OT: THe Dark Knight Rises by Greg Cox
- Thread starter JD
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What do you as an author of the novelization do when you stumble across a glaring inconsistency in a film script? Do you have to ask for permission before you try to explain it?
In general, it depends. I'm not going to make any radical changes to the plot, but, depending on how glaring it is, I may try to rationalize it a bit.
That sounds vague, but, honestly, it's a judgment call. You don't want to put so much effort into explaining it away that you call attention to the plot hole or whatever, but if you can discreetly put a bandaid over it . . . .
"Special Agent Mark Starr retrieved the extra pistol he kept in the glove compartment. It was a good thing he had brought a spare since he lost his other gun in that cave-in."
Ha! I was yesterday reading the Broken Bow novelization by Diane Carey, and this exactly describes it. She goes out of the way to explain things that don't really need it and it actually makes the problem worse. An example is when T'Pol is talking to Trip and says the comment about the sensors being less sophisticated than the ones played with by Vulcan children. She adds in a line about Trip thinking "Why did she say that? We both know Vulcan children don't play with sophisticated sensors" or something like that. There were a number of places in the book this took me out. I realize she didn't have much to work with in that script, but drawing attention to all the weaknesses just makes them more obvious instead of fixing them.
I've had the idea that Metropolis is an alternate version of Toronto. Where there was a history in which the north eastern border of the US was different. So that the southern part of Ontario, which is sorounded by the Great Lakes, was a state in the Union.
Now, my brain's thrown completely off-track.
Smallville's Metropolis being in Kansas, I can wrap my brain around. Somewhat.
Gotham's map being changed twice for the purposes of Mr. Nolan's movies, likewise. (Although the newest version's street names put me far more in mind of Opal City as presented by James Robinson in his Starman run. Garamond and Egypt? Oahu and Crystal?)
But the "great state of Ontario"???
Smallville's Metropolis being in Kansas, I can wrap my brain around. Somewhat.
Gotham's map being changed twice for the purposes of Mr. Nolan's movies, likewise. (Although the newest version's street names put me far more in mind of Opal City as presented by James Robinson in his Starman run. Garamond and Egypt? Oahu and Crystal?)
But the "great state of Ontario"???
It in this alternate history it would not be called Ontario! It would only be part of what we call Ontario anyways. If there could be names like Metropolis and Gotham City why not fictional states. There where attempts for different states than we have now.
Original Superman artist Joe Shuter was born in Toronto.
Original Superman artist Joe Shuter was born in Toronto.
It was due to those mountains that the Bronx was rumbling.
Yeah, it was cool the way they moved the Atlantic coast inland 1,500 miles."Smallville" of course had Metropolis in Kansas
Did we ever see the ocean? I remember that Smallville's "Metropolis" had a waterfront, but I always rationalized that there was a major river running through the city . . . .
(The occasional glimpse of pine forests were a little harder to explain away!)
The forthcoming Man of Steel seems to have turned Smallville into a small seaside town.
Yeah, there's no reason to think that footage has anything to do with Smallville. I'm assuming the film is following the precedent of Superman: Birthright, with Clark travelling the world and gaining wide-ranging experience before settling in Metropolis. (Which certainly makes more sense than just trudging to the Arctic and spending a decade and a half getting a cosmic education from the ghost of his dead father.)
In the teaser and trailer, when we see kid Clark walking around in the cape, the jagged seaside rocks are right behind him.
Although I guess that may well not be Clark. In fact, with all the "you will inspire them" stuff, it's more likely just some kid who saw Superman in action.... never mind.
Although I guess that may well not be Clark. In fact, with all the "you will inspire them" stuff, it's more likely just some kid who saw Superman in action.... never mind.
Not if, like in Smallville, that education included how to make sure he doesn't accidently crush lovers to death in the heat of the moment.
Not if, like in Smallville, that education included how to make sure he doesn't accidently crush lovers to death in the heat of the moment.
Heck, Smallville was most likely borrowing from Larry Niven's classic 1971 essay "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" (which is reprinted with permission here).
Oh yes, I remember that!
So I guess no one has bought and read Greg's novel since we keep jumping off topic? I've started it and it's tremendous. Very close to the script indeed.
Thanks!
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