Crivens! This is good news!!
July 19, 2016 8:24 AM Subscribe
Nac Mac Feegle! The Wee Free Men! Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna' be fooled again! The Nac Mac Feegle are coming to Hollywood. Hide your ships!
Aye!!!
posted by koolkat at 8:28 AM on July 19, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by koolkat at 8:28 AM on July 19, 2016 [7 favorites]
On the one hand, corporate meddling.
On the other hand, Terry Pratchett's daughter working with Jim Henson's son!
posted by zippy at 8:30 AM on July 19, 2016 [31 favorites]
On the other hand, Terry Pratchett's daughter working with Jim Henson's son!
posted by zippy at 8:30 AM on July 19, 2016 [31 favorites]
I dinna ken how I feel about this.
posted by ChuraChura at 8:37 AM on July 19, 2016 [15 favorites]
posted by ChuraChura at 8:37 AM on July 19, 2016 [15 favorites]
I hope someone does 'Reaper Man' properly some day.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 8:37 AM on July 19, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by GallonOfAlan at 8:37 AM on July 19, 2016 [6 favorites]
Break out the special sheep liniment!
posted by Foosnark at 8:38 AM on July 19, 2016 [11 favorites]
posted by Foosnark at 8:38 AM on July 19, 2016 [11 favorites]
I think it's TP's daughter working with JH's son that's making me tentatively hopeful for this remake. The Henson Universe and the Disc Universe are stylistically similar and they both regularly produce solid content without trading in on the things that make them cool.
posted by Deeleybopper at 8:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by Deeleybopper at 8:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [8 favorites]
waily waily waily
posted by rouftop at 8:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [20 favorites]
posted by rouftop at 8:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [20 favorites]
I seem to recall them wanting to do this a few years back with Bruce Campbell. I hope that still happens.
posted by SansPoint at 8:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by SansPoint at 8:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [2 favorites]
(Of course, the worst part is that I'm far too old to play Tiffany)
posted by ChuraChura at 8:41 AM on July 19, 2016 [12 favorites]
posted by ChuraChura at 8:41 AM on July 19, 2016 [12 favorites]
Now if they can only get Brian Froud involved, I'm in.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 8:44 AM on July 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 8:44 AM on July 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
Call me crazy, but I'm not sure Campbell would make a good choice for Tiffany either.
Granny Weatherwax, on the other hand, did have a prominent chin.
posted by bonehead at 8:46 AM on July 19, 2016 [28 favorites]
Granny Weatherwax, on the other hand, did have a prominent chin.
posted by bonehead at 8:46 AM on July 19, 2016 [28 favorites]
NAE QUEEN NAE LORD NAE MASTERS!
... I honestly don't know how I feel about this. Except I really don't think Hollywood is capable of the utter joyful anarchy that is the Nac Mac Feegle.
posted by suelac at 8:48 AM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
... I honestly don't know how I feel about this. Except I really don't think Hollywood is capable of the utter joyful anarchy that is the Nac Mac Feegle.
posted by suelac at 8:48 AM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
I have faith in Rhianna, so I am optimistic about this.
posted by Pendragon at 8:50 AM on July 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Pendragon at 8:50 AM on July 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
So is this finally confirmation that the Watch series has been abandoned?
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:51 AM on July 19, 2016
posted by Pope Guilty at 8:51 AM on July 19, 2016
i didn't realize rhianna had written the two recent tomb raider games! huh.
posted by dismas at 8:55 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by dismas at 8:55 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
Here's to hoping the bigjobs can pull this off!
posted by Sophie1 at 8:56 AM on July 19, 2016 [11 favorites]
posted by Sophie1 at 8:56 AM on July 19, 2016 [11 favorites]
oh god please don't let them be as annoying as the minions pls
posted by poffin boffin at 8:56 AM on July 19, 2016 [12 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 8:56 AM on July 19, 2016 [12 favorites]
I'm firmly convinced that if Sir Pterry objected to the news, my memorial tattoo would start to hurt. It feels fine.
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:57 AM on July 19, 2016 [13 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:57 AM on July 19, 2016 [13 favorites]
I just finished re-reading it over the weekend, and I remember hoping it would be made into a good film some day. Henson understands weird, and often delivers, but it's not quite the same weird. There's room for this to be excellent, but there's also room for it to just miss the mark. But this has me hopeful.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 9:02 AM on July 19, 2016
posted by GhostintheMachine at 9:02 AM on July 19, 2016
Oh this better be good.
posted by cooker girl at 9:08 AM on July 19, 2016
posted by cooker girl at 9:08 AM on July 19, 2016
oh god please don't let them be as annoying as the minions pls
This, in fact, would be the nightmare end. Giant Nac Mac Feegle roaming Disneyworld, Granny Weatherwax face characters… a victory for the world and the franchise perhaps, but the loss of something that I have selfishly (and falsely) imagined to be all my own.
posted by Going To Maine at 9:10 AM on July 19, 2016 [6 favorites]
This, in fact, would be the nightmare end. Giant Nac Mac Feegle roaming Disneyworld, Granny Weatherwax face characters… a victory for the world and the franchise perhaps, but the loss of something that I have selfishly (and falsely) imagined to be all my own.
posted by Going To Maine at 9:10 AM on July 19, 2016 [6 favorites]
Will Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler be directing?
posted by Pistache at 9:17 AM on July 19, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by Pistache at 9:17 AM on July 19, 2016 [6 favorites]
So is this finally confirmation that the Watch series has been abandoned?
