Jump to content

Home

How Far Would Grim Fandango Go As A Film?


I say, I say

Recommended Posts

It's a game like no other really; a game that deals with the aspect of death and what happens after it. Those who come across this game nowadays though sort of bypass it for something else; a Command & Conqueor or whatever. Grim Fandango though has much more than most games can dream; characters, plot and most importantly music.

 

Yet if put into the film media; how far do you think it would go in terms of box office or success? How many people would go and see a film based on the afterlife and how it is corrupted? Its definately a fresh idea and one that I don't think can be said has been done before.

 

Yet if so, how would you first go about making this film? Digital animation of course is essential and how close to the game would you keep that animation? Another factor would be would you split the film into two halves; would it make two films though; theres not really enough it make two whole films and theres probably too much to make one.

 

But what do u think? One; should GF be a film, Two; How far would it go and three: how could it be made? Really depends on the first question though...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would LOVE to see a GF movie.

 

There are however a number of problems with this, I think. Firstly, movies are quite a different medium than games. I agree that it would be hard to squeeze the plot of the game into a comfortable movie (perhaps go the Kill Bill way, though I think these drawn out things appeals less to non-fans.), just consider the time you spent playing (yes, I realize most of the time was just running around =P ).

 

This leads to the next obstacle, which direction would the movie take? I think it would be hard to include the game's whimsical interaction and humour between the "actors" and still be so dramatic at times. I probably wouldn't have a problem with it, since I know the game, but others might go into it expecting this or that.

 

Also, while we're on prejudices, this movie would most likely be animated. For some reason this is considered a bit childish (some peope still live in the sixties =P ), and would further scare away producers (along with the direction it would have to take, and the somewhat meager financial results from the game (signalling low interest).) Even if the movie was made and perfectly conveyed the feel of the game, I don't think it would rake in much money (What a child movie? With skeletons? Death and murder? And so on), the fanbase IS actually rather small.

 

On the other hand, with a dedicated team and someone with a few heaps of money laying around, I can defiantely see GF being turned ito a movie, it is a good story after all.

 

I'm sorry for all the ( )s, I know they are annoying. And I know my thoughts are somewhat rambling, I'm in a hurry. I'll focus more next time!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Getting Grim Fandango to work as a movie would be a difficult task, but if done well the result might be magnificent.

 

I think length is one of the biggest obstacles. The game has lots of dialogue that develops the characters and makes them all stand out. In a movie there would be no chance to give that much attention to minor characters, unless it became really long or had several parts. Perhaps one movie for each year.

 

As a result the only characters to keep their developed game selves would most likely be Manny, Glottis, Meche, Domino and perhaps Salvador, Eva and Hector. Characters like Membrillo, Toto and Chepito would either appear only briefly or be cut out entirely. And that, in my opinion, would take a lot from the experience. Especially from those who haven't played the game.

 

I think that any GF movie should definitely be animated. I'm thinking something along the lines of Pixar. It would have to look like the cut scenes, only even better and smoother. Most, if not all, of the music would have to be from the game and the same voice actors (at least for the main characters) would be needed. However, since at least one of the voice actors is already dead, that would be impossible unless his lines were taken straight from the game.

 

But now that I think of it, I think we'd get pretty much the same result if someone made a fan movie. You know, someone recorded their Full Throttle experience, got rid of the cursor and released it online. If someone could do the same with GF, only go through the best/necessary dialogue and edit out some of the walking around, we'd have a decent GF movie in our hands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm leaning towards no. Grim Fandango has always been about connecting to the characters, feeling the satisfaction of completing it, and exploring the world. If a film did it, then well, you wouldn't be exploring the world.

 

I also don't see a big market for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm leaning towards no. Grim Fandango has always been about connecting to the characters, feeling the satisfaction of completing it, and exploring the world. If a film did it, then well, you wouldn't be exploring the world.

I also don't see a big market for it.

I agree with you in every sense.

Anyway, I don't think this should be a film. It would loose it deepness to become an adventure movie.

 

Besides it would be either a 3D movie, which would make it seem like a child film (give me the name of any computer-generated film made for adults or a serious audience, if you think I'm wrong); or acted, and the characters wouldn't be skeletons (I personally think it would be very interesting to see an interpretation of death which includes humans instead).

