Jump to content

Could Rush's epics be adapted for Film?


The Owl
 Share

Recommended Posts

I was thinking about concept albums and long conceptual songs (not just Rush) the other day, and was thinking how some of might be interesting to see if adapted for the big screen......

 

There are alot of different concept albums and songs out there that if you gave an example (say Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime) that would be fairly simple to adapt to the big screen... but for this topic lets just discuss the Rush Epics (since they do not have an actual concept album)

 

So what of Rush's epics do you think would be good if adapted for film?

 

 

I would love to see a film version of the Hemispheres duology.. And I would have the 2 stories (the one from book 1 and the one from book 2) running simultaneously, only to converge at the very end.....

 

2112 would be hard to adapt, but I think it is adaptable... the screenwriter would have to take alot of liberties, espically with the ambiguous ending.. or should it stay that way?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That seems like such a goofy, overdone idea...BUT I was thinking nearly the EXACT same thing the other day...only mine was worse. I was thinking of one of those Broadway shows. Only there's no dialogue, just scenes being acted out around the band playing the music center stage.

 

Your idea is better.

Edited by ioc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I honestly think '2112' would be a perfect song to make into a movie. Dystopian stories aren't that common of a genre, and I think that '2112' would be a ground breaking movie if done right. Of course, having the involvement of the band (especially Neil) would be crucial to this.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think about making the film 2112 ALL THE TIME. At the beginning, during the opening effects and overture, there are shots of the viewer racing though space. There are shots of the priests during the Temples. Maybe there's some dialogue or acting between parts, but all the music gets played, in order. It would be AWESOME.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (The Owl @ Apr 26 2011, 10:33 PM)
I disagree with it being an overdone idea, what other rock operas/ concept albums have been adapted to film... the only 2 I can think of are "Tommy" and "The Wall"

I was thinking of the tribute shows/films. Like:

Across the Universe - Beatles

Rain - Beatles

Jersey Boys - Four Seasons

Mamma Mia - Abba

Movin Out - Billy Joel

Smokey Joe's Cafe - Leiber And Stoller

All Shook Up - Elvis Presley

We Will Rock You - Queen

 

But I think there's definitely room for a Rush movie. I would watch it, no question. Heck, I've been to every Rush laser light show that's played at the planetarium in whatever city I was living in.

Edited by ioc
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Oracle @ Apr 26 2011, 10:40 PM)
I honestly think '2112' would be a perfect song to make into a movie. Dystopian stories aren't that common of a genre, and I think that '2112' would be a ground breaking movie if done right. Of course, having the involvement of the band (especially Neil) would be crucial to this.

I would love to see (or hear) the score to the film... It would have to be scored, but the core themes of the orchestral arrangements would be the original 2112 track of course...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (ioc @ Apr 26 2011, 10:45 PM)
QUOTE (The Owl @ Apr 26 2011, 10:33 PM)
I disagree with it being an overdone idea, what other rock operas/ concept albums have been adapted to film... the only 2 I can think of are "Tommy" and "The Wall"

I was thinking of the tribute shows/films. Like:

Across the Universe - Beatles

Rain - Beatles

Jersey Boys - Four Seasons

Mamma Mia - Abba

Movin Out - Billy Joel

Smokey Joe's Cafe - Leiber And Stoller

All Shook Up - Elvis Presley

We Will Rock You - Queen

 

But I think there's definitely room for a Rush movie. I would watch it, no question. Heck, I've been to every Rush laser light show that's played at the planetarium in whatever city I was living in.

I stand corrected, and I forgot all about all the Beatles movies (Yellow Submarine Duh, and that ugh....... one with Peter Frampton)

 

 

But I was thinking more along the lines of concept albums and conceptual song epics... that should be made into film.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (The Owl @ Apr 26 2011, 10:50 PM)
But I was thinking more along the lines of concept albums and conceptual song epics... that should be made into film.

That would be awesome...especially the 2112 idea. I worry, though, that making a 20 minute song into a 90 minute movie would involve a lot of addition that would likely end up being...well...cheesy.

