April 13th, 2009 / 12:08 pm
Author News

Big Ken Baumann News: ‘Unguentine’ the film

unguentineThe most amibitious and awesome news update I’ve had the pleasure to divulge in a while, from none other than our own Ken Baumann. I’ll let his own words do the talkin’:

So I’m finally in the clear in a legal sense to divulge the promised information: I’ve optioned the film rights to Log of the S.S. The Mrs Unguentine by Stanley Crawford, and will be writing the screenplay.

A little back story: On recommendation of Blake Butler and others, I bought the book. As soon as it arrived in the mail I sat with it. I read it in two (unfortunately two — it would have been one if not for having to drive somewhere) sittings, and from really what was the fifth page in it began to percolate and pool within me. I was viscerally struck. Less than halfway inside I began to think ‘This would make a beautiful film.’ A few moments after I finished reading I felt I had to bring the story to a wide audience and a new medium. Patrick Welborn, my friend and agent, read the book and agreed. And now I, with the help of many many others, will do just that.

Ungeuntine on film? A story on a boat in a blur world where time is flesh and language is flesh and each page is fever sleep meshed with weird acid and a gloaming sense of death?

A huge undertaking, and an exciting one. In Ken’s hands, I feel ready to be eaten alive. Here’s to good luck in power and light, brother.

If you haven’t yet consumed this masterpiece, it is available in new edition from Dalkey Archive. Do yourself a favor.

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44 Comments

  1. jensen

      holy shit! this is amazing. fuck yeah.

  2. jensen

      holy shit! this is amazing. fuck yeah.

  3. TTB

      The real question remains unanswered though.

      Why is Ken Baumann only number 47 in TEEN magazines top 50 hollywood hunks?

      What gives?

  4. TTB

      The real question remains unanswered though.

      Why is Ken Baumann only number 47 in TEEN magazines top 50 hollywood hunks?

      What gives?

  5. pr

      Best of luck Ken! I love your ambition. I’m inspired.

  6. John Madera

      This is very good news. Any recommendations on casting?

  7. John Madera

      This is very good news. Any recommendations on casting?

  8. jereme

      i am curious ken what software you use to write screenplays?

  9. jereme

      i am curious ken what software you use to write screenplays?

  10. ryan

      is it too late to get Spencer Tracy?

  11. ryan

      is it too late to get Spencer Tracy?

  12. Matthew Simmons

      May I cameo as a barnacle?

  13. Matthew Simmons

      May I cameo as a barnacle?

  14. Catherine Lacey

      Awesome!!!

  15. Catherine Lacey

      Awesome!!!

  16. Mo

      Congrats, Ken.

      I just ordered the book.

  17. Mo

      Congrats, Ken.

      I just ordered the book.

  18. mike young

      hey that’s awesome!

      good luck with the project, ken

  19. mike young

      hey that’s awesome!

      good luck with the project, ken

  20. barry

      good shit, ken. you da man.

  21. barry

      good shit, ken. you da man.

  22. Ken Baumann

      Jensen: Yes! Thank you.

      TTB: Robbed, I tell ya.

      PR: Thank you very much. If nothing else, to inspire and cause more people to read the book, it will have been enough.

      John: Thank you, and good question. I’d like to hear from anyone with an opinion.

      Jereme: Final Draft 7 (I think.)

      Matthew: Only if you can be a barnacle with a hat.

      Catherine, Mo, Mike & Barry: Thank you!

  23. sam pink

      i am proud of you ken baumann.

  24. Ken Baumann

      Jensen: Yes! Thank you.

      TTB: Robbed, I tell ya.

      PR: Thank you very much. If nothing else, to inspire and cause more people to read the book, it will have been enough.

      John: Thank you, and good question. I’d like to hear from anyone with an opinion.

      Jereme: Final Draft 7 (I think.)

      Matthew: Only if you can be a barnacle with a hat.

      Catherine, Mo, Mike & Barry: Thank you!

  25. sam pink

      i am proud of you ken baumann.

  26. jereme

      yeah FD seems to be the astronaut these days.

      is movie magic even still around?

  27. jereme

      yeah FD seems to be the astronaut these days.

      is movie magic even still around?

  28. Jimmy Chen

      this feels better than most things have felt

  29. Jimmy Chen

      this feels better than most things have felt

  30. Ken Baumann

      I think Movie Magic relies on its singular celeb. endorsement, that of a certain Francis F. Coppola. FD is standard.

  31. Ken Baumann

      I think Movie Magic relies on its singular celeb. endorsement, that of a certain Francis F. Coppola. FD is standard.

  32. Ken Baumann

      Yes.

  33. Ken Baumann

      Yes.

  34. Ken Baumann

      Sam & Jimmy: Thank you.

      BLAKE! Thank you for the shouting!

  35. Ken Baumann

      Sam & Jimmy: Thank you.

      BLAKE! Thank you for the shouting!

  36. jereme

      ah that is right. i forgot FFC endorses it.

  37. jereme

      ah that is right. i forgot FFC endorses it.

  38. keith n b

      this is probably useless to say, but terry gilliam has directed a handful of strange novels: adventures of baron munchausen, fear and loathing, tideland, and has attempted don quixote several times, and maybe others. i haven’t read ungentine yet, looking forward to it, but gilliam is unparalleled at capturing the vision of a book. an author’s auteur. you should slip him some acid and force him to sign on.

  39. keith n b

      this is probably useless to say, but terry gilliam has directed a handful of strange novels: adventures of baron munchausen, fear and loathing, tideland, and has attempted don quixote several times, and maybe others. i haven’t read ungentine yet, looking forward to it, but gilliam is unparalleled at capturing the vision of a book. an author’s auteur. you should slip him some acid and force him to sign on.

  40. Ken Baumann

      That would be dreamy.

  41. Ken Baumann

      That would be dreamy.

  42. ryan manning

      Neil Stanley Crawford (May 26, 1931–August 25, 1992) was a politician and jazz musician from Alberta, Canada.

  43. ryan manning

      Neil Stanley Crawford (May 26, 1931–August 25, 1992) was a politician and jazz musician from Alberta, Canada.

  44. more fun on the barge from log of the s.s. the mrs unguentine « the evening redness in the west

      […] may be making a movie of Stanley Crawford’s Log of the S.S. The Mrs. Unguentine! Here’s Chapter […]