Signup
Welcome to... Canonfire! World of GreyhawK
Features
Postcards from the Flanaess
Adventures
in Greyhawk
Cities of
Oerth
Deadly
Denizens
Jason Zavoda Presents
The Gord Novels
Greyhawk Wiki
#greytalk
JOIN THE CHAT
ON DISCORD
    Canonfire :: View topic - Must Watch Must Avoid Movies
    Canonfire Forum Index -> World of Greyhawk Discussion
    Must Watch Must Avoid Movies
    Author Message
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Sun Jun 24, 2012 7:48 am  
    Must Watch Must Avoid Movies

    Inspired by the recent Post by Mortellan here and on his own site
    http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=51122#51122
    Based on the trailer I would certainly add the latest "offering" to the AVOID list.

    And for something fun I thought to expand that thread here so as not to "pollute" Morts thread or site, but give him full credits for the inspirations.

    It would be easy to list lots of movies as we all are inspired either by Hollywood or literature, but I will limit to these.

    BEST D&D feel movie > Ladyhawk Curses, Quests, beautiful woman, cool crossbow, redemption, has it all.
    WORST D&D feel movie> Mazes & Monsters Even Tom Hanks could not save this one.

    MADE ME LAUGH> Too close to call here so went with Monty Python's Holy Grail. Though Dorkness Rising did have its moments (the Mountain of Bards)
    MADE ME CRY> Red Sonja... The original story (if they actually bothered to read them) has soooo many possibilities for ties to the Conan works and the screwed it all up.

    BEST Example of Character Type> El Cid for a Paladin. What noble paladin would not want to win his last battle riding with his king while already dead upon his horse and still strike fear in the hearts of his enemies?
    WORST Example of Character Type> 1st D&D Movie Damodar... sorry my BAD guys don't wear powder blue lipstick.

    BEST Example of a Monster Type> Again too close to call but would would say a Dragon and would go with either Reign of Fire or Dragonslayer. Both inspire the feel of what a Dragon should bring to the table. Not only the "look" but the cunning and ruthless qualities as well.
    WORST Example of a Monster Type> Go with dragon again, and though there are ALOT of Bad movies with dragons, my vote goes to Eragon. Great books poorly done into movie. My dragons DON'T have feathers and is it just me but doesn't Saphira look like Nessie's Cousin?
    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: May 22, 2007
    Posts: 17
    From: Batavia, IL

    Send private message
    Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:18 am  

    Worst Monster Example -- I gotta go with the Beholders from the first D&D movie. One simply does not throw a rock and make a Beholder fly off in another direction. Last time I checked, they had an INT of around 17.....
    _________________
    CN -- It makes firing into combat a whole lot more fun
    GreySage

    Joined: Jul 26, 2010
    Posts: 2695
    From: LG Dyvers

    Send private message
    Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:31 am  

    I like all of your recommendations, DLG, and won't argue with any of them. So, I'll see if I can add a few.

    BEST D&D feel movie> Lord of the Rings trilogy, of course, Conan the Barbarian (the first one with Schwartzenegger) and Beast Master (with Marc Singer). Honorable mention must go to Kingdom of Heaven.

    WORST D&D feel movie> The Sword and the Sorceror and Krull.

    BEST D&D movie characters > Gandalf (Sir Ian McLellan), Frodo (Isaiah Wood), Boramir (Sean Bean), and Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones).

    WORST D&D movie characters > Smeagle, Haldir (just too chubby to be an elf),

    BEST D&D movie Monster Type > The Balrog, Nazgul, and (Tr)E(a)nts from LotR, the wizard's conjured shadow steed from Eragon, the Kraken and Medusa from the newer version of Clash of the Titans, and the Chimera from Wrath of the Titans.

    WORST D&D movie Monster Type > Spider Climbing Goblins in Moria from LotR.

    SirXaris
    GreySage

    Joined: Sep 09, 2009
    Posts: 2470
    From: SW WA state (Highvale)

    Send private message
    Sun Jun 24, 2012 4:11 pm  

    I am glad that Xaris mentioned the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I don't think that any other movie series gets me 'in the mood' Wink (FOR GAMING) than those films. I would also agree with the original Conan the Barbarian as well.

