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Originally posted by ersatz:
Ummmm...I always pictured Wednesday as a big burly guy, and a lot of thin actors are being mentioned.
Wednesday=Brian Blessed (that's who I pictured when I read the book)
elizabeth

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not that it's an actor, but I imagined Wendsday as the old magician from Jason Lute's "Jar Of Fools"

Surely Sam should be played by... Tori Amos?

Guys, I really hate the idea of Vin Diesel as Shadow. Clearly I'm in a minority here, but he just doesn't click for me.

For my part, I envisioned someone a lot more like Mark Dacascos as Shadow.

You definitely couldn't go past Tim Roth for Low Key. And Ossie Davis as Nancy is close to what I imagined. None of the actors mentioned so far would be Wednesday for me, however. I'm trying to think if there is an actor I'd slot in there, but none spring to mind.

D.

look here Brad Pitt has to play shadow no one else has the subtle abbility of turning emotions into facial expressions that convey what the script is trying to get across.
that guy who directed delecatessant i would never let near another film set since he single handdedly destroyed the aliens saga!!!
and as for wednseday it has to be cristopher walken he has the eyes for it as well as the skill

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Originally posted by varrl:
i would never let near another film set since he single handdedly destroyed the aliens saga!!!

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eh? I must disagree. Can't say Alien 3 was that grand an entry for the series. That alone should show he didn't singlehandedly destroy the series. And Alien Resurection, while having many, many flaws, still had some good direction - I'd just cut out the human/alien hybrid (it look so cheesy!). Beyond that it seemed like a typical sci-fi action flick, and better than most fourth entries to movie series (nightmare on elm street 4? friday the 13th four: a new beginning? Bride of chucky? batman & robin? In fact the only #4 movie I can think of that did really well was Thunderball [that was #4, right?])
you want to blame someone for Aliens going downhill, blame the people so desperate for a sequel that they ignored Ripley's death (the attempt to end the series!) (Blame Marvel for their trend of endless returns of dead folk too)

ah but that's a hijack if ever there was one. I stand by Delicatessen, City of Lost Children & Aliens 4 for haveing good direction (despite story flaws in that last one-look at the visuals alone... of course, you can't wash his hands of it completely, but to say he should stay away from all movies??)

Come to think of it, I could name an actor I think could pull off Wednesday. I could really imagine James Coburn in the part.

Still can't see Vin Diesel, though.

D.

quote:

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Originally posted by varrl:
look here Brad Pitt has to play shadow no one else has the subtle abbility of turning emotions into facial expressions that convey what the script is trying to get across.
that guy who directed delecatessant i would never let near another film set since he single handdedly destroyed the aliens saga!!!
and as for wednseday it has to be cristopher walken he has the eyes for it as well as the skill

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dude, shadow is a huge bald guy. The only people I could see as Shadow would be Van Diesal or bruce willis

Shadow is bald? I missed that detail. I believe you, but I can't believe I missed that detail (might ne why I'm having difficulty with the Vin Diesel suggestion). Where does it describe him as bald?

D.

From the moment I first read the lines about Mr. Wednesday in the book, before I started to think about casting in an eventual AG movie, he has had the face and body of Donald Sutherland. That's the one role in the book who I thin is easy to cast. The others... Well, Brad Pitt for Shadow is a good suggestion, he's one of the few who really could pull it of, but I also like the idea of Benicio del Toro. Morgan Freeman is a given a given as Mr Nancy, just perfect. Robert Carlyle could be good for Czernobog (think he's a bit sall for doing Sweeney, I gues Sean bean could do him) or even better; Steve Buscemi. Sam's a tough one... but I could go for Anna Paquin here and feel good. As for Loki, I like both the ideas of Tim Roth and of Jim Carrey. Could go for either one here, but I definetly want to se Carrey in the movie somehow.

Well, then, director? Terry Gilliam, David Fincher, Peter Jackson, Sam Raimi, Ang Lee. There are a few who could pull it off.

Darn... can't wait for the movie to come out...

SHADOW - BENICIO DEL TORO without a doubt.
And I know that it sounds weird, but I always saw,
WEDNESDAY - BRUCE WILLIS for some reason.

I have to agree on Vin Diesel for Shadow. Shadow is described as tall, muscular, and dark skinned. I think Vin Diesel fits that perfectly.

Wednesday was tough. I had an image of him in my head while reading the book, but I could never put a notable actor's name to it. I guess Anthony Hopkins could pull it off. I can think of no one better.

Loki is also tough. Tim Roth would be good at the role, but I pictured Loki as a bigger guy, almost like the "evil" Shadow, if you will. So who's a big guy with red hair?

Laura: Since she plays more to the romantic side of the story, I think Meg Ryan could fit.

One actress who definitely needs to be in it somewhere is Helena Bonham Carter.

Does anyone even know if they are making a movie. I hope they do, but the book is so lengthy with so many vignettes and subplot, and subplots on subplots that a typical movie would tear the heart of the book to shreads. The movie would have to be at least 3 hours long to do Gaiman's story justice.

I feel like I should contribute since I read the message boards... otherwise feels like eavesdropping.
Anyway, I picture the characters as nameless faces when I read, but then Laura kind of morphed into Tori Amos as the book went on. Wednesday I see as Tommy Lee Jones, and I thought Shadow had long dark hair? Maybe not. I would check, but don't have my book -did anyone find a reference to him being bald?

~k

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Originally posted by Ransom:
I feel like I should contribute since I read the message boards... otherwise feels like eavesdropping.
Anyway, I picture the characters as nameless faces when I read, but then Laura kind of morphed into Tori Amos as the book went on. Wednesday I see as Tommy Lee Jones, and I thought Shadow had long dark hair? Maybe not. I would check, but don't have my book -did anyone find a reference to him being bald?

~k

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Why are some of you so EAGER EAGER EAGER to put Tori Amos in this. Shes a great performer but shes NOT AN ACTRESS!!!! She doesnt look any of the parts the posters have recomended (sam? Laura? feh...) Look, I know you all must like her and yes her and Neil are good friends BUT GET OFF IT!!!! Love you all though this is fun times and all i say is in good humour.

I wouldn't want to be the casting director for this movie, lol. Somehow, the picture never quite matches the reality. I'd want most of the cast to be new faces, that wouldn't be dragging along numerous previous roles to have them compared to. If forced to, I think that:

Catherine Zeta-Jones would make a lovely Bast.
Jennifer Lopez should be the Queen of Sheba, if only for the reason that she gets run down. (sorry, that was uncalled for)
Robbie Coltrane could play Czernobog, or Mad Sweeney, IMHO.
Tommy Lee Jones, I must agree, is the quintessential government agent.
James Marsters as Loki... I just like the idea, since I *adore* James Marsters, and he could play the trickster.
Now, for Laura, I'm seeing a face, but can't name it...don't even know if it exists. Indifferent hair, somewhere between blonde and brown. Beautiful when she smiles, but when she's not, she looks more like a lost lamb. I can't think of the name to go with the face. Maybe Christina Ricci... she can play the darkness of the character, but her face seems to round for the picture in my head.
Wednesday- What about Anthony Stewart Head? I actually picture a somewhat grizzled, older guy with grey hair... can't think of his name, though.

That's all I have to say on that, I suppose.

My question is, if you could portray any character in the movie, who would you want to be? Either because you are most like them, or you just like them the best. I would probably want to be Zorya Polunochnaya, or Sam. I could see myself slamming the door on the face of a government agent...

My own 2c:

Loki - Tim Roth/aged Seth Green
Shadow - Hugh Jackman or Bruce Willis. I know Hugh Jackman is not really built, dark-skinned or bald, but for some reason I can really see him as Shadow. Maybe a kind of savvy innocence about him. Bruce Willis as a character would have the ability to take in all the weird shit and react like it's all okay type thing
Sam - Christina Ricci
Wednesday - Rip Torn. Perhaps Anthony Hopkins. Sean Connery has too much class to make Wednesday type humour believable.
Nancy - Morgan Freeman
Mad Sweeney - Steve Buscemi
Technology Kid - Jack Black, can't you just imagine a fat Jack Black hysterically bouncing himself from wall to wall and then whining, comically, but frightened?
Bast - Catherine Zeta Jones
Laura - Patricia Arquette

That's all I can think of, as far as actors are concerned.

As a director, David Fincher, although David Lynch comes to mind too.

I don't know, Julianne Moore might work as Laura too

[This message has been edited by twistie (edited 02-01-2002).]

I've got to back up Ransom on this, I don't think it ever says Shadow is bald in the book. Not that I've checked, but I always visualized him as having hair. Big guy, tall and broad. I never really pictured a face for him; he was always kind of, well, shadowy.
I can't think of any actors who'd be good. Vin Diesel sounds good but I just can't see him as Shadow. Hugh Jackman would be great, if only he were about six inches taller and a hundred punds heavier. (muscle, of course)
Sean Connery would be perfect for Czernobog. Christopher Walken as Wednesday, 100 percent. He's got that slightly slimey edge that I alway pictured for Wednesday.
Julianne Moore for Laura would be good, but her face seems a little too sharp. Or also, that actress from Titus someone mentioned would definitely work.
Helena Bonham Carter for Sam, she's got that sexy edginess. Kinda like Marla, but cleaner. Another possible Sam is Neve Campbell.
I like Jack Black for the technological kid. He clicks. A liitle too old, but make-up can take care of that.
I think that all of the black hats should be totally unknowns. We're not supposed to recognize them.
As for directors, I have to say Peter Jackson. At this point, he's the undisputed master of adapting book to film. If he can do LotR, he'll have a shot at AG. My only fear is that PJ kind of sucks at doing subtle, and subtlety would be very important in a film of AG.
Okay now I'm going to get controversial: Matthew Lillard for Mad Sweeny. He's got the right physique and the same barely-controlled psychotic energy as MS. Go see Salt Lake City Punk, if you don't believe me.
Call me crazy, but I think Anthony Hopkins would be good for Hinzelmann.

Well, that's all for now.

Vin Diesel could do Shadow some justice.
Robert Carlysle(I think that is his name)could play a good Mad Sweeny. I thought of Begby from Trainspotting while reading American Gods and I think Carlysle could pull it off.
There is an actor who played the evil landlord in Ace Ventura that would make a great Czernobog.
If they do make a movie of this book I hope they find a good enough actor to play the Kobold, Kinzellman. The whole Lakeside part of the book scared the #@$! out of me because the old raskal reminded me of a million other guys I have met in the mid-west.

Wow, that's kind of cool

Is everyone here from America?

[This message has been edited by twistie (edited 02-05-2002).]