Roadside Picnic -> Stalker -> S.T.A.L.K.E.R. -> Roadside Picnic

[Mr. Friendly]

Roadside Picnic, published in 1972 and written by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. I have not read this book, but because I have played the most recent iteration of this story, I intend to read it.

In 1979 Andrei Tarkovsky made the film Stalker. I have not seen this film, but I want to. It is loosly based on Roadside Picnic.

In 1995 the album Stalker was released by Robert Rich and Brian Lustmord; it is music inspired by the 1979 film. I have not heard the album, but I would like to.

In 2007 the FPS video game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl was released. While not a true "direct adaptation" of any of the above, it could be seen as a hybridization of the above; an evolution if you will. While the gameplay was decent and the immersion factor was ok, the graphics were one of the better aspects of the game and the AI really shined tactically. The storyline was quite intriguing and based on the bits I have read about the above, draws very heavily upon the above.

In 2008, a new film is slated for release. Titled Roadside Picnic, it is (supposedly) a direct adaptation of the original novel. The only thing that prevents this from being a good film is that it stars John Travolta, a tragedy really. I might see it.

So, what say thee?

[Tengu]

I've only read the original novel, and I don't think if it's a good movie material - too much narration and too little things actually being done. They'd also have to cut some things out, and practically all of them are used to create the big picture here - missing one part will make the whole puzzle look incomplete.

[Semidi]

In 2008, a new film is slated for release. Titled Roadside Picnic, it is (supposedly) a direct adaptation of the original novel. The only thing that prevents this from being a good film is that it stars John Travolta, a tragedy really. I might see it.

So, what say thee?


What's wrong with Travolta? I mean he was in Battlefield Earth but everyone makes a bad film every now and then. Ok so he was in Urban Cowboy--but let's ignore that one too.

[Mr. Friendly]

What's wrong with Travolta? I mean he was in Battlefield Earth but everyone makes a bad film every now and then. Ok so he was in Urban Cowboy--but let's ignore that one too.

Eh.... See for me my opinion of Travolta is more like:

What's good about Travolta? I mean he was in Pulp Fiction but everyone makes a good film every now and then. Ok so he was in Carrie--but that's pretty much all he has done that was good.

I just think he sucks as an actor. He is way too hammy. He makes Walken, Oldman, Malkovich and Shatner look tame by comparison. And he is really bad at it too.

[Eerie]

The book is great. So the movie will undoubtely suck.

Andrei Tarkovsky`s "Stalker" is good, even great if you like Tarkovsky style, but has almost nothing in common with the original book. It`s scenario was written by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky specially for Tarkovsky, who didn`t like the book.