I believe that's still theoretically "in development". Rhianna Pratchett was never directly involved in that, though Narrativia is supposed to be working on that as well.
posted by kmz at 9:19 AM on July 19, 2016
I believe that's still theoretically "in development". Rhianna Pratchett was never directly involved in that, though Narrativia is supposed to be working on that as well.
posted by kmz at 9:19 AM on July 19, 2016
Huh, I just read this alongside my daughter. This could be great, but it could suck. Such is life.
GET BELLA RAMSEY (Lyanna Mormont) TO PLAY TIFFANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by oddman at 9:25 AM on July 19, 2016 [20 favorites]
GET BELLA RAMSEY (Lyanna Mormont) TO PLAY TIFFANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by oddman at 9:25 AM on July 19, 2016 [20 favorites]
Will Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler be directing?
Nah. He'll be in charge of catering and merchandising.
posted by schmod at 9:44 AM on July 19, 2016 [6 favorites]
Nah. He'll be in charge of catering and merchandising.
posted by schmod at 9:44 AM on July 19, 2016 [6 favorites]
That both Rhianna and Rob Wilkins are involved makes me cautiously optimistic, as I'm sure they are both fiercely protective of the Discworld universe. Still, I whisper to myself Please be good, please be good...
posted by gemmy at 9:46 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by gemmy at 9:46 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
GET BELLA RAMSEY (Lyanna Mormont) TO PLAY TIFFANY
...except she's already signed on to Worst Witch. That's like trying to get Matt Damon as the next James Bond.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 9:47 AM on July 19, 2016
...except she's already signed on to Worst Witch. That's like trying to get Matt Damon as the next James Bond.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 9:47 AM on July 19, 2016
I was all like - Oh, no!
Until I saw the Jim Henson company was involved. those people know what they are doing with imaginative fantasy.
posted by jb at 9:58 AM on July 19, 2016
Until I saw the Jim Henson company was involved. those people know what they are doing with imaginative fantasy.
posted by jb at 9:58 AM on July 19, 2016
Billy Connolly as the gonnagle please and thank you
posted by Countess Elena at 9:59 AM on July 19, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by Countess Elena at 9:59 AM on July 19, 2016 [8 favorites]
... I honestly don't know how I feel about this. Except I really don't think Hollywood is capable of the utter joyful anarchy that is the Nac Mac Feegle.
trust me: the makers of the Muppets - and the Story Teller, and Labyrinth, and the Dark Crystal, and Farscape - they know for weird and for joyful anarchy.
and it wasn't just Jim Henson, though he was a big part of that. Farscape was made well after his death, and could embrace weird, and silly, and touching and anarchy - and I'm thinking now again of the delightful - and powerful - 1812 battle on the dying Leviathan. The Nac Mac Feegle would have appreciated that battle choreography.
posted by jb at 10:02 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
trust me: the makers of the Muppets - and the Story Teller, and Labyrinth, and the Dark Crystal, and Farscape - they know for weird and for joyful anarchy.
and it wasn't just Jim Henson, though he was a big part of that. Farscape was made well after his death, and could embrace weird, and silly, and touching and anarchy - and I'm thinking now again of the delightful - and powerful - 1812 battle on the dying Leviathan. The Nac Mac Feegle would have appreciated that battle choreography.
posted by jb at 10:02 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
If all goes well, this could be Labyrinth for a new generation.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:10 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:10 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
I am completely on board with this. Hensons and Pratchetts working together to build a better world will be hard to go wrong with.
If this had started with "Uwe Boll Presents" or "A Michael Bay Film" or something like that, I would be setting shit on fire right now. SHIT. ON. FIRE.
posted by delfin at 10:19 AM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
If this had started with "Uwe Boll Presents" or "A Michael Bay Film" or something like that, I would be setting shit on fire right now. SHIT. ON. FIRE.
posted by delfin at 10:19 AM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
Hmm, Bruce Campbell you say? He's a bit... mature to play any of the Feegles, but his girth has increased over the years (so ruling out Granny Weatherwax) but perhaps as Nanny Ogg (channeling Robin Williams from Mrs. Doubtfire)?
posted by porpoise at 10:34 AM on July 19, 2016
posted by porpoise at 10:34 AM on July 19, 2016
I may be less concerned with how The Jim Henson Company will handle this than almost any other show biz entity.
