The Firefly Movie Draws Closer

rickyjames
writes, Here’s an article I posted at my site,
reposted here to share the love.


Chris Buchanan, President of the Mutant Enemy
production company that is responsible for Joss
Whedon’s Firefly, is
making
some very hopeful noises
about the possibility of
a Firefly movie. “We are getting pretty close on
the movie and hopefully we’ll have some “official”
news soon. It seems that the DVDs are doing really
well (e.g. better than Fox anticipated) and that
there have been significant re-orders (an unusual
thing for this type of program). Of course, we
weren’t that surprised but what can you do.”

“We really appreciate all of the fan efforts on the
show’s behalf and I am personally helping out on the
‘DVDs
to soldiers’ project
[SciScoop editorial
aside by rickyjames – I’ve
contributed
; won’t you, too?]. So just tell
everybody and thanks for all their efforts. I read
the boards daily and all of the great local input
(where the DVDs are sold out, what the reviewers are
saying about the set, etc.) is always helpful.
Universal seems to be willing to make the movie
(crossing fingers, touching wood, lighting candles),
but we still have a few (non-creative) hurdles to
cross.”

Well, that’s a cause for celebration in my book!!!
So, speaking of Book, it’s my privilege to present a
work of fanfic reprinted
by permission (thanks, Freya!)
that tells the
story of the Firefly episode Bushwacked from The
Shepherd’s point of view. Dramatis personae besides
preacher Book who are paying passengers aboard the
smuggling ship Serenity include “Companion” Inara and
fugitive neurological-experiment guinea pig River
and her doctor brother Simon. Think Stagecoach.

For you, lone sir in the back of the room who hasn’t
seen the Firefly DVD yet, Bushwacked tells the tale
of coming across a colonizing spaceship that has
been raided by the Reavers, those humans who have
abandoned society and set up their own mysterious
enclave in deep space. Reavers play the role of the
savage Indians in Firefly’s Western-oriented
universe, and we will hopefully see (as indistinct
evil shadows only) much more of them. Whedon said he
could create humans far scarier than any alien in
latex makeup. He’s right.

And if this poem sounds familiar…it
should
. If it doesn’t, you need to read
more classic literature
.

The Reavers
by Shepherd Book


Once upon an expedition, while I pondered
extradition,

Watching many a quaint and curious patron of our
local whore,

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a
tapping,

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at the outer
door.

“Just Kaylee,” I muttered, “tapping through some
special chore –

“Only this, and nothing more.”

Ah, distinctly I still fear it, in the black, I still
can hear it

And each time I try to clear it, there’s its ghost
upon the floor

Eagerly I wished to burrow, hide away, complete and
thorough

But I could not seem to stir-oh, no! Instead I must
explore –

For the poor and broken settlers who had chosen to
explore –

Just for them, and nothing more.

Then the silken sight, uncertain, Inara through her
purple curtain

Thrilled me – filled me with fantastic tremors often
felt before;

And yet now to still the beating of my heart, I stood
repeating

“Step away, and stop entreating entrance at her cabin
door –

“It’s not for you to be entreating entrance at her
cabin door.

“Leave it be; do nothing more.”

Presently my will grew stronger, hesitating then no
longer,

“Mal,” said I, “and Simon, truly we can’t leave them,
I implore;

`Cos the fact is they are human, and we simply cannot
leave them,

Like that, hangin’ from the ceilin’; reel them out
upon the floor!”

Still I dreaded what we’d see there when we opened
wide the door –

Darkness there, and something more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there,
wondering, fearing,

Doubting, thinking things no mortal ever dared to
think to see before.

And the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave
no token

Then the only words there spoken were the shouted
words “take more!”

Jayne was scavenging already, echoing those words,
“take more!”

Merely that, and nothing more.

Then into the chamber turning, all my soul within me
burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping, somewhat louder than
before.

“Surely,” said I, “surely that is just the way this
ship here rattles;

And the way our Jayne there prattles `bout some
riches to explore –

Let my heart be still a moment while our Jayne does
so explore.

It’s just the ship here, nothing more.”

Now then I try not to shudder, when with many a
stench and flutter,

From there dropped the wasted bodies of the settlers
to the floor.

