If you had "Bezos Money"????

[Worf]

If you had, money... I mean REAL money... buy yourself a medium sized nation kinda money.... what film or television series would you produce? Money is no object, any director, producer or actors that you desire can be bought, cajoled or kidnapped, rights will be obtained via any means this side of torture... If these were the ground rules.... what project would YOU tackle?

As for me... It'd be a limited series featuring "Doc Savage" and/or "The Shadow". I'm thinking limited series runs with style and budget of HBO's "Perry Mason". A real reimagining of these classic pulp heroes with no restrictions. And of course, eventually they'd meet... and due to their differences as to how criminals should be treated (Savage never kills, he puts them in mental hospitals, whereas The Shadow drills em fulla holes and fills em fulla lead) they end up fighting.

Worf

 

[CatsCan]

I would put a small part of that money into making a 10 hour movie about the history of mankind on our planet based on scientific archaeological knowlegde, beginning about 500.000 years ago and ending at where we are now. And for the rest of the money I would make sure that every single human inhabitant of this earth will watch this movie ten times. I bet it will have an impact when everyone realises what we did to us and our planet earth in only the last few minutes of the film.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

^ I am in finance, London. The commodities hewn from the Earth or planted with fertilizer to feed the world
are endangered; imperiled by circumstance and compounded by scarcity of fertile soil. Phosphate and potash,
Chinese and Russian crop fertilizer; Ukraine corn and wheat. Millions will face famine in North Africa, sub Sahara;
hunger and shortage will stretch from eastern Europe to Southeast Asia. For all the mathematical formula swirling
financial engineering to calculate accurately risk and reward, corn and wheat will become the new gold.

 

[steve u]

FOXTROT LAMONT,​

That sounds like a real horror show, not my type of movie.
Me, I'd want to make a historical drama-action movie about the life of Takeda Shingen. On location of course.. That would take ten years to complete.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

FOXTROT LAMONT,​

That sounds like a real horror show, not my type of movie.

Steve, It's not script for film, not to throw a wrench. This is unfortunately happening as we write converse.

 

[Edward]

If you had, money... I mean REAL money... buy yourself a medium sized nation kinda money.... what film or television series would you produce? Money is no object, any director, producer or actors that you desire can be bought, cajoled or kidnapped, rights will be obtained via any means this side of torture... If these were the ground rules.... what project would YOU tackle?

As for me... It'd be a limited series featuring "Doc Savage" and/or "The Shadow". I'm thinking limited series runs with style and budget of HBO's "Perry Mason". A real reimagining of these classic pulp heroes with no restrictions. And of course, eventually they'd meet... and due to their differences as to how criminals should be treated (Savage never kills, he puts them in mental hospitals, whereas The Shadow drills em fulla holes and fills em fulla lead) they end up fighting.

Worf

The Shadow would be great.

Me, I'd fund a series based off the 2012 Dredd movie with Karl Urban back in the role. Covering the major Judge Dredd comic book epics from the 1978 early stories to much more recent. Including the Dark Judges, with Andy SErkis playing Judge Death. Then it would evolve into a franchise with all sorts of prequels and spin offs with key characters..... Same for a number of the other 2000AD properties.

On the more historical side, I'd love to get hold of the guys who did Mad Men, point them at Netflix's Hollywood, and say "Do that era, but do it like Mad Men". And then The Sun Records Story......

 

[Worf]

The Shadow would be great.

Me, I'd fund a series based off the 2012 Dredd movie with Karl Urban back in the role. Covering the major Judge Dredd comic book epics from the 1978 early stories to much more recent. Including the Dark Judges, with Andy SErkis playing Judge Death. Then it would evolve into a franchise with all sorts of prequels and spin offs with key characters..... Same for a number of the other 2000AD properties.

On the more historical side, I'd love to get hold of the guys who did Mad Men, point them at Netflix's Hollywood, and say "Do that era, but do it like Mad Men". And then The Sun Records Story......

Good choices... I'd perhaps swap Sun Records for Chess in Chicago but both companies were there at the start and deserve good a good recount of their influence on world culture. I read some of the Dredd books in the mid 80's. Hated the Stallone version but the Karl Urban one... now THAT was Dredd as he should be done.

Worf

 

[Worf]

I would put a small part of that money into making a 10 hour movie about the history of mankind on our planet based on scientific archaeological knowlegde, beginning about 500.000 years ago and ending at where we are now. And for the rest of the money I would make sure that every single human inhabitant of this earth will watch this movie ten times. I bet it will have an impact when everyone realises what we did to us and our planet earth in only the last few minutes of the film.

