Dr. Cussler Should Be Allowed to Write the Screenplay

Since 1980, Dirk Pitt fans worldwide have felt cheated for a Dirk Pitt adventure since the release of Raise The Titanic! We, the fans are shocked and appalled that your company has threatened Dr. Cussler by stating you would start filming his novel without his approval on a script that your screenwriters have written when it is stated in your contract with him that he would have casting and script approval.

We the fans, demand that the producers of Crusader Entertainment and Paramount Pictures honor Dr. Cussler's contract and allow him to write the screenplay for the upcoming film of Sahara. News about the scripts that Dr. Cussler has received does not stay faithful to his novel. Like Dr. Cussler, we the fans, do not want another Raise the Titanic fiasco. We, like the Dr., want a screenplay faithful to the novel.

We would like to see the cannibal village scene that production team considered "as not dramatic enough". We would like to see the romance between Dirk and Eva that your production, again, thought was "corny". We would like to see this film to be as adventurous, exciting, thrilling, and romantic as the novel that was praised by many fans and critics.

We do not want to see any change in the characters (Dirk Pitt, Al Giordino, Admiral Sandecker, Rudi Gunn and the supporting characters) of the novel when it is transferred to the screenplay.

Nor do we want to see scenes added that had nothing to do with the plotline of the story. No tuxedos, no name changes of the characters (ex. The character of Albert Giordino was changed to Vinnie Walker in Raise the Titanic), and no changes in the characters background (ex. The character of Admiral Sandecker-played with some heft by Jason Robards-was somehow transformed into a complete contradiction of the man he is in the book: a shifty, slimy military bureaucrat).

Obviously, dialogue is essential and crucial to any story. Without being distracting, the presence of dialogue should aid the audience in understanding the scene at hand. In the writing of his novels, Cussler has, at times, elected to replace dialogue with action. Of course, this depends completely on the characters and requirements of the situation. Likewise, in certain instances, dialogue becomes an extension of the action. When Cussler chooses to incorporate dialogue in his books, it is fine-tuned to the point that it sounds just right for the situation and character. We demand that no dialogue be added when it should not and none taken away when it should stay. Allow Dr. Cussler to write the screenplay and dialogue as he see fits.

If you bought Dr. Cussler's novels to bring them to the cinematic world than you should consider to bring Dr. Cussler into the fold to help write the screenplay and to bring his wonderful novels to life.

Signing this petition means that you believe Crusader Entertainment and Paramount Pictures should honor Dr. Cussler's contract and to have the screenplay faithful to the novel and to allow Dr. Cussler to be involved with the writing of the script. Since he wrote the novel, Dr. Cussler should be involved with the writing of the script.

The numbers on this petition should show to Crusader Entertainment and Paramount Pictures that we support Dr. Cussler 100\% and we would like to see him involved with the writing of the script. This would not only turn the film into a blockbuster hit but it would thank so many fans who have been loyal to Dr. Cusslers novels.