Perfume

[rustinglass]

There are rumours that Ridley Scott is going to direct an adaptation of Patrick Süskind's novel "The Perfume", however this project was originaly intended for Kubrick.
Is it true?
When will it happen?

I just ask because I read the novel and it's just amazing and I think that it may turn out to be  great GREAT film.

[cowboykurtis]

i've heard from many sources that ridley is signed on to do it -- im so pissed -- i think ridley will do a great job, however, this is one of my pet projects that i've always wanted to adapt and direct -- teh book is amazing -- hopefully it gets stuck in development hell, and in a few years after my first feature is done, i can jump on board and steal it from ridley -- crazier things have happened...

[MacGuffin]

Following the enormous success of Hannibal, director Ridley Scott may direct another tale of refined evil. Variety reports that Constantin Films has purchased the rights to author Patrick Suskind's acclaimed German novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.

Published in 1981, Perfume detailed the story of an 18th century Parisian driven by olfactory obsession to become a serial murderer.

For years the film rights to the book were held up by Suskind himself who wanted only Stanely Kubrick to direct it. When Kubrick recently passed away, rights to the book went up for grabs.

Now Scott's attached, assisting in the development of a screenplay.

[Gold Trumpet]

I'm with cowboy on this. This book has always held a personal place for me and just one of those books that if I ever made it in the business, would try to adapt into a film. Sad thing about Scott is that he will likely follow the simple narrative only. I would follow the narrative in ways, but cut it all back a lot and really focused on the atmosphere that this killer brings out. He truly could be the equal to the great Hannibal Lector if done right. I have no confidence in Scott for making this film after Hannibal. Scott can do well, but Hannibal was a disaster. I recommend everyone go out and buy this book and really meet a great character in this serial killer.

Curious cowboy, would shoot in black and white or in color? I couldn't see this movie in anything but black and white.

~rougerum

[rustinglass]

Thanks, you guys!

I also strongly recommend it. May I also point out that it was Kurt Cobain's favourite novel.

[CollinBullock]

Great book.  A wonderful gothic attitude, victorian, evil.  I would cast Billy Corgan in the lead role.

[children with angels]

How on earth are they going to film the end of the book? I'm talking about both the  (BOOK SPOLIER!) release of the perfume that causes the mass orgy/carnage, and the cannibal stuff at the end. In the book these scenes are so powerful, but I can't imagine them looking anything other than silly on screen.

[Ghostboy]

Oh man, that ending would be terrific on film! Sort of like the the very last shot of Clockwork Orange, only increased exponentially.

I just finished the book today, based on these recommendations. I can easily see the interest in turning it into a film...even as I was reading it, I was going over what I'd do if I adapted it. I see it being very reminiscent of Barry Lyndon...full of historical detail, and with third person narration every now and then. I was thinking about how to show him following scents in a visual form; the novel likens them to ribbons frequently, which would be an interesting surreal touch (to show them actually as multicolored ribbons wafting through the air). I think the part that would be the hardest would be the seven years in the cave. Also, I think Grenouille would have to be given a bit more motivation early on...it comes about gradually in the book, which is great, but I think he'd have to discover his own lack of scent/lack of recognition earlier, when he's still a kid. That would make the climax all the sweeter.

I'm incapable of reading a book without considering the possiblities in turning it into a film...although more often than not, I end up coming to the conclusion that the text can't really be topped.

If I had to cast a name actor...the first person that popped into my head would be Sam Rockwell.

[Gold Trumpet]

My idea with adapting the book into the film was make his early childhood very brief, maybe in the form of an extended montage. Then I would start cutting during the main story and try to go for an overtly atmospheric movie. I thought of Barry Lyndon influence, but felt that would be too slow moving for the movie. I think a very good movie to take influence from would be Picnic at Hanging Rock. The story would take a lot out, but cover a short period of time, and likely have the cave scene, but not for 7 years. Make it a minimumly thing by bringing up the idea of his rejection from society in trying to work perfumes, and then show a few shots of him leaving that world with a few shots of the mountain, with each shot getting closer then of the cave, and the camera lingering in and through out the shots focused on the mountain and caves, his screaming voice would fill the soundtrack to show he has taken his rage and aggression out there. Then I would start going into shots of different portions of the mountain, try to make them feel more poetic, with music over it and then see his face, stricken with rage, appear from the cave.

If I could, I also would do it in black and white and in French just to give the feeling a new world is being spied upon instead of some nice postcard of another country that for some reason has everyone speaking english. I really couldn't see Sam Rockwell in the part, I always imagined someone with resemblance to Thom Yorke actually doing it. A kind of freakish look but still intriguing none the less but that this person would have to inspire some fear on first glance. This is just my first thoughts and if thought out more, likely start changing.

~rougerum

[godardian]

I'm incapable of reading a book without considering the possiblities in turning it into a film...although more often than not, I end up coming to the conclusion that the text can't really be topped.

Me, too. The first book I would make into a film: Them by Joyce Carol Oates, since it's the first book I read that made me feel that way (long ago). And so many just-okay to bad films have been made from her stuff...

[Fernando]

I always thought of Gary Oldman as Grenouille, I can see Rockwell though.

As for the way of filming it also think in Barry Lyndon, but not in terms of pacing but on the cinematography, I think vivid colors (reds, yellows, greens, browns) would give almost the same feeling of the scents Grenouille is able to detect, though I don't think you can match that feeling in film.
BTW, I could swear that I smelled everything as he did, the detail of it was marvelous, did any of you feel it that way?

[Ghostboy]

Absolutely, and since finishing the book I've been paying a lot more attention to the smell of things.

Hot damn, Thom Yorke would be perfect! He has the same qualities that I was thinking about when I hit on Rockwell, only amplified. Oldman would be good, too, but he's probably too old now.

[Fernando]

Absolutely, and since finishing the book I've been paying a lot more attention to the smell of things.

Hot damn, Thom Yorke would be perfect! He has the same qualities that I was thinking about when I hit on Rockwell, only amplified. Oldman would be good, too, but he's probably too old now.

Thom Yorke? Where's he been? The only one that found at imdb is this one and he's a composer:

http://us.imdb.com/Name?Yorke,+Thom

[AlguienEstolamiPantalones]

I always thought of Gary Oldman as Grenouille, I can see Rockwell though.

wow the guy who sang " somebodys watching me "  ?????????

WOW WHAT A IDEA, ohh man that would be so fucking awsome, and he needs the work

[rustinglass]

I thought of Noah Taylor as Grenouille. I would love it to be Thom Yorke, that would be the best!!!