Not the least obeisance made he, not an instant
stopped or stayed he –

If Jayne had stopped and prayed he might my hope in
him restore –

But just like some mindless phallus pokes he there
into the stores.

Pokes and grabs, and nothing more.

Then that River girl beguiling, my sad fancy into
smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance she
wore.

“Though these folk be broke and twisted, you,” I
said, “are safe; we missed it.

Ghastly grim, but sure we fixed it, ain’t no reavers
here no more –

Tell me what you fear so thorough? Ain’t no reavers
here no more.”

Said our River, “Nevermore.”

Cold, I watched our River standing, eyes so wide,
somehow expanding,

And my own heart, there demanding, that we stay this
ship no more;

Yet we cannot help agreeing there to leave no human
being

With no blessing before fleeing. Now they lay upon
the floor;

Blood and bone are littered there upon the chamber
floor.

Bless them now, and evermore.

But our River, sitting lonely on the bloody floor
spoke only

That one word, as if her soul in that one word she
did outpour.

Nothing further then she uttered – just stared at
those folks been gutted;

And I scarcely more than muttered “Reaver kills I’ve
known before.

In a moment we will leave here, or our hopes are
blown before.”

Then River said, “Nevermore.”

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly
spoken,

“Doubtless,” said I, “what she utters is nothing but
her shock restored.

Caught from some alliance master, whom unmerciful
disaster

Follows fast and follows faster whence her brother’s
private war,

When the dirges of his hope lead him, impassioned,
into war.

Not “Never, nevermore.”

But that River still beguiling all my sad soul into
smiling,

Straight we led her back into Serenity, and to our
whore.

Then Inara’s velvet seating took her from that grisly
greeting,

Chancing unto chancy meeting with that ominous ship
of gore –

With that grim, insanely dark and ominous ship of
gore.

Still she whispered, “Nevermore.”

Then I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable
expressing

To the girl whose frenzied eyes now tore into my
bosom’s core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease
reclining

On Inara’s velvet violet lining that the ship’s
lights shadowed o’er,

But whose velvet violet lining that the ship’s lights
shadowed o’er

I should press on, nevermore!

Then I thought the air grew denser, perfumed from an
unseen censer

Swung by angels whose faint footfalls scratched upon
the metal floor.

“Wretch, am I! My God hath sent thee – from these
angels he hath rent thee;

Respite – respite or repent? See my yearning for this
whore?

End, oh end this need! Repent! See? I must forget
this curious whore!”

Said our River, “Nevermore!”

“Prophet?” Thought I, “or thing of evil? Prophet
still, if girl or devil –

Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee
here ashore,

Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this vagrant ship
enchanted –

In the black, so horror haunted – tell me truly, I
implore:

Are there – *are* there Reavers here, still near us?
Tell me truly, I implore!”

Said our River, “Nevermore.”

“Prophet!” Said I, “Not of evil; prophet still, if
girl or devil!

By that Heaven that bends around us – by that God I
so adore –

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if our journey soon
be fadin’,

If through you, a tainted maiden whom the angels come
before,

Told through you, a radiant maiden, whom the angels
come before!”

Said our River, “Nevermore.”

That came to be our word of parting, for then we
heard the engine starting,

To send us back into the tempest and the black’s
Plutonian shore.

Leave that ship’s hulk as a token of that truth thy
soul hath spoken,

Reavers leave the spell unbroken, cleave the black
and grieve no more;

Take the black from out they heart to take its form
outside the door.

Said our River, “Nevermore.”

And the Reavers, never quitting, still are slitting,
still are slitting,

Guts of settlers lost in transit just outside
Serenity’s core.

And River’s eyes have all the seeming of a see-er
that is dreaming,

While the ship’s lights o’er her streaming throws a
shadow on the floor;

And whose soul from out that shadow that lies
floating on the floor

Shall be lifted Nevermore?

