The Sci-Fi Channel's RIVERWORLD film is apparently a pilot for a mooted
series. I saw most of the film when it first aired several months ago, but
despite my interest in Philip José Farmer's original novels, it didn't hold
my attention closely enough to prevent my running out to get a hamburger.
I've read the first four Riverworld novels twice and have been fascinated
by them, and particularly by their depiction of Sam Clemens. However, I
found the TV movie version a big disappointment. A typical case of changing
things that don't need to be changed (e.g., why introduce Nero when King
John is much more interesting and plausible?) and overlooking the most
intriguing aspects of the source material (viz., what the hell is the
Riverworld planet all about? and who or what is behind it?). In these
regards, it's much like most film adaptations of Mark Twain novels: a silly
adventure story with cardboard characters.

I wrote a mini-review of the film that I posted on another website. If I
can retrieve that review (it timed out after a month), I'll post it here.
It might interest some people. The Sci-Fi Channel had an informative web
page on the film several months ago, but I can't find it now. However, a
search on the web will turn up lots of commentary on the film by PJF fans,
and you can find the film's cast and credits at the Internet Movie
Database: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0310952

A 37-year-old Australian actor named Cameron Daddo played Sam Clemens in
the film. You may remember him from ... Nope. Sorry, you won't remember him
(even after you see this film). He looks about as much like Sam Clemens as
Wes Britton looks like Joaquin Miller. If I didn't know better (and I do
because I have children), I would have guessed that Daddo is a refugee from
THE DUKES OF HAZZARD.

While I don't recommend this TV film, I do recommend Farmer's RIVERWORLD
novels, especially the first two volumes. TO YOUR SCATTERED BODIES GO sets
up the series, and THE FABULOUS RIVERBOAT makes Sam a major character.

For those who are not familiar with Farmer's novels, I'm appending a
special treat from the files of "Mark Twain A to Z: The Lost Episodes."
It's an entry I wrote for the first edition of the book that I left out for
reasons that should be obvious to you when you read it: it's too
peripheral. (However, I may use some of it in the revised edition, which
will add an entry on novels that use Mark Twain as a character. Offline
suggestions of books will be welcome.)

Kent Rasmussen
(a.k.a. "Arkent" to his Missouri fans)
___________________________

Drawing on elements from Mark Twain's life and writings, Farmer uses
RIVERWORLD to explore his deterministic philosophy, fascination with
dreams, ambivalence about progress, guilt and obsession with death. By
developing innovative ideas that Mark Twain himself created, Farmer honors
him as a pioneer in the science fiction genre. Farmer's Riverworld is a
mysterious planet whose central feature is a river 10 million miles long
(seven times longer than Mark Twain's facetious extrapolation of the
Mississippi's prehistoric length in chapter 17 of LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI).
Every person who ever lived is resurrected on the planet and given a body
that remains physically 25 years old. People who die are reborn elsewhere
along the river. These premises owe much to both "Captain Stormfield's
Visit to Heaven" and HUCKLEBERRY FINN. The central narrative connects
Clemens with Sir Richard Burton (whom Mark Twain never knew in real life)
and other historical figures in a quest to discover Riverworld's secrets.

The first Riverworld novel, TO YOUR SCATTERED BODIES GO (1971), alludes to
Clemens, who first appears in the second book, THE FABULOUS RIVERBOAT
(1971). When this story begins, Clemens has been on Riverworld more than 20
years--most of which he has spent exploring and searching for Livy.
Eventually he allies with the treacherous King John and others to build a
super riverboat in which to travel to the source of the river. After
another 20 years, Clemens finally finds Livy, who is attached to Cyrano de
Bergerac--the embodiment of everything that the real Mark Twain detested in
the French.

Elements from Mark Twain's life and writings abound. The Clemens character
is in the same mold as CONNECTICUT YANKEE's Hank Morgan--a modern
technological man trying to bring rational progress to a primitive world.
Clemens, in fact, is called "The Boss" early on. Farmer frequently alludes
to Mark Twain's deterministic philosophy of WHAT IS MAN?, and a central
narrative thread derives from the "Mysterious Stranger" stories. Clemens's
epic voyage of exploration on the river obviously recalls HUCKLEBERRY FINN
and Mark Twain's interest in steamboats, while the development of a super
airship recalls TOM SAWYER ABROAD.

Farmer's other writings include pseudo-biographies of Tarzan, Doc Savage
and Allen Quartermain and pastiches based on Herman Melville and Jules
Verne.