|
Post by deuce on Sept 3, 2016 0:29:37 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by deuce on Sept 4, 2016 16:33:13 GMT -5
Saw this out on the Webz. Written by Abraham Sherman:
Both the Asylum’s “Princess of Mars” film and Disney’s “John Carter” film modernized the character of John Carter in different ways. I respect Antonio Sabato Jr. for being the first onscreen John Carter. He did a good job with the character as written. Taylor Kitsch likewise did well with the version of the character he was given.
But due to those modernizations, we have yet to see ERB's John Carter, or ERB's Barsoom. Modernizing John Carter puts a whole different spin on the world he encounters. Either the planet must be changed into something divorced from ERB to suit the arc of the modern main character, or a modern man takes too long to "get" the chivalry and culture of Barsoom, putting him out of touch with the central conflicts of the planet for too much of the story. The main character should have some questions, some issues to resolve, but he should engage in the world at hand as quickly as possible, so we can go along with him in exploring that world and caring about it as soon as possible.
The refusing-the-call phase of the hero's journey needs a non-traditional rendering in a setting like Barsoom, where to be there is to be in the midst of the conflict. There are no caves of refuge on Barsoom - nowhere to escape to think things over. Even the fortified atmosphere plant has an air of fragility. At the beginning of the stories, practically everyone is in a kill-or-be-killed situation. John Carter's character arc should be something other than a struggle to engage in the world. A Barsoom film is at least as much about the planet as it is about John Carter, and a modernized hero creates unnecessary complications for the connection between the planet and the man.
Taylor Kitsch's John Carter was a Civil War veteran, same as ERB's character, but modernization was nonetheless introduced via his cynical, disengaged perspective toward war. This seemed designed to resonate with modern anti-war sentiments. The John Carter of the books would recognize the bad guys from the good guys quickly, and jump into the fight with everything he has in order to end the conflict as quickly as possible. He would view reluctance to fight as something which would only prolong the conflict and multiply its horrors.
The John Carter of the books would consider the differences between the Tharks and Warhoons, and Helium and Zodanga, and fight for Thark and Helium even if he never met Dejah Thoris. Of course, the romance is primary in the books, but he never would have pursued Dejah Thoris if he had found her to have dishonorable character. His "old-fashioned" moral judgements get the veto over his passions; in the case of Dejah Thoris his morals and his passions lined up, which is why he is so devoted to her.
Barsoom isn't about today, nor should it be. It's about the aspects of humanity which were the same yesterday, and will be the same tomorrow. Too much of "today," and the mirror will be too flatteringly distorted to show us our true reflections.
J.R.R. Tolkien, the creator of The Lord of the Rings, wrote to create a myth for the Anglo-Saxon race, structured around his love of languages. He did it well enough that people of all races can enjoy his work.
Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars, wrote to feed his family and to entertain. With Barsoom, he gave his uniquely brilliant imagination free reign, and ended up inspiring scientists, science fiction, and the modern age of mythic heroism. We owe the 80-years-and-going-strong fervor surrounding superheroes to ERB - if Jerry Siegel, the creator of Superman, is to be believed.
Just as no amount of excellent fantasy writing has diminished Tolkien's works in the least, neither have decades of science fiction and superheroes diminished ERB's works. We will never get enough of the men and women of yesterday and tomorrow, the heroes who would demonstrate the same character on Mount Olympus as on an alien planet.
Why Barsoom? Why go back to the beginning of science fiction and superheroes as we know them? Because today's fire, no matter how aggressive and how hot it has burned, has not shone brighter than the lightning which ignited it. John Carter remains an ageless man, and Barsoom a world apart.
|
|
|
Post by deuce on Sept 10, 2016 15:05:17 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by deuce on Sept 11, 2016 14:22:24 GMT -5
Wacky Alice Cooper video with great art:
|
|
|
Post by Von K on Sept 11, 2016 14:57:31 GMT -5
Some great articles and linkage there Deuce, thanks! And that Barsoom map is awesome! Nearest I had to a map like that in the old days was from SPI's John Carter Warlord of Mars boxed set.
