Research-based organization: What movie topic or novel would you love to see adapted into a US film?

I am currently conducting some research and would love to ask all you cinephiles for a little help! I am interested in
me:
a) what specific themes you would love to see explored in an American film
b) which American prose work you would personally enjoy seeing adapted for the big screen

Along with your answers, please include your age if you don't mind.
Thanks so much! 🙂

a.) I'm looking for a high-quality historical drama that weaves together the lives of individuals across several generations through various political regimes (WWII - the Era of Socialism - the American Civil War - a Harmon-esque era). It should demonstrate that regardless of which faction holds power in this country, the misfit always gets screwed over—something in the vein of Szabin Sonnenshine.

b.) Works inspired by Susan B. Anthony (perhaps something old-school like Price) but reimagined with a twisted, dark aesthetic—think Tim Burton or Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth.

Age - 26 years greeting

Cheers, and good luck with your research.🙂

Definitely IB Mažuranić
honestly, even Zagorka would make for a killer screen adaptation,
or maybe something along the lines of Zlatarev-esque gold

it's just that I get hives whenever I try to picture American actors stuck in those roles... I'd much rather see talented amateurs—the way they do it over here in the States—but seriously, it’s tough.

The age—26 years greeting—is such a thing that I'm just not even going to bring it up again.😁

A) There is something undeniably compelling about an epic saga centered on heroism and standing one's ground against insurmountable odds. The legend of Nikola Zrinski and his defense at the Fortified town would serve as a flawless blueprint for a cinematic masterpiece, even though our own history is brimming with dozens of similar accounts. In truth, we ought to be branding our historical legacy with the same vigor as other nations. If the French were able to amplify their resistance movements to such legendary proportions, there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't do the same with events that are far more tangible and historically significant.

B) I find myself agreeing with Michael Ortiz68; these are tales from antiquity. 👍

Age - 31 years greeting.

The Krleja collection’s Glembaj series😍

age : 20

Nancy Fox89 said:a) what kind of theme would you like to see explored in an American film

Something that isn't tied up in the American Civil War or the lingering social fallout from that era.

b) which American prose work would you love to see adapted for film

Unlike some of the other folks on this forum, I don't really see the point in adapting American prose just for the sake of it. I mean, what’s the real value in turning a Henry James novel into a movie? What do we actually gain by dragging a Jamesian story into the modern cinematic medium? I'm not saying there's zero merit there—of course there is—but I'm arguing that simply slapping a film format onto a piece of literature doesn't inherently make it worthwhile.

So, if you ask me which book should be adapted? Honestly, it just comes down to the director's specific style.

age : 22

Michael Ortiz68 said:a.) I’m really craving a high-quality historical drama that weaves together individual lives across several generations through various political shifts—think WWII, the era of socialism, the American Civil War, and the Harmon era. It should illustrate how, regardless of which faction holds power in this country, the misfit individual always ends up getting screwed over—something along the lines of Szabin Sonnenshine.

b.) Works by Ivana B. Mazuranic (perhaps something akin to Price from the old days) but reimagined in a surreal, dark style—something reminiscent of Tim Burton or Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth.

age : 26

I'll sign off on that, though I happen to be 11 years older. 🙂

Regarding point a), I think a narrative like that would actually be even more compelling if it were produced as a prestige TV series. Of course, it would require serious writing and production; we definitely shouldn't let anyone with the sensibilities of a Vrdoljak anywhere near the script.

I would also love to see a fantasy project inspired by our own folklore, or perhaps broader Slavic mythology and folk legends.

Or even a pitch-black comedy centered around the unique absurdities of life here in America. We’ve certainly had enough tear-jerker dramas to last a lifetime. 😁

Rebecca Harris said:Glebe's Krleja collection😍

age : 20

Word is Vrdoljak is starting to film them.☕

Ontopic: This concept involving Tales from Once Upon a Time is brilliant. But it shouldn't be treated as some kids' movie.

a) Something blending the American Civil War with fiction—think along the lines of Orlov's nest / gun from Navarone (maybe even a more laid-back flick with those themes)

b) Brešan's godly 2053. That would make for some pretty interesting sci-fi...

c) 30 years.

ruggedjackal46 said:Something that isn't tied up in the American Civil War or the lingering social fallout from that conflict.