Even worse: the credits are owned by LucasArts, unless I am mistaken, what would mean the movie would be made by Lucas or Spielberg, and you already know what I think about them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The more I think about this the more I feel like old school type of animation would suit better, like old disney with that certain sketchiness to it. This is, however, probably more improbable than the rest of the ideas. =/

 

Don't toss it away so easily. I've seen fanworks exactly like this. Extremely talanted artists will create a flash or a mini "cartoon" of such things.

 

So yes, I think something like that would work. However it would have to go along with the Grim Fandango game instead of replacing the game.

 

Damn, now I'm wishing this to happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Besides it would be either a 3D movie, which would make it seem like a child film (give me the name of any computer-generated film made for adults or a serious audience, if you think I'm wrong)

 

Well, it's difficult to find that, but Grim Fandango isn't "just for adults" neither. But, for example, I enjoy Toy Story more now than when I was a child.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

I think if you take the actual idea and adjust it (a lot!) it would make a great high-budget TV series with a dark feel. So you could use real-life actors and have real-life settings but have such high production values that it suits the premise. The the story would evolve over the 12/24 episodes and you could add sub-plots etc. So it wouldn't be the game, but it would be an amazing series. The main problem I can think of would be the years 1/2/3/4 which wouldn't work (unless season 1 was year 1, season 2 was year 2 and so on). You could change the story and have it as a continuous thing (so maybe making it so that intead of Manny owning the place in Rubacava he just works in the casino. I haven't thought it out in detail but it would be an amazing series.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think if you take the actual idea and adjust it (a lot!)

 

I think they could just replace the skeletons for real people. I know some would be very annoyed but that's the only way I can see this being done without some cheesy effect. If it's done well than I would have no complaints.

 

The story and settings are beautiful, so I don't see why they would have to change it all around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think i could be cool with a GF-movie, and I know it would work perfect. You guys know where Tim Schafer got the ideas for GF from ? Films...

The afterlife-plot from Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas", and the noir-attitude from alot of other movies like Chinatown and Casablanca. The last movie, Casablanca, is a perfect clone of the first 2 years of GF. With Bogart playing Rick Blaine, this is a perfect match Manny, and Victor Laszlo played by Paul Henreid, is sitting with a piano and playing on Rick's casino. All the characters is in that movie....

 

I can recommend all these movies, but specially "Nightmare before Christmas" and Casablanca...!!

 

[EDIT]

Try to browse http://imdb.com/title/tt0177822/ ... You can see that all the characters in GF is played by good old actors....

[/EDIT]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about the movie could start at the point were Olivia has taken Manny captive, and we can have the years as flashbacks, after each one returning to the present situation, untill we are finally brought up to date. That way it wouldn't matter if you left out the inbetween years and you could have a bit of narration from Manny at the start of each one to smooth over the transition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey everyone. I'm new here.

Grim Fandango always has been and always will be my favourite PC game.

 

Grim Fandango as a film..

If done well, I'm sure I'll enjoy it (along with many other Grim Fandango fans) but it's not really a well known game. It's an adventure game - a dying genre.

They could redo the story with the style, colour and mood of a neo-noir film like say.. Sin City. That might appeal to a few more people. (Sin City is a fecking brilliant movie too. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out!)

 

It should be a film. I'd hate to see such a great story just slowly fade away through the sands of time. Grim Fandango could go far..very far. Just imagine people all around seeing an excellent film version of Grim Fandango and they're blown away by it. They soon find out about the great game and millions of new Grim Fandango fans emerge! It'll be great.

Enough of the fantasy.

 

The soundtrack would be a big focus though. It's what made the game so great (IMHO). I bought the CD about a year after I played the game. (twas one of my first albums i ever bought too!)

Heh. Sorry if I sound like an obsessed weirdo...I'm just emotionally attached to this game. :newbie:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would make a very good film but it wouldnt appeal to everyone, its one of these things which would be hard just to sum up in a 4 minute trailer if you get what I mean.

 

I think it would have to be done in 3D, sticking to the aztec and art deco style it is in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The other day I saw "The Corpse Bride" and I think a Grim Fandango movie with that animation style would be great. If they use the original actors to make the voices and respect the story and most important things, even if they have to divide the movie in two volumes, it would be one of the best movies ever. Just imagine Chepito's final scene, with his song dissappearing within the tunnel, in the big screen... (and that's one of the "lesser" scenes...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...