    However, as a Ray Harryhausen fan, I feel obligated to mention some of his award winning films (back in the day, but I think they are still worthy) such as The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts (and not just cuz the hero and I share the same first name), and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. Some of you may laugh at the use of stop motion fight scenes with monster models b/c of our modern (over?)reliance on CGI, but I think those movies are still great.

    -Lanthorn (Jason) of the Argo Happy
    Black Hand of Oblivion

    Joined: Feb 16, 2003
    Posts: 3835
    From: So. Cal

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 2:37 am  

    I thought I had lost all faith in you lot...until I got to Lanthorn's post. Happy The Golden Voyage of Sinbad is pretty much D&D in a bottle. The king in the mask was basically fried by a fireball cast by the evil wizard (played by Tom Baker), the wizard literally makes a homonculus in the movie, there are fantastical creatures, magical fountains and crowns, evil wizard magic tricks, etc. It really has it all. Cool If you have never seen it, well, we might as well put you out of your misery like a horse with a broken leg. BLAM! If you haven't seen it in a while, such that it didn't even come to mind and make your list, it is high time that you watched it again.

    Sure, LotR is awesome and so is Game of Thrones, and there is always Conan the Barbarian, but if you want a movie that actually fits the idea of what a D&D adventure is all about then you won't find one that does so better than the Golden Voyage of Sinbad. Also, Conan the Destroyer actually fits the D&D adventure model better than Conan the Barbarian does.

    So, I think people are putting up lists of movies they like more so than lists of movies that exemplify D&D. Otherwise we would see Krull in the list of very D&D-esque movies, and no, I am not much of a Krull fan at all, but it does have some cool stuff in it (just not the story Razz). Krull fits the average adventure idea of a quest, as it doesn't last for very long and yet spans a variety of locales and features all sorts of bizarre/interesting characters. Too bad it couldn't have been just a little bit less hokey.

    ...and i just have to include THIS.
    Laughing
    _________________
    - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
    Posts: 3310
    From: Michigan

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 5:18 am  

    If you guys haven't seen The Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising, you all need to: http://youtu.be/EwtH5oQqHPg

    If we're not constraining our lists to things that are good, the recent Conan remake was laughably awful (especially the ending, which was one of the most unintentionally hilarious things I've ever seen) but really, really D&D-esque, especially once Conan recruits a thief for his party. Also, Your Highness.
    GreySage

    Joined: Jul 26, 2010
    Posts: 2695
    From: LG Dyvers

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:16 am  

    Lol! Your Highness was worth watching just to see Natalie Portman in a bikini. Evil Grin

    I remember Hawk The Slayer! I didn't remember that Jack Palance was in it. The only thing I remember appreciating was the way they made the elven archer fire his bow so quickly.

    SirXaris
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Nov 07, 2004
    Posts: 1846
    From: Mt. Smolderac

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:20 am  

    My vote for worst fantasy movie ever, The Warrior and the Sorceress with David Carradine. Witness the awfulness!. For added bad points, it takes the story from Yojimbo and does horrible things to it.
    GreySage

    Joined: Sep 09, 2009
    Posts: 2470
    From: SW WA state (Highvale)

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 7:47 am  

    Ceb, thank you much for the vote of confidence! Does this grant me one free immunity from Purple Lightning? Wink

    -Lanthorn
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:06 am  

    Cebrion wrote:
    I thought I had lost all faith in you lot...until I got to Lanthorn's post. Happy The Golden Voyage of Sinbad is pretty much D&D in a bottle.
    So, I think people are putting up lists of movies they like more so than lists of movies that exemplify D&D.

    Totally agree on the classics (Sinbad and as you can see I listed El Cid)
    BUT... I would point out the D&D feel was only PART of the intent of the thread.

    I think, as you point out, we can all generate a favorite movie list, but was intending to seek more of a list that not only personifies the game, but may be some game elements.
    There are, I'm sure movies that perfect the CN character type, or a good monster concept, etc.
    Being a "movie-a-holic" I try to find good elements in most that I watch. And much to my wife's annoyance, I game compare.. "so hun, what kind of character would that be? What alignment does Bruce Willis portray in Die Hard" etc.
    For example, I think the captain of the guard in Dragonslayer is a great example of LN... "sorry my king, but the lotto says the dragon gets to eat the princess"....
    BIG C.. keep the Faith Wink
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:10 am  

    Lanthorn wrote:
    Ceb, thank you much for the vote of confidence! Does this grant me one free immunity from Purple Lightning? Wink

    -Lanthorn

    Doesn't all your rule questioning have your PURPLE meter in the red?
    Wink
    GreySage

    Joined: Sep 09, 2009
    Posts: 2470
    From: SW WA state (Highvale)

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:13 am  

    DLG, I suffer from a similar affliction. From time to time I find myself reverting to 'gamespeak.'

