Last week the internet was all abuzz about the fact that Ridley Scott had announced in an interview with Eclipse Magazine that he would be returning to sci-fi with his next film. Not since the one-two punch of Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982) has Scott done a true sci-fi film. He said that he’s been waiting 20 years for a book and now he has it and the film will probably be written within the next month.
Scott remained mute on exactly what the book was and declined to name it in the interview. However, observant readers were quick to point out numerous articles that have appeared recently that clearly say that the project is an adaptation of Brave New World, the classic Aldous Huxley novel first published in 1932.
Times Online published the news way back on March 23, 2008 when they published an article discussing how the feud between Hollywood and the Huxley family has finally ended and opened up the possibility for the film. They clearly state that Leonardo DiCaprio is interested in starring as John The Savage and that Ridley Scott had already volunteered to direct. DiCaprio’s father, it turns out, was actually friends with Huxley’s widow until she passed away last December. Scott and DiCaprio just worked together on House Of Lies (which was previously known as Body Of Lies) so that’s where his connection comes in.
For those of you who skipped high school English class, in Brave New World Huxley imagines a future world where children are processed genetically in bottles rather than conceived ‘naturally’, and belong to one of five classes according to their intelligence: from perfect “Alphas” down to moronic “Epsilons”. Learning takes place by repetition teaching during sleep, but basically this consists of enforcing certain behavior patterns through suggestion. This is backed up by the legal drug ’soma’ that pacifies people through a false sense of fulfillment.
You can actually read the entire novel online if you’re so inclined.
I can certainly see why Scott and DiCaprio might be interested in this project. Personally, I always thought the similar 1984 by George Orwell was a superior novel. I guess they’d have a hard time adapting it now, though, since we’re so far past that date.
What do you think? Is Brave New World the right project to return Ridley Scott to sci-fi?
Ridley can probably do most any type of movie – he is absolutely brilliant. I think this is a good fit for DeCaprio as well, especially with Ridley directing him. Should be a good movie and much better than a lot of stuff coming out of Hollywood lately.
It's not a remake if no one has made it before. It's an adaptation.
“a future world where children are processed genetically in bottles rather than conceived ‘naturally’” – this is how Mike and I got pregnant. We're hoping for a perfect “Alphas”. Fingers crossed that it looks like Leo.
Yeah, if we get one of those Epilsons, I'm outta here!
Wasn't there already a TV movie?
yes – there was
“Brave New World” has been made into film multiple times. Most recently was a 1998 version made for TV starring Peter Gallagher and Leonard Nimoy.
See my comment above.
Nimoy huh? Well no wonder they want to remake it.
Wow. I didn't get those comments. Do I only get comments emailed to me if they reply to what I said?
Yeah, only if they are directly replied to YOUR comment. I am asking Disqus to look into making this change or something…seems like it would act more like a normal comment system if it just worked the normal way.
Yeah, definitely one of my few complaints so far with Disqus.
I posted something about this on their forums in a big “idea” post…hopefully they take a look at it.
In the classic novel, Brave New World, author Aldous Huxley issues a “warning” of what would happen if the government took complete control of our daily lives. First published in 1932, Huxley wrote the piece in speculation of how his hometown of London may look in the year 2540, pending the continuation of programs to end war, conflict, suffering, and antagonistic (aka: “free”) thought. In other words, it is what the world would look like if nobody could utilize their voice, or live how people today want to, free of the iron fist of the various levels of government. Many people criticized Huxley for this, his fifth and most well-known novel, upon its release and still do to this day. Controversy or not, several seeds have been planted in America, which have made for some frightening similarities to this classic piece of literature. Yes, the socialist and communist movements have been around for several generations in America, though it hasn’t taken such prevalence until this one. This is thanks, in no small part, to politicians who are trying to put so many things under the exclusive control of the government. In parts of Los Angeles, for example, crooked elected officials have passed restrictions on where fast food restaurants can set up new shops. Yes, that’s correct; the “man” is telling you that you can’t go get a hamburger in South Los Angeles, and you’re going to like it. But, what are worse are state and national politicians, who are trying to take away your access to fast and easy payday loans. This is because the politicians are just trying to muster up enough votes for office, so that they can further their own self-interests. Surely, action is needed to fight the government’s ever-tightening stranglehold on all of us.
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