Does Anyone know the where abouts or where I could find any Film versions of Boris Vian Books ?

I am Currently involved in the film industry and have had no luck yet finding what I want, With Thanks in Advance Amjad...

-- Amjad Ainapore (amjad.ainapore@framestore.co.uk), December 07, 1998

Answers

Film Info

Amjad, I believe that there was at least one version of "J'irai cracher sur vos tombes" in French  the one that Vian strongly disapproved of, and when he went to see a preview screening, forgot to take his heart medicine and suffered a fatal heart attack while watching from the audience. (from Cismaru: "....On 23 June, in the morning, Vian has an appointment at the movie studio where he is scheduled to view part of the film version of J'irai cracher sur vos tombes in order to determine whether or not he can lend his support to the project. After ten minutes of attendance, seated in an armchair, his diseased heart distorted by the edema, he collapses and dies. The funeral takes place the same day at Ville-d'Avray..." Some years ago I found a script by Matt O'Neill for an English version of this film, called "Out of Nowhere". I was able to download from the Internet the whole script, but I don't have the e-text anymore, just a hard copy. The details are "out of Nowhere" based on the novel "J'irai cracher sur vos tombes" by Boris Vian, adapted by Michel Costes and Matt O'Neill, May 21 1996, Copyright ) 1995-96 Hawks and Sparrows Films, 2731 St. Paul Street, #3, Baltimore, MD, 21218, tel: 410 889 3341 (Second Draft). From the Cismaru book on Vian, various mentions of the French Language film made in Vian's lifetime include: "...becomes involved in heated arguments with the director of the film version of J'irai cracher sur vos tombes and, in 1959, he even manages to obtain the role of Privent in the scandalous film Les Liaisons dangereuses..." and another, long quote: "....As early as 1948 Vian had begun to work at the scenario adaptation of the novel. His friend, Jacques Dopagne, helped him in the initial efforts, but it was mostly Boris who insisted that the film treatment of the story had to undergo extensive changes. There were many reasons for his views on what the film should be like: the generally inimical press reception of J'irai cracher sur vos tombes, especially after the novel was linked to an actual murder, (13) the vicissitudes of the lawsuit against him; and the difficulties which he had in conjunction with some of his more controversial lyrics, to mention only a few. But above all, it was Vian's own integrity which prompted him to seek numerous alterations for the screen version. In his unpublished correspondence with prospective producers, he wrote how inappropriate and deplorable it would be if the film were to become a vulgar study of sexuality and sadism which would be forbidden to anyone under eighteen years of age. In addition, a number of external circumstances came into play: the era of McCarthyism in the United States, the war in Algeria, and in general the racial struggles among peoples of all colors and shades of colors throughout the world. Vian wished to eliminate anything which might appear propagandistic or simplistic and, above all, he wished to soften most of the physical details that could tend to detract from a purely artistic work. In this context, Raymond Queneau wrote the following in his preface to L'Arrache-coeur: "Boris Vian is going to become Boris Vian."

Queneau, who was familiar with his friend's efforts, and who endorsed the projected purification of J'irai cracher sur vos tombes, had no way of knowing, in 1953, that producers and directors, who knew they held the rights to a potential fortune-making film, would oppose considerable resistance to any attempts at dilution of what was coarse and crass in the novel. In fact, they rejected repeatedly Vian's various versions of the scenario, and even threatened to employ their own writers who would then adapt the book as they saw fit. Under the circumstances, the only thing that Boris could do was to keep his name out of the picture. This was, almost to the end, his intention. But, as it is now known, in 1959 he was persuaded to reconsider the matter and it can be said that the movie version of J'irai cracher sur vos tombes precipitated the author's death not only because on the morning when he went to view it he had forgotten to take his daily medicine, but because for years the controversy had cost him numberless efforts and had simply worn him out. As Noil Arnaud wrote later: "At the moment of truth, Vernon Sullivan will not let Boris Vian possess his J'irai cracher sur vos tombes (rather) he will hand the work over to prowling profiteers, just as he will hand over to them his (very) life." ..." If I find anything more I will post it to this thread.

-- Robert Whyte (rob@toadshow.com.au), December 07, 1998.

Froth in the Daydream was made into a film sometime in the 60's. On the cover of Mood Indigo, there is a still from the film. And I believe the film was made in France.

-- Tosh Berman (tosh@loop.com), February 19, 1999.