    For the record, my favorite dragon concept/design of all time, thus far, has to be Vermithrax from Dragonslayer. Another one of Ray Harryhausen's excellent creature effects. I still find it hard to believe that movie was a DISNEY film (if memory serves). Shocked

    -Lanthorn
    GreySage

    Joined: Sep 09, 2009
    Posts: 2470
    From: SW WA state (Highvale)

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 6:44 pm  

    Dark_Lord_Galen wrote:
    Lanthorn wrote:
    Ceb, thank you much for the vote of confidence! Does this grant me one free immunity from Purple Lightning? Wink

    -Lanthorn

    Doesn't all your rule questioning have your PURPLE meter in the red?
    Wink


    Laughing Likely so, but I prefer to think that I am adding to the general discourse of Canonfire! At least, hope so! Cool

    -Lanthorn the Query-Plagued
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Mon Jun 25, 2012 8:33 pm  

    Lanthorn wrote:
    I prefer to think that I am adding to the general discourse of Canonfire! At least, hope so! Cool
    -Lanthorn the Query-Plagued

    NO Hope required. You venture into the wilds that only the Fearless would dare venture inspires. Cool Somebody has to test Rasgon's resources, Sir Xaris's pearls of wisdom and Cebrions Patience hehe Wink
    Black Hand of Oblivion

    Joined: Feb 16, 2003
    Posts: 3835
    From: So. Cal

    Send private message
    Tue Jun 26, 2012 12:47 am  

    Well, now I just have to go out an find a copy of "The Warrior and the Sorceress". Laughing
    _________________
    - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Nov 07, 2004
    Posts: 1846
    From: Mt. Smolderac

    Send private message
    Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:01 am  

    Cebrion wrote:
    Well, now I just have to go out an find a copy of "The Warrior and the Sorceress". Laughing


    It should be required viewing. Does anyone else remember This -- The Archer - Fugitive From the Empire. It was supposedly meant to be a tv series in the early 80's. It only got as far as showing the pilot. I remember me and my D&D playing nerd-o friends in middle school geeking out over it when it came out. It was utter crap, but we loved it. If you look it up on Youtube someone has the entire thing posted in segments. Give it watch.
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 09, 2003
    Posts: 1358
    From: Tennessee, between Ft. Campbell & APSU

    Send private message
    Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:00 am  

    Cebrion wrote:
    I thought I had lost all faith in you lot...until I got to Lanthorn's post. Happy The Golden Voyage of Sinbad is pretty much D&D in a bottle. The king in the mask was basically fried by a fireball cast by the evil wizard (played by Tom Baker), the wizard literally makes a homonculus in the movie...


    -When Lanthorn mentioned Sinbad, I thought of the homunculous, but you beat me to it. It must have been taken from the movie. Question

    I liked Koura's second in command, Achmed. He didn't seem like an inherently bad sort. I thought there would have been possibility for role (as opposed to roll) play there. But Koura's guys disappear half way through the movie.

    The merchant's loser son Haroun: 1st level PC! (D&D 3.5 Rogue?)

    smillan_31 wrote:

    ...Does anyone else remember url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/archer_the_fugitive_from_the_empire/trailers/]This[/url] -- The Archer - Fugitive From the Empire. It was supposedly meant to be a tv series in the early 80's. It only got as far as showing the pilot. I remember me and my D&D playing nerd-o friends in middle school geeking out over it when it came out. It was utter crap, but we loved it...


