Stephen King's Epic "The Dark Tower" - Part 1

[DeGenerate10]

I know a lot of people are complaining about Elba being Roland. But I'm more worried about the story more than anything.

 

[Bruce Malone]

I know a lot of people are complaining about Elba being Roland. But I'm more worried about the story more than anything.

Are they?

He's a great actor. I'm seeing a lot of positive responses on that actually. I think people are more worried about everything else.

 

[The Apocalypse]

Are they?

He's a great actor. I'm seeing a lot of positive responses on that actually. I think people are more worried about everything else.

Yeah, they are. Some people are having valid points while a smaller minority is coming off as borderline racist. The casting had be baffled at first because, like a lot have said, I always pictured your classic Clint Eastwood cowboy. I think Elba could pull off a badass looking cowboy though. Doesn't matter to me as long as they nail the same tone the books had.

 

[DeGenerate10]

Of all the reactions I've seen I'd say 90% are pretty negative in terms of how they're viewing Elba as Roland.

 

[Bruce Malone]

I don't know I guess I haven't seen any legitimate criticisms about his casting aside from his race.

I don't take the people who are arguing that Scott Eastwood should have been cast over Elba seriously.

People arguing about what roles Elba should be allowed to play became tired out a while back...I feel like he should be simultaneously cast as the new Bond/Wolverine just to watch the internet explode haha.

 

[The Guard]

Spoiler

So they totally miss things like Roland letting Jake fall? That's a pretty important story point in the books.

But in terms of overall importance to the main narrative, it's not. It's the first of that character's "origins", so to speak, but it is not where the lion's share of his character development lies. Nor is that the most compelling part of their relationship.

That said, there are still ways to work that part of the story in.

 

[The Guard]

Complaints about Roland needing to be an Eastwood-like cowboy and Elba not being one are silly. Eastwood had a style that many cowboy characters have emulated, but Roland is not Eastwood, other than the very basics of his attitude, which in the books, more or less serve to mask his true personality. He evolved into much more as a character.

 

[Guts]

I don't know I guess I haven't seen any legitimate criticisms about his casting aside from his race.

I don't take the people who are arguing that Scott Eastwood should have been cast over Elba seriously.

People arguing about what roles Elba should be allowed to play became tired out a while back...I feel like he should be simultaneously cast as the new Bond/Wolverine just to watch the internet explode haha.

People actually want Scott Eastwood for Roland? He's too young.

 

[Bruce Malone]

Yes I've seen that brought up a lot. Not here so much but a lot elsewhere.

Forget the age thing Scott hasn't proved himself to be 1/10th the actor Elba is. But apparently looking like his old man trumps that?

 

[Victarion]

Part of what made me want to dissect Roland was Tull. Replacing the townsfolk with can-toi is a pretty big hit. I don't like it. Starting out with Devar Toi is interesting, though I hope they drive home the dissonance of 1950's Americana with the surrounds of Thunderclap.

 

[Lantern Venom]

I am the first to rally against some nerd griping about a character being race lifted, but this one seems like they're just doing it so they can put Elba in the movie for their own sake.

The only time in TDT series where Roland's skin comes into play is The Drawing of the Three, but the theme plays more about Detta/Odetta/Susannah's perceptual problems than the Gunslinger's appearance. Elba's casting won't necessitate a huge change to the character.

 

[DeGenerate10]

The only time in TDT series where Roland's skin comes into play is The Drawing of the Three, but the theme plays more about Detta/Odetta/Susannah's perceptual problems than the Gunslinger's appearance. Elba's casting won't necessitate a huge change to the character.

I think that whole problem could be solved by Detta just calling Roland an Uncle Tom for being friends with Eddie rather than a honky muh fuh.

 

[Doctor Jones]

The thing is we've already seen Clint Eastwood in westerns and other types like him. It's been done many times so casting Elba really differentiates it while still keeping to the spirit. We've never seen a black gunslinger as a protagonist and in such a huge film so that in and of itself makes this more unique than just another Eastwood type character.

 

[chamber-music]

One in four of America’s cowboys were actually black which for obvious reasons was excluded from the wild west mythology.

Yes I've seen that brought up a lot. Not here so much but a lot elsewhere.

Forget the age thing Scott hasn't proved himself to be 1/10th the actor Elba is. But apparently looking like his old man trumps that?

Internet fan casting 101.

If they look the part it doesn't matter if they can act or carry a movie.

 

[DigificWriter]

I never finished The Dark Tower series (just ran out of time and haven't gone back yet), but I have NEVER pictured Roland Deschain as being this old grizzled guy, even when he describes himself as such. I've always seen in my mind's eye somebody more like a Hugh Jackman, a Nathan Fillion, or even a Matthew Mcconaughey than somebody like a Josh Brolin or a Clint Eastwood-type actor, so I've got absolutely zero problems with Idris Elba's casting.

Speaking of Mcconaughey, he's not who I would've pictured as the Man in Black (Randall Flagg), but I can't wait to see what he brings to the role.

 

[The Apocalypse]

What bothers me most about this is this quote from the draft

"...help Roland find the Dark Tower, which is something Roland has no interest in. He's only after revenge. He has given up protecting the tower in order to focus on killing the Man in Black."

That's just not accurate at all.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Yeah, I'm losing faith in this film by the second. The casting is one thing, but it almost sounds like the people making it only skimmed through the books.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Yeah, I'm losing faith in this film by the second. The casting is one thing, but it almost sounds like the people making it only skimmed through the books.

Starting to get the same myself, now Elba as Roland is the least of my worries.

 

[childeroland]

FWIW, that guy, Brian Joseph Davis, who does all the literary character composites based on book descriptions, did one of Randall Flagg, and it looks a lot like Mcconaughey.

 

[The Guard]

Why is wanting revenge at first such a huge issue?

His character, and his character's motivations, will evolve.

 

[TheBat812]

Also, Elba with gunslinger blue eyes would be incredibly otherwordly.

 

[Victarion]

Why is wanting revenge at first such a huge issue?

His character, and his character's motivations, will evolve.

Isn't that what he was after in The Gunslinger?

Spoiler

Man in Black was also his father's court magician, Marten Broadcloak. Marten had been working in Gilead as a spy for Farson. Plus Roland caught his mother sleeping with Marten. There's enough grounds there to justify revenge as the thing that's initially driving Roland.

And when Roland finally has his palaver with the Man in Black, he makes the comment that the Man in Black "needs killing," to which the Man in Black replies that Roland's guns won't open any doors - only close them. So, initial revenge seems like a fine starting point.

Michael Whelan's Randall Flagg looks like Mcconaughey.

 

[Silvermoth]

Elba is going to be amazing. I wonder if this has potential to win oscars actually? Might be a good way to avoid another #oscarssowhite.

Anyway, who's directing this?

 

[Roose Bolton]

Nikolaj Arcel, a Danish director.

 

[Slick]

Well I've never read the books but I'm looking forward to this and I really hope this turns out well for the fans. Hopefully it works out.