On September 10th at 8 PM EST, Laissez Faire Books will be hosting what I assume is going to be a Q&A-type event on their blog. Wendy McElroy posted the announcement and will be moderating the event. J. Neil Shulman, Prometheus Award–winning author of Alongside Night, and graphic novelist Scott Bieser, will be participating.
The event is meant to celebrate and publicize commencement of the shooting of a movie adaptation of Schulman’s novel. Kevin Sorbo (Hercules, Andromeda, Kull the Conqueror) will star in the movie as Dr. Vreeland. Alongside Night is billed as “a prophetic movie about the economic and social collapse of society. At its core, however, Alongside Night is an optimistic vision of rebellion and the triumph of freedom.”
Head over to the LFB blog for more information and McElroy’s review of the novel. [Update: And her new interview with Schulman.] Come back to read our interview with Schulman.
Last I heard, Schulman was seeking additional funding for the film. Either he found it, which would be good news, or he started filming before fully funding the project and hopes to drum up new investors with this event, in which case I hope he finds what he needs.
The hype for both the book and the movie seems to me to be overblown. Alongside Night may be a good read, but is it really well enough written to be considered a masterpiece? Is it possible to produce a blockbuster on a shoestring budget with a niche political message (libertarianism) within a niche genre (science fiction)? Many good and even great movies have been made on small budgets, but to be a blockbuster a movie needs to have a huge budget and wide distribution and become wildly popular and successful at the box office, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars. However good a movie it may end up being, I just don’t see the film adaptation of Alongside Night meeting the criteria of a blockbuster. Color me skeptical.
Nevertheless, I wish Schulman success. It’s great to have more libertarian fiction being produced.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
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Vangel September 7, 2012 @ 5:56 pm | Link
The book is fine. I own a paperback copy but it is usually out being read by one of my son’s friends that I have picked up a kindle version. There is enough there to make a decent enough movie if there is a good scriptwriter and a director who is competent so we may see a decent product. That said, it may be a repeat of Atlas Shrugged. Part I.
Matthew Alexander September 20, 2012 @ 9:38 pm | Link
Let’s hope not! I’m pulling for this one.