this post was submitted on 09 Oct 2025
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[โ€“] DrSteveBrule@mander.xyz 10 points 21 hours ago (3 children)

Its even more mind blowing if you read the book. There are a lot more stupid things he does like becoming a wrestler, and an astronaut who goes on a mission in space with a baboon that he can speak with telepathically. They crash land on an uncharted island full of cannibals and they will only let him escape with their lives he he beats them at a game of chess. For whatever reason he has unlimited tries and after several years finally wins a game of chess, so they send him and his baboon on a raft and they eventually get found.

Obviously these things very fortunately didn't make it into the movie, but it's super weird to me that someone read all of that and was inspired to make it into a movie anyway. Somehow it was actually a very good movie too.

He also has a savant's knack for higher mathematics!

[โ€“] underreacting@literature.cafe 4 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I've heard of the insanity that is the book, but somehow missed the years-long chess games. I'm even more afraid to read it now haha.

I believe this is one clear case where visual media has the upper hand over the story, as when we can see it happen it becomes somehow less unlikely than merely reading about it, because the "proof" is visible right there (though this might be because I don't have a mind visual when reading, it's fully an emotional and mental experience).

Also the lack of communicating with space apes...

[โ€“] jerebear39@slrpnk.net 1 points 5 hours ago

I'm the same with reading novels! It's so hard for me to situate things because I don't see images while reading! I found out that's called antaphasia!

[โ€“] CetaceanNeeded@lemmy.world 2 points 10 hours ago

Hmm, let's work shop this. Slice out the island bit and let's make that into its own move.

  • Get rid of the cannibals, let's make the island deserted, there's no one left for the unlimited chess games, so let's have him just go a bit nuts for a few years.
  • Exchange the baboon with a volleyball.
  • Let's get Tom Hanks back.

Oh wait...