UKC

With Game of Thrones, Hornblower, Sherlock and the like all having been made into TV series, why have the Flashman books not joined them? Would anyone else be delighted to see this?

R

In reply to Roberttaylor:

There were a couple (?) of 70's films. and that is very much the era I think of him in (rather than 2 centuries ago!) down to the extravagant moustache and flares. The women also seem to be written in terms of Hammer House of Horror damsels. I think it could work, but it would require some careful scripting.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

These days American money is needed for a lavish period production. Victorian colonial tales don't exactly play in Peoria.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

There was an old Flashman series on TV

In reply to Roberttaylor:

The cost would be massive - lots of exotic locations, hundreds of extras and costumes. Also, even if the money was available, if the adaptation was faithful to the books, the tone would be very tricky to get right. Flashman is a venal, cowardly, treacherous, sexual predator (an actual rapist in one of the books as I recall). For me, he works within the novels because his redeeming features are also evident - honesty about his failings, sense of humour, intelligence, appreciation of other cultures - and those traits, with his desire to save his skin, often yield a believably realpolitik outcome. I think it be very hard to get that across - without removing any of the harsher edges and reducing it to "Confessions of a carry on up the Khyber".... in which case I'd far prefer the books to be left alone.

In reply to thebigfriendlymoose:

I don't think the cost would be too prohibitive: I can't see a Flashman series being too dissimilar to Sharpe, for example, and Sharpe managed to get to India for 2 or 3 of the televised episodes. Saying that, I don't think they would film Sharpe these days. However, things like Game of Thrones is made, and I can't see Flashman costing much more than that.

In reply to Mad Tommy:


Check out the first Sharpe series - never more than twenty men per army That was budget filming! I'm surprised they ever filmed in India - it was normally Spain wasn't it?

In reply to Mad Tommy:

Game of Thrones required the deep pockets of cable TV network to reach the screen - a network with a reputation for providing sufficient finance to do a concept justice, and having patience with show creators. It is based on an ongoing series of best-sellers, with fans waiting impatiently for the next volume. So, although expensive, it had decided factors in its favour re the likelihood of success: money, support, and near guaranteed audience interest. Outside of a small number of British fogies like myself, Flashman would not have that ready made audience, so, I reckon the only channels with an interest would be UK based, and they wouldn't have the money to do it justice. Anyway, the source material isn't really suited to the current model of making these dramas - the books aren't an ongoing narrative and they are individually too slim to sustain a series - maybe a 2 hour one-off.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

I don't see Flashman as being much less widely read than Hornblower, Cranford etc. A two hour special would be realistic, probably best based on the first book.

In reply to andyathome:

Later series, after Waterloo. I suspect they had a well established market by this stage and had it pre-sold to international markets. 2 hour specials rather than series.

Sean Bean was a reasonably big name internationally as well by this stage.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

Who would play him?

In reply to DaveHK:

Rick Mayall did a good job in Black Adder, Johhny Depp probably thinks he could do a great job (but he couldn't) I dont think Cumberband and his ilk have the physique, but they do have the Etonian accent...

I'm going to stick my neck out (and get ridiculed) for Tom Hardy

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Fassbender.....

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:


Old Harrovian, Cumberbatch would probably give you a right slap for that.

If you want Old Etonian, how about Damien Lewis!

In reply to Mad Tommy:

Au contraire.
http://www.bernardcornwell.net/filming-begins-on-the-last-kingdom/
Bernard Cornwell wrote Sharpe, this is a later (in our time, earlier in history) series of novels with a Sharpe-like central character battling his way through history. Not as good as Cornwell's best two series The Warlord series and the Sharpe series.

In reply to StuA15:


That could work.

Cumberbatch is too skinny.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

In the age of political correctness the Flashman books would be so watered down - they'd miss the mark and the essential English superiority complex that lies at the heart of the flashman character would be lost. I hope they never get made into a film or TV program.

In reply to cander:

I have to disagree. Flashman's musings on the nature of empire are comparable to Kipling's in 'The man who would be king', his admiration for the Sikh army in 'mountain of light' shows that he clearly didn't hold other races as being intrinsically inferior to his own. A belief that English culture (his views on the Scots are well known despiTe marrying one) was capable of dominating the globe at the time seems justified in light of the fact that 1/5 of the world was pink. Plus, as a child of his time, those views wouldn't have been that unusual.

Flashman can definitely be considered anti-human though and probably isn't an ideal role model. That said, I'd far rather watch a 'flashman' film than a 'tom brown' one.

R

In reply to cander:

But I see what you mean...a watered down version would be a disappointment.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

The Flashman series is wonderful. But I don't think it would make good TV, because much of what is good about it is the contrast between what Flashman does, or is seen to do, and what he thinks.

The only way of getting this across would be a constant voiceover - which would be really annoying television.

The one series of books that I think would make excellent TV is Cornwell's Warlord Trilogy - very much in the tone of Game of Thrones only (a bit) more historical than fantasy.

In reply to Roberttaylor:

Don't get me wrong flashman at the charge of the light brigade with fabulous wind is one of the greatest laugh out loud literary passages I've ever read. I'm not sure anyone could do it justice.

In reply to cander:


Lets hope they never film 'Huckleberry Finn', then.

Oh.....bugger.