Brin on the Movie Version of The Postman

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The Postman: the Movie

by David Brin, Ph.D.

When we heard that Kevin Costner would star in=C2=A0The Postman, we were th=
rilled. When it was further announced that the Academy Award-winning direct=
or of=C2=A0Dances With Wolves=C2=A0would also direct this film, I knew we w=
ere in for a ride.

In the 21st Century... especially in the wake of the terror attacks of 9/11=
/01... there appears to be slight relenting from the nineties notion that p=
atriotism is sappy.=C2=A0(An attitude that harmed any chance of the picture=
 for success.) Alas, patriotism has also been=C2=A0politicized=C2=A0=E2=80=
=94 with one side absurdly claiming a monopoly on the notion, while the oth=
er side falls for this nonsense.=C2=A0Still, the notion that America might =
stand for something=C2=A0is slowly coming back... and with it, perhaps, som=
e respect for the message of=C2=A0The Postman.Indeed, word now percolates o=
ut of the former Soviet Asian steppes -- from Kzakhstan and Uzbekistan =E2=
=80=94 that=C2=A0The Postman=C2=A0movie and book have been embraced as powe=
rful symbols by pro-democracy activists! Anyone who can confirm this, first=
 hand, is welcome to write in and let us know more.Here's to sappy truths. =
Eternal and vivid ones. The best kind.Years ago, about the same time that s=
tudios were bidding for=C2=A0The Postman, my wife Cheryl and I went to a sc=
reening of=C2=A0Field of Dreams.=C2=A0As we emerged, she turned to me and s=
aid, "That's him. He's the one."Of course she meant Kevin Costner =E2=80=94=
 her choice as the right man to portray Gordon, the hero of my novel. What =
could I say in response, except "Honey, we'd never be that lucky!"Well, doe=
sn't time tend to heap ironies on us all? A decade later, when we heard tha=
t Costner would actually star in=C2=A0The Postman, we were thrilled. When i=
t was further announced that the Academy Award-winning director of=C2=A0Dan=
ces With Wolves=C2=A0would also direct this time, I knew we were in for a r=
ide.And when months passed without even a word from Costner, an invitation =
to dinner or even a phone call, I began to worry that we might be in troubl=
e...But that's getting ahead of ourselves. Let's go back to the beginning.T=
he Postman=C2=A0was written as an answer to all those post-apocalyptic book=
s and films that seem to revel in the idea of civilization's fall.=C2=A0It'=
s a story about how much we take for granted =E2=80=94 and how desperately =
we would miss the little, gracious things that connect us today. It is a st=
ory about the last idealist in a fallen America. A man who cannot let go of=
 a dream we all once shared. Who sparks restored faith that we can recover,=
 and perhaps even become better than we were. It would take a special kind =
of actor to play the lead role =E2=80=94 a ragged survivor, deeply scarred,=
 yet still willing to hope. In this era of cynicism, we need reminders of t=
he decency that lies within.That sense of strength, openness, and hope was =
what we felt after watching=C2=A0Field of Dreams.=C2=A0The Postman=C2=A0is =
a very different story, yet it aims to deliver the same message to the hear=
t: We are in this together. (Ironically,=C2=A0The Postman=C2=A0movie's mess=
age is exactly opposite to the moral message conveyed by=C2=A0Waterworld...=
 think about it!)The book obviously affected people. Within months of its p=
ublication, at the hasty urging of my then-agent, I sold movie rights to th=
e first bidder. Producer Steve Tisch then hired veteran screenwriter Erik R=
oth to do an adaptation. And at first I thought this would bode very well! =
Under gifted directors like Robert Zemeckis, Roth had acquired a reputation=
 as a skilled adapter of already-existing material. Alas, this time, withou=
t a strong director holding the reins, Roth decided to toss out every iota =
of the book and start from scratch with a story that was completely his own=
... incidentally going out of his way to reverse every moral point of=C2=A0=
The Postman!The resulting script =E2=80=94 despite at least half a dozen du=
bious rewrites =E2=80=94 became notorious in Hollywood, discouraging even s=
uch figures as Tom Hanks and Ron Howard, who had been attracted by the over=
all concept. After helplessly reading successive drafts, each more bizarre =
than the last, I finally concluded the project was dead. Following the advi=
ce of many past authors who were disappointed with Hollywood, I determined =
to shrug my shoulders and walk away.Unfortunately, that was hard to do! Peo=
ple kept phoning and writing to me, asking about "film rights to your wonde=
rful novel..." Richard Dreyfuss, for instance, enthusiastically offered me =
first crack at the screenplay, before I even had a chance to interrupt and =
break the news that rights were already gone. As one might imagine, such ca=
lls (almost monthly for nearly a decade) struck me as sad reminders of what=
 might have been.Then something happened. Kevin Costner came aboard, bringi=
ng all his might and prestige to the project. Though I was never consulted,=
 he nevertheless agreed with my own impression =E2=80=94 that an evil, inco=
herent and rapacious central character might be a bad idea! Instinctively r=
ealizing that the tale=C2=A0ought=C2=A0to be about decency, heroism and hop=
e, he threw out all the dismal old drafts and hired Brian Helgeland, esteem=