    -I do remember that, although I didn't know the name. As I was watching it with my sister, my family was asking "Does this have anything to do with that Dragons and Dungeons thing you keep playing? Laughing

    I still wonder why exploding arrows aren't a regular magic item. Evil Grin

    The was a movie in the 1960s (I think), which UHF channels would play on Saturday afternoons. It involved a young squire who sets off on a quest with a magically acquired an international team of knights (i.e., a Scottish knight, a German knight, a Spanish knight, etc). His companions all get killed, but at the end of the story, his mom (?) brings them all back to life with here magic ring. I swear the mom (?) was played by Agnes Moorehead. I've tried google, no luck.
    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: Aug 13, 2001
    Posts: 460


    Send private message
    Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:19 pm  

    Lanthorn wrote:
    DLG, I suffer from a similar affliction. From time to time I find myself reverting to 'gamespeak.'

    For the record, my favorite dragon concept/design of all time, thus far, has to be Vermithrax from Dragonslayer. Another one of Ray Harryhausen's excellent creature effects. I still find it hard to believe that movie was a DISNEY film (if memory serves). Shocked

    -Lanthorn


    That was a Disney film, but I don't think Harryhausen was involved.
    Adept Greytalker

    Joined: Aug 13, 2001
    Posts: 460


    Send private message
    Tue Jun 26, 2012 4:57 pm  

    I'm surprised no one has mentioned Excalibur, which had absolutely the best Merlin ever on screen!

    In addition to movies, there have been a *few* fantasy TV series worth watching.

    Game of Thrones, obviously. Ned Stark, I think, has many paladin-like qualities, despite the fact he doesn't seem to be of the typical cavalier breed.

    The 1980s British Robin of Sherwood series brought elements of magic & pagan mysticism into the RH legend, & IMO is the "Excalibur" of Robin Hood adaptions. Picture a band of rangers & rogues (& one cleric), with a druidic mentor (Herene the Hunter).

    The Starz series Camelot is also worth a look. Despite the poor casting of Arthur, it had some interesting takes on the Arthurian legends, & I thought Joseph Fiennes was the second best Merlin I've seen.

    As for movies to avoid, I would watch a marathon of The Warrior and the Sorceress, Mazes and Monsters, & every D&D movie made to avoid watching 1984's The Dungeonmaster!
    GreySage

    Joined: Sep 09, 2009
    Posts: 2470
    From: SW WA state (Highvale)

    Send private message
    Tue Jun 26, 2012 5:16 pm  

    I did some basic research on this, and I may be in error. Sad Robbastard may be correct on this account. Although I dimly recall seeing a picture of Ray Harryhausen posing near Vermithrax (did he have any influence on the creature creation?), my casual perusing online has suggested that Phil Tippett (of the various Star Wars films) may be the mastermind behind that amazing beast. Still the best damn dragon around as far as I am concerned!

    -Lanthorn
    GreySage

    Joined: Jul 26, 2010
    Posts: 2695
    From: LG Dyvers

    Send private message
    Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:36 pm  

    I think DLG named the best dragon in Reign of Fire.

    I would like to say again how empressed I was with the Balrog from the Lord of the Rings. I loved the heat when it roared. No flight, no dragon-like fire breath because it didn't need those things to be perfectly terrifying. Evil Grin

    SirXaris
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Nov 07, 2004
    Posts: 1846
    From: Mt. Smolderac

    Send private message
    Tue Jun 26, 2012 7:51 pm  

    Lanthorn wrote:
    I did some basic research on this, and I may be in error. Sad Robbastard may be correct on this account. Although I dimly recall seeing a picture of Ray Harryhausen posing near Vermithrax (did he have any influence on the creature creation?), my casual perusing online has suggested that Phil Tippett (of the various Star Wars films) may be the mastermind behind that amazing beast. Still the best damn dragon around as far as I am concerned!

    -Lanthorn


    It was Phil Tippet. Harryhausen had been working on Clash of the Titans, which was released about the same time as Dragonslayer. Vermithrax was definitely a ground-breaking dragon design. You can still see its influence today.

