The Rhiannon movie project – let’s be realistic
 

Stevie was talking recently about brainstorming with her friends to make the Rhiannon movie project a reality. Hate to say it, but it’s just not very realistic.

I gather Stevie imagines it as Lord of the Rings type epic, but the truth is that The Mabinogion is a bunch of obscure myths few people know. At least the Lord of the Rings, using that as an example, had a devoted following before it was made into the movies and then introduced to the general public. I can’t imagine a producer willing to front big $$$ to make Rhiannon a movie. And I don't think Stevie has the clout to create interest in it.

Also, the real Rhiannon myth, if done literally, is a little weird story-wise (meaning how she’s punished – read on). From what I remember, Rhiannon comes from a fairy world, marries a mortal king, and has a baby with him but it gets kidnapped. Rhiannon is accused of the crime She has to stand by the castle gate and offer to carry people up to the palace on her back! Later they do find the baby, and Rhiannon is exonerated. Stevie and gang will have to do some major rewriting of the tale.

The only time it could have gotten made was about 30 years ago when some production company actually offered Stevie (at the height of her fame then) to do it, though it didn’t work out in the end. I think it was Danny Goldberg who mentioned this in his book. Wonder how it would’ve tuned out. Something good like John Boorman’s ‘Excalibur’, or something really awful?

Maybe Stevie ought to consider a TV project instead. There was a fantasy miniseries about Merlin not too long ago, and also, The Mists of Avalon.

Roland

I LOVE THE MYSTS OF AVALON!!!!!! As far as the Rhiannon movie, it could be a condensed mini-series, I really could see that.:thumbsup:

I don't think it ever was particularly realistic. Back in 1978, Rolling Stone reported that Stevie & her exec friends were working with some scriptwriters & directors to try to pull something together. In thirty-two years, it's only been Stevie herself who has periodically expressed the desire to get back to it. I don't think anyone -- besides us loony fans -- really cares.

Robert Halmi Sr., a TV producer, has in recent years produced a lot of mythic stories for television, from the sequel to GWTW to the story of Odysseus to King Arthur. But all his stuff, despite having some name stars, is essentially shlock.

Which isn't Stevie's strong point -- coherent, sustained narrative writing. I don't think she'd have anything more to do with a screenplay than she usually does with the arrangements & production on her albums.

One possibility is that the film doesn't have to adapt the Mabinogion. It can adapt that shlocky romance novel Stevie was reading in 1974 that gave her the name -- the one about the girl in modern-day society who was possessed by an ancient spirit. (I may have that plot point wrong.)

Stevie -- & we -- should be so lucky, to get an EXCALIBUR out of it.

Maybe one of the highly visual & sensual Chinese directors can make something memorable out of all of it. But the whole thing just strikes me as a lark.

Well, considering a lot of the garbage that gets released every year, I don't think a film based on Rhiannon would have trouble being released just because not many people are aware of the story. I think the story has a lot to offer as far as a film goes. I don't really think Stevie should be heavily involved in the film other than the soundtrack though.

I don't know, I think it would be possible. I mean if Stevie could bring the idea and the songs to a writer and director, they could probably make a pretty kick ass story line out of it and do some amazing special effects creating a whole fantasy type world. Of course nobody else is really interested in it right now, but I doubt the general population was interested in Avatar two years ago. Everybody loves fantasy, a good storyline, and amazing special effects, so if done right it would appeal to many people who don't even know who Stevie is. There is something there to work with, and I think with the right production it could do really well.

This is a newspaper article from March 1979, seems like the plans were pretty serious at this point:
http://i47.tinypic.com/6yie51.jpg

It makes me wonder why they ended up not going thru with it?

Instead she went on the Tusk Tour with Fleetwood Mac.

Okay, I am bumping this because I want some info. I found this article from 2005 that said:

"She just completed a magical co-headlining tour with the Eagles' Don Henley, she kicks off a solo U.S. outing with rising star Vanessa Carlton in Grand Rapids on Friday, and she'll pursue a movie project later this year based on an acclaimed series of fantasy stories featuring the character Rhiannon from Welsh mythology."

and then...

"Nicks won't quit either, juggling solo and full-band projects with her dream of turning author Evangeline Walton's fantasy tetralogy into a movie, with new music that might involve her musician pals.

The twirling, gypsy-like mystic with a penchant for wearing flowing dresses on stage said she feels a spiritual connection to the "amazing stories" of the mythical gods and goddesses.

"There's a very practical side of me, but there is definitely my 'Rhiannon' side, my performing/writing side, that spiritual path that I think I'm on right now," she said of the movie project."

And another article from 2008...

She is currently working on writing the story for the production of a movie based on the hit Fleetwood Mac single of 1976, "Rhiannon."

"I have been working on this for quite some time," said Nicks. "It's really been a work in progress for 30 years. This is it, though. As soon as this tour is finished, I'm off to a secluded place in Europe (she didn't disclose where) to finish the writing, and do some tweaking on the finished product. After that, we are meeting with people like HBO or Showtime to hopefully do a mini-series type of movie. It is such a wonderful story, and there is so much more to be told about Rhiannon."

And in 2009...

"I want to make the Rhiannon movie! I don't want to be in it, I just want to make it. And it is going to be like two or three movies and it is going to take all my time and I want to do this, I've been wanting to do this since 1978 so it's been on the backburner for a long time!!"

It sounds like Stevie has spent some time actually working on this movie in the past 6 years, but nothing ever seems to come of this. Is she just blowing smoke up our ass or does anyone have any details as to why this keeps falling thru?

Sounds kinda like the "Dingo ate the baby" movie to me.
:lol: