5.10.2010
Megan Casts Makers
I recently read Cory Doctorow's latest novel, Makers. Since this is my first boovie casting, I am still a bit unsure about the cast I have pulled together, especially because it has an actor that just annoys the heck out of me on screen--and no its not Jackie Earle Haley, who is creepy but not annoying.
First let me give you a little synopsis that doesn't give too much away but somehow conveys the unique tone and characters of the book.
This novel is set in the ambiguous near future, and as I read it I became more and more convinced that the setting was tomorrow, if not yesterday. Makers is about the lucrative and crazy engineering projects with all the technology junk that has accumulated and is just sitting around after the collapse of the technology and silicon valley booms.For example, one of the book's main characters, Lester Banks, creates a tiny army of old Tickle Me Elmos that, together, drive a smart car. So the main idea of the book is that there are these two anti-corporate trash-hackers, Lester Banks and Perry Gibbons, both brilliant tech engineers who pretty much create a new labor movement out of the slums of ghostmalls. The US is pretty much a giant slum in the book. Their work, especailly as they build an interactive tech thrill ride in an abandoned Wal-Mart, is covered by journalist-gone-blogger Suzanne Church.
The villian in the book? Disney. Disneyworld, which has become a theme park for goth-punks, wants to destroy Banks and Gibbons, the ride, and their huge cult following.
Megan's Boovie Casting for Makers:
Perry Gibbons--the tech engineer who starts a opensource revolution would be played by John Lennon--the only "non-actor"in my casting. Lennon
would be able to portray Perry's creative intelligence and his revolutionary but sometimes problematic and naive philosophy regarding free technology.
Lester Banks-Perry's engineering partner was a little tough for me to cast. In the begining of the book Banks is overweight, but he later becomes a "fatkins" with a genetically re-shaped, well toned, "perfect" body.
I chose George Clooney to play Banks based on Clooney in
Syrianna. Not only do we see Clooney with a few extra pounds but
with that sense of confused inadequacy despite his brilliance.
Suzanne Church--the tech blogger would be played by Katherine Hepburn.
Sophisticated and a firecraker.
Sammy--the evil Disney executive would be played by Colin Farrell. I thought of his role as an agent in Minority Report and how much of an annoying pest he can be when he is in a suit and tie. Sammy is the corporate sleeze who has no morals and Farrell would be perfect.
Rattoothed Freddy--a slandering blogger that just hates the world and would spit in your mom's eye for fun would be played by Jackie Earle Haley (who will play Freddy Krueger in the next Elm Street). Haley was also the voice of Rorschach in Watchmen and was Noyce in Shutter Island. From the first 10
pages of the book, I couldn't get the image of Haley out of my head for this role.
Death Waits-Death Waits is one of the best characters in the book. He is an emo goth punk that is disillusioned with Disney. Death becomes the leader of the goths to the point that you expect them all to have WWDD (What Would Death Do?) bracelets. Jake Gyllenhaal, circa Donnie Darko=GOLDEN CASTING CHOICE.
The last character I want to cast is the ad-hoc leader of Perry's slum. I can't remember his name in the book, but he is a crippled, alchololic, homeless guy that was a NASA engineer before the economic collapse. He is pretty kick-ass in the book. I cast an older-ish Paul Newman with the attitude of his characters in Cool Hand Luke and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Doctorow is a huge advocate for book ownership and despises ebook publishers that tweak copyright laws so that you can ever really own an ebook. His website craphound.com has links for free downloads for all of his books.
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