A
film of 90 minutes, intended to be the pilot of a TV series for Sci-Fi
Channel, but the rest of the series was not filmed. Loosely based on
the
first two novels in the Riverworld
series,
for instance most of the lead characters are different from those in
the
books.
The movie
had its premiere on March 22, 2003 on Sci-Fi Channel in the USA. Riverworld
had been nominated for The 30th Annual Saturn Awards (2003) in the
category:
"Best Television Presen-tation".
Trailer
Welcome to
the most spectacular afterlife ever, where everyone is reborn young and
healthy - including the most vicious and ruthless warriors of all time!
This is the wondrously imaginative setting of Riverworld, a mysterious,
sultry planet where the past, present and future must battle together
for
the precious soul of humanity. When a meteor shower above Earth sends
astronaut
Jeff Hale to Riverworld, he immediately encounters a powerful warlord
named
Valdemar who thunders in with an army and declares himself master and
all
newcomers soldiers, workers or slaves. Now it’s up to Hale
and an unusual
band of allies to fight an ancient Roman emperor and a Viking warlord
in
order to reach Valdemar, gain their freedom and secure a future for all
mankind. Starring Kevin Smith (TV’s “Hercules: The
Legendary Journeys”
and “Xena: Warrior Princess”) in his last
performance, Riverworld is an
extraordinary sci-fi adventure based on the stories of legendary writer
Philip José Farmer.
(Back cover
text of the DVD, 2004)
Producer:
Director:
Writer:
Cast:
Alex
Proyas (et al)
Kari Skogland
Stuart Hazeldine
Brad Johnson
(Jeff Hale)
Karen Holnes
(Mali)
Emily Lloyd
(Alice Liddell Hargreaves)
Jeremy Birchall
(Lev Ruach)
Kevin Smith
(Valdemar)
Nikita Kearsley
(Gwenafra)
Brian Moore
(Monat, the alien)
Cameron Daddo
(Sam)
Jonathan Cake
(Nero)
Paolo Rotondo
(Flavius)
Patrick Kake
(Tane)
Colin Moy
(Langer)
Lloyd Edwards
(Mysterious Stranger)
Crawford
Thomson
(Warrior)
"The original
film Riverworld averaged a 2.2 rating, exceeding
the time period
average by 86 percent and becoming the most-watched original movie SCI
FI has ever aired on a Saturday night (2.74 million viewers). Sci
Fi Wire, April 2003
The opinions
on Riverworld are very divergent. Many of those who
have read the
books before seeing the movie were disappointed, because of the many
differences
between the books and the film. These differences are not always
logical
or even necessary. For instance, why are there horses in the movie? And
why have some characters from the books been replaced by completely
unknown
ones? Another 'complaint' is that there is a lot of action and fighting
going on, but so there is in the books.
However, much
of the other part of the viewers, who got introduced to the Riverworld
by the movie, did generally enjoy it much better. These people often
wanted
to read the novels after seeing Riverworld.
Even it that
was its only merit, the movie has done a great job. But it deserves
more
in my opinion. It's a well-produced, well-played and a very enjoyable
movie.
There are great scenes, for instance the underwater rebirth and the
riverboat
launch, and many of Farmer's original ideas can certainly be
recognized.
The movie is not like the books, that nearly never is the case for many
reasons with movies, but it shows a lot of Farmer's original concept: a
strange and exotic setting for an afterlife for everyone who ever lived
on Earth till the end of the twentieth century, and what could happen
in
such an afterlife. Especially when there are meddling 'Ethicals' among
the people.
The only thing
absolutely wrong with this movie is that is has no end. We have been
introduced
to Riverworld and some of its inhabitants, we have
seen an alien
and the Ethicals. But to what end? Where does this all lead to? The
boat
has been launched, but where does it go? At the end of the movie you're
lost in the beginning of a story. Riverworld had
been intended to
be the first part, the pilot, of a television series for SciFi Channel.
But this is all we have been getting, and as it looks, ever will be
getting,
alas.
I love the
Riverworld novels and, when I'm not comparing the two, I definitely
like Riverworld
the movie (except for the end). Give it a try!
Following
are some other comments, one by Philip José Farmer's wife
Bette.
"I think the
Sci-Fi Channel have done a wonderful job of capturing the complexity of
Farmer's concept." Michael
Lohr.
"If this is
going to become a TV series it can do without me." Mark
R. Leeper.
"In summary,
an unexciting waste of a great premise. It is reasonably entertaining,
but it's hard to feel any regret for the lack of a follow-up TV
series." William
Marnoch.
You may enjoy Riverworld
as one of the many ordinary adventure shows to be found on the Telly
and
it didn't hurt to have the book finally brought to the attention of
this
generation but I do wish that they had really made a movie that would
grip
a TV audience as it gripped the reading public.
To me, the movie was ordinary. Shelby
Peck.
"Riverworld
is a decent movie, and pretty enjoyable. I'd watch another one. But
back
off, man -- I'll read the books before then. Joe
Crowe.
"There are
many other differences, of varying degrees of significance, but my
overall
impression is that Philip Jose Farmer's ambitious books were dropped
into
a blender and reconstituted in a smoother, blander, less challenging
form.
... There are some positive points: the show is visually stunning, the
casting of familiar characters (Alice, Gwenafra, Zev, Monat, Sam) was
well
done, the acting is generally good." Dave
Seidel.
"I remember
when this movie premiered on the Scifi channel. I couldn't get enough
of
it. It has a great story filled with great characters. I cant wait to
get
my own copy of this flick." Daren
Hellwod
"I had the
opportunity to watch some of the film with Farmer; his wife, Bette, and
Journal Star writer Theo Jean Kenyon and, while Farmer was gratified to
finally see his work come to the screen, the author's initial one-word
comment as he watched the start of the televised product was
"horrible"." Steve
Tarter.
"When Phil
and I watched the first half, you could hear a lot of groans like,
"where
in the world did those horses come from?" or "Nero...what is he doing
there?"
Then came the second part. Let me tell you all, when that boat came
down
that beautiful river with Sam at the wheel, Phil and I both got choked
up ... I thought the scenery was spectacular. I thought the acting was
much better than I usually see on tv, and actually that was one of the
best riverboats I've seen in a long time. The story...sure you and I
know
there is a much better one beneath it, but I still could see and feel
more
of it than if it didn't air..." Bette
Farmer, April 2003
Riverworld
has been filmed in New Zealand. There are many rivers, lakes and
mountains
on the Southern Island. I have been there
twice, it's
not Riverworld but it is certainly worth a visit, a long stay
visit
even.
