Let's See More Fantasy

The movie and television industry has shown a growing interest in the science fiction and fantasy genres. In recent years, TV series and movies in these genres have become hits. The popularity of shows like Deep Space Nine, Earth Final Conflict and the other science fiction shows has grown. Where are the Fantasy genre movies and TV shows?

I'm not referring to programs like Xena, Hercules, Touched by an Angel or Brimstone. Where are the entertainments based on more serious in-depth fantasy? The above shows are entertaining, but why must we be limited to angels, devils, brawny warriors and scantily clad women? "The typical fantasy production on TV, movies, theater, and many books is concerned only with trappings; with form whose function has been lost. The plot is often a series of trite escapades that tip one into the other but don't lead anywhere" (Grace Chetwin On Fantasy). Fantasy can offer so much more. There are many good books that would make good entertainments and make money for their creators.

Granted many books don't survive translation to a visual medium, but with the development of new techniques in special effects, computer-generated images and animation, many books are no longer limited in visual depiction. There could be movies, miniseries or TV series based on some entertaining and serious books. We don't have to be limited to just what is available now.

Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski built his series on a five-year story arc which allowed for multiple plot lines and character developments. Some epic fantasy books could work along a series of this kind. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books, Michael Moorcock's Elric and many other fine books could be adapted for TV series in such a way.

Another venue is the minseries. Merlin and the Odyssey did well in the ratings. Other long but stand-alone books could be viable miniseries for our entertainment. The public would enjoy seeing a miniseries of Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock or The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay.

Short fantasy fiction need not be neglected either. There could be a TV anthology series like Twilight Zone devoted to adaptations of fantasy short stories. "The Silken Swift" by Theodore Sturgeon and many other fine stories could be used for such a series.

There are many sources that could be mined for creative entertainments of Fantasy. With the diversity of cultures, their are other mythologies that can be used as well as books. The entertainment industry doesn't need to limit itself to the current things. They don't need to rely on old characters either like Conan the Barbarian, when there are plenty of modern sources to rely on for inspiration.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic