There’s nothing better than watching a well-made movie adapted from a popular fantasy book series. Of course, not everyone is going to be happy with the results but Peter Jackson proved an epic fantasy book series could be done. While purists would probably disagree with me, I think Lord of the Rings is one (if not the best) of the best movie trilogies ever made. So enough is enough Hollywood!
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Why don’t we have Elric of Melnibonè movie yet? I don’t have a definitive answer to that question but I’m sure some of it has to do with the general public not knowing who Elric of Melnibonè is. Still, Hollywood has taken books that not everyone knows and made movies out of them. I think it’s high time Hollywood gets busy on making an Elric of Melnibonè movie.
Who the heck is Elric of Melnibonè?
Written by Michael Moorcock, Elric is a different sort of character than what we’ve seen in fantasy writing before. The albino king is an anti-hero, something that is sort of en vogue these days but Moorcock ran with the idea way back in the ’70s. The books are popular among those of us who love the fantasy genre.
There have been rumblings of an Elric of Melnibonè movie in the past or even a TV show. But from what I have seen, nothing solid has ever developed. Which is surprising, since the amount of material Moorcock has on the character and his world is extensive. If you’re not familiar with the character or story here’s a bit from Wikipedia:
Further background
Elric is the last emperor of the stagnating island civilization of Melniboné. Physically weak and frail, the albino Elric must take drugs (special herbs) to maintain his health. Unlike most others of his race, Elric has a conscience; he sees the decadence of his culture, which once ruled the known world, and worries about the rise of the Young Kingdoms, populated by humans (as Melnibonéans do not consider themselves such) and the threat they pose to his empire. Because of his introspective self-loathing of Melnibonéan traditions, his subjects find him odd and unfathomable, and his cousin Yyrkoon (next in the line of succession, as Elric has no heirs) interprets his behavior as weakness and plots Elric’s death.
In addition to his skill with herbs, Elric is an accomplished sorcerer and summoner. As emperor of Melniboné, Elric is able to call for aid upon the traditional patron of the Melniboné emperors, Arioch, a Lord of Chaos and Duke of Hell. From the first story, Elric uses ancient pacts and agreements with not only Arioch but various other beings—some gods, some demons—to help him accomplish his tasks.
Elric’s finding of the sword Stormbringer serves as both his greatest asset and greatest disadvantage. The sword confers upon Elric strength, health, and fighting prowess, allowing him to do away with his dependence on drugs, but it must be fed by the souls of intelligent beings. In the end, the blade takes everyone close to Elric and eventually Elric’s own soul as well. Most of Moorcock’s stories about Elric feature this relationship with Stormbringer, and how it—despite Elric’s best intentions—brings doom to everything he holds dear.
Wikipedia
Enough is enough Hollywood
Yes, we have comics based on the character. But frankly, the character and world Moorcock built deserves more. It’s high time this movie(s) get made! If you have never read the books, here’s a good explanation of why you should read the books.
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