The entire novel could be transferred directly to screen, e.g.:
"Cajal's glance traveled from screen to screen on the comboard. Faces looked out, some human, some nonhuman, but each belonging to an officer of Imperial Terra." (p. 543)
In a film version, we should see several nonhuman faces, maybe some belonging to species that appear elsewhere in the Technic History, maybe others appearing only here. Cajal refers to "'...Captain K'thak...'" (p. 545) so we should see this guy. His name partly echoes "Captain Kirk" but he should look different.
When he is alone, Cajal kneels and dramatically prays, not aloud but we should hear a voice over.
Next, in the text, a double paragraph space informs us of a change of scene, which should be abrupt in a film. Now, Tabitha Falkayn and Draun, followed by other Ythrians, fly above the Middle Ocean at night, tracking a crashed spaceship, whether Avalonian or Terran. Poul Anderson continually shows us how war fully engages all ranks on both sides. Characters that have been introduced separately will shortly interact with climactic consequences.
5 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I never thought of that before, THE PEOPLE OF THE WIND being good material for a filmed version, but I agree. The problem alas, being the near total lack of interest in the film and TV industries in Anderson's works. Even if that had not been the case I would fret over how well and honestly producers, directors, and script writers would handle the texts of Anderson's stories.
Maybe not so much a voice over of Admiral Cajal at prayer? The thought I had being this part of the story could be shown as a quote from his hypothetical journal.
I don't know if the Domain was a signatory to the Covenant of Alfzar, in which the major civilized interstellar accepted the laws and customs of war and diplomacy as they had been worked out on Terra. Which I interpreted to mean somewhat modified versions of the Hague, Geneva, and Vienna Conventions. But Draun certainly behaved like a thug here!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Vodan tells Rochefort, "Ythri abides by the conventions of war..."
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And that sounds like the Covenant of Alfzar to me.
Ad astra! Sean
It generally pays to play by the rules; that's why they're there.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree. And that was how Flandry was treated after he was captured by the Merseians in A CIRCUS OF HELLS.
Ad astra! Sean
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