Rendezvous with Rama - TV Series / Mini Series?

[Candlelight]

With Morgan Freeman's efforts to bring this most awesome novel to the big screen still being shot down at every turn, would an approach to the small screen be a nice alternative?

Either a six-part series or two-part mini series covering the book. If a mini then the cliffhanger could come with Mercury threatening to shoot Rama down and Jimmy Pak becoming trapped at the southern end.

I think in terms of updating it for a modern audience, I would drop a few of the extraneous parts of the story, like the polygamist lifestyles, and the 'space chimps' (which I still think would've been helpful inside Rama but were never really used).

I would also concentrate much of the story on Commander Norton and his crew, rather than bouncing it back to the science council every so often. Dialog could just be given to the 'science officer' instead.

Considering shows like Terra Nova with their huge budgets can't mean something like this is beyond reach. Granted much of the interior would be blue screen work... maybe we should call Lucas...

...on second thoughts, lets NOT call Lucas...

[sojourner]

If you think about it, Babylon 5 used pretty much the same backdrop set - a cylindrical habitat. So it could be done on a TV budget.

[Candlelight]

sojourner wrote:

---

If you think about it, Babylon 5 used pretty much the same backdrop set - a cylindrical habitat. So it could be done on a TV budget.

True but you have to remember that Babylon 5 was able to use bushes and walls to avoid showing much of the (virtual) o'neil cylinder environment above. As far as I remember from the novel, Rama is fairly devoid of those things once you're down on the plains (unless you're in those cities), so there's not much you can use to 'hide behind'.

Maybe as far as artistic licence is concerned, you could fudge the Rama enviroment a little to suit filming requirements.

[Kegg]

I think it could work as a movie, but if on TV, then a miniseries or TV movie. Probably not more than three episodes. (I honestly wrote that sentence before realizing what a lame joke it sounds like but am seriously about it). Rama's a great novel but not a terribly long one, so I wouldnt want any production to outstay its welcome.

Would prefer something that looks better than Terra Nova, mind, but I'm not that picky if it's done well.

[RJDiogenes]

I'd much rather see it done as a TV mini than a movie. Not only would they have longer to tell the story, but there would be less Blockbuster pressure to fill it with explosions and shoot outs and interstellar war. But Rama is purely a sense-of-wonder novel, so I'm not sure if it could be made to work for the current audience in any medium

[Candlelight]

Kegg wrote:

---

Rama's a great novel but not a terribly long one, so I wouldnt want any production to outstay its welcome.

That's why I suggested half a dozen episodes.

It doesn't lend itself to more than that. Hell even 13 would be a stretch.

[arch101]

I was a young man when they first started talking about making a film out of this, and I fear I'll be an old man by the time they actually do it.
Would really like this as a miniseries. 2 or 3 parts. It's a pretty interesting story.

[Klaus]

The scene where the lights turn on would be worth the whole thing if done right.