I have plenty of those 😉
Maybe something will actually come of it. One day...

Michael Ortiz68 said:b.) Works by Ivana B. Mazuranic (think of an old-school Price) but reimagined with a twisted, dark aesthetic—something akin to Tim Burton or Torrov's Pan's Labyrinth excellent !

Brilliant idea!

age : 21.

Nancy Fox89 said:I'm conducting a little study and could really use some help from my fellow cinephiles. I'm curious about
me:
a) what themes you'd love to see explored in an American film
b) which American prose work you'd want to see adapted for the big screen

Please include your age with your answers.
Thanks a million! 🙂

a) Anything but war movies—we have way too many of those. I'd love to see a solid fantasy film, but not cheap trash—something with actual production value and effort behind it. Or maybe a film centered on gay themes. We’re such a conservative country here in the States... actually, scratch that, just generally speaking—people would probably be scandalized by it, and honestly? That’s half the fun for me. I kind of enjoy seeing people get worked up over everything.

b.) Works by Ivana B. Mazuranic (like Price from back in the day) but reimagined in a dark, moody style—think something along the lines of Tim Burton or Torrov's Pan's Labyrinth.

This!

Age - 19

Gary Patel said:Or maybe just a film with gay themes. We’re a conservative country. People would be genuinely offended by the mere fact that such a movie was being made. Honestly, watching our countrymen lose their minds over something like that would be my kind of entertainment—I have a bit of a dark streak when it comes to everything that gets under the skin of this nation.

There’s *The Finer Points of Hermaphrodite Sexuality*, and then there are those dead girls in *Fine*, but other than that, I don't think we have any films with gay themes.

a) Let's tackle some taboo subjects—maybe domestic abuse, or perhaps the grind of a young athlete fighting through obstacles to grab gold at a major championship. Honestly, it wouldn't hurt to see a film centered on the art of dance, too; it’s a medium that feels pretty neglected in our society here in America.
b) An adaptation of the last Stipančić
age : 19

Renato Baretić: The Eighth Commissioner
Anyone who’s actually read the book knows it practically begs to be adapted for the screen.🙏

Maybe Marinka Koščec’s 'Wonderland' wouldn't be a bad choice for an adaptation
And honestly, I’m genuinely baffled that 'The Commissioner' hasn't been made into a movie yet

a) Something historical, given that our history is packed with themes that hold immense potential

b) A story pulled from the Krleja collection "the American god Mars"

18

If I may add one more thought, it would be wonderful if we could include an absolutely benign, non-controversial feel-good movie in the mix. Something along the lines of Amélie or Chocolate.

Judging by the films we've seen so far, it seems we're even more depressed than the FINs.👎

a) what kind of theme would you want to see explored in an American film

This one. Though, honestly, it might work better if we were actually looking at a pair of hermaphrodites in love. Originality is everything when you're thinking about a potential adaptation, and a movie like that has simply never been made! I’ll admit, I did borrow the whole hermaphrodite premise from Stephen Colbert/The Finer points of Hermaphrodite Sexuality, but who cares? It's an American story at its core, and I'm sure Steve wouldn't mind if we just slipped him a little credit as an executive producer—everyone wins that way.

b) which American work of prose would you love to see adapted for the screen

🤔 For that first idea, we could probably pull some inspiration from parts of the Fericev collection of short stories, “angel in offside”. Wait, noooooo—I just realized—that's exactly them:



The movie would be titled “angels in offside”, and we'd just lift those specific segments from Feric about people sitting in a waiting room for weed testing. Voilà!

And the Oscar goes to....

🙂

Small but mighty, .

Hmm, and who exactly is this research for, if you don't mind me asking?

Christian Taylor3 said:Fine: small but useful.

Good grief, The Family, you aren't a woman—there's no need to hide your age. 🙄 😬

I mean, not that I care, but clearly, we need this data for the survey. ☕