 

I'm having a hard time imagining anything with too much extra dialogue. Maybe if some other, non-2112, songs that are compatible were added. I dunno. Could be I just lack imagination. yes.gif Which is why I'm here on the interwebs instead of on the road, livin my own dream. confused13.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (ioc @ Apr 26 2011, 10:58 PM)
QUOTE (The Owl @ Apr 26 2011, 10:50 PM)
But I was thinking more along the lines of concept albums and conceptual song epics... that should be made into film.

That would be awesome...especially the 2112 idea. I worry, though, that making a 20 minute song into a 90 minute movie would involve a lot of addition that would likely end up being...well...cheesy.

 

I'm having a hard time imagining anything with too much extra dialogue. Maybe if some other, non-2112, songs that are compatible were added. I dunno. Could be I just lack imagination. yes.gif Which is why I'm here on the interwebs instead of on the road, livin my own dream. confused13.gif

I don't know, I'm thinking you can get a good 20 minutes out of a good LOTR style battle scene between the Elder Race and the Priests of Syrinx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (The Owl @ Apr 27 2011, 12:06 AM)
QUOTE (ioc @ Apr 26 2011, 10:58 PM)
QUOTE (The Owl @ Apr 26 2011, 10:50 PM)
But I was thinking more along the lines of concept albums and conceptual song epics... that should be made into film.

That would be awesome...especially the 2112 idea. I worry, though, that making a 20 minute song into a 90 minute movie would involve a lot of addition that would likely end up being...well...cheesy.

 

I'm having a hard time imagining anything with too much extra dialogue. Maybe if some other, non-2112, songs that are compatible were added. I dunno. Could be I just lack imagination. yes.gif Which is why I'm here on the interwebs instead of on the road, livin my own dream. confused13.gif

I don't know, I'm thinking you can get a good 20 minutes out of a good LOTR style battle scene between the Elder Race and the Priests of Syrinx

yes.gif And Rush could record a twenty-minute jam to replace the gran finale in the movie. That would be insane!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Oracle @ Apr 26 2011, 10:40 PM)
Dystopian stories aren't that common of a genre, and I think that '2112' would be a ground breaking movie if done right. Of course, having the involvement of the band (especially Neil) would be crucial to this.

Jerky broadway beat us to the dystopian story after all.

 

We Will Rock You was in part inspired by the computer-controlled dystopia of the science-fiction film The Matrix. The story is set exactly 300 years in the future in a vaguely Orwellian world. Earth is controlled by the Globalsoft Corporation. Mainstream commercial conformity reigns. Musical instruments are forbidden, and rock music is unknown.

 

Still, I think 'uncommon' pretty accurately describes the concept.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Xanadu would make a good short film. Maybe animated. 2112 would also be good for adapting. I'd be up for trying to write a screenplay for either of them... well, as soon as I'm done with the 2 I have on my plate at the moment.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Definately.

 

The first that comes to mind would be 2112. Since it is already based on the short novel "Anthem", a screen adaptation is easily imaginable.

 

Fountain Of Lamneth would be really cool on the big screen. Peter Jackson should get right on it after he's done with "The Hobbit".

 

One thing the epics have in common (apart from the kick-ass music), is that they are all stories. They all have mini-plots and thus could be adapted for film.

 

 

Now, let's try to imagine if La Villa Strangiato could be made into a film. tongue.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think 2112 and Hemispheres could be turned into a musical, but that would be about it. Film? Hell no, the musicals have a high chance of ruining the song for many let alone a 1 hour+ feature film.

 

Perhaps a kind of mash-up like The Beatles' Yellow Submarine movie wouldn't be so bad. Still, the songs were intended to be heard, not seen (with the exception of the symbolic artwork on the album).

Edited by usb_connector
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They already have some form of visual accompaniment for most songs that we see during each show; so why not a slightly more organized and/or thematic visualization?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, Workingcinderellaman wrote a book based on The Red Barchetta. Red Barchetta isn't exactly an epic, but WCM wrote a pretty good story based on the song.

 

The Red Barchetta

 

After I read the book, I couldn't help but think it would be an awesome movie.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...