59 replies to this topic

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Faulks hopes for Devil May Care adaptation

Bestselling novelist would like to see Eon tackle centenary book

[00Twelve]

Keep hoping, Sebastian.

[Loomis]

Dream on, Seb.

Faulks responded, "I would have thought that if you could move Casino Royale from the 1950s you could move Devil May Care from the sixties."

I think Faulks is a truly brilliant writer, but does he even understand his own novel? Take the '60s away from DEVIL MAY CARE and what do you have? A completely generic Bond adventure. Why would Eon bother to bring it to the screen?

It might be worthwhile had Faulks done something interesting with Bond and his world or come up with a gripping, clever and original story with twists and turns not seen before. But he didn't do those things.

I honestly see no good reason why DMC should be filmed, either as a period outing or as a modern-day 007 adventure. The only element in the book that I think might be worth exploring is the use of Iran as a location, but Eon would hardly need to adapt Faulks' novel in order to do that.

[Safari Suit]

Not to mention if a handful of Fleming books more or less didn't get adapted outside of their titles and a few names, what makes him think his book would get any kind of "genuine" adaptation?

[sharpshooter]

Keep hoping, Sebastian.

Indeed.

I'd maybe use the title and ekranoplan, but that's it.

[Napoleon Solo]

It would appear Mr. Faulks hasn't studied the strained Eon-Ian Fleming Publications relationship.

[Mr. Blofeld]

The man is a rube, pure and simple. His other novels belie that, but DMC really shows him for what he is; a fårt gliding on the popularity of his own name.

[Loomis]

Not to mention if a handful of Fleming books more or less didn't get adapted outside of their titles and a few names, what makes him think his book would get any kind of "genuine" adaptation?

I suspect that Faulks has not read and would not be interested in reading any of the Gardners or Bensons (beyond glancing at their plots on Wikipedia to make sure no one else had written a Bond novel involving Iran and a villain with a monkey's paw for a hand).

I imagine he assumes (because people have told him) that all the other continuation novels are just worthless pap and that his own is, by definition, infinitely superior (as well as closer to Fleming than anyone else's continuation novel).

I think Faulks might be in for a shock were he to pick up many of the other continuation novels. He'd find that he hadn't really done Bond or Fleming any better than the other fellas after all.

[OmarB]

Baz Faulks must be out of his damn mind! I rate that travesty behind Benson in the Bond pantheon. I would much rather see Gardner and Amis given the screen treatment before we get that monkey handed, England hating, tennis freak.

[DamnCoffee]

I haven't read Devil May Care, and after all the terrible reviews on here, I have no desire too.

It sounds as if the only good thing about the damn thing is the title.

[Loomis]

Gravmeister,

Apart from anything else, it is in Eon's interest to keep pumping up Fleming as the fount of all Bond. If they were to start using books by Benson or Gardner or whoever it would dilute the valuable Fleming "brand" that they have co-opted.

You watch interviews with Broccoli and Wilson and they're always genuflecting at Fleming. They don't wanna be in a situation where they'd have to start talking about John Gardner or Raymond Benson as great writers. To use them at this point would look like barrel-scraping. I mean, imagine it: BOND 23 to be based on John Gardner's NOBODY DIES FOREVER, MR. BOND from 1985 - now, that wouldn't come across as desperate, would it?

Sure, there's more than a bit of snobbery involved, but I suspect that Eon would see using the continuation novels as cheapening their product and diluting the Fleming purity that they can claim for their films ("Sure, we haven't always been 100% faithful to Fleming, but we've always used his books and elements in them wherever possible, and we haven't turned to any of the other so-called Bond authors").

Besides, are there any continuation novels (excluding the Young Bonds, which do at least do something different, like 'em or not [and I don't]) that are actually worth adapting? I think they're all just fairly generic outings.

Anyway, there are still more than enough chunks of interesting unused Fleming to be put into action.

[tdalton]

Besides, are there any continuation novels (excluding the Young Bonds, which do at least do something different, like 'em or not [and I don't]) that are actually worth adapting? I think they're all just fairly generic outings.

I think that there are a few continuation novels worth adapting (and by "worth adapting", I mean that they would at least be more worthwhile Bond films than the likes of GF, TMWTGG, DAF, MR, and DAD). I would like to see FOR SPECIAL SERVICES, DOUBLESHOT, and NEVER DREAM OF DYING adapted for the big screen. The rest of the novels, I don't really care if they adapt or not, but I would like to see these novels adapted.

As for the possibility of DEVIL MAY CARE being adapted as a film, I'd have to say that I would be so against that happening that I would boycott the film. DEVIL MAY CARE is the absolute worst novel in the literary Bond series (by a fairly large margin), and would make for a film that would make TMWTGG look like the greatest film ever made by comparison.

