Create a Movie

[ConfederateFly]

If you had to create a movie about an Alternate History what would u do? Confederacy/Nazi/Texas Republic?

[Xen]

Kind of reminds me of Hollywood Mogul, though that game took some getting used too. You can write your own Alternate History Movie, or anyother kind of movie, unfortunatley all the actors were fake, if only you can have real actors and acresses it might be better.

[Flocculencio]

The Anglo-Saxon Crusade against the Maya :D

[Faeelin]

The Anglo-Saxon Crusade against the Maya :D

Robin Hood and the wars of liberation against Frederick II. :D

[David Howery]

The War of 1812; specifically, the battles that led to the American annexation of Canada....

[Flocculencio]

The Life of Brian

No, wait...already been done.

Oh well.

[Prunesquallor]

A properly funded film version of a tv drama from the 60s, THE OTHER MAN. It's about the corruption of a British officer serving in India in a world where Churchill died in an accident and a compromise peace was made in 1940.

[Melvin Loh]

Hmmm let's see:
Japs conquered and occupied Aust after WWII
total failure of Op OVERLORD
US victory during VW thru application of overwhelming force against PAVN and VC
invasion of Japan 1945-46- Op DOWNFALL

[wkwillis]

A revolutionary war picture of a war that lasted three years longer, that led to the final collapse of slavery as the Tories and Loyalists kept freeing each other's slaves.
Say, the European allies didn't get involved and all of North America got liberated, including Florida and Louisiana. A looser federation including Tory areas like New York City, Long Island, and the Canadas was the result.
Of course, that means that the Europeans wouldn't go through the Napoleonic wars. Lots of littler countries instead of a few big ones. Would have made Europe looser in some ways, more conservative in other.

[NapoleonXIV]

1943 The Victory that Never Was by John Grigg is a fairly well researched speculation that could easily make an interesting TV documentary

[Justin Green]

The Dawn of a Thousand Suns a miniseries about a world were the soviets overran poland in 1921 and the Allies rearm the germans to fight them back. Ludendorff and hitler come to power in 1925 and WW2 is fought between Germany, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia against France, Italy, UK, Serbia, and Romania. The war ends in 1948 after 37 european cities have been nuked by either side.

[Adam Parsons]

I'm not sure of an exact scenario I'd want, but it would involve the USA being invaded. I don't know why; it would just look cool.

Maybe I can get some zepplins!

[gtrof]

I would make Red Storm Rising or maybe Fox on the Rhine an alternet history about what if Rommel commanded the Battle of Buldge with Me-262 in mass production, increased fuel and a seperate peace with Russia.

[David Howery]

Alasdair> there is one; didn't you ever see Red Dawn?

[NHBL]

A drama about the great naval action of 1815, when the Royal Navy's ships of the line lead an invasion of New York, and the steam battery Demologos engages them.
Great sea battle scenes, some land combat from the invaders that get ashore.
The final scenes show New York Harbor, with 3 ships of the line flying Stars and Stripes over the Union Jack-and a yard in Britain, with an ugly ship with a steam engine being installed.

[G.Bone]

The Restoration - a movie on how Roger Wilcox manages to preserve the monarchy and lead to the Kingdom of Hawaii being preserved in the face of American aggression. [from my mosaic earth contribution]

[Steffen]

Kaiserjäger-

The adventures of a squad of k.u.k. light infantry soldiers from tyrol´s Kaiserjäger regiment,

beginning with the training,

the first Isonzo battle in 1916,

the battle of Turin,

the last stand of the italian army outside of rome in 1917.

[Chris Oakley]

I'd adapt "Resurrection Day" and "1901" for the silver screen and do a 3-part miniseries version of "Fatherland" for the tube.

[Evil_evol]

I would definitely turn the Philip K Dick novel "the man in the high castle" into a flick. To me it is a mystery why nobody has done this before, maybe it's a question of copyright etc?

Anywho, with the right set of actors, effects and soundtrack I'd think it would make a few bucks in the boxoffice :D

[Archangel Michael]

A Dozen Napoleons
A blockbuster movie set in Europe around 1921. In a Europe in which Napoleon never invaded England and France controls most of Europe. It sat at number one on the charts for six weeks, and was given excellent reviews. It won several awards.

The Napoleon Option
The prequel to A Dozen Napoleons, set in France, 1815. It chronicles the last fifteen years of Napoleon's life as the Emperor of France. It didn't do as great as A Dozen Napoleons, but it still won several awards.

The Emperor
A TV series based of the blockbuster hit, A Dozen Napoleons. The Emperor picks up right were A Dozen Napoleons left off. It aired first on the Sci-fi Channel for two years, then was cancelled for a single seaon. Revived for a third season in 2008, The Emperor has just finished its fifth season on UPN and its seventh season overall. It has all ready been sindicated, and their are plans to transfer the show over to CBS.

