Cormac McCarthy's novels have found new life in movies, and his early novel "Child of God" is about to hit the festival circuit in the movie version written and directed by James Franco.
The book was my introduction to McCarthy, a spare and grim tale of Lester Ballard, a Sevier County man who slips away from civilization and into a cave, from outcast to killer. It's a powerful book, and truthfully for many years I've thought it would make a stunning movie.
And Franco's version emerges alongside his movie of Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying", an equally challenging Southern story of a family's attempt to transport the body of their mother to a distant cemetery.
Neither film is likely to hit box office gold. So what is Franco after?
In the past few days, Franco has used the Internet to promote a new TV series called "James Franco Presents", launching photos of himself as Mona Lisa and Van Gogh.
He writes of the series "... it's about Art. Duh".
He's also in production of a movie about the gnarly life of poet Charles Bukowski.
So, entertainment for English majors and Art majors? Perhaps. With fantasy, comic books and 3D franchises all the rage in Hollywood, he's carving out a unique path of literary oddities.
I say thank goodness someone is.
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