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Earthsea and The Lathe of Heaven


A version of Le Guin's excellent novel The Lathe of Heaven was made, circa 1979 or so. It was broadcast, once of twice, and then unavailable, due to some legal issue. WNED got rights to broadcast it again, about fifteen years ago.

Was I disappointed? Words fail me. A version was made starring Lisa Bonet, also disappointing.

How did Le Guin's novel end up getting filmed in versions she didn't like? I believe some novelists routinely agree to sign over certain rights to their publishers, when their agent negotiates their royalties. Others hold on to the movie rights longer, and win a better deal when film producers are actually interested in making a movie.

So, how often do novelists get invited to co-write the screenplay? I believe this is relatively rare.

Alan Alda directed a film about thirty years ago, that I suspect was actually right on, where it shows the frustration of Alda's character, as he watches a young director butcher the historical novel he wrote.

The original writer's (Alda) frustration grows. Finally he blows up at the director. "You got all these things wrong! My contract says you are supposed to consult me!" The young director looks at him, and instead of simply ignoring him, as he had with earlier complaints, he lets Alda tell him a couple of things he did wrong. He then says:

"There are three elements a film needs to make money nowadays: (1) The heroes have to defy authority; (2) The heroes have to destroy property; and (3) you have to take everyone's clothes off.

"OK. Now the consultation is over."
Alda may not have been correct about those three elements. But I think it sounds like Le Guin experienced, in real life, what the writer Alda played experienced, in fiction.

Alda's film? Sweet Liberty, co-starring Michelle Pfieffer and Michael Caine. It was generally lite viewing, with weak elements, but I would still recommend it.

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