ERB: The Life and Mind of Edgar Rice Burroughs

The Project

Ray Bradbury called Edgar Rice Burroughs “the most important writer who ever lived”, because of the degree to which he inspired great scientific and creative thinkers to dream big.  Carl Sagan, Arthur Clarke, Jane Goodall, George Lucas, and James Cameron have all cited him as a major influence in the life choices and work.  Our film explores the life and legacy of ERB, tracing the impact of his first novel ‘A Princess of Mars’ and his John Carter and Tarzan series from their first publication 100 years ago in 1912, through today and beyond. Featuring rare artwork and archival footage; interviews;  in an exploration of the mind, the work, and the legacy of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

The Film-makers

Producer/Editor/VFX Supervisor Mark Linthicum has produced four films and worked as a VFX Supervisor or Editor on 18 films.  His IMDB listing can be seen here.

Writer/Director Michael D. Sellers is an award winning independent film-maker who has written and directed four films. See his Internet Movie Data Base profile here. He is a lifetime fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs and has written extensively on him.  Following is a partial list of links to articles on Edgar Rice Burroughs written by Michael Sellers:

An Evening With Danton Burroughs

Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter, and  Avatar

John Barth, Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter and the Masculine Narrative in Literature

Just how popular were Edgar Rice Burroughs Novels? (Think Harry Potter ++)

Edgar Rice Burroughs and the “Damphool Species of Narrative”

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “John Carter” Turns 100 Today

Test Footage — Work-in-Progress Sample

The following test footage is an early sample of a section of the film-in-progress. The visuals are not yet based not he high-resolution scans that will be used in the final version, and other background and motion graphics are in draft form.