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Till We Have Faces Movie

PostPosted: February 24th, 2009, 1:38 pm
by ransomed
If TWHF was made into a movie, Would you want to see Orual's face? I think she should be off camera or use strategic shots to leave it to your imagination until she takes the veil. This is just some wishful thinking that a movie would be made!

Also, has anyone thought of doing a book study here? The Space Trilogy studies were interesting.

Re: Till We Have Faces Movie

PostPosted: May 25th, 2009, 3:23 am
by Zattara08
I think this book would be incredibly difficult to do a movie on. Now, I say that realizing they said the same thing about LOTR :smile: but I really do not think it would be attempted or done. Besides, I would be to afraid of being let down.

Re: Till We Have Faces Movie

PostPosted: June 15th, 2009, 4:19 am
by Tom
Probably my favorite novel. I'd love to see it on screen but I think it would be mangled by hollywood. Maybe not though. Just don't have Adamson direct it. He screwed up LWW even though I like the film.
Adamson screw ups:
1. Providing a reason why Edmund is nasty. Lewis lack of an explanation (I can't remember one) enhances the mystery and dread of evil and makes the redemption scene more filled with awe.
2. Lewis portrays Aslan's magic as from before the dawn of time thus hinting that Aslan transcends Narnia rather than making him merely a great talking beast as Adamson does.
Regards, Tom

Re: Till We Have Faces Movie

PostPosted: June 25th, 2009, 6:09 pm
by rusmeister

Re: Till We Have Faces Movie

PostPosted: June 25th, 2009, 10:17 pm
by Tom
I was afraid of putting it that bluntly. So instead of saying that I agree with you I'll say I don't disagree with you. How's that for melee mouthed fence sitting.

You mentioned that Adamson is probably not a believer. Sounds right to me. I was excited to see him interviewed by Christianity Today (CT) but was disappointed that when asked about his religious convictions he refused to discuss them. The episode reminded me of when our Lord said that if we act ashamed of Him before men, He will be ashamed of us in his Father's kingdom. Even if he's not a Christian and he most likely isn't, I thought he acted like a sissy for not even a willingness to describe his world view.
Regards, Tom

p.s. I must give him credit for Shrek 1&2 though. Excellent!

Re: Till We Have Faces Movie

PostPosted: August 16th, 2010, 3:44 pm
by archenland_knight
TWHF is so deep that it would be a terrible shame to loose any of that to a botched movie version. I just finished reading it for the second time, and was not surprised to see that there were many things I got from the second reading that I missed on the first. I knew this would be the case after I read it the first time and had been looking forward to the second read for months.

I don't think anyone in Hollywood is capable of bringing through all that depth and richness. I think a movie made based on TWHF would be a marvelous movie if they got it even half right, but I fear it would be impossible to do justice to the book.

I wondered myself, though, while re-reading the book, what would be the best way to handle Orual's face should a movie be made. Would it be best to hire a genuinely ugly actress? And would you need one with a beautiful voice, or could that be electronically altered? Maybe get CCM star Margaret Becker to do voice-overs?

It seems kind of cruel to the actress to choose her based on her looks ... lack thereof.

Director: "Congratulations, sir ... I mean ma'am. You've got the part."

Actress: "I can't believe it! That's wonderful! Tell me, what was it that convinced you to pick me? My delivery? My emoting? What sold you?"

Director: (scratches head) "Well, I don't quite know how to put this but ... Gads! You're ugly!!! I mean, good grief!!! You are by far the ugliest woman who's been in here today! I mean, I've seen some ugly women. But, you! You take the cake!"


It just seems cruel, doesn't it? I'm sitting here laughing, but it still seems cruel.

I like the idea of just not showing her face, but it would be tricky. I'm afraid a movie director would simply have her take the veil earlier, which would kind of mess up the story.

I thought about pulling a page from theater of centuries past and simply have a man play the part. But I'm not sure that would look right either. Her body shape and movements still have to be feminine. The movements are especially hard to disguise.

But there's an opposite problem. Who among Hollywood's actresses is really beautiful enough to play Psyche? I'm not sure any of them have that "perfection of nature" kind of quality that the role requires.

Re: Till We Have Faces Movie

PostPosted: August 16th, 2010, 9:42 pm
by Tom
Your comment about the ugly actress being asked to play Orual reminds me of an interview with the woman who played the wicked witch of the west in "The Wizard of Oz", still in the top 10 films of all time in my opinion. Anyway in describing how she got the part she said that the director told her they had a part for her. She naturally wanted to know which part. The director said 'the witch of course'. If you rent the movie it might be in the extras section of the DVD. Her description endeared her to me. She rolled her eyes in what I thought was half mock disgust.

TWHF is the best novel I've ever read. I found very profound, the idea that the questions we have for God are the answers because He uses those questions to bring about a response from us that is unique; no one else would ask exactly the same questions or give the same response.

Re: Till We Have Faces Movie

PostPosted: August 17th, 2010, 7:35 pm
by paminala
I've only read parts of this book but where finding actresses is concerned I'm reminded of the girl cast in the movie Precious (Gabourey Sidibe.) She was chosen to fit a character who was certainly not conventionally attractive but since she is a strong, well balanced person she was able to take the opportunity and make something great of it. She is even helping to challenge the idea of what is "conventionally attractive" in our society. Maybe another movie around a different looking person might be a good thing. I can't say what it would do for the story or the book though.
To faithfully represent very specific physical types in the characters really good CGI might be the best bet.