David Marjanovic wrote:
That may well happen; but it's not like no really comedic episodes happened in their lives.
[snip]
"he slyly opened the lower-right-hand drawer of his study tableand said to me: 'Osborn, here is my accumulated store of Marshiana. Inthese papers I have a full record of Marsh's errors from the very beginning, which at some future time I may be tempted to publish.'"Another time, one of Cope's scientific names [*Anisonchus cophater*, aMiocene mammal] puzzled Osborn. [snip] He remarked: 'Osborn, it's no use looking up the Greek derivation of _cophater_, because it is not classic in origin. It isderived from the [impeccably Greek-style] union of two English words,Cope and hater, for I have named it in honor of the number of Cope-haters that surround me.'"
That stuff tickles *me*, but I can't picture a movie audience giving it a thumbs up. Even putting the head on the wrong end of Elasmosaurus isn't really a knee-slapper. Actual Victorian wit is probably too erudite and subtle for 21st century light entertainment so I can only imagine that the dialog and action would have to be considerably dumbed down and then re-invigorated with pop culture anachronisms.
ALTHOUGH... it's for HBO, right? So it wouldn't have a theatrical release, correct? Hmmmm... I dunno... I still can't see it.
I just hope they aren't thinking that blowing up a rival's dig site equals hilarious hijinks.
-- Donna Braginetz