Paul Verhoeven Adapts "The Forever War"

MerryPrankster

Paul Verhoeven picked up the novel "Starship Troopers" but didn't finish it, saying he didn't like it.

(Apparently he remembers Dutch civilians killed by Allied bombers attacking German positions in the occupied Netherlands, so he's prone to moral-equivalency games.)

However, what if he'd read "The Forever War" and decided to adapt that into an anti-war military SF movie? The overall message of the novel seems more akin to Verhoeven's worldview and he's not going PO masses of ST fans. And although I think ST is a better novel over, TFW has better characterization, so it'd probably work out rather nicely.
 

Evan

I've been wondering this too. Having read both novels, The Forever War seems much, much more in-line with his themes.

However, what about the institutionalized homosexuality that's an important part of the novel? I'm guessing Verhoeven wouldn't mind that, but how open would Hollywood be in the late '90's? Would that perhaps give rise to arguments and bitterness between Verhoeven and the community which might even delay or scuttle the film? And if he does delete that, what other marks of social change would he put in its place?
 

Prospero

He certainly couldn't do a worse job than he did with Starship Troopers, but I'm not sure that Verhoeven has got what it takes to do justice to The Forever War. You need a director who's really good at characterisation, manipulating the audience's feelings, inducing increasing levels of paranoia and dislocation etc. More film noir than action/adventure. I'm sure there's a director out there who could do a really good job of it, but I don't think Verhoeven's subtle enough.
 

vultan

Evan said:
I've been wondering this too. Having read both novels, The Forever War seems much, much more in-line with his themes.

However, what about the institutionalized homosexuality that's an important part of the novel? I'm guessing Verhoeven wouldn't mind that, but how open would Hollywood be in the late '90's? Would that perhaps give rise to arguments and bitterness between Verhoeven and the community which might even delay or scuttle the film? And if he does delete that, what other marks of social change would he put in its place?
Click to expand...

He could use the reversed positions of heterosexuals and homosexuals to make an allegory about homophobia.
 

TxCoatl1970

I've always wanted to see The Forever War adapted to film.
Give Joe Haldeman his due, he wanted to spin out the idea of war as social engineering tool to a fare-thee-well.
Could Paul Verhoeven pull it off in a two-hour movie?
He's got the visual chops and warped sense of humor.

My sources say no. A miniseries of Joe Mandella, Marygay Potter & friends going through training and various stages of the war is more tasty and immersive and would give PV, the writers actors, and techies room to breathe rather than be a bunch of montages with a few black-humored punch-lines.

YMMDV on it but my 2c on it.
 

duckie

Think BIGGG!!!!!!!

Hi Guys, Why just a 2 hrs movie.

HBO should do this book like Band of Brothers / Pacific. That would do justice to this classic

Wim Goossen
the netherlands
 

Sam R.

Too much drive to do "Justice" to a favoured novel here. Not enough acceptance that film is a radically different media with its own purposes. Also not enough, though I do value the contributions bucking this, speculation within the historical limits of cinema production in Hollywood.

yours,
Sam R.
 
Michel Van

Michel Van

The problem Paul Verhoeven had with book of Robert Heinlein was simple: It's glorified War and Soldiers
and Verhoeven way to deal with this was same way as in Robocop: satire

he made form the heroic Earth military force a bunch of SS troopers...

Something that the US fans of Heinlein and his work never forgive.
In Europe had Movie allot positive review, erroneous believing that movie is a spoof on US military industrial Complex.

Now had Paul Verhoeven read the Graphic novel of the Forever War things would have be different !
Irony this version of "The Forever War" is made by Haldeman and the artis Marvano and was publish in Netherlands and France synchronous.
Forever_War_Marvano_art.jpg

I think that Paul Verhoeven had understand this story Irony much better, like Mandella increasing problem with his heterosexuality in a society that is based on Homosexuality!
he would be in his element like in Robocop or Total Recall, much more as in "Starship Troopers"
 

Mr.J

TxCoatl1970 said:
I've always wanted to see The Forever War adapted to film.
Give Joe Haldeman his due, he wanted to spin out the idea of war as social engineering tool to a fare-thee-well.
Could Paul Verhoeven pull it off in a two-hour movie?
He's got the visual chops and warped sense of humor.

My sources say no. A miniseries of Joe Mandella, Marygay Potter & friends going through training and various stages of the war is more tasty and immersive and would give PV, the writers actors, and techies room to breathe rather than be a bunch of montages with a few black-humored punch-lines.

YMMDV on it but my 2c on it.
Click to expand...

Like some sort of crazy funhouse-mirror of Generation Kill. Man, you're totally right, HBO needs to get on this!
 
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