ed screenwriter of=C2=A0LA Confidential, whose first comment was: "Say, you=
 know there's a pretty good novel by the same name. Why don't we borrow som=
e stuff from it!"So began=C2=A0The Postman's return from damnation.Well, so=
rt of.Between them, Costner and Helgeland restored a few scenes from the no=
vel... and thought up a whole lot of new ones on their own, combining chara=
cters and bringing in several new ones.=C2=A0This hardly surprised me, and =
certainly did not offend! Unlike many novelists, I understand Hollywood and=
 know that prose fiction is only glancingly related to what you see on the =
big screen. It's a director's medium, calling for visual storytelling skill=
s and an eye for dramatic moments that are shown, not told.In fact, I found=
 many Costner/Helgeland innovations to be rather clever! A few were even de=
eply moving. (Lord only knows how they expected me to react, or if they car=
ed. I have an impression they were rather surprised when they finally learn=
ed my overall attitude, as if for some reason they had been bracing for a r=
ather different response.)Above all =E2=80=94 and for this I will forgive a=
 thousand slights =E2=80=94 they rescued the "soul" of the central characte=
r, making=C2=A0The Postman=C2=A0once again a story about a reluctant hero, =
a liar who slowly comes to realize his own value, and the importance of hop=
e.Cheryl and I were invited as very very small fish to the Hollywood premie=
re.=C2=A0Though we were seated in back with the assistant gaffer, it was ne=
vertheless a terrific evening, as well as cause for reflection about what a=
 long and tortuous road it can be, getting a story to the screen......and n=
ow it seems that it will also be a long road before the movie is accepted b=
y the arbiters of art. After nearly unanimous denunciations by all the big =
time critics, it would be all-too-easy for me to throw up my hands and decl=
are "It's not my fault!" I could play martyr and moan aloud, as so many oth=
er authors do, about having been "betrayed by Hollywood." (I finally met th=
e executive producer at the premiere, twelve years after the rights were pu=
rchased.)And yet, all told, Cheryl and I came away more pleased than unhapp=
y with what Costner created. Despite many flaws, it's a pretty good movie =
=E2=80=94 if you let yourself get into it. One that deals with important is=
sues and is more faithful to the book than I expected at any point in the l=
ast decade. Costner's postman is a man of decency, a callused idealist who =
has to learn the hard way about responsibility and what it means to be a he=
ro. The movie is filled with scenes that convey how deeply we would miss th=
e gracious little things, if ever they were gone. In fact, it includes some=
 clever or touching moments that I wish I'd thought of, when writing the bo=
ok!Fans of the novel will note that he chose to concentrate on the basic st=
ory in the first third of the novel. That is what I'd have advised. "Talkin=
g computers" and "augments" worked fine in the book but they would have mad=
e things too complicated for a film. When all is said and done, the movie t=
ries to convey, with the image of a humble letter carrier, the same sorts o=
f things that=C2=A0Field of Dreams=C2=A0said, using the metaphor of basebal=
l.Science fiction fans might note how the moral message about citizenship i=
s quite different than the one Veerhoven delivered in his satire,=C2=A0Star=
ship Troopers. It is less ethereal than=C2=A0Contact. And yet all three mov=
ies were somewhat faithful to good novels. All three 1997 films dealt with =
=E2=80=94 and should provoke discussion of =E2=80=94 serious issues.So why =
was the film such a dismal failure in the marketplace?Well, for one thing, =
the jury will be out for a long time. Word-of-mouth has wrought an upsurge =
of interest in the video, for instance.But in fact, I was already on record=
 predicting that three groups would come down on Costner, and come down on =
him very hard. The right wing would hate him for slapping down the militia-=
solipsist movement, while leftists would despise him for depicting dignity =
and tolerance under the protection of an American flag. Above all,=C2=A0cyn=
ics=C2=A0would carp against the "goody" morality tale.My prediction proved =
true in spades, as reviewer after reviewer (what more cynical profession ca=
n you name?) slagged the "aw shucks idealism" of the film. One critic liken=
ed=C2=A0The Postman=C2=A0to "Mad Max, directed by Frank Capra."The diagnosi=
s is correct! There truly=C2=A0is=C2=A0a Capra-esque quality to Costner's f=
ilm... and according to this critic we are supposed to assume that's a=C2=
=A0bad=C2=A0thing? (Hint: who can name the folks who panned=C2=A0It's a Won=
derful Life? Capra endures precisely because he called on us to note the be=
st parts of ourselves, while willingly criticizing what can be improved.)My=
 best analogy is this: watching Kevin Costner's three hour epic is a bit li=
ke having a great big Golden Retriever jump on your lap and lick your face,=
 while waving a flag tied to its tail. It's big, floppy, uncoordinated, ove=
reager, sometimes gorgeous =E2=80=94 occasionally a bit goofy =E2=80=94 and=
 so big-hearted that something inside of you has to=C2=A0give... that is, i=
f you like that sort of thing.Anyway, that was one reason why I lent my nam=
e and considerable time to helping promote the movie, giving numerous media=