I must say that is a VERY interesting take the this whole fantasy. It would be a hard sell to many as unfortunately some of human nature is to "look away", if you don't look at the oncoming train then it can't hit you. Not very bright but we are what we are. I respect you for trying to take a swipe at it.

Worf

 

[CatsCan]

unfortunately some of human nature is to "look away", if you don't look at the oncoming train then it can't hit you.

well said. Thanks mate!

 

[Haversack]

A couple of tales come to mind. First is an extended, seasonal miniseries telling the ongoing story of Terry and the Pirates as currently playing up in the Golden Era. Start at the beginning and let the actors age into their parts as the years go by. No ideas as to the cast, but do it right. The story is the thing.

Second would be another episodic mini-series doing George MacDonald Fraser's MacAuslan stories. These concern the doings of a Highland regiment stationed in North Africa immediately following the Second World War and are told from the perspective of newly-created subaltern Dand MacNeil. MacAuslan, a member of MacNeil's platoon, is unquestionably the dirtiest soldier in the world. Sometimes humourous, sometimes thoughtful, the stories depict a distinct time in which the world was changing.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

MacAuslan, a member of MacNeil's platoon, is unquestionably the dirtiest soldier in the world. Sometimes humourous, sometimes thoughtful, the stories depict a distinct time in which the world was changing.

'If the whole of History lies in one man, it is all to be told through individual experience.' Emerson

I follow The Era section for its outstanding capture of Time and Terrence is tops.

 

[Zombie_61]

...I read some of the Dredd books in the mid 80's. Hated the Stallone version but the Karl Urban one... now THAT was Dredd as he should be done.

Worf

Thank you for the recommendation! I haven't read any of the books, but I saw the Stallone movie years ago and, even mentally omitting the "humorous" bits that felt forced, I hadn't researched further because I just thought Judge Dredd wasn't for me. So I haven't seen the Karl Urban version. Now I have reason to, so I thank you again!

 

[Edward]

Thank you for the recommendation! I haven't read any of the books, but I saw the Stallone movie years ago and, even mentally omitting the "humorous" bits that felt forced, I hadn't researched further because I just thought Judge Dredd wasn't for me. So I haven't seen the Karl Urban version. Now I have reason to, so I thank you again!

The Stallone film had the best of intentions, but it's very much the 'bat nipples' of the Judge Dredd property. Captured some of the comic book visuals in the appearance of the Mega City and the Angel Brothers very well, but otherwise badly handled. Dredd's face is never properly seen in the source material, which is a key part of his legend; Stallone dispensed with the helmet minutes into his outing. The other really big problem with the Stallone outing is that they really got the essence of Dredd wrong. He's not the wronged her - Dredd is a fascist, an anti-hero at best, and the comic book, although it had its lighter moments, was always in the last instance a dark satire on crime and punishment (and much else besides - if you're familiar with the politics and popular culture of Britain from 1978 onwards, there are always very clever little references buried in there). It's not too dissimilar in that vein to Alan Moore's Watchmen. Or, in many ways, the world of The Boys. The Urban film really captures the darker spirit of Dredd, with the visuals realised in a way that - for ease of shorthand - would be the equivalent of a Nolan / Bale take on the property. It's really very good in and of itself, though and can readily be enjoyed as it is. You don't need to be a pre-existing Dredd fan to enjoy it a lot, though anyone who has prior knowledge of that world will appreciate lots of lovely little nods to the source material that don't distract from or affect the plot, but add a layer of depth for that audience. See in particular the 'Chopper' and 'Kenny Who?' graffiti, as well as the fatty and his belly wheel in one of the crowd scenes.

 

[belfastboy]

^ I am in finance, London. The commodities hewn from the Earth or planted with fertilizer to feed the world
are endangered; imperiled by circumstance and compounded by scarcity of fertile soil. Phosphate and potash,
Chinese and Russian crop fertilizer; Ukraine corn and wheat. Millions will face famine in North Africa, sub Sahara;
hunger and shortage will stretch from eastern Europe to Southeast Asia. For all the mathematical formula swirling
financial engineering to calculate accurately risk and reward, corn and wheat will become the new gold.

What is your timeline? You realize this doom and gloom projection has surfaced time and time again over the run of history and somehow, in spite of the dips and troughs, we humans somehow muddle through.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Possibly but as I said there have been no shortage of doomsayers throughout history but based on our long human history......we shall muddle through.

