MovieChat Forums > The Hyrule fantasy: Zeruda no densetsu (1987) Discussion > What they would need to do to make a goo...

What they would need to do to make a good 'Zelda'-based film...

posted 16 years ago by MaximumMadness
4 replies | jump to latest

I would love to see a "Legend of Zelda" film series... I say "series", because it would need to be a 2-part film (like "Kill Bill") or a trilogy (like "Lord of the Rings") to properly tell a compelling enough story. One film is not big enough to fit all of the mythology and adventure into.

However, they cannot, and I repeat, CANNOT base it one one specific game in the series. (Such as "Ocarina of Time", which seems to be a fan favorite.)

I am sorry, but no game in the series has enough "meat" to it to really be compelling enough for a general audience. Yes, they do have amazing storylines, but they just can't support a film. (without having to add a lot of cruddy filler plotlines in.)

What they need to do is come up with a substancial original storyline that uses the basic premise of the series, and that borrows elements from the games, in order to keep it true to the series. Basically, the story would need to be almost like the story for a Zelda game that does not exist... have the basic premise, but also a lot of originality.

People may not agree, but trust me, that is the only way it could really work.

That, and they need to keep Link's tunic but loose the hat-thingy. That would just look silly on the big-screen.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] speccyboy 15 years ago

I like your requests - may I make a few additions or suggestions?

I think Ganon should be CGI, yes - but voiced by Paul Darrow rather than Mark Hamill (I just think MH might want to take a break from voicing bad guys - besides, PD just has that raw sound to his voice, and he kicks a little more ass).

Another suggestion for the score would be Tony Banks (Keyboard player for Genesis). Listen to some of his solo stuff and you'll see what I mean.

[–] Theoden_of_ODU 15 years ago

A lot of these make perfect sense, and for the most part are things I've thought about hard as well.

A Link to the Past is probably the best story to base the film on, using elements that appear in subsequent stories.

* Make the film "accessible" to younger and older fans alike. Making this film only appeal to 12 and 13 year olds is the wrong way to go. Make the story mature enough for someone who was playing LoZ or LttP when they were a kid like the film, but that it can also be viewed and enjoyed by those same 12 and 13 year olds. I'd hate to see it kiddie-fied.

* I'm thinking that they would need some protection just in case the film isn't a resounding success. Adaptations are rarely successful (mostly because they're treated poorly), so it might be an uphill battle getting the film to be successful. If they did one film, with threads remaining open (perhaps a close-ended cliffhanger, where the film's plot is largely resolved) - that might help.

* Continuing on the previous point, If LttP is used as a template, perhaps the first film could "end" when Agahnim is defeated. The end could be Link/Zelda being sent to the Dark World. This would allow for a story to be told of the rescue of Zelda (first rescue), Link finding the pendants (or just him trying to locate the Master Sword) and then returning to defeat Agahnim. If the film proved successful, the sequel could spend it's time passing between the Light world and Dark world, on his search for Zelda and defeat Ganon.

* Soundtrack: The score should be based entirely on Koji Kondo's work, not just "notes of influence" I mean directly using "Hyrule Overture" and the like.

* Dungeons need to be largely eliminated or the majority of them need to be cut down to next to nothing (montage). Again, if LttP is retrained, the elements of the Death Mountain section should remain (first time in Dark World). Perhaps instead of Link returning to the Hyrule Castle to rescue the princess, the final battle with Agahnim is there to compress locations and time.

I think it can be done if the right people got the job and the source material was treated with respect.

http://film-blender.blogspot.com/

[–] Samvernon89 14 years ago

My two cents:

The Storyline for the independent film I'm hoping to have done by 2013: An original storyline which includes key events and characters that we've heard of but never seen. The film begins with four members of a tribe trying to hijack a boat. The crew blows up the boat to prevent them from succeeding, killing all but one and leaving him with Amnesia.

Now here's where the Zelda mythology comes in, in the Minish cap we learn about the Hero of Men, king Gustaf, and a character named Swift Blade. Now we don't know who the hero of Men is, but my theory is is that he's just another Link.

Anyway, what winds up happening from here is, the boy is found by two passerby's. One is Princess Zelda and one is a soldier from Hyrule named Swift. They have no idea who this man is (He's in fact the Link of this story and he's about 20/ 21 years old) so they offer for him to follow them back to Hyrule castle. He doesn't say anything (due to the memory loss) and follows them on a hike back where he gets to know Zelda a bit. From here he slowly remembers he is a skilled theif and assassin and instinctively jumps the castle wall and begins having fun jumping rooftops and using the castle courtyard as a playground. He incidentally winds up challenging the prince of Hyrule to gentlemen's duel which leads to Link being invited to the King's ball (King Gustaf).

Here's where the Zelda mythology comes in again. In The Adventure of Link we learn the original Legend of Zelda. Zelda's brother gives his sister up to a wizard because he's jealous that she contains the light force or triforce and she is put into an eternal sleep.

The prince is treacherous and is working with an evil tribe (The one that our Link in this story used to be a part of.) Link gets his memory back after falling in love with Zelda. As it turns out, Hyrule is at war with evil creatures and tribes of men who are all seeking the triforce. Link's original mission and reason for taking the boat at the beginning was, he was supposed to use the boat to sneak into the castle undetected and kidnap Zelda so the tribe could perform their ritual. The wizard who the prince was working with was working with Link's old tribe. Link's sword (the Picori sword with mysterious origins) winds up being the key needed for the ritual to take the light force from Zelda. Without Link's sword the wizard botches the ritual putting Zelda in an eternal sleep. Thus beginning the Legend of Zelda. Link continues on to kill the wizard and his minions and as a sign that good has finally beaten evil, lays his sword in a pedestal and beginning the annual Picori Festival sword-fighting tournament.

In other words it's kind of a prequel/ fan fiction rooted in theorized Hyrule history. What I like about the storyline so much is, yes there are liberties taken, but enough of the original Zelda elements I feel are still there. Link doesn't talk for most of the movie (well most may be an exaggeration), Link and Zelda don't wind up together, Zelda is kidnapped and Link has to rescue her. And added in are things that would help the flow of a movie, Swift being a supporting character, comedy, several nods to the Minish being the reason Link becomes a hero as opposed to killing Zelda.

The good part of the film is, yes it does leave things out but it leaves almost limitless rooms for sequels (which I have storylines to two right now) both original storylines and the storylines from the game. If this movie were made you could make the original Legend of Zelda and Adventure of Link both into movies and they would flow just like sequels. Or you could start the Hero of Time story and make an Ocarina of Time movie or set of movies. The title for my movie is going to be "Hero of Men" because that is the story being told.

If you agree with me and see what I'm saying about the long run of a movie franchise then great, if not then that's cool. You'll see when the movie is finished.