|
|
|
Post by almuric on Oct 3, 2016 17:28:27 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by finarvyn on Oct 3, 2016 19:08:02 GMT -5
One place I thought where Burroughs dropped the ball a little bit with Warlord is there is no framing sequence like the other two books (I agree completely with the criticism that there are too many forced separations and coincidences). We're left to wonder how Uncle Jack finished the story to his nephew. In a way, the end sequence of the movie is the closing act Warlord never had. I'm glad you commented on this, because the John Carter never seems to get any love and I think that some of the story arcs therein are well written (even if they don't quite match ERB's storyline). I agree that Warlord seemed to be missing something and I never quite put my finger on it until reading your post.
|
|
|
Post by themirrorthief on Oct 3, 2016 19:14:40 GMT -5
The Mastermind of Mars is an excellent work. IMO its a better version of The Island Of DR Moreau...I read these one after the other and I def liked Mastermind better. Another really excellent Burroughs work is called The Lost Continent? I really enjoyed it...there is an audio version on Librivox...good stuff. Prowling though my vast book collection I came upon a space opera by Burroughs, cant recall the name but I got to read that one soon...looks good.
|
|
|
Post by deuce on Oct 3, 2016 19:24:15 GMT -5
Thanks Jason. I enjoyed hearing your perspective. Wonder if anyone has written any Gor Hajus fanfic? Thanks, VonK, glad you enjoyed it. I'm curious myself to see if Gor Hajus shows up in anymore of the Barsoom books. I'll probably wait a while until I read A FIGHTING MAN OF MARS, though. As I recall, TMMoM was Gor's only appearance. I really enjoyed A Fighting Man of Mars. One of my first Barsoom novels.
|
|
|
Post by johnnypt on Oct 3, 2016 20:32:34 GMT -5
Apparently Dynamite didn't learn a lesson from Dark Horse's experience:
Brian Wood and Alex Cox are revamping Edgar Rice Burrough's John Carter of Mars for a new series at Dynamite Entertainment.
"Taking on a classic literary icon like John Carter is no small thing, and working with Alex Cox to find a direction that both honors the past and looks into the future has been a great challenge, one that we both are enjoying immensely," says Brian Wood.
Dynamite has released no details on the artists involved, nor the timeline for the book's publication. Garry Brown and Hayden Sherman illustrated pieces for the project however, provided here by the publisher.
"The John Carter series is one of the all-time great Sci-fi/fantasy epics, and having the opportunity to play in that sandbox is just awesome. Brian's concept is unlike any John Carter story to date, but with a lot of reverence for the world that Burroughs built." states co-writer Alex Cox. "Beyond that, we're drawing on everything from Jodorowsky to Jesse Marsh to John Wayne to make this story as cool as possible. I think people are going to love it- old school superfans, and also people who have no idea what a Rykor is."
Does any of this sound familiar?
|
|
|
Post by deuce on Oct 14, 2016 19:36:52 GMT -5
|
|
ironhand
Thief
The Mad Playwright
Posts: 133
|
Post by ironhand on Oct 15, 2016 2:47:17 GMT -5
That is without a doubt the wussiest John Carter I have ever seen.
|
|
|
Post by thedarkman on Oct 15, 2016 6:00:06 GMT -5
That is without a doubt the wussiest John Carter I have ever seen. I can't get past those spindly legs!😳
|
|
|
Post by deuce on Oct 15, 2016 8:04:16 GMT -5
Apparently Dynamite didn't learn a lesson from Dark Horse's experience: Brian Wood and Alex Cox are revamping Edgar Rice Burrough's John Carter of Mars for a new series at Dynamite Entertainment. "Taking on a classic literary icon like John Carter is no small thing, and working with Alex Cox to find a direction that both honors the past and looks into the future has been a great challenge, one that we both are enjoying immensely," says Brian Wood. Dynamite has released no details on the artists involved, nor the timeline for the book's publication. Garry Brown and Hayden Sherman illustrated pieces for the project however, provided here by the publisher. "The John Carter series is one of the all-time great Sci-fi/fantasy epics, and having the opportunity to play in that sandbox is just awesome. Brian's concept is unlike any John Carter story to date, but with a lot of reverence for the world that Burroughs built." states co-writer Alex Cox. "Beyond that, we're drawing on everything from Jodorowsky to Jesse Marsh to John Wayne to make this story as cool as possible. I think people are going to love it- old school superfans, and also people who have no idea what a Rykor is." Does any of this sound familiar? All too familiar. Thanks for the heads-up, Johnny.
|
|
|
Post by deuce on Nov 6, 2016 17:43:51 GMT -5
Anacleto's Dejah:
|
|