16 replies to this topic

[coco1997]

Hey everyone,

I'm about halfway through the Benson novels and I'm currently thinking that they would all, for the most part, make pretty good, if, at the very least, interesting films. I've also recently read Licence Renewed, Icebreaker, and For Special Services and thought they were all great, worthy of film adaptations.

I do plan on eventually reading all the Gardner novels, but I was wondering if anyone thought any of the other Gardner novels would make good films. I've browsed the posting history in this forum and noticed that people seem to rank the other Gardner books pretty far below the three I've already read.

So, in all of your humble opinions, do you believe any of the other Gardner books would make good films? Which ones, and why?

Thanks!

[Mr. Blofeld]

The general consensus favours Icebreaker, I think.

[coco1997]

I know, but I would think that out of fourteen novels, there would be at least one other one that would make a good film.

[zencat]

For Special Services.

[coco1997]

Any more?

[K1Bond007]

The first half of Gardner's books are definitely better than the second half.

I think Scorpius could work today if they got rid of the last quarter (the South Carolina part) and fixed up some of the other rough edges. Of course this book translates better to today's world than probably any of the others.

Nobody Lives Forever is a usual favorite of the Gardner era too.

[coco1997]

Would Never Send Flowers be too weird to work as a Bond film?

[dogmanstar]

I think Nobody Lives Forever and Brokenclaw would make pretty good films.

[coco1997]

What about his later stories from the 90's?

[Qwerty]

What about his later stories from the 90's?

Never Send Flowers and maybe SeaFire would be my picks from the 1990s Gardner novels.

[coco1997]

What about his later stories from the 90's?

Never Send Flowers and maybe SeaFire would be my picks from the 1990s Gardner novels.

Are those your favorites, Qwerty, or do you also think they would make good films?

[Qwerty]

Both, actually (when specifically resticted to his 90's books--there are many other better ones he wrote towards the beginning of his Bond career, IMO).

Never Send Flowers works extremely well in that it's a relatively straightforward plot that doesn't get caught up in double-triple-quadruple crosses and keeps the pace moving right 'til the end. I could see it turning into a dark, brooding film.

SeaFire is a little more complicated and some of the plot elements would need to be readjusted perhaps, but I could see this one working too.

[coco1997]

Both, actually (when specifically resticted to his 90's books--there are many other better ones he wrote towards the beginning of his Bond career, IMO).

Never Send Flowers works extremely well in that it's a relatively straightforward plot that doesn't get caught up in double-triple-quadruple crosses and keeps the pace moving right 'til the end. I could see it turning into a dark, brooding film.

SeaFire is a little more complicated and some of the plot elements would need to be readjusted perhaps, but I could see this one working too.

Cool...How about this, Qwerty, if you had to pick your top 5-6 Gardners to be adapted into films, which would you choose?

[Qwerty]

My top five or six?

Couldn't say for sure, but it'd probably be For Special Services, Icebreaker, Nobody Lives Forever, Win, Lose Or Die and Never Send Flowers.

[coco1997]

My top five or six?

Couldn't say for sure, but it'd probably be For Special Services, Icebreaker, Nobody Lives Forever, Win, Lose Or Die and Never Send Flowers.

Interesting...but no "Licence Renewed" or "Seafire"?

[Qwerty]

Those two would probably come just after the titles I listed above.

[coco1997]

Haha, okey-doke.