Really, all you've got to do is watch The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (go ahead, I dare you) and then read Moore's LoEG graphic novels (go ahead, I challenge you) to see that's obvious. (I recommend this in that order, too, as going from the books to the movie I guarantee you'll never make it through the movie.)
They're currently in production for his "V for Vendetta" novel and, according to this story in the LA Times, it's running into problems because its themes ("set in a dystopian future London, The main character uses the trains of the London Underground to attack the government") are hitting a little too close to home these days. Yeah, I can see that being a bit problematic for producers and distributors.
But here's the thing (and I haven't read "V" yet, so I can't speak to the merits of the book) but it looks like the kind of story that might work a little better for you if you're British, or at least have a strong grasp of English history. Let's face it, here's the description of the main character from the Times article: "He wears a mask of Guy Fawkes, the infamous ringleader of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605." The story goes on to explain a little more about Fawkes but it's hardly the kind of thing that's going to resonate with a US audience.
Of course, the movies in the very capable hands of Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, so there's no worry that it won't work for us unsophisticated Americans now, is there? (Did you SEE that last couple of Matrix films? Better yet, check out Joel's body of work to see the high quality entertainment he's inflicted on us over the years.) I'll grant that I like the Wachowskis and I think they've got the vision to, possibly, pull this off. But, according to the article, Moore has called the screenplay imbecilic (again, I point to the "LXG" movie for reference), so I'm not holding my breath.
So maybe, just maybe, this one would have been better left on the shelf. Or at least, not given the Hollywood "dumb it down for the masses" treatment it sounds like it's getting.
They're currently in production for his "V for Vendetta" novel and, according to this story in the LA Times, it's running into problems because its themes ("set in a dystopian future London, The main character uses the trains of the London Underground to attack the government") are hitting a little too close to home these days. Yeah, I can see that being a bit problematic for producers and distributors.
But here's the thing (and I haven't read "V" yet, so I can't speak to the merits of the book) but it looks like the kind of story that might work a little better for you if you're British, or at least have a strong grasp of English history. Let's face it, here's the description of the main character from the Times article: "He wears a mask of Guy Fawkes, the infamous ringleader of the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605." The story goes on to explain a little more about Fawkes but it's hardly the kind of thing that's going to resonate with a US audience.
Of course, the movies in the very capable hands of Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, so there's no worry that it won't work for us unsophisticated Americans now, is there? (Did you SEE that last couple of Matrix films? Better yet, check out Joel's body of work to see the high quality entertainment he's inflicted on us over the years.) I'll grant that I like the Wachowskis and I think they've got the vision to, possibly, pull this off. But, according to the article, Moore has called the screenplay imbecilic (again, I point to the "LXG" movie for reference), so I'm not holding my breath.
So maybe, just maybe, this one would have been better left on the shelf. Or at least, not given the Hollywood "dumb it down for the masses" treatment it sounds like it's getting.
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