16 replies on “The Firefly Movie Draws Closer”

  1. Very cool!
    This is a movie that I think would make a great series… BTW… ;) I mean a series of movies. If Joss maintains the helm and the stories don’t suck, there is no reason why there couldn’t be a “Firefly 10” in ten years…

    • Re: Very cool!
      Don’t underestimate the damage Hollywood can do to ANY script:

           “Firefly 10: Alliance Bugaloo”

  2. Still can’t hold a candle to a full year
    While I’m holding my breath and hoping desperately for a Firefly movie, ~2-2.5hrs of Firefly still isn’t as good as ~14.5-15hrs. It will take ~7 Firefly movies to make up for one good _complete_ season.

    here’s hoping the movie relaunches the series.

  3. w00T!!!
    That’s really cool. I have watched ‘Objects in Space’ and ‘Ariel’ several times from the DVD set. Those are my two favorites. The guys with the blue hands the first time watching ‘Ariel’ really scared the crap out of me. I want to learn more about how they relate to River and what their purpose is. I am eagerly awaiting the movie and hopefully a return of the TV series based on DVD & Movie sales.

    Of course the question is what are people’s favorite eps?

    • Re: w00T!!!

      Of course the question is what are people’s favorite eps?

      …pretty much the entire series. If I sound like a fanboy, it’s because I thought Firefly was the perfect show. The only complaint I have is that it had such a brief run.

    • Re: w00T!!!

      Of course the question is what are people’s favorite eps?

      I think the last one… forgot the name already.

      Where River becomes the ship… heh that one was excellent…

      • Re: w00T!!!

        Of course the question is what are people’s favorite eps?

        I think the last one… forgot the name already.

        Where River becomes the ship… heh that one was excellent…

        Hehe, That’s the one ‘Objects in Space’, yeah, Jubel Early was really good. (I forget the actor’s real name).

        • Re: w00T!!!

          Of course the question is what are people’s favorite eps?

          I think the last one… forgot the name already.

          Where River becomes the ship… heh that one was excellent…

          Hehe, That’s the one ‘Objects in Space’, yeah, Jubel Early was really good.
          (I forget the actor’s real name).

          Cannot resist to quote “One deadly and unpredictable midget…” : )

    • Re: w00T!!!

      The guys with the blue hands the first time watching ‘Ariel’ really scared the crap out of me.

      What I found both funny and interesting is the fact that the “grand story arc” (aka Blue Sun) was only added at Fox’s behest, Joss didn’t have one originally. It’s funny, but I can see doing it both ways. You never really notice the lack of an arc, since there’s other stuff going on (like Book’s past), but I understand Fox adding it. They wanted more a grand sci-fi (Joss said this in the commentary), but I also suspect it’s because that Angel & Buffy have had them, and it’s more viewed as a must these days ,especially for “genre” shows.

      I never understood why everyone didn’t like arcs, until I missed half a season of Farscape and no longer knew what was going on. Firefly was kind of refreshing – several small arcs, but nothing huge was really needed.

      • Re: w00T!!!

        The guys with the blue hands the first time watching ‘Ariel’ really scared the crap out of me.

        What I found both funny and interesting is the fact that the “grand story arc” (aka Blue Sun) was only added at Fox’s behest, Joss didn’t have one originally.

        Actually I’m pretty sure Joss wanted to do something with Blue Sun from the very beginning. The part Joss talks about the network wanting him to add was “pure sci-fi villain” stuff, so he created the blue hand guys. Joss was certainly going to do some kind of arc. The network just changed/added the first physical manifestation of Blue Sun that we saw.

        • Re: w00T!!!
          Just wanted to add that networks in general _hate_ arcs, precisely because they tend to prevent new viewers from jumping in. I really doubt Fox knew a damn thing about why exactly Angel and Buffy were successful. Remember that both Joss and Tim have mentioned Fox thought they were getting something like a sitcom, which they thought Buffy was too.

          • Re: w00T!!!

            I really doubt Fox knew a damn thing about why exactly Angel and Buffy were successful.

            Of course Fox knows why Angel and Buffy were successful – hot stars and great advertising. Isn’t that why ANY show is successful?

            That didn’t come off TOO sarcastic, did it? :)

    • Re: w00T!!!

      Of course the question is what are people’s favorite eps?

