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Surely the way to do a film right would be to tap into the whole hauntology vibe, not make it a comedy? A wisecracking Gef doesn't fill me with anticipation.

This is definitely how I'd have done it, it could be quite a dark and atmospheric story on the screen (with the caveat that it doesn't really go anywhere).

So yeah, probably a wisecracking Gef and presumably a bit of romantic interest, with Nandor (can't really see Pegg as a great bit of casting here) finding love on the island. A background cast of quirky yokels. It writes itself!
 
Here is the article on the upcoming film at Deadline:
https://deadline.com/2022/05/simon-...or-fodor-and-the-talking-mongoose-1235019717/
Simon Pegg (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One) and Minnie Driver (Rosaline) have signed on to star in Nandor Fodor and The Talking Mongoose, a dark comedy from writer-director Adam Sigal (Chariot), which has entered production in Leeds.

The film based on true events will follow Nandor Fodor (Pegg)—the Hungarian-American psychoanalyst, known as the father of parapsychology—on his search to discover the real Talking Mongoose, “Gef.” Driver will play Fodor’s assistant Anne, who journeys with him into uncharted territory, with Tim Downie (Good Omens), Ruth Connell (Supernatural), Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones), Gary Beadle (In the Heart of the Sea) and Drew Moerlin (V/H/S) rounding out the cast.
Sasha Yelaun and Dominic Burns are producing alongside Karl Hall and Matt Willians for Future Artists Entertainment. The fan-owned entertainment company Legion M, Tip-Top Productions, Chelsea Newell, James Di Giacomo, Danny Bohnen, Rob McGillivray and Ben Stranahan will serve as executive producers.

Nandor Fodor and The Talking Mongoose is such a unique story that I couldn’t believe it was true,” said Sigal. “There’s nobody else other than Simon who could embody this character and take us on this insane journey and I can’t wait to get started.”

“The reason I love working with Adam is he comes up with fresh ideas and original content, which is rare to find,” said Yelaun. “I see a lot of remakes, this is not one of them and it’s exciting to bring amazing stars to the table that feel the same such as Simon and Minnie. I’m excited to see them in action together and watch Adam deliver another cerebral movie that makes you think.”
 
Great Scott! Christopher Lloyd has joined the film:
https://www.slashfilm.com/872773/ch...nd-the-talking-mongoose-alongside-simon-pegg/
Simon Pegg ("Shaun of the Dead," "Star Trek," "The World's End") stars as the titular Dr. Nandor Fodor, a real-life Hungarian-American psychoanalyst, author, and parapsychologist. You read that correctly: parapsychology, as in psychic phenomena and other paranormal claims like hauntings.

The film centers on Dr. Fodor's pursuit of "Gef," a mongoose from the Isle of Man that could apparently talk. Gef was a superstar in the 1930s, and was the subject of a lot of British tabloids and ghost hunters of the era. Think of him like a Bigfoot or Bat Boy, but, you know, a talking mongoose. The film is currently shooting in Leeds in the United Kingdom, with Lloyd set to arrive on set sometime this week to play Dr. Price, a competing psychic researcher trying to get to the bottom of Gef's mystery. Rounding out the cast is Minnie Driver ("Grosse Pointe Blank," "Phantom of the Opera," "The Riches") who is playing Nandor's assistant Anne as they work together to track down Gef. Tim Downie, Ruth Connell, Paul Kaye, Gary Beadle, Drew Moerlein, Jessica Balmer and Edmund Kingsley were also previously announced as part of the cast.
 
Wasn't Price in his fifties at that time? Still, we didn't expect accuracy.

Price also seems to have thought Gef was a load of tosh from pretty early on. I think he just spent most of his time trying to speak to Voirrey without her garrulous father there in order to prove it.

It's this sort of thing that makes me think Margaret originally created the Spook partly to shut her husband up.
 
We have a new film on the way starring Simon Pegg, Minnie Driver and Christopher Lloyd about our Gef ..

https://legionm.com/credits?fbclid=IwAR1xGmR56d6uE4LALwrdL7TADPYRBgZ79RRmE-RmCEUxrBhvDKh3Dq3gDtY

ajeffmongoose001.jpg
 
I see that they cast Neil Gaiman as the voice of Gef. Not sure what to make of that. I'm assuming they're going to write some new material, as his 'real' lines aren't very good.

I think the somewhat theatrical Gef would be a good role for a proper scenery-chewing actor - I'd like to hear what Tim Roth could do with it
 
I think the somewhat theatrical Gef would be a good role for a proper scenery-chewing actor - I'd like to hear what Tim Roth could do with it
Or... Nicolas Cage?
 
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I think the somewhat theatrical Gef would be a good role for a proper scenery-chewing actor - I'd like to hear what Tim Roth could do with it
Tim Curry is doing voice acting these days :bdown:
 
Re: Long musings on Gef, sorry folks..........



Actually, mongooses are carnivores of the family Viverridae, and are related to meerkats, civets and genets.

Pedantosprout
This was me being Gefsplained back in 2002, after I'd commented that (Gef) didn't melt away like a ghost, it seemed to act as a little rodent would be expected to.

My point had been that the creature the family had made up become plagued by would move around the buildings in a way people might have expected a small rodent, like say a rat, to do.
They'd surely have had experience of rodent infestations. The creatures can pop up anywhere and then seem to disappear. This was Gef to a T.

Reckon I didn't argue at the time because I probably didn't see the post. You can guess why. :chuckle:
 
GEF FILM!
Yay! GEF DA MOVIE !! Not before time. I expect the little fella himself would be dead chuffed about this. Of course, his reaction would be peppered with a few choice expletives.

I haven't actually visited a 'picture house' since well before Covid, but this one might finally get my bum back on one of those flip-flop seats. Bring on the popcorn (sweet for me, please).
 
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I'm a bit on the fence over this one. I suspect Voirrey may have been on the ASD spectrum - I'm not quite sure why or what gives me that feeling but some things that she said just made me wonder. And that she conjured up Gef (whether literally or figuratively) to keep her company, be a guardian, to distract her parents' attention from her. And making a film about a young girl's loneliness, isolation and possible undiagnosed mental health problems, then making it a 'comedy' just doesn't sit right with me.
 
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