Beware of Massive Prehistoric Sharks
Filed under: Action, Horror, Thrillers, New Line, RumorMonger, Fandom
Several years ago I stepped into a local "mom &
pop-owned" bookstore, on the hunt for a new horror novel to read. (I read horror novels like most people eat fast
food.) The first thing I saw was a really big display full of paperbacks called MEG,
and attached to the display was a hand-written sign that read: "Local author Steve Alten's smash sensation!"
Now, I'm all about supporting my Philadelphia brethren, but it wasn't the sign (or the fact that Steve and I graduated
from the same high school) that commanded my attention. It was the massive prehistoric shark that caught my eye. (Yes, just like the one seen in the above pic, which is a piece of MEG pre-production concept art that recently surfaced at CHUD.com.)
MEG is short for Megalodon, and a Megalodon is a giant shark that could swallow a boat without even bothering to use its teeth. Obviously I dropped the eight bucks on the novel, read the thing in less than a week, and then loaned it out to some friends. (A few years later I was happy to pick up Alten's MEG sequels, The Trench and Primal Waters.) Since I'm nothing if not a ravenous geek, especially when giant prehistoric sharks are involved, I read all three novels with a cinematic eye, occasionally thinking things like "oooh, that'd make for a great action scene" or "hmm, I wonder what actor would play this character..."
And then came word that the MEG movie was getting underway. New Line got the rights, Jan de Bont was hired as director, and the producer's list mentioned some interesting names, including longtime producer Larry Gordon, genre-god Guillermo del Toro and writer Nick Nunziata, who runs an old-school movie-freak website called CHUD.com. (It's an acronym for "Cinematic Happenings Under Development," and unrelated to the 1984 monster flick of the same name.)
Now, I'm not saying that MEG is going to be a brilliant masterpiece in line with the original Jaws, but ... c'mon people. Look at that pic! Tell me a sight like that isn't worth $8.50 and a small popcorn.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-17-2006 @ 9:30AM
Ed said...
Wow -- I read Meg years and years ago and had forgotten all about it (as you inferred, it's not exactly classic literature). I remember almost nothing about the book, but do recall a few bits and pieces. Mostly, I remember that it's the "supersized" version of Jaws -- not very original, but I always have liked undersea thrillers...
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4-17-2006 @ 11:32AM
Windswept said...
Ha! How did I guess that you were the one who wrote this... ;^)
Sounds awesome. Now, if it only has the same sensibility as Deep Blue Sea, then we'll be talkin'!
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4-17-2006 @ 12:48PM
MosquitoControl said...
Meg was decent for what it was. It brought a great deal of attention to the author. Suddenly he was in every magazine with articles detailing how immensely broke he was, and how quickly he managed to option this script to Hollywood.
I just figured the movie either sunk in preproduction or went direct-to-dvd.
I read the sequel, which is as "more of the same" as it gets. And I read another of his books, which was scifi "more of the same" about a computer that learns to think and decides to destroy humanity (gee, never saw that plot before.)
I'll pick up the 3rd in the Meg series, I'd been unaware of it. Mostly because he's really as bland an author as you can get. But giant sharks are hard to make truly boring, haha.
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4-17-2006 @ 10:51PM
Screendoor slams said...
Its only a tech demo for a German CGI company, but the clip at http://www.flowlines.info/gallery.html (click on the Megalodon picture) is certainly 'MEG' related, and pretty state of the art.
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4-18-2006 @ 11:28AM
Tucker said...
Holy crap, I can't believe Meg is actually getting made. I read the book back in the day off the bargain shelf - where I see most of Alten's books chilling. Actually, I recently picked up his latest - The Loch - but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. It'll probably sit on the shelf until I need a beach novel.
Anyway, looking forward to the flick if for no other reason than simple curiosity.
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4-18-2006 @ 7:21PM
The Jeremy said...
Funny thing is, the Megalodon has already been featured in an exploitative shark themed flick. The flick is called *Shark Attack 3: Megalodon* and it is televised often on the SciFi Channel (and can be found at Hollywood Video too). It is ridiculously bad in every way, especially the effects. The only decent thing about it is John Barrowman ("Captain Jack" of *Doctor Who* and the upcoming *Torchwood*) somehow puts in a dignified performance.
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4-18-2006 @ 8:23PM
Scott Weinberg said...
