Gothic Horror or Action Romp?

[Thintin]

I would like the collective power of this forum to help me make a decision about a film.

I am a writer. My latest book is called GOLGOATH, it is a contemporary work similar (whilst also being not very similar, but I know you will need a frame of referance) to Clive Barker and Dean Koontz (or so I'm told. I've never read Mr Koontz work).


My writing style is very visual, I tend to write scenes much as an editor creates, switching between events as viewed from different character's perspectives, but I include only as much detail as is neeeded to set the scene, preferring the readers imagination to create the rest.


(bear with me, I'm getting to the point!)


I have always intended the novel to also become a screenplay aimed at a wide audience, but the story could just as well as either a thoughtful gothic horror such as The Crow, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Interview With the Vampire or Frankenstein, or as an action romp with horror aspects such as The Mummy, Blade, Van Helsing etc.



My question for you is: Which direction should I go?

Action Romp or Gothic Horror

Here is a brief Synopsis (you can learn more about the book from the micro-site at philtinsley.com)

"The ‘Vassal Syntagma’ banished the medieval invaders of our world forever with the great work ‘Exilium Stygian’. In the centuries that followed its members acted as protectors and guardians to our whorl of the spiral, battling any Stygian who were powerful enough to breach the great barrier, until there were only two protectors left. Golgoath, a powerful Psionicist and Lubloy, the last Druidic Mage.

When Lubloy is lost the connection to the great barrier and it’s living component, Golgoath’s wife Verimana, is also lost and Golgoath is left alone to defend our world. Decades of loneliness and despair reduce the last protector to nothing more than a Ghoul and he fades away in a house hidden by ancient magic.


A century and a half later the house is rediscovered by Elucidare Arcanum, a paranormal investigations group, and during their exploration of the relic they unwittingly release a powerful Stygian trapped there long ago. This invader wreaks a trail of destruction and death as it seeks to open a permanent doorway to its own world and Golgoath is called back into being to defeat the Stygian before it completes its task.


A race against time ensues as Golgoath seeks a way to contact Verimana before the doorway is complete but the battle against his own despair and loneliness may prove greater and threatens to leave us undefended against the invaders of our distant past."


Thanks for your help.

p.s. if you like the sound of the book you can download a free pdf of it from my site ;-)

Phil

[stubbornforgey]

To be honest, I felt like I was reading an excerpt from The Lord of The Ring.
[em from middle earth by the way]
It would be nteresting to see what the writers in here have to say.:)

[urgeok2]

action romp = the mummy = crap.


so i'd say gothic horror.

[crabapple]

Forgive me for bringing this up, sir, but, uh...

Can't you do both at the same time?

Genre-crossing. Hybrids. Crossover potential.

[urgeok2]

Originally Posted by crabapple

Forgive me for bringing this up, sir, but, uh...

Can't you do both at the same time?

Genre-crossing. Hybrids. Crossover potential.

no one's been able to do it properly since abbot and costello

[crabapple]

Creativity is ever-flowing, all people have access to it, and this person can do it. Why pigeonhole one's self. Let's have a little FUN for a change. Let's take the challenge. It is possible. He can do both. The problem with culture today is that people are too goddamn scared to play with a genre or genres; they are stuck inside the box. Well, this gentleman must think outside the box, that's all there is to it.

Don't serve up another boring platter of yesterday's stew. Give us a taste of something new!

[_____V_____]

I d say go for a mix of both if you are confident enough.

There have been enough gothic horror tales, and plenty of mindless action pics. A good and successful blend of both can make a movie have enough steam to pull through the audiences. Remember to blend a lot of atmosphere with some good creative stuff. Otherwise it would be a stale tale.

The premise sounds good. Its like Max Payne meeting Evil Dead. It has a lot of immense potential and scope to be made into quite a fantastic movie.

All the best.

[crabapple]

You can do it. And what's more, if you do it, I'll buy it.

[newb]

Originally Posted by crabapple

Forgive me for bringing this up, sir, but, uh...

Can't you do both at the same time?

Genre-crossing. Hybrids. Crossover potential.

Good idea

a nice blend of both would be refreshing

[crabapple]

Actually, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and Terminator II have that in common...well, they have many things in common. But both are very skillfully created crossover films--they satisfy fans of more than one genre by delivering all the elements in one cohesive package, and allowing the elements to play off of, and synergize with, each other.

And big surprise...audiences proved able to handle the cocktail, and both films made a LOT of money...

They say there is nothing really new under the sun, and that creativity exists in the recombination of existing elements. If that is so, I want new and clever combinations to stimulate my mind.