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
except she's already signed on to Worst Witch.
Waily Waily Waily
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 10:45 AM on July 19, 2016 [5 favorites]
Waily Waily Waily
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 10:45 AM on July 19, 2016 [5 favorites]
One name: Quvenzhané Wallis
posted by kmz at 10:50 AM on July 19, 2016 [14 favorites]
posted by kmz at 10:50 AM on July 19, 2016 [14 favorites]
Rhianna has so far been a respectful and capable steward of his works, so if she's involved and happy then, yeah... this is good news.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 10:57 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 10:57 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
I keep reading Rhianna as Rihanna and for a while I was confused by kinda hopeful.
posted by LMGM at 11:04 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by LMGM at 11:04 AM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
So we have a kid's movie with tiny magic blue people interacting with humans.
It's needs to be a guiding principle throughout production that the Feegles are the anti-Smurfs. I always saw them as a deliberate perversion of the Smurfs, and it would be terrible if they didn't resist the urge to make them cute and cuddly. The Nac Mac Feegle are a fearsome unpredictable force of nature. They are not, in any way, cute. They would kick your ass into next week for even saying the word.
posted by CaseyB at 11:30 AM on July 19, 2016 [7 favorites]
It's needs to be a guiding principle throughout production that the Feegles are the anti-Smurfs. I always saw them as a deliberate perversion of the Smurfs, and it would be terrible if they didn't resist the urge to make them cute and cuddly. The Nac Mac Feegle are a fearsome unpredictable force of nature. They are not, in any way, cute. They would kick your ass into next week for even saying the word.
posted by CaseyB at 11:30 AM on July 19, 2016 [7 favorites]
I always imagined the Nac Mac Feegle as The Young Ones, small, blue and on steroids.
posted by Pendragon at 11:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by Pendragon at 11:40 AM on July 19, 2016 [9 favorites]
I imagine the Nac Mac Feegle as The Fireys, knee-high and dancing about with sharp swords taking off other heads.
posted by TrishaU at 11:55 AM on July 19, 2016
posted by TrishaU at 11:55 AM on July 19, 2016
I'm excited about this!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 12:05 PM on July 19, 2016
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 12:05 PM on July 19, 2016
As long as the Nac Mac Feegle are played by the cast of The Full Monty, I'll be satisfied.
posted by ChuraChura at 12:17 PM on July 19, 2016
posted by ChuraChura at 12:17 PM on July 19, 2016
I'm in favor of anything that gives Rhianna Pratchett enough money that she doesn't feel the need to license "Terry Pratchett's DISCWORLD written by Some Hack" books.
posted by Etrigan at 12:33 PM on July 19, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 12:33 PM on July 19, 2016 [2 favorites]
As long as the Nac Mac Feegle are played by the cast of The Full Monty, I'll be satisfied.
While I love the northern accents in the Full Monty, they aren't exactly true to the Scots (Glaswegian?) accent of the original.
posted by jb at 12:57 PM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
While I love the northern accents in the Full Monty, they aren't exactly true to the Scots (Glaswegian?) accent of the original.
posted by jb at 12:57 PM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
agreed, your best example would probably be early Billy Connolly accent wise.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 1:32 PM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 1:32 PM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
and don't go casting a guy as Nanny Ogg when Dawn French exists!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:51 PM on July 19, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:51 PM on July 19, 2016 [2 favorites]
Bruce is probably better suited for Greebo.
posted by bonehead at 1:56 PM on July 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by bonehead at 1:56 PM on July 19, 2016 [4 favorites]
and don't go casting a guy as Nanny Ogg when Dawn French exists!
Jo Brand.
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:56 PM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
Jo Brand.
posted by LobsterMitten at 1:56 PM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
Brian Blessed?
posted by jenkinsEar at 2:21 PM on July 19, 2016
posted by jenkinsEar at 2:21 PM on July 19, 2016
I don't think Mustrum Ridcully appears in any of the Aching books, unfortunately.
posted by bonehead at 2:28 PM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by bonehead at 2:28 PM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
Fuck, more Comedy Scottish Accent Shaming. It's almost as if I don't get enough othering.
posted by scruss at 6:04 PM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by scruss at 6:04 PM on July 19, 2016 [3 favorites]
They could cast Susan Calman as the kelda, and it would be an authentic comedy Scots accent.
posted by jb at 8:03 PM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by jb at 8:03 PM on July 19, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm sold. I'd totally be behind Bruce Campbell as Greebo.