There's also one called plain ol' "Megalodon." I've saved all those cheesy shark flicks for a future article. ;)
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4-19-2006 @ 8:09PM
amanami1 said...
Just for the record, there was also a short documentary on (I think) the Discovery Channel about "Megalodon" -- the real thing, not the novel. Apparently, a real "Meg" chewed on large whales as appetizers. Some fossilized whalebones show teeth marks of a size that could only come from a "Meg" out on the town for dinner.
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4-19-2006 @ 8:41PM
Tom said...
$8.50 for a movie? where are you seeing flicks these days? Maybe for a matinee!
Read the book, it wasnt that good....the movie isnt gonna be much better
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4-19-2006 @ 8:58PM
JEANETTE said...
I HAVE LOVED SHARKS SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL..LOL..I HAVE ALL 3 BOOKS TOO N I LOVE EM ALL...
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4-19-2006 @ 8:58PM
Joe Cruz said...
It would seem to me,given the fossil record of huge teeth,that this so-called "Meg" is an impossibility.According to the picture,this shark would have to be over 100 feet long and who knows how heavy,or wide,or,not to mention the actual span of its jaw.While it may be fun to watch on the big screen,some of us would prefer a lot more accurate proportions relative to the already available record of fossilized teeth that have already been discovered.
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4-19-2006 @ 9:10PM
Anita said...
I enjoyed all of Alten's "Meg" series it will be very interseting to see how it lays out on the big screen. I'm also half Scottish and read "Loch" it reads like "Meg" only with a bit more mystery and lore. It's as good as "Meg" and would love to see it go to screen too.
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4-19-2006 @ 9:56PM
Christine said...
I am so excited for this movie to be made, I think I'm a little too excited since every once and a while for a few years I check to see if there are any updates on this movie.
Can't wait to see who will be casted.
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4-19-2006 @ 10:19PM
Aurora said...
Dude, never even heard of the author or the books, but i want to see the movie. i will probably even read the book. i have watched alot of shark thrillers, and with the special effects we have now this one should be good. i have also seen Shark Attack: Megaladon, i liked it, but horrible special effects and the romance was overkill, i pray that this one will be better
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4-19-2006 @ 10:49PM
royalbethm said...
I read The Trench about once a year. I was never aware they had books before it, I will most definitely be checking those out soon!
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4-19-2006 @ 11:08PM
K said...
I bought the book over 10 years ago and thought it was a damn good book and had read in the newspapers somewhere that it was supposed to be made into a movie. I look forward to seeing it. If it's made in a serious vein and not a cheesy one, with good acting and effects it could be a pretty good movie. The NJ State Aquarium has Megalodon teeth on exhibit in case anyone in that area wants to take a look.
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4-19-2006 @ 11:26PM
dee hawbaker said...
jaws was nothing more than a movie from someones creative mind. a megladon is a real prehistoric shark that roamed the waters. they were not just the top of the food chain, they were the food chain! they paved the way for great whites, tigers and bull sharks.if anyone can make a movie that can display how they would actually be. the movie deep blue sea, would be deep sea lost.( i loved LL cool J in that movie.) id there in line for tickets. they had teeth bigger than andre the giants hands, now thats huge
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4-19-2006 @ 11:50PM
Brin said...
I found a copy of "MEG" by chance left by some poor tourist in the hotel where I work. I couldn't put it down! I was literally up all night. I am a scientific sort of person so I got into the science of it and ignored the romance. I found it well written and intriguing. Will definitely look for the other two books and would definitely pay to see the movie!
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4-20-2006 @ 12:35AM
Joe Ramirez said...
The original JAWS movies were , HMMMMM, I guess they WERE scary to an 8 year old. Try to see the horror now as an adult...LoL. 2 good movies were DEEP BLUE SEA and SHARK ATTACK's 1, 2, and especially 3...
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4-20-2006 @ 12:46AM
Gerard said...
Want to read the first meg novel pickup Extinct by Paul Wilson. Megaldon rumming amok around the backwaters of Mississipi or Alabama. I forgot which but it is a great read and better movie material than Alten's although I own all 3 Meg books and The Loch.
Maybe because it was my first you know that Extinct was better for me!!! Check It Out! Also for great Horror/Sci-Fi/Mystery pickup all Douglas Preston and Licoln Child Novels, starting with the Relic.
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