 interviews and being a team player. One result =E2=80=94=C2=A0The Postman =
Curriculum Web Site=C2=A0=E2=80=94 may wind up being the most positive thin=
g to come out of this whole episode!
specifics
The music, by James Newton Howard, is excellent.=C2=A0The visuals are even =
more stunning than they were in=C2=A0Dances With Wolves. (If Costner hadn't=
 been good looking, he might still have won an Academy Award by now, as a c=
inematographer.)Unfortunately, some sections stretched far too long. Costne=
r needed to have people around him unafraid to say which scenes were bloate=
d and which others were self-indulgent =E2=80=94 e.g., the stuff with Tom P=
etty. There were missed opportunities to have a little fun. And I'd have wr=
itten the final battle scene quite differently.There certainly SHOULD have =
been a cameo appearance by the original author, somewhere in the back row o=
f a crowd of snarling bad guys! That one lack almost certainly cost the fil=
m an Academy Award! (Well... maybe...)But these are all minor authorial qui=
bbles, more than made up for by the film's touching denouement, featuring C=
ostner's son as a little boy so filled with rediscovered hope that it pours=
 from the screen. Only the most hardened or cynical critic would not be mov=
ed.Well, well. It's time to move on, especially since more and even better =
opportunities loom on the horizon (making it hard for an honest man to comp=
lain!).In sum, despite many disappointments, I have to say that I'm not ash=
amed to be associated with=C2=A0The Postman=C2=A0movie. Yes, the book is mu=
ch better! ;-) And yes, the film might have benefited a lot if the director=
 ever had a few brews with the guy who told the original story. Yet there's=
 something deeply likable about this film, despite its flaws. Above all, in=
 these days of rampant and contagious solipsism, with so many people claimi=
ng to despise a civilization that has been so kind to them, this movie's ov=
erall message needs to be heard.We are in it together. Civilization means s=
omething. IAAMOAC=E2=80=94 David Brin, December 1998
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<html><head></head><body><div style=3D"color:#000; background-color:#fff; f=
ont-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font=
-size:13px"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); f=
ont-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; outline: none !important;"=
 id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5800"><div style=3D"box-sizing: bord=
er-box; outline: none !important; padding-right: 15px; padding-left: 15px; =
margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; width: 1200px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym1=
9_1_1508976101036_5801"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none=
 !important; margin-right: 0; margin-left: 0;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508=
976101036_5802"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !import=
ant; position: relative; min-height: 1px; padding-right: 15px; padding-left=
: 15px; float: left; width: 1200px; margin-top: 25px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym1=
9_1_1508976101036_5803"><h1 align=3D"center" style=3D"box-sizing: border-bo=
x; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 36px; font-family: inh=
erit; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; color: inherit; outline: none !im=
portant;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5804">The Postman: the Movi=
e</h1><h2 align=3D"center" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-family: in=
herit; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; color: inherit; margin-top: 20px=
; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 30px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yu=
i_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5805">by David Brin, Ph.D.</h2><h4 style=3D"b=
ox-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; color: inherit; =
margin-top: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;=
 outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5806">Whe=
n we heard that Kevin Costner would star in&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: b=
order-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036=
_5807">The Postman</em>, we were thrilled. When it was further announced th=
at the Academy Award-winning director of&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: bord=
er-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_58=
08">Dances With Wolves</em>&nbsp;would also direct this film, I knew we wer=
e in for a ride.</h4></div></div></div></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: bord=
er-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size:=
 14px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_580=
9"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important; padding-=
right: 15px; padding-left: 15px; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; wid=
th: 1200px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5810"><div style=3D"box-=
sizing: border-box; outline: none !important; margin-right: 0; margin-left:=
 0; margin-top: 50px;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5811"><div sty=
le=3D"box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; min-height: 1px; padding-=
right: 15px; padding-left: 15px; float: left; width: 600px; outline: none !=
important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5812"><img src=3D"http://=
www.davidbrin.com/nonfiction/images/picNews/brin_postmanmovie.jpg" alt=3D"T=
he Postman: the Movie" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; =
border-style: initial; vertical-align: middle; display: block; max-width: 1=
00%; min-height: auto; border-radius: 3px; outline: none !important;" id=3D=
"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5813"><br style=3D"box-sizing: border-box;=
" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5814"><div style=3D"box-sizing: bor=
der-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); fo=
nt-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_150897610=
1036_5815"><b style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" i=
d=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5816">In the 21st Century... especiall=
y in the wake of the terror attacks of 9/11/01... there appears to be sligh=
t relenting from the nineties notion that patriotism is sappy.</b>&nbsp;(An=
 attitude that harmed any chance of the picture for success.) Alas, patriot=
ism has also been&nbsp;<i style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !i=
mportant;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5817">politicized</i>&nbsp=
;=E2=80=94 with one side absurdly claiming a monopoly on the notion, while =
the other side falls for this nonsense.&nbsp;<i style=3D"box-sizing: border=
-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5818=
">Still, the notion that America might stand for something</i>&nbsp;is slow=
ly coming back... and with it, perhaps, some respect for the message of&nbs=
p;<strong style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D=
"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5819">The Postman</strong>.</div><div styl=
e=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color:=
 rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_1=
6_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5820">Indeed, word now percolates out of the forme=
r Soviet Asian steppes -- from Kzakhstan and Uzbekistan =E2=80=94 that&nbsp=
;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_=
3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5821">The Postman</em>&nbsp;movie and book have=
 been embraced as powerful symbols by pro-democracy activists! Anyone who c=
an confirm this, first hand, is welcome to write in and let us know more.</=
div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height:=
 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" =
id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5822">Here's to sappy truths. Eternal=
 and vivid ones. The best kind.</div><div align=3D"center" style=3D"box-siz=
ing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17,=
 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1=
508976101036_5823"><img src=3D"http://www.davidbrin.com/nonfiction/images/p=
icAbout/postmanpremiere.gif" alt=3D"David and Cheryl Brin at the film premi=
ere" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; border-style: init=
ial; vertical-align: middle; display: block; max-width: 100%; min-height: a=
uto; border-radius: 3px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1=
_1508976101036_5824"></div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bot=
tom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outl=
ine: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5825"><b style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym1=
9_1_1508976101036_5826">Years ago, about the same time that studios were bi=
dding for&nbsp;<a href=3D"http://www.davidbrin.com/postman.html" title=3D"l=
earn more about THE POSTMAN" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66=
, 139, 202); text-decoration-line: none;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_150897610=
1036_5827">The Postman</a>, my wife Cheryl and I went to a screening of&nbs=
p;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui=
_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5828">Field of Dreams</em>.</b>&nbsp;As we eme=
rged, she turned to me and said, "That's him. He's the one."</div><div styl=
e=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color:=
 rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_1=
6_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5829">Of course she meant Kevin Costner =E2=80=94 =
her choice as the right man to portray Gordon, the hero of my novel. What c=
ould I say in response, except "Honey, we'd never be that lucky!"</div><div=
 style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; c=
olor: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yu=
i_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5830">Well, doesn't time tend to heap ironies=
 on us all? A decade later, when we heard that Costner would actually star =
in&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=
=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5831">The Postman</em>, we were thrille=
d. When it was further announced that the Academy Award-winning director of=
&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D=
"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5832">Dances With Wolves</em>&nbsp;would a=
lso direct this time, I knew we were in for a ride.</div><div style=3D"box-=
sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, =
17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_=
1_1508976101036_5833">And when months passed without even a word from Costn=
er, an invitation to dinner or even a phone call, I began to worry that we =
might be in trouble...</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bo=
ttom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; out=
line: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5834">But tha=
t's getting ahead of ourselves. Let's go back to the beginning.</div><hr st=
yle=3D"box-sizing: content-box; min-height: 1px; margin-top: 18px; margin-b=
ottom: 20px; border: 0px; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, r=
gba(0, 0, 0, 0), rgb(219, 219, 219), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0));" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_y=
m19_1_1508976101036_5835"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bott=
om: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outli=
ne: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5836"><b style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym1=
9_1_1508976101036_5837"><em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none =
!important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5838">The Postman</em>&n=
bsp;was written as an answer to all those post-apocalyptic books and films =
that seem to revel in the idea of civilization's fall.</b>&nbsp;It's a stor=
y about how much we take for granted =E2=80=94 and how desperately we would=
 miss the little, gracious things that connect us today. It is a story abou=
t the last idealist in a fallen America. A man who cannot let go of a dream=
 we all once shared. Who sparks restored faith that we can recover, and per=
haps even become better than we were. It would take a special kind of actor=
 to play the lead role =E2=80=94 a ragged survivor, deeply scarred, yet sti=
ll willing to hope. In this era of cynicism, we need reminders of the decen=
cy that lies within.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bott=
om: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outli=
ne: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5839">That sens=
e of strength, openness, and hope was what we felt after watching&nbsp;<em =
style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_=
0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5840">Field of Dreams</em>.&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-si=
zing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_150897=
6101036_5841">The Postman</em>&nbsp;is a very different story, yet it aims =
to deliver the same message to the heart: We are in this together. (Ironica=
lly,&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" i=
d=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5842">The Postman</em>&nbsp;movie's me=
ssage is exactly opposite to the moral message conveyed by&nbsp;<em style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym1=
9_1_1508976101036_5843">Waterworld</em>... think about it!)</div><div style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: =
rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5844">The book obviously affected people. Within mo=
nths of its publication, at the hasty urging of my then-agent, I sold movie=
 rights to the first bidder. Producer Steve Tisch then hired veteran screen=
writer Erik Roth to do an adaptation. And at first I thought this would bod=
e very well! Under gifted directors like Robert Zemeckis, Roth had acquired=
 a reputation as a skilled adapter of already-existing material. Alas, this=
 time, without a strong director holding the reins, Roth decided to toss ou=
t every iota of the book and start from scratch with a story that was compl=
etely his own... incidentally going out of his way to reverse every moral p=
oint of&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;=
" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5845">The Postman</em>!</div><div s=
tyle=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; col=
or: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_=
3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5846">The resulting script =E2=80=94 despite at=
 least half a dozen dubious rewrites =E2=80=94 became notorious in Hollywoo=
d, discouraging even such figures as Tom Hanks and Ron Howard, who had been=
 attracted by the overall concept. After helplessly reading successive draf=
ts, each more bizarre than the last, I finally concluded the project was de=
ad. Following the advice of many past authors who were disappointed with Ho=
llywood, I determined to shrug my shoulders and walk away.</div><div style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: =
rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5847">Unfortunately, that was hard to do! People ke=
pt phoning and writing to me, asking about "film rights to your wonderful n=
ovel..." Richard Dreyfuss, for instance, enthusiastically offered me first =
crack at the screenplay, before I even had a chance to interrupt and break =
the news that rights were already gone. As one might imagine, such calls (a=
lmost monthly for nearly a decade) struck me as sad reminders of what might=
 have been.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px;=
 line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none =
!important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5848">Then something hap=
pened. Kevin Costner came aboard, bringing all his might and prestige to th=
e project. Though I was never consulted, he nevertheless agreed with my own=
 impression =E2=80=94 that an evil, incoherent and rapacious central charac=
ter might be a bad idea! Instinctively realizing that the tale&nbsp;<i styl=
e=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym=
19_1_1508976101036_5849">ought</i>&nbsp;to be about decency, heroism and ho=
pe, he threw out all the dismal old drafts and hired Brian Helgeland, estee=
med screenwriter of&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none=
 !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5850">LA Confidential</=
em>, whose first comment was: "Say, you know there's a pretty good novel by=
 the same name. Why don't we borrow some stuff from it!"</div><div style=3D=
"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb=
(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_=
ym19_1_1508976101036_5851">So began&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-bo=
x; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5852">T=
he Postman</em>'s return from damnation.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: bor=
der-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); fo=
nt-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_150897610=
1036_5853">Well, sort of.</div><hr style=3D"box-sizing: content-box; min-he=
ight: 1px; margin-top: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; border: 0px; background-i=
mage: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0), rgb(219, 219, 219), r=
gba(0, 0, 0, 0));" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5854"><div style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: =
rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5855"><b style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: =
none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5856">Between them,=
 Costner and Helgeland restored a few scenes from the novel... and thought =
up a whole lot of new ones on their own, combining characters and bringing =
in several new ones.</b>&nbsp;This hardly surprised me, and certainly did n=
ot offend! Unlike many novelists, I understand Hollywood and know that pros=
e fiction is only glancingly related to what you see on the big screen. It'=
s a director's medium, calling for visual storytelling skills and an eye fo=
r dramatic moments that are shown, not told.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing:=
 border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17)=
; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15089=
76101036_5857">In fact, I found many Costner/Helgeland innovations to be ra=
ther clever! A few were even deeply moving. (Lord only knows how they expec=
ted me to react, or if they cared. I have an impression they were rather su=
rprised when they finally learned my overall attitude, as if for some reaso=
n they had been bracing for a rather different response.)</div><div style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: =
rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5858">Above all =E2=80=94 and for this I will forgi=
ve a thousand slights =E2=80=94 they rescued the "soul" of the central char=
acter, making&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !impo=
rtant;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5859">The Postman</em>&nbsp;o=
nce again a story about a reluctant hero, a liar who slowly comes to realiz=
e his own value, and the importance of hope.</div><hr style=3D"box-sizing: =
content-box; min-height: 1px; margin-top: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; border=
: 0px; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0), rg=
b(219, 219, 219), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0));" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036=
_5860"><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-heig=
ht: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important=
;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5861"><b style=3D"box-sizing: bord=
er-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_58=
62">Cheryl and I were invited as very very small fish to the Hollywood prem=
iere.</b>&nbsp;Though we were seated in back with the assistant gaffer, it =
was nevertheless a terrific evening, as well as cause for reflection about =
what a long and tortuous road it can be, getting a story to the screen...</=
div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height:=
 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" =
id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5863">...and now it seems that it wil=
l also be a long road before the movie is accepted by the arbiters of art. =
After nearly unanimous denunciations by all the big time critics, it would =
be all-too-easy for me to throw up my hands and declare "It's not my fault!=
" I could play martyr and moan aloud, as so many other authors do, about ha=
ving been "betrayed by Hollywood." (I finally met the executive producer at=
 the premiere, twelve years after the rights were purchased.)</div><div sty=
le=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color=
: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_=
16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5864">And yet, all told, Cheryl and I came away m=
ore pleased than unhappy with what Costner created. Despite many flaws, it'=
s a pretty good movie =E2=80=94 if you let yourself get into it. One that d=
eals with important issues and is more faithful to the book than I expected=
 at any point in the last decade. Costner's postman is a man of decency, a =
callused idealist who has to learn the hard way about responsibility and wh=
at it means to be a hero. The movie is filled with scenes that convey how d=
eeply we would miss the gracious little things, if ever they were gone. In =
fact, it includes some clever or touching moments that I wish I'd thought o=
f, when writing the book!</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin=
-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; =
outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5865">Fans=
 of the novel will note that he chose to concentrate on the basic story in =
the first third of the novel. That is what I'd have advised. "Talking compu=
ters" and "augments" worked fine in the book but they would have made thing=
s too complicated for a film. When all is said and done, the movie tries to=
 convey, with the image of a humble letter carrier, the same sorts of thing=
s that&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;"=
 id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5866">Field of Dreams</em>&nbsp;said=
, using the metaphor of baseball.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box=
; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size=
: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_58=
67">Science fiction fans might note how the moral message about citizenship=
 is quite different than the one Veerhoven delivered in his satire,&nbsp;<e=
m style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_1=
6_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5868">Starship Troopers</em>. It is less ethereal =
than&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" i=
d=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5869">Contact</em>. And yet all three =
movies were somewhat faithful to good novels. All three 1997 films dealt wi=
th =E2=80=94 and should provoke discussion of =E2=80=94 serious issues.</di=
v><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2=
3px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=
=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5870">So why was the film such a dismal=
 failure in the marketplace?</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; mar=
gin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13p=
x; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5871">W=
ell, for one thing, the jury will be out for a long time. Word-of-mouth has=
 wrought an upsurge of interest in the video, for instance.</div><div style=
=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: =
rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16=
_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5872">But in fact, I was already on record predicti=
ng that three groups would come down on Costner, and come down on him very =
hard. The right wing would hate him for slapping down the militia-solipsist=
 movement, while leftists would despise him for depicting dignity and toler=
ance under the protection of an American flag. Above all,&nbsp;<i style=3D"=
box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_=
1508976101036_5873">cynics</i>&nbsp;would carp against the "goody" morality=
 tale.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line=
-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !impo=
rtant;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5874">My prediction proved tr=
ue in spades, as reviewer after reviewer (what more cynical profession can =
you name?) slagged the "aw shucks idealism" of the film. One critic likened=
&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D=
"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5875">The Postman</em>&nbsp;to "Mad Max, d=
irected by Frank Capra."</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-=
bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; o=
utline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5876">The d=
iagnosis is correct! There truly&nbsp;<i style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; o=
utline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5877">is</i=
>&nbsp;a Capra-esque quality to Costner's film... and according to this cri=
tic we are supposed to assume that's a&nbsp;<i style=3D"box-sizing: border-=
box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5878"=
>bad</i>&nbsp;thing? (Hint: who can name the folks who panned&nbsp;<em styl=
e=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym=
19_1_1508976101036_5879">It's a Wonderful Life</em>? Capra endures precisel=
y because he called on us to note the best parts of ourselves, while willin=
gly criticizing what can be improved.)</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: borde=
r-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font=
-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15089761010=
36_5880">My best analogy is this: watching Kevin Costner's three hour epic =
is a bit like having a great big Golden Retriever jump on your lap and lick=
 your face, while waving a flag tied to its tail. It's big, floppy, uncoord=
inated, overeager, sometimes gorgeous =E2=80=94 occasionally a bit goofy =
=E2=80=94 and so big-hearted that something inside of you has to&nbsp;<i st=
yle=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_=
ym19_1_1508976101036_5881">give</i>... that is, if you like that sort of th=
ing.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-h=
eight: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !import=
ant;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5882">Anyway, that was one reas=
on why I lent my name and considerable time to helping promote the movie, g=
iving numerous media interviews and being a team player. One result =E2=80=
=94&nbsp;<a href=3D"http://www.dbraden.org/postman/intro.html" target=3D"_b=
lank" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(66, 139, 202); text-decor=
ation-line: none;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5883">The Postman =
Curriculum Web Site</a>&nbsp;=E2=80=94 may wind up being the most positive =
thing to come out of this whole episode!</div><hr style=3D"box-sizing: cont=
ent-box; min-height: 1px; margin-top: 18px; margin-bottom: 20px; border: 0p=
x; background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(left, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0), rgb(21=
9, 219, 219), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0));" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_588=
4"><h3 style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1;=
 color: rgb(47, 47, 47); margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: =
16px; text-align: center; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_=
1_1508976101036_5885">specifics</h3><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; m=
argin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 1=
3px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5886"=
><b style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3=
_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5887">The music, by James Newton Howard, is exce=
llent.</b>&nbsp;The visuals are even more stunning than they were in&nbsp;<=
em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_=
16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5888">Dances With Wolves</em>. (If Costner hadn't=
 been good looking, he might still have won an Academy Award by now, as a c=
inematographer.)</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: =
10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: =
none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5889">Unfortunately=
, some sections stretched far too long. Costner needed to have people aroun=
d him unafraid to say which scenes were bloated and which others were self-=
indulgent =E2=80=94 e.g., the stuff with Tom Petty. There were missed oppor=
tunities to have a little fun. And I'd have written the final battle scene =
quite differently.</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom=
: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline=
: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5890">There certa=
inly SHOULD have been a cameo appearance by the original author, somewhere =
in the back row of a crowd of snarling bad guys! That one lack almost certa=
inly cost the film an Academy Award! (Well... maybe...)</div><div style=3D"=
box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(=
17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_y=
m19_1_1508976101036_5891">But these are all minor authorial quibbles, more =
than made up for by the film's touching denouement, featuring Costner's son=
 as a little boy so filled with rediscovered hope that it pours from the sc=
reen. Only the most hardened or cynical critic would not be moved.</div><di=
v style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; =
color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"y=
ui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5892">Well, well. It's time to move on, espe=
cially since more and even better opportunities loom on the horizon (making=
 it hard for an honest man to complain!).</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: bo=
rder-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); f=
ont-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_15089761=
01036_5893">In sum, despite many disappointments, I have to say that I'm no=
t ashamed to be associated with&nbsp;<em style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; o=
utline: none !important;" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5894">The P=
ostman</em>&nbsp;movie. Yes, the book is much better! ;-) And yes, the film=
 might have benefited a lot if the director ever had a few brews with the g=
uy who told the original story. Yet there's something deeply likable about =
this film, despite its flaws. Above all, in these days of rampant and conta=
gious solipsism, with so many people claiming to despise a civilization tha=
t has been so kind to them, this movie's overall message needs to be heard.=
</div><div style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-heigh=
t: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;=
" id=3D"yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5895">We are in it together. Civili=
zation means something. IAAMOAC</div><div align=3D"center" style=3D"box-siz=
ing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 23px; color: rgb(17, 17,=
 17); font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;" dir=3D"ltr" id=3D"yui_3_1=
6_0_ym19_1_1508976101036_5896">=E2=80=94 David Brin, December 1998</div></d=
iv></div></div></div></div></body></html>
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