AMERICAN GODS: GAIMAN GOES TV AGAIN?

There are rumors around, sited recently in the latest issue of SciFiNow magazine also, that there could soon be a televised adaptation of NEIL GAIMAN’S much admired novel AMERICAN GODS, which is being scripted presently and even seems attached to HBO and with Tom Hanks producing so far. It might take a while, but it could very definitely be worth waiting for.

But then, if we just stop and think about this seriously-now we all probably know at least some work from GAIMAN, whether his legendary SANDMAN dark gothic comic series, the recent CORALINE animated film, STARDUST the movie adapted from his own tale or some other work, he is respected and admired by almost everyone who has a liking of fantasy in comics, books, television and movies.

The bad feeling here though is the previous adaptations or shows inspired by his books or works. The most outstanding to me, anyway, would be NEVERWHERE from 1996. Very often it is viewed as a failure, a botched attempt, and just terrible thing that did not come very near to what it could have been. Gaiman himself produced a novelisation of NEVERWHERE which differed quite a lot from the series. Yes, the television series could be criticized for appearing too static, bland, like a poor theater production but it does honestly have a number of positive elements to it as well, and is certainly not all bad.

So what I am wondering now, really even while many GAIMAN tales are so amazing and fantastical in scope, characters, worlds and drama of many kinds, can they really, convincingly adapt to the small screen successfully?

There were glimpses of interesting charm and unique scenes and direction in NEVERWHERE, which do suggest good things could still be possible, and the great successes in STARDUST the movie, CORALINE, MIRRORMASK, and other one off shows and screenplays that GAIMAN has produced or been co-writer, there is hope there to be seen.

If AMERICAN GODS can eventually come to the small screen it could be a very amazingly entertaining thing, or God forbid, just awful to witness. There must be enough magic, hope and possibilities in television production to create a fantastic GAIMAN show to make his words proud.

PARANORMAN:RE-ANIMATED CREEPY ANIMATIONS

There is a very good fun looking new animated feature out in a few months, by the name of PARANORMAN, which seems to pick up the spooky kooky path left by other bizarre animation producers and filmmakers, notably TIM BURTON.

This new movie, with very similar look and design to the animated film CORALINE based on the children’s novel from NEIL GAIMAN, and yes this one is also produced by the same production team. Could it possibly be just too similar?

This new animated feature seems much more lovingly gothic and taking up the horror genre tropes-dark spooky woods, ghouls, ghosts, corpses. And that is great, nothing wrong with animated films, even aimed at young audiences, being a little macabre, scary and different.

It does though of course obviously seem very visually similar to the classic animated features from TIM BURTON, such as THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and CORPSE BRIDE. But then, it is going to be so hard not to draw those comparisons really. Unavoidable to be honest, but that should in no way put other animators off the notion of going creepy and scary at all.

With in recent years we’ve had THE CORPSE BRIDE from BURTON, CORALINE from the mind of NEIL GAIMAN, dystopian sci-fi fantasy 9, MOSTER HOUSE, SCARED SHREKLESS, MONSTERS VS ALIENS, IGOR, as well as other more safe sci-fi influenced animated features. This is great to see that production companies and distributors are not too afraid of darker tales and embracing genres in animation other than just cute fluffy animated animals and innocent small children in predictable adventures.

But that is not to say that I don’t care for lighter animated fair-only yesterday I watched GNOME AND JULIET actually, which is a great simple funny and playful, almost too camp and enormously colourful reimagining of the Shakespeare classic tale.

I just personally very much like to see other lesser supported or explored genres tackled through the animation medium more often, as having personally worked in the animation industry and studied it, know that animation can be capable of such truly stunning cinematic adventures and stories when approached in a honest and bold manner.

Some of my favourite animated films include:

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

FANTASIA, FANTASIA 2000

AKIRA

GHOST IN THE SHELL

METROPOLIS-Animated reimagined version of the silent German classic

CHICKEN RUN

WAKING LIFE-Trippy stream of consciousness existential journey

PINK FLOYD’S THE WALL-The stunning animated sequences

Animation is NOT  a genre, but a film medium, a means of storytelling, just without actors on screen, and sometimes than opens us so many more possibilites and potential. With modern CGI in blockbusters like AVATAR, TRANSFORMERS and more, the animated film and real life film with actors on screen are merging like never before. This does not mean we will lose total animated films, as they are arguably often the more poetic, captivating, artistic visions presented to us in cinema or on screen.