Hopefully we will. Not a doomsayer but a professional finance/global analyst. And the earth is/will be experiencing
deprivation, famine, and hunger with monetary inflation for the probable next few years.

 

[belfastboy]

Hopefully we will. Not a doomsayer but a professional finance/global analyst. And the earth is/will be experiencing
deprivation, famine, and hunger with monetary inflation for the probable next few years.

I had a 16.5% mortgage on a new house just before my employer entered into bankruptcy....I was fortunate as I had friends hung with 22% mortgages. It was painful but we got through it and thrived. It was a good character building exercise. Something that many of the younger generations have yet to experience. Might be good for them to have a little adversity to fight through.

 

[MikeKardec]

Some interesting thoughts here!

I must say that is a VERY interesting take the this whole fantasy. It would be a hard sell to many as unfortunately some of human nature is to "look away", if you don't look at the oncoming train then it can't hit you. Not very bright but we are what we are. I respect you for trying to take a swipe at it.

Worf

The metric is different if you have to "sell" the film or TV project! Money is merely secondary in the film and TV business, The first consideration is a distribution pathway. There are only a few, and they are the real gatekeepers. If you have distribution, you can get the money. If distribution is closed to you, whatever money you spend in production won't help. If you make a film without distribution the distributors take it as a sport to give you less than you spent. A few producers survive this if the film makes a lot more money than the distributor thought, though sometimes they have to sue to get their end. Of course "Bezos Money (TM)" would include Amazon Prime, so distribution is assured, no selling necessary. Since Prime averages its income across all Prime subscribers, and many subscribe for things like music and free delivery, the basis for considering the individual film's profits is broadly diffused.


Bartender Edit: Let's steer clear of contemporary international affairs please, as this contravenes House Rules (No Contemporary Politics).

I had a 16.5% mortgage on a new house just before my employer entered into bankruptcy....I was fortunate as I had friends hung with 22% mortgages. It was painful but we got through it and thrived. It was a good character building exercise. Something that many of the younger generations have yet to experience. Might be good for them to have a little adversity to fight through.

This is the opposite end of the doom stick. We adapt. I remember traveling to Australia for the first time. Petrol was 3x what it was in the states. In the US that would have caused panic, because we're not used to it, but prices had always been high in Oz, so everyone was good at budgeting it into their lives. People were still driving from Melbourne to Cairnes in giant motorhomes. Once you get used to something, you make it work. High interest rates eventually subdue home prices, or at least tame price increases. My mortgage wasn't that high but I was able to get my place at a reasonable price and then refinance several times over the years to save more and more money. Solutions don't ever rear their heads right off but eventually things even out.

In the fertilizer crisis certain countries, that supported, or at least didn't fight, small farms, will show us the way. Is France one of those? They've always seemed to be very intelligent when it came to food security. Here in the US we still have a lot of small farmers who try to produce their own fertilizer, either with livestock or by growing nitrogen fixing crops in rotation or by burning their fields occasionally. They aren't our big food producers but they can still set an example people can learn from.

I fear for my own future, but I also realize that undue prosperity destroys character, minds, and future generations. Nearly all of our current unhealthy obsessions come from prosperity. A great deal of our ridiculous fears come from prosperity making us weak and unresourseful. An entire class of fools have ascended to leadership because we didn't care or notice because we were prosperous. Now we need to fire everyone and start over. As soon as the pain gets bad enough the competent will rise again. It's too early to celebrate, however, because often the competent are also competent at stuff we won't like!

Whether it's saber toothed tigers or nanobots, it's always something!

 

[belfastboy]

Some interesting thoughts here!


The metric is different if you have to "sell" the film or TV project! Money is merely secondary in the film and TV business, The first consideration is a distribution pathway. There are only a few, and they are the real gatekeepers. If you have distribution, you can get the money. If distribution is closed to you, whatever money you spend in production won't help. If you make a film without distribution the distributors take it as a sport to give you less than you spent. A few producers survive this if the film makes a lot more money than the distributor thought, though sometimes they have to sue to get their end. Of course "Bezos Money (TM)" would include Amazon Prime, so distribution is assured, no selling necessary. Since Prime averages its income across all Prime subscribers, and many subscribe for things like music and free delivery, the basis for considering the individual film's profits is broadly diffused.