[Chris Oakley]

Laura Resnick's short story "A Fleeting Wisp Of Glory" would make a good animated film.

[wkwillis]

I would have an American civil war that lasted an extra year. The Confederacy retreated all the way to Texas after losing the battle of Gettysburg before the battle of Atlanta and Sherman's march to the sea cut them in half.
The British came in on the Confederate side after getting confused reports of the battle and then were stuck fighting the Union. That gave the confederacy a second wind as the British navy cut off the Union blockade garrisons. The Union promptly doubles the size of it's army and grabs Canada to cut the British off from potential bases. California is cut off from the Union and becomes independent, developing a significantly different local culture.
There were so many colored troops in the Union army when the war was over that they outnumbered the white population of Texas and just stayed on in Texas and Louisiana. Later, more black people came as the oil fields were developed and colonised the Indian territory of Oklahoma, too. This puts so much of America's oil supplies in their hands they could keep the price up and use the money to industrialise using the natural gas and coal.
When the white South wants to secede again there aren't enough black people left in the old South to serve as causus belli and they just get cut loose. They don't get involved in the First World War and there isn't a second, so they just build a quiet, agricultural, peaceful, culture and let the world pass them by. Maybe the black states secede too?
What would the film be about, though. You need conflict. What grounds for conflict are there? You have a Union, a Confederacy, a West Coast, and a Texas. California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, the Arizona territories and Utah form a country, and later annex Hawaii and buy Alaska. How do they differ from the Union? It wouldn't be by significant Asian or Hispanic immigration. Maybe the Marxists take over as they almost did in OTL?

[zoomar]

If I had to chose a real book as the basis, I'd chose Turtledove's WorldWar series (adapted and merged into one film). What more can you ask for, Nazis, Commies, Jews, and Yanks mixing it up with each other and with incredibly stupid lizard alien invaders. If it were me, I'd be tempted to make the thing a half-comedy, at least whenever the Race was on screen.

For my own idea, I'd chose either an "Aztecs defeat Cortez" theme or something where Hitler becomes a sucessful artist.

[NapoleonXIV]

I would definitely turn the Philip K Dick novel "the man in the high castle" into a flick. To me it is a mystery why nobody has done this before, maybe it's a question of copyright etc?

Anywho, with the right set of actors, effects and soundtrack I'd think it would make a few bucks in the boxoffice :D

Its also one of his more prolix works. Think of trying to get the general public, no wait, think of trying to get a Hollywood Producer to THINK the general public, could appreciate something like "VALIS". (I've always maintained that the public is at least 3times smarter than Hollywood thinks we are) Dick's overarching theme of 'What is reality' lends itself very well to FX based film, IF you don't follow its implications as far as Dick usually did.

[Prunesquallor]

John Whitbourn's A DANGEROUS ENERGY. About the life of a magician in an alternative England. From his childhood to his death and damnation. I'd get all the cast from bloody HARRY POTTER to play the main parts.

[Chris Oakley]

Damnation?Sounds like he's not somebody I'd want to have over for lunch.

[zoomar]

Its also one of his more prolix works. Think of trying to get the general public, no wait, think of trying to get a Hollywood Producer to THINK the general public, could appreciate something like "VALIS". (I've always maintained that the public is at least 3times smarter than Hollywood thinks we are) Dick's overarching theme of 'What is reality' lends itself very well to FX based film, IF you don't follow its implications as far as Dick usually did.


If it was made into a movie, most of the "what is reality" stuff could be also dropped and it would still be a visually and conceptually interesting vision of a Dystopian future - as was "Blade Runner"

[Chris Oakley]

Speaking of "Blade Runner",is it out on DVD yet?

[Straha]

Damnation?Sounds like he's not somebody I'd want to have over for lunch.
but look at it this way.. could he be worse than Dr. What?

[NapoleonXIV]

If it was made into a movie, most of the "what is reality" stuff could be also dropped and it would still be a visually and conceptually interesting vision of a Dystopian future - as was "Blade Runner"

Yeh maybe, but seen that way their bolt is shot. Schwarzenegger's last one on that theme flopped.

I think "VALIS" would be great if they shot it as an art film and not an FX showcase. I think its AH but truthfully it could be anything.

[Street_Disciple]

The Sun Did Not Set in 1815 After the British captue extanded war.....

Fuhrerin Ulrika Hitler Story about the female Hitler and his (her) rise to power...

Black Spartacus The Confederates Have Just Defeated the Union, and durign the midst of forming a new government, the C.S.A. iniates harsh punishment for slaves in order to contain them after Lincoln's Proclamation. A former Black Union Soldier is soon kidnaped, and decides to start a revolt....which soon turns into a full-fled invasion, as he marches to Richmond with his slave army...

