<p>A few years ago, there were plans to translate John Milton’s 1667 epic poem, “Paradise Lost,” to the screen. Although such plans are indefinitely on hold, that may change in the future (see website below).</p>
<p>But, do you think that it could ever work?</p>
<p>Could we really turn one of Western civilization’s most cherished books into a faithful movie that will also have popular appeal? Or, do you worry that either Hollywood will mess up, or that the public will find it too highbrow? </p>
<p>I also imagine that such a project would cost a ton of money–probably more than Titanic and Avatar. </p>
<p>The cast is interesting but rather incomplete. There’s no Father or Son. Bradley Cooper talks about the story as two brothers who had a falling out. Milton makes it clear that the Son and Lucifer are never in any way related or equal, no matter what Lucifer thinks.</p>
<p>Granted, it would be a great challege for a film to represent the Father and the Son without misrepresenting them. The War in Heaven would be pretty interesting with CGI, though. As it is, that section is generally considered the most boring. And would the film retain Milton’s in medias res narrative order? Would Lucifer retain his wonderful speeches? American actors are generally poor at reciting blank verse.</p>
<p>It’s been a long time since I read them, but weren’t the “Dark Materials” books basically a retelling of Paradise Lost and weren’t they made into a movie?</p>
<p>Apparently the script would create a structuring conflict between the archangel Michael and Lucifer, not Lucifer and the Son. The idea was ditched by the studio that originally promoted it:</p>
<p>I just don’t think that Milton’s ideas about human pride, sin, and submission are going to go over well in contemporary culture. A critical audience mass just doesn’t believe in Milton’s worldview anymore. I think a more interesting approach would be to focus on Eve (cast as Camilla Belle in the original concept).</p>