Hollywood Paging Dr. Pangloss

[jamesq]

Lets pretend for a moment that this is a perfect world, but only in so far as movies and television are concerned. You know what I mean, a universe where Firefly is still on the air.

So what would be in your perfect Hollywood? Here are some examples from the "nearly happened" files:

1. Will Smith was Neo in "The Matrix" (instead of being in "Wild Wild West").
   
2. Billy Wilder really did make "A Night at the United Nations" with the Marx Brothers.
   
3. River Phoenix still alive and making awesome movies.
   
4. David Fincher living a quiet but happy life somewhere far removed from cameras of all kinds.

Any other suggestions?

--- Afterthoughts ---

5. Kevin Smith listens to his cinematographer.
   
6. Christopher Moore's books were actually made into movies, instead of just being optioned.
   
7. Live action version of "The Castle of Cagliostro"!
   
8. "Action" went on for a full season.
   
9. "Twin Peaks" went for one season, instead of a season and a half.
   

Comments

[ladyerwyn.livejournal.com]

5. Peter Jackson, with the cooperation of Stephen King would have made "The Dark Tower" series.

6. There would have been an awesome spinoff of "Buffy" dealing with Willow and Xander. That would have been cool.

7. "Angel" would have had more seasons and Fred would not have died.

8. You're right, "Firefly" would not have been canceled. It would have had 8 or 9 seasons.

9. "Farscape" would have had more seasons and there would have been an awesome spinoff. Also Dargo would not have died.

10. "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" would have been an awesome addition to the Star Trek franchise.

[ladyerwyn.livejournal.com]

You killed my numbering system. Now they're all off.

[garething.livejournal.com]

11. George Lucas would have realised his inability to direct and would have turned directorial duties on the prequel trilogy over to someone competent.

[jamesq]

Or how about if the Brocolli's let more avant garde directors take on James Bond? I'd be first in line for a Bond flick that was directed by Quentin Tarentino, or Curtis Hanson, or Darren Aronofsky...

[bungle-lord.livejournal.com]

'Babylon 5' had had a director that could get a bit better performance out of the actors. Also, that 'Babylon 5' had had a smooth five year story arc instead of scrambling to finish in year four and then having a year five anyway.

The David Weber 'Honor Harrington' series, as several mini-series or tv-movies. (Much like the Sharpe or Horatio Hornblower series). Directed by Joss Whedon.

I browsed through a list of SF&F TV shows at www.tv.com, and saw several that had the potentical of being wonderful at the hands of someone like Joss Whedon.

http://www.tv.com/sci-fi/genre/10/summary.html?tag=subnav;scifi

A remake of Land of the Giants(1968-19700). The only concept we need to keep from the original is that a group of normal people get stranded on a planet where everything is twelve times the expected size. Perhaps with Aaron Sorkin ('West Wing', 'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip') and J. Michael Straczynski ('Jeremiah','Babylon 5') as writers.

I wish that 'The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne' (2000) had lasted more than one season.
I wish that 'Commander In Chief' had continued.
I wanted to see more of 'Jeremiah', a J. Michael Straczynski series, but I haven't had a chance to see season 2 yet.

Since we are assuming an idealized version of Movie/TV land, I will assume that we get the best possible writing, acting, directing, etc if we do not specify anyone specific. I also want to avoid the rating 'Technical Inaccuracies May Be Offensive To Some Viewers' label that so many programs should currently contain.

I had not realized that 'Tom Corbett, Space Cadet' was a TV series that ran from 1950 to 1955. I remember reading the books when I was a wee little lad, though.

So far I like what I have seen of 'The Dresden Files' and 'Heroes'. 'Battlestar Galactica(2003)' is also amongst my current favourites. I haven't seen any of season three of 'The 4400' yet.

[ersatz-marduk.livejournal.com]

Performance would matter more than anything else. People with last names like Thuan or Mugabe could be cast in the roles of Winston Churchill or Victor Hugo in serious pieces without anyone batting an eye, so long as the actors played the role well.

I'd be more than happy to never see Whedon do screenwork again for soemthing like that. After all, if no one blinks when he casts a Glau and a Maher as people named Tam, it's bloody well past time to open all roles to everyone.

[jamesq]

I'm not sure I understand this. Are you saying you don't like Joss Whedon's writing, or that you'd be willing to sacrifice it so that casting decisions are made purely on merit?

[ersatz-marduk.livejournal.com]

Small price to pay, isn't it? It's not like he's all that unique anyway.

[jamesq]

Fair enough. I like his writing personally. That's what makes preferences "personal" I guess.

[wackynephews.livejournal.com]

The Robocop sequels would have used their original scripts by Frank Miller.

William Goldman's pitch for Wild, Wild West was accepted.

They used Larry Gelbart's bizarre metatextual script for the Flintstones. (Essentially "The Flintstones" was a live action sitcom from the prehistoric times but the quality of the technology was such that it turned out like the cartoon we know and love)

I second the David Fincher not directing idea.