[Chris Oakley]

but look at it this way.. could he be worse than Dr. What?


I wouldn't know...I've never met Dr. What. :D

[MerryPrankster]

The Draka novels would be interesting, although in light of the impalements, lesbian sex, etc. it would be hard to get them below NC-17.

You'd have to do a LOT of implication.

[Ofaloaf]

The War To End All Wars- An adaptation of Turtledove's Great War series, involving lots of sweeping shots of battlefields and little chuckles placed in between explosions. Might be better done as a TV miniseries.

Some sort of alternate American Civil War, preferably with the British of Germans (why not?) thrown into the mix.

Something with Zeppelins and gatling guns.

[mattep74]

John Ringos books about the Posleeninvasion

The swedish emperor a movie that begins with the battle of Lützen and Gustav 2 Adolf not KIA, but eventually leads a hughe alliance that takes Wienna and Gustav is crowned emperor

Arn a three part series that has a swedish aristocrat during medieval times become an outcast and he travels to the holy land and fight the infidel. He dont make any mistakes and is an expert diplomat. When he travles back to Sweden he brings many infidels and modernise Sweden all on his own. Oh, wait, its already under production in Sweden:D

[paxau]

The Swedish TV show Snapphanar (couldn't think of a better name.:o) about the fight of SFR (Skånska Frihetsrörelsen) to make Scania independent after WW2.:)

[Tyr]

The 3rd world of course.
The story of a survivor of the failed Portuguese attempt to invade the mainland as he ends up adventuring across the continent.

A TV show would be better though.
Just yesterday I thought of a rather good idea about a generic axis victory in WW2 story.
The world is split in three- the fascists (Greater German reich and lesser fascist puppets inc. Britain), Japan and the Democratic Alliance (EU type structure of the Americas and Australia).

Its set in Britain and follows the adventures of a democratic rebel group.
The rebellion has been ongoing since the war to some degree though has recently picked up big style due to tensions between the democrats and the fascists.
Ireland just three years ago succesfully revolted and overthrew its government and has become a free democratic nation which is looking into joining the DA.
The DA of course is fully supporting insurgants and so the fascists show no mercy with them.
The plot follows a model citizen, perfect aryan student as he's drawn into the rebellion by older brother with the revelation his father was killed by the fascists for being a sympathiser of the illegal labour party.
They go around on terrorist adventures the main one being the hijacking of a train carrying the prime minister...
My main problem with developing it (aside from lack of time/ability of course) ios its a bit close to the return in aspects.

[mattep74]

The Swedish TV show Snapphanar (couldn't think of a better name.:o) about the fight of SFR (Skånska Frihetsrörelsen) to make Scania independent after WW2.:)

And just to have the swedes understand that its alternate history, have GAIS win the swedish championship in fotball:D

[Wendell]

A movie in which no nuclear weapons have ever been produced in which a spy agency undermines efforts by other countries to establish such progtrams without trying to provoke war.

[J_Britt_RSA]

Stephen Baxter's "Voyage".

It would be a mini-series event much in the same vein as "From the Earth to the Moon." with Tom Hanks doing an open narration.

[paxau]

And just to have the swedes understand that its alternate history, have GAIS win the swedish championship in fotball:D

Actually GAIS won in 1954.:D

[Count Dearborn]

How about a three night miniseries on the Sci-Fi Channel based on The Difference Engine? (Of course, I would explain the ending).

[Fenwick]

The Plot Against the Confederacy

Set during the administration of George Washington Lee in 1898, it follows Jefferson D. Wootton, a South Carolina son of a plantation owner, and Private Detective. Along with his slave Lenadonis he investigates a series of deaths among congressmen within Richmond. Of course Lenadonis, a formally educated slave for reasons of his masters family pride, is in fact a better detective then his master who willingly takes the credit for his discoveries. The murders in Richmond are linked to the abolitionist movement within the government. It all ends with Lenadonis killing his master and pointing to him as the cause of all the murders, which earns him his freedom and a handshake from President Lee. The film ends with it turning out Lee was in fact the mastermind of all the murders, for he decides that for the Confederacy to grow as a nation it must be free...


Quota

The story of Ukraine Work Farm 231 under the control of the Riech Eastern District. It follows the attempts of a young farmer attempting to coordinate an uprising, along with the rest of the Ukrianian Nationalist Army in 1962. With the help of crooked Germans, shady go-betweens, and a few close calls he makes his way to Turkey where he is given the assistance of both the CIA, and the Imperial Japanese Police to ship in guns and supplies to assist in the uprising.

[Adept Havelock]

Stephen Baxter's "Voyage".

It would be a mini-series event much in the same vein as "From the Earth to the Moon." with Tom Hanks doing an open narration.

Seriously: Nice idea.

TIC: Then we could do Stephen Baxter's "Titan". Just make sure to screen the audience for potential suicides first. Loved them both, but Titan has got to be one of the most depressing things I've ever read.

