07.13.09 BLOG FIGHT LEADS TO MOVIE DEAL
Transformers producer Don Murphy is set to produce an adaptation of a sci-fi novel called The Flock, by James Robert Smith.
The book tells the story of a group of highly intelligent giant prehistoric birds discovered in the Florida Everglades who are intent on protecting their ancient home when faced with encroachment by theme park developers.
So… sort of like every save-the-forest-from-the-developers story… except the protagonists are super intelligent birds. Ahh, sci-fi novelists, so delightfully batsh-t. How did Murphy hear of this book, you ask?
Murphy discovered Smith and his book by chance. Murphy was on the blog of Eddie Campbell, the artist of “From Hell,” an Alan Moore graphic novel whose big-screen translation was produced by Murphy. Smith was posting comments critical of the film, putting Murphy on the defensive. Eager to find out more about the poster, Murphy discovered Smith had written a book. He quickly ordered it, expecting to hate it and ready to trash it. To his surprise, he fell for it. [THR]
It’s kind of like the internet’s version of a human-interest story, a sort of angry-bitter-nerd-makes-good tale. I think the key was tricking someone who makes movies based on toys into reading a sci-fi novel. “So these ‘books,’ - pretty good, huh? All this time I had no idea there were so full of mutants and talking animals.”
![[image]](http://cdn.fd.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2009/03/theflock-150x150.jpg)
There are 34 comments about:
BLOG FIGHT LEADS TO MOVIE DEAL
I didn’t know birds could breakdance.
Sort of like how Vince hates me, so I read his blog for research purposes, and I just end up commenting on his blog. Because he hates that.
Can I option a story about this story? I want to call it ‘You’ve got Hate Mail.’
“Giant prehistoric birds discovered in the Florida Everglades who are intent on protecting their ancient home when faced with encroachment ….”
Old ladies in Florida afraid of outsiders … so it’s non-fiction?
This movie will taste like chicken.
It’s really not that interesting a story. The super-intelligent birds write a letter to congress to get themselves on the endangered species list and that’s that; developers defeated.
You can tell the bird in the banner pic is super-intelligent because he has a hooked beak.
One of the least convincing aphorisms of all time has to be “Never judge a book by its cover.” This has got “Big Fucking Turkey” written all over it.
If I was subtly ripping of Jurassic Park, I’d do a story about a Scientist going on an adventure with 2 kids, but I’d make them adults to make it less obvious. I’d keep the T-Rex and set it in a Land that’s kind Of Lost….in time. Nah, I’m just kidding, nobody in Hollywood would make a stupid movie like that….
I imagine the blog fight went something like this….
Murphy: First!
Smith: Your a gay.
Murphy: Well, ur book sux dicks.
Smith: So does your Mom.
Murphy: Die in a fire.
Clevah’ girl.
It’s cute how old people don’t understand trolling.
I got mad that you called my film bad, so I did some research to try to find a way to make you feel badly!
This guy is going to end up optioning a shitload of Star-Trek fuck-fiction if he ever finds 4Chan.
I’d seriously question the birds’ intelligence if they were discovered in Florida.
Producers to production team:
Must go faster, must go faster!
What the flock?
Fek versus Bane: The Boning of Emily Rose
This movie smells fowl.
Oh, gawd. Hollywood idiots discovering 4chan would be a disaster comparable to Armageddon.
The protagonists are helped out by another sentient race of animals, the Snuffleupagi.
I found the dark parts of this movie to be the tastiest.
HOOT EXTREME! (With music by Jimmy Buffett and System of a Down.)
There was no script for this movie. The actors were all winging it.
The sad ending is when the developers triumph and the flock is pushed into a small corner of their old range. But using their intelligence they ultimately prevail by opening a casino and a restaurant that serves huge omlets.
I hope the blog fight between xerotheory7803 and TKE4LIFE in the CoTW section becomes a movie.
We’ll call it “Kangaroo Jack 2″.
This movie takes place in Miami-Dade county.
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