We usually cringe when we hear about film adaptations of great, difficult literary authors’ books. But we were actually intrigued to learn that There Will Be Blood director Paul Thomas Anderson is thinking about bringing Thomas Pynchon’s latest novel, Inherent Vice, to the big screen. Somehow, Anderson and Pynchon just seem right together. Hell, this just might work! And that got us thinking about other directors who seem born to adapt the work of certain writers. See who we paired up after the jump, and suggest your own matches in the comments.
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Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Or it may never have been at all. The “it,” of course, refers to Lars von Trier’s rumored remake of Taxi Driver, which had the media abuzz for nearly a spin around the sun. Often, the very mention of the word “remake” with a beloved title leads to a feisty chorus of “ohs” and “whys,” from The Seven Samurai to the more recent Let the Right One In. But with von Trier’s brilliant but checkered past (hit-miss-hit) and Martin Scorsese’s notorious “hero,” there was definitely promise for a must-see redo.
In that what-if spirit, here’s a list of other American classics and the directors we think could make them their own. Leave your own scenarios in the comments.
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1. The 2010 Grammy nominations were announced last night. We’re still scratching our heads over MGMT, Silversun Pickups, and The Ting Tings receiving nods for Best New Artist.
2. A dozen U.S. Marshals and police officers seized paintings by Fernand Leger, Joan Miro, Edgar Degas, and Yves Klein following an insurance dispute between two dealers at Art Basel Miami Beach. [via Bloomberg]
3. Paul Thomas Anderson has written an untitled period drama that will star Philip Seymour Hoffman as the leader of a religious organization with “fervent” followers. [via Variety]
4. Arcade Fire‘s new album is set for a May release; expect a single early next year. [via NME]
5. The New York Times is planning on axing a few of its blogs. There are currently 70, including one that covers “the competition, gossip, politics and technology of Formula One racing.” [via Gawker]
