John Goodman. Think Barton Fink.
Goodman is the first choice I can think of. “LOOK UPON ME! I’LL SHOW YOU THE LIFE OF THE MIND!”
an artificially enhanced DDL?
lol. If you cast DDL I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t need to artificially enhance anything. The guy would probably go and gain a hundred pounds and kill a couple of people to prep for the role.
I have my doubts about whether or not this is going to be made. And you know, I’m fairly certain nobody would ever do this, but I think “Blood Meridian” would work really well rotoscoped, like “A Scanner Darkly.” The events of the novel are just too surreal, too fantastical, too violent to be done straight up. Go weird, go crazy, go all the way, that’s the way this one needs to be done.
EDIT: WTF double post.
http://www.theauteurs.com/topics/3642/comments
There’s a similar thread from a while ago.
I thought Michael Berryman while reading it,maybe Goodman works.
Hank may be right that some form of animation might work. I would have seen the NC17 Ridley Scott version had it happened, but don’t know how much faith I’d have had. I may have asked in the last thread, but if William Monaghan’s script for that ever escaped, I’d love to see it…
I don’t think a film will come out well, or that one is truly necessary.
I used to think Tom Noonan – what a scary screen presence that guy has! – but how about Ciaran Hinds? He’s physically right and the fact that he isn’t that well-known will do wonders for it.
Hmmm, Ciaran HInds, hmmmm. I don’t know why, McCauley, but that sounds right to me.
I need to see Hinds and Danny Huston together on screen. You with me?
John Goodman for me, I have no idea how they’ll film the violence. And if they try to tone down the violence they’ll ruin the whole movie.
I’d like to think Brando 40 years ago.
I honestly don’t see how they can make a movie out of this great book. It’s one thing to read about the bloody massacres, but to see them on a big screen…
I think the only way you can take this story is through McCarthy’s dazzling writing style or, possibly, through the artistry of a master filmmaker with a great personal experience in his history, not a self-promoter.
Cormac McCarthy sucks.
Todd Field. There is nothing in his resume that would suggest him as a fitting choice. I’m on the lookout for his script if/when it leaks.
@KJ – Seriously. It’s an odd choice, but I liked both Little Children and In the Bedroom, so I guess I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. I’d really rather Terrence Malick do it, but I guess you got to take what you can get.
I’m hopeful though. Blood Meridian is my all time favorite book, and I’m not sure how well it can translate to screen – I mean, the main character is almost as much a scumbag as the Judge, so either they change the book, or there won’t be a single character to even relate to at all – and you know the movie going public will hate that, as will the vast majority of critics.
You know, I’m starting to think the violence is no win; I don’t know how it can be as casual in a film; after enough of it DOES acclimate the audience (as they must be, after a bit of it) without it getting goofy? Shit, it almost was at times in the book.
The end seems like the most straight, filmable part, and yet doesn’t seem like it would be EFFECTIVE when filmed.
Bolo-he may well suck. Meridian’s his only book I’ve read; I loved it, but they could all go down here.
For a supposedly grouchy, reclusive guy, he’s gotten ok with selling the books to Hollywood, hasn’t he?
I thought “The Road” was pretty good and enjoyed “No Country For Old Men” more than the movie. “Blood Meridian” is one I’m not sure about, but I do know I will end up reading it again. I really like McCarthy and he didn’t really seem too grouchy when I saw him on Oprah, however weird that was.
TJ, McC. had a kid late in life. He’s got to leave the youngster a legacy. Book sales alone might not be enough.
I’ve only read No Country so far, I didn’t love it but I liked how it was written.
KJ- that would make complete, non-judgable, utterly respectable sense.
Blood Meridian was a dense and at times difficult read for me. Pulling this off for the screen would be way hard. I would imagine throwing There Will Be Blood, El Topo, Aguirre the Wrath of God in some sort of a weirdo blender…. maybe would come close….
DDL would be perfect if he was taller. Dude’s like 5’6/5’7 or something right? Maybe he could wear some thick soled boots and gain 50 lbs of girth/muscle…
Todd Field IMHO is a good director…. I hope he can pull this off, but the violence is downright shocking in some scenes…. I don’t see how this couldn’t NOT get an NC-17 or even X rating.
DDL is over 6’’. Wasn’t Ridley Scott attached to direct this at some point? I know Dominik is working on Cities of the Plain, but he would be a great choice for BM. Would love to see him and Deakins team up again.
copy that. re: Dominik / Deakins / COTP
lookin fwd to that one.
I would certainly hope DDL would be over six inches.
@Jacob – Seeing as how there’s no such thing as an X rating, it’s unlikely it would get one. Should pull an NC-17 without even breaking a sweat though.
NC-17 is box office poison. If it ever gets made it will end up in theaters rated R.
It’s possible that Rade Šerbedžija could pull it off.
C’mon, not John Goodman. He was great in Barton Fink, one because, even though he’s a psychopath he comes across as the everyday Good Sam.
As far as well known actors, Robert Duvall might work. DDL for sure.
As far as non actors, Sunny Barger looks the part.
http://sonnybarger.com
The tats may be the deal breaker.
The latest I’ve heard is that James Franco might be directing Blood Meridian (he also wants to do As I Lay Dying)
(Via EW.com)
“So how did Franco end up attached? Well, he was very determined to be the one to bring the novel to the screen, so he shot a test sequence of a scene from the book with relatively high production values, including horses, costumes and period-accurate props. Mark Pellegrino (a.k.a. Jacob from Lost) played the Judge — one of the most horrific villains ever to grace a work of American fiction — and the sequence also starred the likes of Scott Glenn, Luke Perry, and Franco’s brother Dave, also an actor. “We made that as a way to convince Scott Rudin to give us the rights,” Franco says. “It was like, why should he give it to me when Ridley Scott didn’t make it? So I called him up and said, ‘I’m planning on doing this. You don’t have to give me any money, I can finance this shoot. Would you just wait? Don’t do anything with it until I show this to you.’ And I showed it to him and he loved it.”
Sounds awful—especially the Luke Perry part. Even if he is not in the final movie, his name alone seems to spell doom. I think Franco would have made a great Billy Parham from The Crossing some time ago, and might even be able to do the Kid from Blood Meridian, but I’m not so sure about his directing prospects. I really hope that he uses none of the actors he mentioned in the actual film.
Mark Pellegrino as the Judge??? Come on! Either Tom Noonan or Ciaran Hinds I tells ya.
Ron Perlman would be best choice but yes Tom Noonan would be good too, if not one of them then Stephen Lang or Clancy Brown could be good.
Jacob Ross
Who would/should/could play the Judge? (those who’ve read it)
James Gandolfini?
Vincent D’nofrio?
an artificially enhanced DDL?
Del Toro?
I’m trying to think of an actor that is physically larger…. and has some sinister acting chops. Gandolfini could be pretty ruthless and nasty as TS…. D’nofrio was creepy/intense in FMJ and the Cell….. DDL could do it no problem, he just lil as f**k…. Del Toro might be the winner? Anyone know his stats? as far as ht and wt ?