[danslittlefinger]

Mr. Faulks may be getting a little ahead of himself here methinks.

[jaguar007]

Foulks would like DMC to be adapted for the big screen

I would like a tree in my back yard that grown money.



Gravity,
Yes, I think one reason that none of the continuation novels have been filmed is due to the fact that yes, Foulks, Benson or the Gardner estate would be entitled to royalties.

[MattofSteel]

Of course he hopes. Do you realize how much money he'd get for something like that?

I didn't think DMC was a travesty, it was just overly boring, pretentious, and its truly creative and insightful moments were often overshadowed by the fact that I've read better fan fiction.

And I've said it before - I don't think the key to successful Bond films is adapting Fleming. It's emulating him. Some do it better than others.

[stromberg]

I haven't read Devil May Care, and after all the terrible reviews on here, I have no desire too.

It sounds as if the only good thing about the damn thing is the title.

Big mistake. Go see for yourself wether you like it or not (you might actually do).
In the mid-80s (before becoming a die hard Bond fan), I had seen every Bond film except OHMSS because people told me it's utter crap. Noticed how wrong they were after I finally saw the movie.

From being member on here for quite a while, you should know how people's tastes can vary.

DMC-The Movie? Thanks, but no thanks.

[Loomis]

Gravmeister,

Apart from anything else, it is in Eon's interest to keep pumping up Fleming as the fount of all Bond. If they were to start using books by Benson or Gardner or whoever it would dilute the valuable Fleming "brand" that they have co-opted.

You watch interviews with Broccoli and Wilson and they're always genuflecting at Fleming. They don't wanna be in a situation where they'd have to start talking about John Gardner or Raymond Benson as great writers. To use them at this point would look like barrel-scraping. I mean, imagine it: BOND 23 to be based on John Gardner's NOBODY DIES FOREVER, MR. BOND from 1985 - now, that wouldn't come across as desperate, would it?

Sure, there's more than a bit of snobbery involved, but I suspect that Eon would see using the continuation novels as cheapening their product and diluting the Fleming purity that they can claim for their films ("Sure, we haven't always been 100% faithful to Fleming, but we've always used his books and elements in them wherever possible, and we haven't turned to any of the other so-called Bond authors").

That last sentence sounds like something off of Maury Povich or Jerry Springer: 'Sure, I cheat on you and whore around on you honey, but I always come back to you, so that makes it okay, right?'

Well.... yes. However, we're not talking about real people in real marriages. We're talking about ancient books by a long-dead author. In some ways, Fleming was so behind the times in his attitudes and such a dinosaur in his views that even in the 1960s it would have been impossible to film his novels faithfully, let alone today.

[BlackFire]

Me likes the name Scarlet for the next Bond girl at least

[Double-Oh Agent]

If Sebastian Faulks is so concerned about getting his Bond novel filmed, he should have put more effort into the project than he appears to have done. Then it might have actually been deserving of being the first continuation novel filmed. As it stands, it is an okay, but ultimately underwhelming adventure that fails to live up to the massive hype. Virtually all the other continuation novels deserve to be filmed before Devil May Care.

Besides, are there any continuation novels (excluding the Young Bonds, which do at least do something different, like 'em or not [and I don't]) that are actually worth adapting?

Yes, I'd say most, if not all are worth adapting. But for those that try to do something different, I would say each of these do:

Icebreaker -- Bond works as part of a team

Nobody Lives Forever -- Bond learns he is the hunted instead of the hunter (would be a good story with Quantum creating the contest to get rid of their nemesis 007 in Bond 24 or 25)

Win, Lose Or Die -- Bond in the navy

Never Send Flowers -- Bond goes after a serial killer (possibly the one with the most police-like work of the novels)

High Time To Kill -- Bond goes back to his mountaineering roots and has to work with an old rival in the process

Doubleshot -- Bond has to deal with being at less than 100% the entire mission

Never Dream Of Dying -- Bond encounters an old friend and deals with personal ghosts as a result

Just writing these gets me excited about the prospects of them being filmed. Unfortunately, it seems very unlikely to happen.

[DaveBond21]

Following the recent comments made by Sebastian Faulks on how he'd love to see his novel "Devil May Care" adapted into a Bond movie, do you think it would be a plausible move?

I certainly like the title, and they could simply use elements of the novel, rather than a complete adaptation?

Does anyone think Faulk's comments were an attempt to get Eon to talk to him about it, or do you think there's a chance it has already been discussed? Time will tell, but it certainly is a good title for a Bond movie.

[tdalton]

Following the recent comments made by Sebastian Faulks on how he'd love to see his novel "Devil May Care" adapted into a Bond movie, do you think it would be a plausible move?

I certainly like the title, and they could simply use elements of the novel, rather than a complete adaptation?

Does anyone think Faulk's comments were an attempt to get Eon to talk to him about it, or do you think there's a chance it has already been discussed? Time will tell, but it certainly is a good title for a Bond movie.

I would be so against the idea of DEVIL MAY CARE being made into a film that I would boycott it. The novel was awful, and I doubt that Purvis, Wade, and Morgan could turn that material into something that would be an entertaining film.

[HildebrandRarity]

I hate to say this but I haven't even bought his book. Last novel I bought was The Man With The Red Tattoo some years back.

[Zorin Industries]

Faulks hopes for Devil May Care adaptation

??

Well then Mr Faulks should have written a better book*.

(*Zorin Industries plc would like to mention that this is merely the company's opinion and not meant to reflect any other possible set of opinions. Other viewpoints are available.)

[Skudor]

The only way this book can possibly be adapted for a film is to soak it in petrol, fire it up and film the results (which would be far better than the book itself was). SF can keep dreaming of those royalty cheques - this just isn't going to happen.

[HildebrandRarity]

Judging from the response in this thread, I suppose I saved myself time and money when I passed on the IFP Centenary offering last year...

Perhaps I'll pick up the book at a used shop for 99 cents one day just for laughs.

[DAN LIGHTER]

Come, come, Gentleman. All he did was write a book about James Bond. The way he is criticised on here is beyond belief sometimes. He hasn’t written ‘The Satanic Verses’ and had a fatwā issued against him.

[Trident]

Come, come, Gentleman. All he did was write a book about James Bond. The way he is criticised on here is beyond belief sometimes. He hasn’t written ‘The Satanic Verses’ and had a fatwā issued against him.

Exactly what irks. He should have written something like 'Satanic Verses', impact-on-character-wise. Instead, is wasn't much to speak of, apart from the obvious financial smashing hit. Frankly, I've read the first Alex Rider novel, a shameless 'Moonraker'-rip-off, and it was much more fun, referenced Fleming and Bond in quite an ironic but nonetheless flattering manner and was still working as a thriller. DMC's deference towards Fleming depleted into painfully contrived
namedropping and a plot that didn't really come together, no matter which iconic scenes DMC converted for its own means. DMC opened a void that it was not nearly able to fill.

[zencat]

Come, come, Gentleman. All he did was write a book about James Bond. The way he is criticised on here is beyond belief sometimes. He hasn’t written ‘The Satanic Verses’ and had a fatwā issued against him.

I agree. I think the criticisms of Faulks and the book are way to harsh, and ill informed. I can't help but notice people who admit to not having read the book are now banging the drum. Well, I have read it, and I've all the James Bond novels by all authors multiple times, and I'm here to tell you DMC is by no means a terrible James Bond book. Maybe not the best of the continuation novels, but certainly not the worst. I happen to think the book has a lot of very cool Bondian elements, such as the tennis match, Iran as a location, and the Caspian Sea Monster. And it's a fast, breezy, fun read. Also a blast to have a Bond novel set in the 60s again. The problem is not the book. It's a good continuation novel. The problem is the expectations people had of Faulks. Get past it!

[Jim]

Come, come, Gentleman. All he did was write a book about James Bond. The way he is criticised on here is beyond belief sometimes. He hasn’t written ‘The Satanic Verses’ and had a fatwā issued against him.

I agree. I think the criticisms of Faulks and the book are way to harsh, and ill informed. I can't help but notice people who admit to not having read the book are now banging the drum. Well, I have read it, and I've all the James Bond novels by all authors multiple times, and I'm here to tell you DMC is by no means a terrible James Bond book. Maybe not the best of the continuation novels, but certainly not the worst. I happen to think the book has a lot of very cool Bondian elements, such as the tennis match, Iran as a location, and the Caspian Sea Monster. And it's a fast, breezy, fun read. Also a blast to have a Bond novel set in the 60s again. The problem is not the book. It's a good continuation novel. The problem is the expectations people had of Faulks. Get past it!

True, true - it has a number of splendid parts but my impression was that it wasn't quite the sum of them. There are a number of splendidly liftable ideas in there but a straight-down-the-line adaptation (not that there's really ever been one of those anyway) wouldn't seem very likely. Good title, too.

[Trident]

The problem is not the book. It's a good continuation novel. The problem is the expectations people had of Faulks. Get past it!

While I cannot agree on the 'good' cachet I think the part about expectations is spot on. We hoped too high (and were lead to high hopes) and this accounts for much of the disappointment. Had this come during or after Gardner's tenure, I might still have been disappointed, but certainly not nearly as much as I experienced last year.

Anyway, I can hardly believe Faulks really hopes to get DMC filmed. If he aims for the silver screen then he'd have to write a script for EON.