MovieChat Forums > The Dark Tower (2017) Discussion > The trailer does not set up Midworld

The trailer does not set up Midworld

posted 8 years ago by Whooda_Thunkit
13 replies | jump to latest

Within very short time in the books we know Midworld is not a new, well functioning place. Its inhospitable, its... moved on.

From what we see, there is no waystation. To me, that was one of the first things that established the moved on nature of Midworld. Part of that was by establishing that there was once a civilization that was extremely technically advanced and is, other than a few wearing down or completely broken relics, long gone.

Roland is constantly shown in clothes that are in good shape, rather than weathered, faded, and old. Gilead is dead, the world has moved on, Midworld is inhospitable, and Roland has been chasing Martin for decades. There aren't places he can just pop in and buy clothes off the shelf. He either makes, repairs, or finds them.

I'm hoping they have taken the time to establish Midworld as having moved on, if, indeed, it has moved on.

[removed a two sentence comment at the end of this post about a hat because its detracting from the post]

[–] MaximusGrandimus 8 years ago

There is dialogue in the trailer where Roland says "my world has moved on...we already lost the war..."

As to the hat, a hat is mentioned a scant few times throughout the first few books and almost never in the last 3. Perhaps the most mentions of a hat occur in the flashbacks to Mejis in Wizard and Glass.

Yes, hats figure largely in the art of DT over the years but there are about as many images of him with a hat, as without.

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

[–] Whooda_Thunkit 8 years ago

There is dialogue in the trailer, yes, but the waystation and Roland's clothes sets up a visceral understanding of Midworld having moved on. But then I would have "weathered" Mr. Elba's face... dry skin, maybe cracked in places, squint lines.

Showing me something works better than telling me something. I am hoping they have other ways of viscerally establishing the condition of Midworld early in the movie.

Other than nitpicky things like this, I am definitely looking forward to this movie. Idris Elba has the power to play this part. I expect that he will knock it out of the park.

[–] lewisgray19 8 years ago

I saw an interview Elba did where he said the crew didn't want Roland to wear a hat because it made him look " Too much like a cowboy".

[–] Whooda_Thunkit 8 years ago

That makes sense and sounds like a good decision. Roland, to me, is a combination of Arthurian Knight and Western Gunslinger, heavy on the Knight. With a bit of a King (as in King Arthur) thrown in.

The hat would point non-readers towards a cowboy.

I also removed my comment about the hat because its detracting from the point of my post. :P

[–] SpringheelJack_fin 8 years ago

The state of Roland's clothes in the set photos have concerned me a bit as well. I always pictured them as mostly worn to rags.

As for the story mostly being set in NYC, it's balls. Finding out that he'll actually be interacting with people from our time (The demon's name is heroin etc) was a bit of a surprise at the end of the first book.

I know creative liberties have to be taken when adapting source material but this seems to be going to extremes, more than I've seen in any previous adaptation.

[–] Whooda_Thunkit 8 years ago

Is it said somewhere than what we see in that trailer that the movie will be set mainly in NYC?

I really, really hope not.

I won't say it would ruin the movie for me but it'd put a huge dent in it.

[–] danybuga93-745-473948 8 years ago

yeah, it is set mainly in NYC, and the story will be mostly about jake trying to convince roland to search for the dark tower as he lost all hope in doing so

[–] MaximusGrandimus 8 years ago

Is this necessarily a bad thing though? I mean for the books, the build-up was great to not know and then be surprised, but as the books went on their trips to our world or Keystone world became more and more frequent.

If this is another turn of the wheel and not a direct telling from the books why not shift focus, change the order of some events, and yes even have the Gunslinger spend a little more time in NYC?

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

[–] danybuga93-745-473948 8 years ago

I don't know, i really liked the mistery of Midworld, that's what made me read the books. Jake saying "there are other worlds than these" sent shivers down my spine. Now in the movie there is no mistery, making the relation between NYC and Midworld obvious and thus making it potentially dull.

[–] man-of-action-2 8 years ago

Mayhap the budget was too modest for this first film. Hopefully with a bit more money Midworld can be explored in the sequel?

[–] joannatn 8 years ago

I also really quick want to mention the hat thing since I've started the first book again. I mean, in the opening description of Roland it says that he had lost his hat at the same time as the horn... so no hat is exactly as the book tells it. Of course, that might be a new addition because I am reading the one he edited after all the books had been completed.

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

Mayhap the budget was too modest for this first film. Hopefully with a bit more money Midworld can be explored in the sequel?

Not an unreasonable expectation .

If the first film impresses at the box office, more creative control will be afforded to the director on top of a larger budget being granted to a sequel.

---
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] Whooda_Thunkit 8 years ago

No, its not really necessary and this is a sequel to the books but I really have an attachment to Midworld.

I am saddened by this but certainly don't rule out a good movie because of it. While there are things that I don't care for in what I have heard of the adaptation, that doesn't mean I'm not going to thoroughly like the movie we are getting.

I am hoping they keep Roland's bemusement at the keystone world.

One thing that I think about when I hear of how involved Sai King is in this movie is the two adaptations of the Shining. Sai King didn't like the movie version and did like the miniseries. My feelings align with his, much preferring the miniseries.

Just that is in the "plus" side of the Dark Tower.

Do you know what the HBO version of Wizard and Glass is called? I'd love to see who's playing young Roland. Idris Elba is supposed to lead into the story.