I, Robot.. Big Willie style

[Sylpher]

Well if you are not aware I will make it so. I, Robot, A personal favorite of mine writen by Isaac Asimov, is being adapted into a movie starring none other then.. Will Smith!

Which I can let that slide even though it seems an odd choice. As long as he lays off the token comedic relief then I won't punch the movie screen. However, what I am enjoying is the campaign going on very suttle like right now..

http://www.irobotnow.com

I have had more then one person ask me.. 'Have you seen that robot commercial?' I just tell them yes robots are real and they are coming!

I have also heard Foundation is being adapted into a movie or maybe Two. I just thought I'd shed some light. It is still a bit early I think to see if it has hope but if Alex Proyas screws it up death is the only answer!

[Trapezoid]

I've never read the book and this still looks really interesting.
Is it just me, or is the film industry actually looking up lately? We're getting lauded films like LOTR, Kill Bill, the Matrix, etc. Not to mention that independant film is incredibly popular right now.

[Darth Mandarb]

I, Robot is a great book and I'm interested to see what they do with the movie version.  It'll be interesting to see how much they 'modernize' it.

Have you ever seen I, Borg?  (The episode of Star Trek The Next Generation) it was by far my favorite episode in all the seasons of TNG.  It was interesting how it tied in with I, Robot.

Anyway ... we'll see what Wil Smith can do with the role.  He, in my opinion, is capable as long as he doesn't 1/2 ass it like he did in Independence Day.

])]v[

[Barcik]

As much as I have read, they only got Asimov in there for commercial reasons. It isn't an adapation of I, Robot (how can one be done?), and at first it wasn't planned to have anything to do with it.

There's the plot outline from IMDB.com:

Set in a future Earth (2035 A.D.) where robots are common assistants and workers for their human owners, this is the story of "robotophobic" Chicago Police Detective Del Spooner's (Smith) investigation into the murder of Dr. Miles Hogenmiller, who works at U.S. Robotics (run by Greenwood), in which a robot, Sonny (Tudyk), appears to be implicated, even though that would mean the robot had violated the Laws of Robotics, which is apparently impossible. It seems impossible because.. if robots can break those laws, there's nothing to stop them from taking over the world, as humans have grown to become completely dependent upon their robots. Or maybe... they already have? Aiding Spooner in his investigation is a psychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin (Moynahan), who specializes in the psyches of robots...

So, basically, the only thing that makes it Asimov-related is the use of US Robotics, for commercian reasons purely.

[Las Naranjas]

I'd disagree with that. The plot structure and future are all Asimov derived. Perhaps the use of the title to explicitly state the nature of the the plot was misguided, but it is very much in the Asimov vein, and of the nature of Caves Of Steel, The Naked Sun and The Robots Of Dawn, that is, mysteries that hinge on the 3 laws.
And I can't find anything to pre judge this film badly as many seem to have done, I would rather wait to see the result before spurting fanboy virulence.

That said, I dislike Proyas, and his pretentions would seem to collide with the lack of pretentions that are a strength of the Doctor's writing [suprising considering his arrogance].

[Goldmund]

Tshyeah, like when they took one of the best Polish SF books, Solaris, and filmed George Clooney's buttocks instead.

[Sylpher]

Trap:
If you haven't read much or any Asimov.. I, Robot is a good start. I would also recommend Robot Dreams (it's a collection of short stories) Foundation and Nightfall.

I dunno if the Movie industry is looking up but Sci-fi and fantasy movies are alot more popular lately then they have been. Which always comes with the good and the bad..

Darth:
I was never much of a trek fan. Not for any reason really just never really watched any episodes or movies. But I'd like to see it.. Chance of catching it rerun style or no?

And.. my only problem with Will Smith is that he spent his earlier acting career in a comedic role.. Do now every role he takes all the directors think he has to be funny. When he doesn't.. I mean comedic relief is fine but most of the time it feels like he has to make a joke.. It is like when someone says "Say something funny" and your all like.. "Um... poop!" and they are all "You suck".. Yep that is will smiths career in a nut shell.

Barcik:
I will agree that it isn't really I, Robot made into a movie but from what has been released it has been faithful to Asimov. The Three laws are present, Positronic brain, Names are being used from the book.. as well the things Las pointed out. I would have liked a more faithful version of the book but if they can nail what Asimov did then I will be happy enough.

Las:
I only ever read Caves of Steel.. I will have to give Naked Sun and Robots of Dawn a spin.

Goldmund:
I didn't know that was originally a book. Has it been translated to English? Who was the author?

[Femme Stab Mode >:D]

     

I love that book, I accidentally put it in the wash, but then I got an another copy and read it! Asimov was my favorite since childhood, since I always loved sci-fi. *dances happily because of  the news*

[BOYD1981]

isn't "I, Robot" also an old isometric C64 game?

[Shattered Sponge]

Goldmund:
I didn't know that was originally a book. Has it been translated to English? Who was the author?

I know I'm not Goldmund, but here you go anyway - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0156027607/qid=1072108934/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-5454999-6552801

[Barcik]

I'd disagree with that. The plot structure and future are all Asimov derived. Perhaps the use of the title to explicitly state the nature of the the plot was misguided, but it is very much in the Asimov vein, and of the nature of Caves Of Steel, The Naked Sun and The Robots Of Dawn, that is, mysteries that hinge on the 3 laws.

It seems to fit this structure, yes, but I have a feeling that the Three Laws were added to the initial draft by the studio's request.

Goldmund:
I think Solaris (the movie) was a good adaptation to Solaris (the book) - it kept faithful to its unique atmosphere.

[c.leksutin]

Anyway ... we'll see what Wil Smith can do with the role.  He, in my opinion, is capable as long as he doesn't 1/2 ass it like he did in Independence Day.

Will Smith half assed it in Independence Day because it was directed by that other idiot Rolland Emmerich.

That guy bugs the crap outta me.


C.

[Darth Mandarb]

Will Smith half assed it in Independence Day because it was directed by that other idiot Rolland Emmerich.
That guy bugs the crap outta me.

That's hilarious!!  Because I can't stand Dean Devlin.  I like Emmerich's solitary stuff, like The Patriot and Stargate.  But when he teams up with Devlin I tend to dislike the movies, ID4 and Godzilla.

Devlin makes the movies too comic bookish for my tastes.  The scene that jumps out at me is the part in ID4 where Will Smith, in the F-18, is runnin' from the alien ship and he's taunting it, "Come on baby ..."  or "Woah, low bridge" or "Hope you got an airbag" it was so stupid sounding ...

Anyway ... just another $0.02 from me!

])]v[

[Barcik]

I've just come back from The Day After Tomorrow, and I get a look at the theatrical trailer of I, Robot. Horrible! Tying Asimov's name to this project is an insult! He must be rolling in his grave now. The plot of this movie, apperantly, involves robots becoming a menace to mankind, and battling it. This sort of stories Asimov himself defined as Robot-as-Menace. Asimov despised Robot-as-Menace stories. Almost all of his stories are what he described Robot-as-Pathos, with the exception of a few which didn't quite belong to the other category as well. Bloody Hollywood producers.

[remixor]

I too have seen the trailer and it looks utterly retarded.

[Layabout]

I've seen the trailer. THe robots look like stupid. Like really stupid. mainly the big ugly white bits on the robots. And the faces. Uggh. I'll till see it, but they really should have made the robots more'realistic' hehe.

[Nacho]

I haven't read I, Robot (unfortunately), so I can't tell...

But I'm glad about foundation, I loved it.

[Esseb]

Goldmund:
I didn't know that was originally a book. Has it been translated to English? Who was the author?

I know I'm not Goldmund, but here you go anyway - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0156027607/qid=1072108934/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-5454999-6552801

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.12/solaris.html

Lem writes in Polish. His most important books have never appeared in English. Even his best-known novel, Solaris, is available in US bookstores only as an English translation of a French abridgement of the Polish original.

I can't find any reference to this together with the name of the authors, but considering Wired's reputation and the fact that the translation you linked to is from 1970 or so and is the only English version I can find it sounds unlikely that the Wired author didn't notice it.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=solaris%20stanislaw%20translation%20french%20abridged

Here's the google search I used to dig up links about this if anyone wants to prove I'm wrong. If I am, please do.

[Just wanted to pass on some possibly true trivia, carry on your 6 month old conversation people]

[LGM]

I don't know why fanboys have to get so upset when things are changed.. And then automatically trash the film before it even goes on final print.. YEESH

[Barcik]

It's not merely a change. It is utterly against the essence of I, Robot. Imagine they put hardcore porn in The Lord of the Rings.