about characters being too good looking on screen. At least if the movie is a "flop" to you for any reasons, you'd still have gotten some eye candy out of it.

But of course comparisons are inevitable. In many cases, I'd have already read the books first before the movies (Jack Reacher, Death Note, etc), and I did find myself being slightly more critical of the movies in such cases. On the other hand, I have gotten interested in picking up the books after watching the movie (Harry Potter) and it was fun figuring out which parts of the movie were changed from the books.

Now I just wish I can get my hands on the Dresden files and Dexter tv series.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by Melon Soda

I actually haven't watched the Hunger Games but I honestly can't complain about characters being too good looking on screen. At least if the movie is a "flop" to you for any reasons, you'd still have gotten some eye candy out of it.

But of course comparisons are inevitable. In many cases, I'd have already read the books first before the movies (Jack Reacher, Death Note, etc), and I did find myself being slightly more critical of the movies in such cases. On the other hand, I have gotten interested in picking up the books after watching the movie (Harry Potter) and it was fun figuring out which parts of the movie were changed from the books.

Now I just wish I can get my hands on the Dresden files and Dexter tv series.

Aren't they available from Amazon in Singapore?

Here's some USA links to them Dexter & Dresden.

[bizzybody]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

Starship Troopers is one of my all time favorite novels. It's one that I reread every year at leat once.
I saw the movie before I'd read the book, and I hated it. It was because of that experience that I refused to read what I thought was drivel.
I wish wish wish that I would have read the novel years earlier, and had never seen the movie.
I'm not one of those fortunate souls that are able to clear my mind of the book before watching the movies. Sometimes, as with LotR, and The Hunger Games, one is pleasantly surprised. Other times, as with Congo and Sahara it feels like a bout of food poisoning in my brain!

At the time Heinlein wrote "Starship Troopers" he was well into his conservative phase. If you have a chance, read his first written (1939) but last published (posthumously) novel "For Us, The Living". He was originally quite far leftist. Into the 1970's he'd gone very much Libertarian.

"Starship Troopers" the movie is what happens when a studio allows a far leftist director to make a movie loosely based on a decades old novel written by a conservative who used to be so far left wing it'd make the movie director look conservative - all while said director and much of the rest of the industry falsely claims the book is "fascist" and have never even read it.

Verhoeven stated in 1997 that the first scene of the film (an advertisement for the mobile infantry) was adapted shot-for-shot from a scene from Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will, specifically an outdoor rally for the Reichsarbeitsdienst.

It also doesn't help that the movie was already into pre-production as "Bug Hunt at Outpost Nine" before someone 'discovered' that the book was 'similar' to the movie and bought the movie rights.

So, take a lame C-or-worse grade movie, change character names and lift a few bits and bobs from a famous book and Tada! you have a "Based on the Best Selling Novel" movie. Take that to the bank and they give you $$$ to plump up the effects and hire Neil Patrick Harris for a bit part.

To add insult to insulting cinematic drivel, there are three direct to video sequels. "Starship Troopers: Hero of the Federation" 2004, "Starship Troopers: Marauder" 2008 and "Starship Troopers: Invasion" 2012.

There was also a FPS video game released in 2005 but looks like it is the height of 1997 technology with enemy "AI" so bad you can just sit there and do nothing while the bugs mill around aimlessly instead of swarming up the wall to overrun your outpost. Shoot'em at your leisure. It was reviewed on "X-Play" on G4-TV and one of the hosts called the book "fascist". I never watched that show again.

*more research* Ack! *Another* video game, a Real Time Tactics one released in 2000.

Starship Troopers is never going to get a decent break in mass entertainment media.

See also the horrid "adaptation" of "A Princess of Mars" committed by Disney. They get a 100%+ grade on style but a -1000% on story. It has about as much in common with the books as the Dresden files TV series has with those books.

Why was the Disney movie title "John Carter"? Because those low-rent bottom scrapers at "The Asylum" had already squeezed out their own even farther off version and nailed down the "Princess of Mars" title first - starring (oh fer gawds' sake) Traci Lords.

[Melon Soda]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Aren't they available from Amazon in Singapore?

Here's some USA links to them Dexter & Dresden.

Thanks for the links! But I am not sure if they would work on my player since the DVDs on Amazon are mostly region 1 and my player is biased towards region 3 DVDs. I didn't want to risk getting it and ended up not being able to watch it. (Happened to me once, so once bitten twice shy! ) I was actually checking out sites like netflix the other time but it wouldn't let me sign up lol. So the hunt continues!

[piper28]

Originally Posted by bizzybody

To add insult to insulting cinematic drivel, there are three direct to video sequels. "Starship Troopers: Hero of the Federation" 2004, "Starship Troopers: Marauder" 2008 and "Starship Troopers: Invasion" 2012.

Wow, they did a third one? The first one barely seemed to make it to "screen", after a lot of people were waiting for it. That disaster should have been enough to kill any chance of anything else being done. I saw the second one once when I was flipping through channels. The only good thing for it was it wasn't as bad as the first sequel. The idea that they did another after that is just stunning.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by Melon Soda

Thanks for the links! But I am not sure if they would work on my player since the DVDs on Amazon are mostly region 1 and my player is biased towards region 3 DVDs. I didn't want to risk getting it and ended up not being able to watch it. (Happened to me once, so once bitten twice shy! ) I was actually checking out sites like netflix the other time but it wouldn't let me sign up lol. So the hunt continues!

So you need a DVD All Region Player‎!

[alansplace]

DragonCon, Dynamite, and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge!

BADALI SIGNING CLARIFICATION

We have a clarification for Jim’s signing at the Badali booth at DragonCon. A fan pointed out that the 2pm signing is just one hour after the dealer’s hall opens at 1pm, so instead, the Badali folks advise fans to email badalijewelry (at) badalijewelry.com and request a free timed ticket in advance. If any tickets remain the day of the signing, they will be given out to fans on a first-come, first-served basis as soon as the dealer’s hall opens.



ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE

After being challenged by author Larry Correia and Dresden Files Fan Filming actress Mandie Reese, Jim enlisted his nieces and nephews in an act of charitable siliness! For those who have been hiding under rocks the past week or so, the Ice Bucket Challenge involves daring people to either donate $100 to the ALS Association or post a video of you dumping a bucket of ice water on your head and donate $10. Many do both! Here’s Jim’s video:



DRM-FREE DRESDEN

Dynamite Comics, publishers of the Dresden Files graphic novels, have launched a DRM-Free endeavor! You can pick up the current story, War Cry, at Dynamite Digital. During the launch, they’re donating 10% of all sales across the board to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. They’re also offering 10 Dynamite #1′s at .10 cents to help celebrate their 10th Anniversary! Check it out.

Posted by priscellie at 8:20 pm

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by piper28

Wow, they did a third one? The first one barely seemed to make it to "screen", after a lot of people were waiting for it. That disaster should have been enough to kill any chance of anything else being done. I saw the second one once when I was flipping through channels. The only good thing for it was it wasn't as bad as the first sequel. The idea that they did another after that is just stunning.

Statistically if they keep trying and learn from their mistakes, eventually they will have a hit?

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Melon Soda

Thanks for the links! But I am not sure if they would work on my player since the DVDs on Amazon are mostly region 1 and my player is biased towards region 3 DVDs.

They are Region 1 DVDs according to the product details. But your DVD player can't be persuaded to play other regions? Most players can, even if it often takes some very creative tapdancing on the remote control or front buttons to make it happen.

[alansplace]

[Melon Soda]

Originally Posted by alansplace

So you need a DVD All Region Player‎!

I knew someone would say that!

Originally Posted by mbovenka

They are Region 1 DVDs according to the product details. But your DVD player can't be persuaded to play other regions? Most players can, even if it often takes some very creative tapdancing on the remote control or front buttons to make it happen.

I didn't know DVD player can be persuaded to play other regions! need to google it out now!

Originally Posted by alansplace

A Dresden files RPG game?? Which platform is it for?

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Melon Soda

A Dresden files RPG game?? Which platform is it for?

I would assume pencil and paper given Harry's relationship with electronic devices.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by Melon Soda

I knew someone would say that!

Yep, it was me. Is there something wrong with an under $30 investment?

Originally Posted by Melon Soda

I didn't know DVD player can be persuaded to play other regions! need to google it out now!

Me either.

Originally Posted by Melon Soda

A Dresden files RPG game?? Which platform is it for?

Table chairs & dice I believe.

[Melon Soda]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Yep, it was me. Is there something wrong with an under $30 investment?

Except it would end up costing more with shipping, unless I buy enough to qualify for free shipping (DVD player + all the DVDs! ). Seems like you can get almost everything from Amazon now. But I'm not sure if they'll ship electronics/hardware to Singapore so I'll have to check it out, but thanks for the link!

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I would assume pencil and paper given Harry's relationship with electronic devices.

Originally Posted by alansplace

Table chairs & dice I believe.

Okay, I should have thought of that LOL!!