posted by porpoise at 9:26 PM on July 19, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by porpoise at 9:26 PM on July 19, 2016 [2 favorites]
Scruss, re accent shaming, I find this thread a bit ironic in light of the earlier thread on women's voices. As an expat woman, more than anything else it is my Scottish accent that is mocked (affectionately or otherwise), commented on, or used as the basis of all sorts of assumptions about me. Wikipedia suggests the Wee Free Men are 'rough and rowdy fae folk who speak with Glaswegian accents' and that the Nac Nac Feegles 'spend their time drinking, fighting and stealing'. Super.
posted by genuinely curious at 12:42 AM on July 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by genuinely curious at 12:42 AM on July 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
You really need to read the books, not the Wikipedia article, to appreciate that there's absolutely no Scot shaming going on with the Nac Mac Feegles.
posted by h00py at 6:03 AM on July 20, 2016
posted by h00py at 6:03 AM on July 20, 2016
One really interesting casting choice will be the Queen. Bowie made The Labyrinth work. Who could be the Queen of the Fairies, as deadly, beguiling, and predatory? Gaga maybe? Annie Lennox?
posted by bonehead at 6:41 AM on July 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by bonehead at 6:41 AM on July 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
Ridcully does appear in The Shepherd's Crown.
Ah. That's sitting in my to read pile.
posted by bonehead at 6:43 AM on July 20, 2016
Ah. That's sitting in my to read pile.
posted by bonehead at 6:43 AM on July 20, 2016
I pre-ordered it, and I haven't had the heart to start reading it. It's the last new Tiffany Aching book I'll ever read.
posted by domo at 8:15 AM on July 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by domo at 8:15 AM on July 20, 2016 [1 favorite]
> You really need to read the books, not the Wikipedia article, to appreciate that there's absolutely no Scot shaming going on with the Nac Mac Feegles.
That's not yours to decide, I'm afraid.
posted by scruss at 11:28 AM on July 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
That's not yours to decide, I'm afraid.
posted by scruss at 11:28 AM on July 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
> You really need to read the books, not the Wikipedia article, to appreciate that there's absolutely no Scot shaming going on with the Nac Mac Feegles.
That's not yours to decide, I'm afraid.
Fair enough. I should have said 'determine whether' rather than appreciate.
posted by h00py at 4:15 PM on July 20, 2016
That's not yours to decide, I'm afraid.
Fair enough. I should have said 'determine whether' rather than appreciate.
posted by h00py at 4:15 PM on July 20, 2016
Ideally, the Mac Feegle casting would be an excellent time for a reunion of all the Trainspotting lowlifes. And the inevitable Billy Connolly.
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 11:03 AM on July 23, 2016
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 11:03 AM on July 23, 2016
After a few screw-ups by TPL, I finally got to read Wee Free Men. While it's an engaging story, it's heavily stereotypical of Scots. Are we really a band of thieving, violent, drunken, gluttonous, litigious, incomprehensible and impulsive ginger-haired woad-smeared ruffians whose music and poetry could stop the very hounds of hell? I'm sure Pratchett didn't mean to be hurtful, but just used some cultural touchstones he had lying around.
It's the lazy appropriation that really irks; Hollywood Highlander/Braveheart nonsense mixing Highland and Gaelic culture with the Lowland urban football hooligan trope. Lots of digs about terrible poems and rhotic accents, light on aspects of why the “Wee Frees” had to fight the right of patronage. And a main character called Rob Anybody? Please, if you're going there, why not Rob Everybody, 'cos it's what you think we do, right? Lastly, if you're going to appropriate, at least learn to spell crivvens correctly.
I know that the right of fuzzy red and blue things to cause gleeful mayhem is a core Henson family value, but please consider that stereotypes are hurtful and designed to marginalize. Swap the Mac Feegle's kilts for prayer shawls and see how far you'd get.
posted by scruss at 8:20 AM on August 18, 2016 [2 favorites]
It's the lazy appropriation that really irks; Hollywood Highlander/Braveheart nonsense mixing Highland and Gaelic culture with the Lowland urban football hooligan trope. Lots of digs about terrible poems and rhotic accents, light on aspects of why the “Wee Frees” had to fight the right of patronage. And a main character called Rob Anybody? Please, if you're going there, why not Rob Everybody, 'cos it's what you think we do, right? Lastly, if you're going to appropriate, at least learn to spell crivvens correctly.
I know that the right of fuzzy red and blue things to cause gleeful mayhem is a core Henson family value, but please consider that stereotypes are hurtful and designed to marginalize. Swap the Mac Feegle's kilts for prayer shawls and see how far you'd get.
posted by scruss at 8:20 AM on August 18, 2016 [2 favorites]
« Older The Philosopher of Feelings [SLNewYorker] | Why is NASA's Longest-Serving Woman An Hourly... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by mrgroweler at 8:26 AM on July 19, 2016 [2 favorites]