Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Paradise Lost, the movie?

We've talked several times about the implausibility, if not impossibility, of a Paradise Lost movie. During my cyberspace wanderings I came across this fan-made trailer for a such a film.


As far as the trailer itself, I think its pretty well done. Clever editing, sound layering, etc. But I don't think I'd like the full movie this trailer would potentially be advertising. Hollywood likes to ham things up. While I think Paradise Lost has some potential for some incredible battle scenes, it would be a mistake to make that the driving force behind the film. (Especially if they're as anime styled as these clips were. Nothing wrong with anime, it just doesn't seem to fit the content.)

What then, should drive a film adaptation of Paradise Lost, and could it be successfully conveyed? From what we've read so far, I'd say Satan would likely be the center of the piece for two reasons-- his dynamic character and his prevalence throughout the whole of the text. It would definitely be difficult to portray in film the torment that is working in Satan's soul, but maybe with some extremely talented acting and cinematography, it could be done? I'd give Daniel Day-Lewis the nod as Satan in a heartbeat.


2 comments:

  1. Intense music...and great narrator!! But I still wouldn't want it to work. Personally. Its a story, a history that almost hits too close to home for us that it should be summed up and rendered for public entertainment.

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  2. I think what might work would be a type of mini-series with Paradise Lost. Have you guys seen that version of Pride and Prejudice that's about six hours long? It's actually considered a mini series. I think something like that would support the massive depth of Paradise Lost.

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