In Defense of Idris Elba

I think Idris Elba is a great actor, and a great choice for Roland. While he may not fit the physical description to a Tee, the actor does have a gravitas and persona that could equally convey the inner qualities of Roland. His characterizations in The Wire, Luther and a plethora of films more than show his range, and in many photos of him, while he does seem more built like a linebacker than graceful and tall as Roland is described, the man has an overbearing presence and a gaze that cuts into your soul. If ever an actor - regardless of race - could play Roland perfectly, Elba would be it.

I have seen a number of concerns on this board as to whether the first film will or will not include Susannah, Eddie, etc. Whether it will be reductionist or even deconstructionist, some have even argued that this could not be canon because of the changes being made to it. Perhaps it will not be canon to the books, as written, but as Sai King himself so often reflects film and books are two separate things. Like apples and oranges each are delicious but each has a flavor all its own. To wit, the films don't NEED to be canon, and most likely should not be.

Certain stories such as Harry Potter are written almost fully-formed and can be filmed almost as written. The Exorcist is also a very good example, as the dialogue and scenarios were translated to film almost word-for-word with only a minor subplot removed. And yes, there are some very cinematic elements to The Dark Tower series which I do find myself hoping they will lift whole-cloth from the books. Scenes like the shoot-outs in Balazar's Leaning Tower Club, and the one in the Maine general store in 1977. The scene with Stephen King - hell any of the longer talking scenes, the palaver with Walter in the Golgotha of bones, the chase under the mountains.

All that being said, if they find ways to make this a sequel (as King has also gone on records as stating the intention of the film will be), I will be very interested to see how they lift elements from all through the series and settle them into one production. The initial production must, by the nature of the general audience, be reductive but it can also be deep and clever. It must reach out to a new audience, people who have never read the books, and give them a taste of what the series will truly be about, as there is a long haul here and the creative team for the film has the daunting task of both giving the fan base what they want and making a case for new viewers as to why they should invest in this story.

Lifting an rearranging the elements of the film, thus deconstructing the story need not take away from the political, social, philosophical and moral statements the original stories made, although it will be a challenge for any writer and/or director to arrange these statements into a new whole. I think they are smart for making the first film like the first book - just Jake and Roland. Hopefully we will get story elements like Tull, King has already said he's solid in insisting the film start with the line, "The man in black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed," and I am hoping to see the slow mutants and the Way Station. But with the other elements they have confirmed will be there - Titana, Susan, the Mansion on Dutch Hill and numerous other things from throughout the books, I have a feeling the film will be structured with the same dreamlike, hazy quality the first book was, and perhaps will have jumps in time - flashbacks, flashback-within-flashback, stream of consciousness, and many of the other elements that have made this series great, and were so present in the first film.

As to the racial elements between Susannah/Detta/Odetta, Eddie and Roland - even with a black Roland there is still the possibility for a statement to be made there. Perhaps even to strike a deeper chord with this. It has been suggested (not just here but in many quarters) that Detta could call Roland an Uncle Tom. But this is more a surface detail. There can still be racial tension brought about by the fact that Roland is a constabulary, that he travels with White Folk (if he indeed does call Eddie first in this iteration). It could be a sharper dagger for Detta's mind, the idea that a white dude and a black dude are working together. There is still so much that can be done with the material, even with a Roland of a different color.

Well, that's all I have to say for now. Hope to hear yon tet's thoughts on this, may it do ya. Long days and pleasant nights.

I don't know if you're aware of this but I've already changed things. I killed Ben Linus.
--Sayid