      Oh such a good question. Personally I loved a lot of the episodes (who couldn’t? BTW: I have officially turned every human being and some small house pets onto Firefly). ‘Out of Gas’ was quite possibly Nathan Fillion’s finest moment on the series. When he asked ‘Will you all be here when I wake up?” I wanted to die, because I knew the series met a fate much like the one he feared. ‘The Message’ was another excellent episode, “When you can’t walk, crawl. When you can’t crawl, let someone carry you.” Plus Jonathon Woodward is one of my favorite ME guest stars (he’s been on all 3 ME shows, a true rarity). Also the last scene (especially after watching the bonus stuff and learning about when the song at the end was written), makes me cry everytime, it’s like we had to say goodbye to all of them. ‘Heart of Gold’ became an instant favorite, if only because CSI’s ‘Lady Heather’ was in it (does this woman only play bordello owners?), but also because it had such a beautiful moment where you got to see Mal let down the wall a bit, and you got to see Inara express what we all knew was going on. ‘Ariel’ and ‘Jaynestown’ were great character centric episodes. Also I loved Mal locking Jayne in the air lock and threatening him. Nothing funnier than Alan Tudyk’s ‘We will call it ‘This Land.'” dinosaur play in the original pilot, except maybe Zoe saying ‘Take me captain, take me hard.’ God I love this show.

      I pray that this gets made into a movie. I mean Buffy was a movie flop that ended up being a terrific TV franchise, maybe it’ll work the other way for Firefly. I’m still surprised that after all of this a network like Sci-Fi didn’t pick up the series. I mean did we need another Stargate? No, we needed more Firely, and I’m sure Sci-Fi would have given Joss all the freedom he could handle (plus it’s cable, you can get away with a lot more on cable). Also look at the budget they afforded ‘Taken’ and they made a lot of money off of it in reruns and DVD sales, it just seems like Firefly would have made a nice addition over there. Hmm maybe if there can’t be a feature motion picture we can get a mini-series like ‘Taken’ out of Sci-fi?

      Personally, and mind you I worship at the altar of Buffy, I think that Firefly was Joss’ best work, and I think it was a better series than either Angel or Buffy. I think Joss knows how to make TV that works now, but he just didn’t get the chance.

      • Re: w00T!!!


        I pray that this gets made into a movie. I mean Buffy was a movie flop that ended up being a terrific TV franchise, maybe it’ll work the other way for Firefly. I’m still surprised that after all of this a network like Sci-Fi didn’t pick up the series. I mean did we need another Stargate? No, we needed more Firely, and I’m sure Sci-Fi would have given Joss all the freedom he could handle (plus it’s cable, you can get away with a lot more on cable). Also look at the budget they afforded ‘Taken’ and they made a lot of money off of it in reruns and DVD sales, it just seems like Firefly would have made a nice addition over there. Hmm maybe if there can’t be a feature motion picture we can get a mini-series like ‘Taken’ out of Sci-fi?

        Personally, and mind you I worship at the altar of Buffy, I think that Firefly was Joss’ best work, and I think it was a better series than either Angel or Buffy. I think Joss knows how to make TV that works now, but he just didn’t get the chance.

        It may seem strange but I really liked the Buffy Movie. I’m also glad thought that Sci-Fi didn’t get their hands on it. Sci-fi has a tendancy to do strange things with good shows (Farscape).

        Yes, Firefly is better than Angel or Buffy, very well written and acted. Firefly is a slight departure from the normal sci-fi fair in that the characters act like the people they are. They don’t shy away from doing things that they need to do to survive(shooting the agent in the pilot at the end) or claiming justice (shooting the land baron in Heart of Gold). Most tv show people act like who they should be, Firefly characters act like who they are.

  4. DVD’s to the Troops
    Hi.

    Well I just wanted to say that Priss, Kaycee, and Hisako have all pitched in and gave 50.00 to this fine program. We are all three huge fans and well I myself was on my way to the desert a few months abck, and might end up going still. One thing I know is that it’s about people. Priss and Kaycee are two of the finest. I think that is what is so appealing about Firefly to us. You can look at the characters and how the actors brought a two dimensional thing to life. The depth of these people have made us scream “MORE PLEASE” I care for them and want to know more about them. I am of course rambling…I appoligize for that but I just got done watching all of the episodes -again- this weekend and I’ve found that I can find my friends in these characters. Please give to this cause lets keep the momentum up because I need these guys.

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