[Derek Jackson]

An African American radical and a racist are returned to 1865. (I have some idea that this might happen around some kind of Civil War reenactment)

Each believes that Lincoln would have been conservative and allowed racists unlimited power in the South after the war provided legal slavery goes and the Union is restored.

The African American wants the murder to go ahead. The racist wants to frustrate it.

In the effort stop the killing the racist ends up allowing the plot to work as Booth wanted it to with other murders, crucially Johnson.


Both live to see a US, especially in the South, a model for racial justice thoughtout the World.

[J_Britt_RSA]

Seriously: Nice idea.

TIC: Then we could do Stephen Baxter's "Titan". Just make sure to screen the audience for potential suicides first. Loved them both, but Titan has got to be one of the most depressing things I've ever read.

While not neccessarily a book, i'd love to see a sequel to "Voyage". I'm awfully curious to see how Natalie York's life goes after the crew of Ares gets home.

And Titan is uber-depressing. And rather spookily prescient in the beggining.

[RomanoCelt]

Nazi Russia and communist America

[Tocomocho]

Nazi Russia and communist America

And a French Bond in the middle. :D

[Brandonazz]

How about.....Turtledove :D

Lewd sex scenes excluded of course :rolleyes:

[J_Britt_RSA]

Well, how about alternate porn movies?

Such as "Debbie Does Damascus". Or "Behind The Red Door"...

[Strategos' Risk]

The Man in the High Castle (http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=435252&postcount=20).
Seriously, we should start with an adaptation before the public understands the concept of AH.

[J_Britt_RSA]

The Man in the High Castle (http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=435252&postcount=20).
Seriously, we should start with an adaptation before the public understands the concept of AH.

Sadly, the only kind of AH's that'll get made into movies is the Harry Harrison ameri-wank movies.

Hollywood just sucks at times.

[Strategos' Risk]

Dick is some hot property as far as film rights goes, lately (tee hee). If The Man in the High Castle is made it'd be more of an off-beat smaller production like Scanner Darkly, instead of another dystopian wonderpic like Minority Report or Blade Runner.

[J_Britt_RSA]

The problem is though, whenever Hollywood gets its grubby paws on a "thinking man's science fiction" story, they screw it totally up by adding over-the-top car chases, explosions galore and they cast the latest "action hero" with funny, marketable one-liners that everyone will be repeating all through the summer.

[Adept Havelock]

The problem is though, whenever Hollywood gets its grubby paws on a "thinking man's science fiction" story, they screw it totally up by adding over-the-top car chases, explosions galore and they cast the latest "action hero" with funny, marketable one-liners that everyone will be repeating all through the summer.

We'd probably have to watch Robert Childan lead an impromptu commando raid to rescue Frank Frink, spouting "Is that heavy, grasshopper?" when he shoots down the bad guys. ;)

[Strategos' Risk]

Hey, A Scanner Darkly turned out all right. What they need is some sort of angle or style to justify all the talky and non-action bits. I mean, GATTACA got made in recent times, as did films like Truman Show, which are all films with big actors, an unique speculative sci-fish world, and didn't have too many action scenes. In a thread (http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=27161) I've made already, this suggestion was made:

If you have to make it as a live action movie then my first choice for director would be Oliver Stone. A major theme of all his movies is how much of history is real.

But I think it ought to be an anime. In the first place, the main character is Japanese and I don't think the present Japanese male actors stable has enough well-known artists who would have both the wide emotional range this part would require and the English language skills to make him acceptable to American audiences, I could very well be wrong here.

Much more importantly, the story itself is both confusing and difficult if considered as mainly an action or thriller novel. It can work that way, but only if one pauses occasionally to set or shift mood, something which anime does well, but American moviemakers regard as "popcorn" (as in I'm going to get popcorn) and make every effort to avoid.

My choice for producer here would be Satoshi Kon. His anime "Paranoia Agent", often compared with "Twin Peaks", deals mainly with the theme of shifting realities and gains versimilitude by a very realistic, "warts and all" cartoon style; using almost none of the regular anime symbology coupled with a story emphasising character development.

Of course, it's probably more likely that a straightforward military AH work will be adapted first, as those promise more exciting moments. However, then it'll make AH into a concept that the general public will perceive as for alternate battles and wars, and so The Man in the High Castle will turn out to be a big disappointment to them and so possibly fail.

[MerryPrankster]

I enjoyed Larry Bond's Red Phoenix (Second Korean War) and Vortex (apartheid goes down, violently).

They're both "out of date future history," not true AH, but they could be introduced in the titles as "what if"-s.

Here's something for Vortex...

"As we know, the apartheid regime in South Africa ended peacefully, blah, blah, blah.

But things could have been different."

Then the movie begins.