One of my favorite book series is the Odd Thomas stories by Dean Koontz. Although these books are more in the horror/thriller category and not something I typically read (I prefer spooky/scary), I just fell in love with Odd. So much so that I named my strange little kitten Odd as well. The name totally fits him. So anyway, I’ve always thought they should make a movie on these books and it seems that one did get done! One movie made and probably the last (bummer, that).  I was recently contacted by another Odd Thomas fan, Spencer Blohm, who wanted to share with us what he knows about this interesting and disappointing development.

Spencer likes doing guest posts on other blogs so if you are interested in him doing one for you, leave a comment and let him know! I’m sure he’d be happy to contact you and discuss it. He is a freelance blogger/copywriter who generally specializes in entertainment, culture, music, fashion, and lifestyle topics. He lives and works in Chicago and you can follow him on Twitter under @bspencerblohm.

So, read on, Odd fans (and those who might BECOME Odd fans), and see what the fuss is all about!

The Battle Behind Odd Thomas

by Spencer Blohm

 

The new film Odd Thomas is based on the book series of the same name by bestselling author Dean Koontz, which has been discussed on this site before. What makes this film stand out from other Dean Koontz adaptations is the controversy and legal disputes surrounding its creation. Despite filming in 2011 and a predicted fall 2013 release, the film will likely never see U.S. theaters. Fighting between the producers and financial benefactors of the film led to the film being shelved for months, and only recently has the film become available solely through DirecTV (see Direct-Ticket.net for details). The lawsuit in question alleged that the film’s financiers failed to provide $35 million to help pay back production loans and marketing and distribution fees. As a result, the film received zero promotion and advertising; only a small amount of word of mouth hype via the internet was passed around.

Still, for those looking for an interesting watch, Odd Thomas should be considered despite the initial issues following its creation. What makes Odd Thomas an interesting film is its unique paranormal aspect: the film follows main character Odd as he struggles with his ability to communicate with the dead and see demonic ghostly figures known as Bordachs, who only appear when death, disaster, and suffering are imminent. Most of the film is spent detailing Odd’s investigation into why a large swarm of Bordachs would be following a regular customer of the restaurant Odd works in, a man he dubs, simply, “Fungus Bob.”

The film itself has more of a sci-fi quality to it, as opposed to a paranormal/horror feel that one might expect from such a plot. It’s an interesting yet expected approach taken by director Stephen Sommers, who gained fame by directing sci-fi/action films like The Mummy, Van Helsing, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Perhaps due to a lack of experience in the strictly paranormal film genre, the eerie quality of the book becomes a bit lost in the shuffle of the film. In addition to that, the deeply thought out characters and plotline of the novel appear slightly staggered on screen, and as a result never fully allow viewers to understand the complexities of the individual characters.

The star of the film, Anton Yelchin (best known for his role as the titular character in Charlie Bartlett), does emerge as a quirky, alternative dream boat for the younger generations and shows promise for future roles. Anton has obvious on screen charisma and agility within some of the rapid fire dialogue and plotlines, but gets shortchanged. The film clocks in at only 95 minutes, which is hardly enough time to fully understand any of the characters, especially the secondary characters. The editing also left a few holes in the plotline in addition to the character development issues, possibly a result of the post production problems that plagued the entire project.

All in all, the film shows promise for what could have been, but will likely never come to be. The Odd Thomas series has produced some of Koontz’s best-selling novels and boasts millions of fans worldwide who would undoubtedly embrace a film series chronicling the adventures of Odd. However, due to the post production issues and the VOD release of the film in the U.S. it’s unlikely that a sequel will ever see the light of day, let alone the entire series. If you are a fan of the book series or of Dean Koontz give the film a shot, but chances are this will be the first, and last, Odd Thomas movie to be made.

Thanks, Spencer, for sharing this with us! I was bumming that I don’t have Direct TV and then I discovered that you can now purchase the movie on Amazon here!

If you are curious to see the movie trailer, then click here and if you would like to check out all the Odd Thomas novels, you can find them all listed on Amazon if you click here.

Have any of you seen the film? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Please share! As for me, I’m definitely going to check it out and I’ll hold out hope that a miracle will happen for future movies to be made on this series!

Once again, I would like to express my thanks to Spencer Blohm for guesting on my blog. Until next time…many blessings to all and Peace Out!