An exciting - if totally unexpected - announcement today:
QuoteJoe Cornish has signed up to helm an upcoming movie adaptation of Snow Crash.
The Attack the Block director will write and direct the project, after the rights were acquired by Paramount Pictures, reports Deadline.
The 1992 cyberpunk bestseller by Neal Stephenson was originally under development by Paramount soon after its release but plans fell through.
The original novel takes place in the near future, where the US has turned into a collection of corporate city-states, and private enterprises and the mafia are in control of the nation.
The plot centres around a computer virus and drug named Snow Crash that is transmitted through computer screen to its users.
It follows lead character Hiro Protagonist, a computer hacker, samurai swordsman and pizza delivery man who attempts to halt the ongoing control of the elite.
Love the book - love Cornish, so this could be great.
The novel is going to need some serious chopping and changing to get it to work as a film, though...
My least favourite Stephenson novel ([spoiler]Inuit assassin using kayak and harpoon[/spoiler] put me off... all very World Judges), although it is 13 years since I read it, and since then I've become a Stephenson groupie - I'm going to have to give it another chance, aren't I?
My favourite part of Snow Crash is the bit where it's a blatant rip off of Vineland only with (by now laughably dated) sci-fi trappings.
Pynchon is your girlfriend.
QuoteMy favourite part of Snow Crash is the bit where it's a blatant rip off of Vineland only with (by now laughably dated) sci-fi trappings.
Yeah, and The Stars My Destination is just The Count of Monte Cristo in space.
Novel influences other novel omg.
As for 'dated sci-fi trappings', you'd be hard pressed to find a science fiction novel that didn't require quite a bit of reworking to bring it up to date. Goes with the territory.
And Tordel - [spoiler]it's an Inuit assassin using kayak and harpoon
and riding a motorcycle with a dead man's switch-primed nuke in the sidecar[/spoiler]. What's not to like about that? So much potential for incredible imagery in this movie, looking forward to seeing what they come up with.
Quote from: radiator on 15 June, 2012, 11:12:54 AMWhat's not to like about that? So much potential for incredible imagery in this movie, looking forward to seeing what they come up with.
In fairness to Stephenson, I was expecting Gibson's
Bridge stuff when I first read
Snow Crash, couriers on paper bicycles and that sort of thing -
Snow Crash just seemed silly. I've read pretty much everything he's written since then and have a much better appreciation of his particular brand of crazy. I may even give it another go as my next read.
QuoteSnow Crash just seemed silly
It is. Very.
I've never heard of Snow Crash before, but stimulated by this thread, I have done 10 minute's research and it looks like the shittest, nerdiest bit of fan fiction ever.
People read this stuff?
Yeah Brendan, and I've heard some people read picture books about a motorcycle cop who has a voice activated gun and a big stick and patrols a - pffft! - really big city! The dicks!
But I know what you mean. Snow Crash was the fist Neal Stephenson book I read. I thought it would be utter shite based on the back blurb, but it ripped along at a fair aule clip and seemed packed with ideas just for fun and stuff.
It's no Anathem or Diamond Age, but it's a grand yarn that doesn't take itself too seriously.
M.
Quote from: brendan1 on 15 June, 2012, 01:03:50 PM
...it looks like the shittest, nerdiest bit of fan fiction ever.
Fan fiction of...?