Yeah, this is a thing. Not sure how much of a calamity it is actually going to be, but the future of fertilizer is the future of the next few years. The future of globalization and all the low prices, peace and prosperity that went with it is seriously in peril. Countries will have to figure out how to make it on their own, just like in our "Golden Age." There may well be land grabs and colonial expansion to make up for the breakdown in free international trade. Just as England backed off of patrolling the high seas and making the world safe for international shipping prior to WWII so the US is retreating in the same manner today. Say hello to the new version of the 1930s.

This is the opposite end of the doom stick. We adapt. I remember traveling to Australia for the first time. Petrol was 3x what it was in the states. In the US that would have caused panic, because we're not used to it, but prices had always been high in Oz, so everyone was good at budgeting it into their lives. People were still driving from Melbourne to Cairnes in giant motorhomes. Once you get used to something, you make it work. High interest rates eventually subdue home prices, or at least tame price increases. My mortgage wasn't that high but I was able to get my place at a reasonable price and then refinance several times over the years to save more and more money. Solutions don't ever rear their heads right off but eventually things even out.

In the fertilizer crisis certain countries, that supported, or at least didn't fight, small farms, will show us the way. Is France one of those? They've always seemed to be very intelligent when it came to food security. Here in the US we still have a lot of small farmers who try to produce their own fertilizer, either with livestock or by growing nitrogen fixing crops in rotation or by burning their fields occasionally. They aren't our big food producers but they can still set an example people can learn from.

I fear for my own future, but I also realize that undue prosperity destroys character, minds, and future generations. Nearly all of our current unhealthy obsessions come from prosperity. A great deal of our ridiculous fears come from prosperity making us weak and unresourseful. An entire class of fools have ascended to leadership because we didn't care or notice because we were prosperous. Now we need to fire everyone and start over. As soon as the pain gets bad enough the competent will rise again. It's too early to celebrate, however, because often the competent are also competent at stuff we won't like!

Whether it's saber toothed tigers or nanobots, it's always something!

I consider myself blessed to have been raised by parents that went through the Depression era as young adults. They endured, learned the lessons and passed them on to me, saving me the pain of direct experience. They taught me how to work, how to save, how to make things by my own hand, how to appreciate that which I owned. I think from those lessons learned I have handled well the blessings of abundance. My wife grew up much the same and her Prairie mother taught her all those homestead skills so in a pinch we have the knowledge to get us through pretty much anything.

 

[MikeKardec]

I consider myself blessed to have been raised by parents that went through the Depression era as young adults. They endured, learned the lessons and passed them on to me, saving me the pain of direct experience. They taught me how to work, how to save, how to make things by my own hand, how to appreciate that which I owned. I think from those lessons learned I have handled well the blessings of abundance. My wife grew up much the same and her Prairie mother taught her all those homestead skills so in a pinch we have the knowledge to get us through pretty much anything.

Amen!

We are going to PAY for all those liberal arts degrees we funded. We need engineers and scientists. It really bugs me when the kids I'm around complain about the world's problems, yet refuse to educate themselves in the methods to solve them. I also get a blank stare when I mention this. Protesters chant: "We! Want! This!" Me: "Are you considering being the person that makes that technically possible?" Protester: "Whaaat? No! Uh, I'm here to raise awareness! I have blue hair!" Me: "STEM, Dude. Go back to school. Be part of the solution."

Sigh.

 

[belfastboy]

Amen!

We are going to PAY for all those liberal arts degrees we funded. We need engineers and scientists. It really bugs me when the kids I'm around complain about the world's problems, yet refuse to educate themselves in the methods to solve them. I also get a blank stare when I mention this. Protesters chant: "We! Want! This!" Me: "Are you considering being the person that makes that technically possible?" Protester: "Whaaat? No! Uh, I'm here to raise awareness! I have blue hair!" Me: "STEM, Dude. Go back to school. Be part of the solution."

Sigh.

I, being in the front end of the Boomers lead the wave into university. Sucking at STEM subjects I enrolled in the Arts. I had zero ambition of pursuing a career out of university. I went to university with the lofty goals of studying the big ideas at the feet of PhD's.....the Masters! It took me about half way through my first semester to be disabused of that silly notion. But I stayed on for 4 more years as I loved drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes and solving the world's problems......at least in my head. I worked from 12 til 23 in the carnival making great money so I had no need for a career out of university. I had a good paying job already graduating from uni with money in the bank and bought a house. Never was part of any solution but for much of my adult life I avoided, as best I could, making the situation worse.