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J. Michael Straczynski - Babylon 5 - The Changeling

rramarr

rramarr

Commander
Red Shirt
I just got a chance to watch Clint Eastwood's The Changeling starring Angelina Jolie and I noticed it was a true story written by the one and only J. Michael Straczynski. I am so amazed at how J. Michael Straczynski can go from the Sci-Fi writing of Babylon 5 to a power drama, Saturn Award nominated for best writing as well as an Academy Award nominated film The Changeling. Not to forget to mention all his other work with: Crusade, Jeremiah, Murder She Wrote, Twilight Zone, and The Real Ghostbusters. J. Michael Straczynski is such a dynamic writer and producer - it's like anything he touches in any genre turns to gold. :techman: He is also writing the upcoming Silver Surfer. Can you name any other writer with such an incredible resume?

Here's to you J. Michael Straczynski :beer:
 
I'd say Michael Crichton is better known for Jurassic Park, Timeline, Prey, and the like.
 
Yeah Michael is a great writer and Sphere is my favorite by him along with the ER TV show. He passed away this year leaving us with a true loss. I was just trying to find someone who is known for Sci-fi the way Straczynski is for Babylon 5 but was also able to make a tremendous impact in other areas. Michael Crichton is a good choice.
 
Crichton was better than "a writer known for SF but made an impact elsewhere." He was known as a great / successful writer - period. He transcended genre. You originally asked:
"Can you name any other writer with such an incredible resume?"
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The answer is "yes, Michael Crichton."

Don't keep changing the specifics so you can end up with JMS as the "most incredible writer" prize. You will never find any two writers with an identical resume. But I'll bet JMS wouldn't mind as impressive a career as Crichton:

15 novels, 8 science fiction; 5 non-fiction books; created one of the most successful TV shows in recent history; and was the writer/ director and/or producer of 13 films. Not only that, Michael Crichton is a name that people outside SF fandom know. A household name, actually.

JMS, as talented as he is, has a way to go before he's in this league. He created 1 fan favorite TV show (which battled for renewal every year), wrote tons of teleplays, had a fistful of cancelled series, wrote a couple of books and worked in comics for the last 10 years. I'm glad he's finally attached to a maintstream success, he deserves it. But you have to put a lot of restrictions down to keep him at the top of the "most amazing writer" list and writing for the Real Ghostbusters is a bit far off from having your novels made into Robert Wise or Speilberg films.
 
ssosmcin said:
Don't keep changing the specifics so you can end up with JMS as the "most incredible writer" prize.
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Maybe you didn't get a chance to read my last post before you posted - I already gave it up to Michael as one great writer. I guess I could have been clearer and narrowed it to TV and film. Where I still think its JMS - but its not a competition. I was asking - as you quoted correctly "Can you name ANOTHER writer with such an incredible resume?" I did NOT say a BETTER writer.

If we are talking about writers in general I would not put neither of those two onto my top prize because my favorite writers are Stephen King, Ray Bradbury and Philip K. Dick a LOT more so than JMS.

Seek the positive negativity is so easily construed.:)
 
rramarr said:
I didn't say he didn't write it but he's known for ER.
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Lindley said:
I'd say Michael Crichton is better known for Jurassic Park, Timeline, Prey, and the like.
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Michael Chris said:
He did ER? Really? Huh. I just know him from his books. I'd say he's much better known for Jurassic Park.
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You guys make me feel old. Chrichton was well-known a *long* time ago, long before ER, Jurassic Park, Prey and Timeline. Personally, The Great Train Robbery is one of my favorite books.

ssosmcin said:
You will never find any two writers with an identical resume. But I'll bet JMS wouldn't mind as impressive a career as Crichton:

15 novels, 8 science fiction; 5 non-fiction books; created one of the most successful TV shows in recent history; and was the writer/ director and/or producer of 13 films.

...

JMS, as talented as he is, has a way to go before he's in this league. He created 1 fan favorite TV show (which battled for renewal every year), wrote tons of teleplays, had a fistful of cancelled series, wrote a couple of books and worked in comics for the last 10 years.
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I'm not sure what you are trying to say here -- that writing "tons of teleplays" is apparently not worthy of as much attention as writing books and films? Someone should have told Rod Serling and Gene Roddenberry.

BTW, since Straczynski has only created 3 television series that went past pilot (Babylon 5, Crusade, Jeremiah), it would be hard for him to have a "fistful of canceled series." Also, Babylon 5 never "battled for renewal" at least as I take your meaning of it. Every year shows have to get ratings to be renewed. That's the television life.
 
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Since we're getting factual, JMS has written three novels ('Demon Night,''Othersyde' and 'Tribulations'), two anthologies (Tales from the New Twilight Zone' and 'Straczynski Unplugged') and one non-fiction book on writing ('The Complete Book of Scriptwriting').

Jan
 
Well if the Changeling is an example of one aspect of his writing he's better off specializing. Thought the movie was extremely predictable and lacked any nuance or subtlety. I'll forgive him though if he keeps churning out the awesome new Thor series.
 
Jan said:
Since we're getting factual, JMS has written three novels ('Demon Night,''Othersyde' and 'Tribulations'), two anthologies (Tales from the New Twilight Zone' and 'Straczynski Unplugged') and one non-fiction book on writing ('The Complete Book of Scriptwriting').

Jan
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Wow! I didn't know that. I would like to check out what he has to add to scriptwriting.

Dark Journey said:
Well if the Changeling is an example of one aspect of his writing he's better off specializing. Thought the movie was extremely predictable and lacked any nuance or subtlety. I'll forgive him though if he keeps churning out the awesome new Thor series.
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Well since the movie was based on a true story I don't know if he could control it being predictable - maybe that's life. It did go up for three Oscar nominations including for scriptwriting so... I guess its a matter of opinion.:confused:


Still other than Crichton no one has stepped up any other writers who has had their impact in Film and TV while being known for their work in Sci-fi.
 
rramarr said:
Dark Journey said:
Well if the Changeling is an example of one aspect of his writing he's better off specializing. Thought the movie was extremely predictable and lacked any nuance or subtlety. I'll forgive him though if he keeps churning out the awesome new Thor series.
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Well since the movie was based on a true story I don't know if he could control it being predictable - maybe that's life. It did go up for three Oscar nominations including for scriptwriting so... I guess its a matter of opinion.
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Not 'based on' a true story. A true story. Approximately 80% of the dialogue came from court transcripts. The main part that didn't have documented source material was what actually happened in the Psychopathic Ward.

Jan
 
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