I've not looked at the other entries, so there may be overlap.
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA
The screen is filled with a lush green plain of grass lit by a gorgeous sun. No horizon, no sky. Just green grass filling the frame. A slow, melodic piano has chords nonchalantly hammered, resonating with a loud tranquillity.
And then it speeds up. The hammering more intense. The grass burns red, darkens into ash. The view changes, moves – the sea is visible; and it boils. The sky ripples, snuffing out suns one by one. Distant screams, distant sacking, distant war, and, blurred and out of focus, a green-clothed man, drops onto the scorched land, and after him, closer, sharply in focus, thundering firmly into the ground and remaining defiant – a hero's sword, followed by a small triangular jewel. A monstrous arm reaches down, picks it up, and their footsteps and their satisfaction echoes as they leave triumphant. Rising; the theme tune to THE LEGEND OF ZELDA.
Like many other films, THE LEGEND OF ZELDA is essentially a "save the princess" story. It would have a similar pacing and form of STAR WARS, INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, THE ROCKETEER, and others. While it would have similarities to PRINCESS MONONOKE and THE LORD OF THE RINGS, it would behove the film to not appear too much like them. To that end, a primary function of the Link character, unlike other protagonists who use might and weapons to resolve their troubles, Link would fail whenever he'd try to fight anyone. To him, every situation is a puzzle to be solved, and in that gamecraft, the film would hopefully find a unique identity. It would also juxtapose, continuously, the beauty of the idealised world and the current desolate world that Gannon has created. In fact, Hyrule would be truly post-apocalyptic in a variety of terrifying ways. Lava is more commonplace than lava. When it turns to night, there is no moon, no stars, and the sun is so hot that fields burn. I'm thinking of the horrific worlds in fiction like THE FIST OF THE NORTH STAR. The purpose is, with a background so harsh, the smallest levity would shine like a diamond, and would better set up the hope that is so key to the basic story. Basically, anything to make people realise Link is a young kid, and
not Frodo.
Link –
Haley Joel Osmet
Link is young in the film, and a scavenger. He's continuously bullied, but unlike Harry Potter or what not, Link is actually responsible for his own bullying. He's mischevious because he's incredibly bored. He's a prankster, and he has the slimmest of memories of what the world was like before Ganon, which we'd see in very small flashes, much like Deckard's dreams in BLADE RUNNER. He at first, laps up the chance to be involved in an adventure, but he soon wants to give up when the darkness of the world, creeps up on him. Link is a young kid who wants to be a hero – and ends up (think about this) weeks travel away from his home surrounded by monsters and no way out. Link wants to give up, and again, this temptation to give up is met by a vindictiveness in him. Osmet in THE SIXTH SENSE was amazing, able to go from light to dark in a single beat. He's perfect for Link.
Princess Zelda – my lack of knowledge screws me
I like the idea that Zelda is not a Caucasian woman. I prefer her being asian or even african. My thinking is that Zelda, much like the golden age of Hyrule, would be something rather intangible. We'd never really fully see Zelda. Just bits and pieces of her, in the same way you never see the alien in ALIEN, yet you know everything about it. Zelda would be this mysterious figure who speaks an ancient language no one knows, a language meant for queens. She'd be distant and solemn, yet very present and inspiring. She'd not be in fights, rather a treasure. Sadly, I can't think of an actress who'd fit this because I sorely lack in knowledge in this area. To give an indication of solemn power, here's a pic of Zhang Ziyi, who isn't what I'm after, but close enough for now.
Ganondorf –
John Goodman
I'm sure someone must've done this, maybe not, I dunno, but I think he'd be amazing. He'd loom over Osmet, be a brute, and yet, be incredibly engaging. I think, Goodman in costume, one look, and you'd get immediately how this man destroyed a world.
Sadly, I don't know enough about THE LEGEND OF ZELDA to begin casting Biggoron, Impa, and Dampe, so my cast will have to end here.
