Film adaptations of SF literature

[MSW]

IIRC, there's a big hoopla over the thought that a previous iteration of the film by a different director would've possibly been much better, and much cheaper.

I am kind of biased though, because I think David Lynch is terribly over-rated.

Are you talking about the mid 1970's attempt which was slated to feature Pink floyd doing the music, Harkkoned (spellt wrong, I know) production design by H.R.Giger (of alien. Species fame), and the emporer was to be played by surrealist Salvidor Dali (supposedly was to have the highest acting paycheck of the time...something to the tune of $10,000 per hour, not to mention what Dali wanted to do with the emporers thrown)..I remember this version got a lot of press back then...was to be directed by some French guy, IIRC.

[JKeats]

As to sci-fi made into movies that I'm happy with (as opposed to simply enjoying)?

I'd have to say there is only one:

The Tripods.

a BBC series based on The Tripods Trilogy by John Christopher (The White Mountains, The City of Gold and Lead and The Pool of Fire.)

Although the series focused more on the first book, it definitely had significant (and directly translated) parts from the books.

Whoa, cool, I didn't know that was made into a series! Do you know where I could get my hands on it? I know there was another book based on the Tripods series. I think it was called When the Tripods Came, or something. I read it a long time ago, it was excellent. Better than the trilogy, I think.

One series that I would love to see adapted to film is the Hyperion saga. My favs of all favs.