Life of Pi

[Watashi]

Ang Lee is in talks to direct Life of Pi, the Fox 2000 adaptation of Yann Martel's coming-of-age survival tale.

The novel revolves around a youth who is the lone survivor of a sunken freighter and winds up sharing a lifeboat with a hyena, an injured zebra, an orangutan and a hungry Bengal tiger.

The project has been through several incarnations, first with screenwriter Dean Georgaris, then M. Night Shyamalan. Lee will supervise a new script. The studio will hire a writer shortly.

First Shyamalan, then Jean-Pierre Jeunet, now Ang Lee.

I hope it gets made. It's probably my favorite book of all time.

[megladon8]

It should be animated.

[Ezee E]

It should be animated.

This.

[Kurosawa Fan]

It should be animated.

I agree. It would work much better.

[lovejuice]

i disagree with the animation idea. what make pi great is the realism of the fairy tale. the story being a fairy tale -- a boy surviving in the ocean with a bengal tiger -- but it's presented under the realistic and even scientific light.

[Kurosawa Fan]

i disagree with the animation idea. what make pi great is the realism of the fairy tale. the story being a fairy tale -- a boy surviving in the ocean with a bengal tiger -- but it's presented under the realistic and even scientific light.

I agree, and would rather it never be made into a film, but if it's done as a live action with CG effects, I think too many scenes will look phony anyway. It'd be better off being a photo-realistic animated film.

[Qrazy]

i disagree with the animation idea. what make pi great is the realism of the fairy tale. the story being a fairy tale -- a boy surviving in the ocean with a bengal tiger -- but it's presented under the realistic and even scientific light.

Yeah I agree with this. Contrasting the believability of the two possible realities is an important thematic point for the film which wouldn't hit as hard in an animated feature. Also I think a real tiger would add an element of tension that an animated tiger never could. However, the carnivorous island is going to be hard to pull off via live action.

[Mara]

I don't think this novel would make a good film.

[Winston*]

I don't think this novel would make a good film.

Agreed. Very little desire to see an adaptation of it.

[Sycophant]

Man, there is so much agreement in this thread!

I haven't read the book, so I'm going to be that guy. If this ends up being an Ang Lee film, I am so there. Also, I'll have to postpone my plans to read the book until after the film comes out.

[Mara]

Man, there is so much agreement in this thread!

I disagree.

[lovejuice]

I disagree.

let's agree to disagree.

[Sycophant]

Let's disagree to agree!

[Kurosawa Fan]

Also, I'll have to postpone my plans to read the book until after the film comes out.

This is not good judgment.

[lovejuice]

This is not good judgment.

i agr...ok fine.

[Qrazy]

It could make a fine film. You people are wrong.

Furthermore the book is good but bordering on mediocre.

Also I see no absolutely necessary reason to use CG. If the director doesn't suck too hard he could avoid any fake seeming moments.

[Ezee E]

Did anyone else see the clip before Prometheus? An amazing use of 3D for one, and I cannot wait for it now.

My date could only talk about how weird it was and asked, "It doesn't all take place on that boat, right?"

[Kurosawa Fan]

Did anyone else see the clip before Prometheus? An amazing use of 3D for one, and I cannot wait for it now.

My date could only talk about how weird it was and asked, "It doesn't all take place on that boat, right?"

Nope. All I got was a red band trailer for The Watch. :|

[Watashi]

I may sneak into a 3D Prometheus screening to watch this.

[Watashi]

Also, tell me more about this "date", Eric.

[Henry Gale]

I like the idea of a major studio advertising a movie with standalone scenes, in theatres, in 3D, as they want them to be seen, but it was just jarring to have it pop up amongst a bunch of trailers, and it definitely didn't help that the scene itself was as awkward and over the top as it was.

I just don't know if it was the right approach for them to release it like that. I knew about it in advance and didn't end thinking much of it one way or another, but my audience's reaction was an audible "lol wut", even from a couple of my friends that actually knew what the movie / book is.

I'm only somewhat familiar with what the novel is about, but even just as an admirer of Lee's work the footage did very little for me, so I really doubt it's going to sell anyone that has zero idea as to what it even is.

But it was definitely unique, the 3D was well-done, and the tiger (assuming it was entirely CG) looked believable. Otherwise, I'll wait and see how this turns out and focus more on getting around to reading the book.

[Ezee E]

A lot of lolwutz I think. I wonder if some thought of it as a "short film" like what Pixar does.

[Ezee E]

Also, tell me more about this "date", Eric.

Been about the fourth or fifth one. No quotations necessary.

[Dukefrukem]

Did anyone else see the clip before Prometheus? An amazing use of 3D for one, and I cannot wait for it now.

Yes. I was more confused than excited. 3D was OK.

[Chac Mool]

I may be in the minority, but that "teaser" looked dreadful -- it looked like a badly rendered commercial!