    I've been watching a ton of historical series lately that has been very influential on what I'm doing in D&D and Greyhawk. The Borgias, Pillars of the Earth, and The Shadow of the Tower. Good stuff if you like medieval and renaissance politics and intrigue.
    Black Hand of Oblivion

    Joined: Feb 16, 2003
    Posts: 3835
    From: So. Cal

    Send private message
    Tue Jun 26, 2012 11:33 pm  

    For the time, and considering how much bad fantasy stuff came out in the early 80's, The Archer wasn't that bad. I think I recall liking it more than Krull, which, granted, isn't saying much. Laughing
    _________________
    - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:15 am  

    Cebrion wrote:
    For the time, and considering how much bad fantasy stuff came out in the early 80's, The Archer wasn't that bad. I think I recall liking it more than Krull, which, granted, isn't saying much. Laughing


    LOL I hear Ya there! ... there was an abundance of "film waste". But Lysette Anthony did look pretty good as a redhead.Happy

    By comparison I would agree, and since the "trend" seems for the moment, to define "less stellar" choices, I would have to add Legend. But I tend to "try" to find some good elements, the best part was making the goblin look like Kieth Richards of the Rolling Stones hehe And the "look" of the Lord of Darkness wasn't terrible.
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Nov 07, 2004
    Posts: 1846
    From: Mt. Smolderac

    Send private message
    Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:43 am  

    Overall, I like Legend. There are some things about it I cringe at. The worst being the god-awful Tangerine Dream soundtrack. Also on the plus side, two words. Billy. Barty.
    Which reminds me, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Willow yet.
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:45 am  

    smillan_31 wrote:

    Which reminds me, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Willow yet.

    Here HERE..... Willow is one that often slides under t he radar but has several good elements in it.
    One of the few movies where Ron Howard and George Lucas teamed up.
    I think the Character Willow (though listed as a Dwarf by wiki and the movie) makes a pretty good Gnome wizard. And the brownies are pretty good characters too.
    GreySage

    Joined: Sep 09, 2009
    Posts: 2470
    From: SW WA state (Highvale)

    Send private message
    Wed Jun 27, 2012 8:39 am  

    If people are going to mention the likes of Willow and Legend, I will dare to utter the words, The Never-ending Story. Shocked

    -Lanthorn

    (still consider Vermithrax the "creator" Dragon for all subsequent drakes, including those found in Reign of Fire)
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:05 am  

    Lanthorn wrote:
    If people are going to mention the likes of Willow and Legend, I will dare to utter the words, The Never-ending Story. Shocked
    -Lanthorn
    (still consider Vermithrax the "creator" Dragon for all subsequent drakes, including those found in Reign of Fire)


    LOL ok the gloves are off now.... if we are digging up fossils.... The Dark Crystal.... enters the ring.
    Like Vermithrax, it is still amazing what they could do WITHOUT CGI. Have often kicked around adding "gelflings" to the NPC Demihuman roles.

    And the quote "Jen: Wings? I don't have wings! Kira: Of course not. You're a boy." Still cracks me up.
    Master Greytalker

    Joined: Apr 13, 2006
    Posts: 654
    From: Frinton on Sea England

    Send private message
    Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:50 am  

    Dark_Lord_Galen wrote:
    smillan_31 wrote:

    Which reminds me, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Willow yet.

    Here HERE..... Willow is one that often slides under t he radar but has several good elements in it.
    One of the few movies where Ron Howard and George Lucas teamed up.
    I think the Character Willow (though listed as a Dwarf by wiki and the movie) makes a pretty good Gnome wizard. And the brownies are pretty good characters too.


    I don't know if you guys across the pond have seen "Life's Too Short". It's a Ricky Gervais cringe-along comedy series that features Willow's Warwick Davis as its central character as his career slides into oblivion while he clings on to claims of fame as "star" of Willow and Star Wars (ewok). Truly an excruciating, albeit hilarious at times, train wreck of a series.


    Last edited by Ragr on Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:53 am; edited 1 time in total
    Master Greytalker

    Joined: Apr 13, 2006
    Posts: 654
    From: Frinton on Sea England

    Send private message
    Wed Jun 27, 2012 9:52 am  

    Robbastard wrote:
    I'm surprised no one has mentioned Excalibur, which had absolutely the best Merlin ever on screen!


    Great line;

    "A dream to some..............

    ......a nightmare to others."
    GreySage

    Joined: Jul 26, 2010
    Posts: 2695
    From: LG Dyvers

    Send private message
    Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:23 am  

    Thanks for mentioning Willow, smillan. That is one I own and my kids and I love to watch it. The Lenny and Squiggy brownies were hilarious and Mad Martigan had lots of great lines.

    As far as Legend goes, my friend and I left the theater in High School swearing that Legend was the worst movie we had ever seen. Through the years, however, I have watched it over and over and grown to love it for the small stuff I missed the first time. The goblins speaking in rhymes is the best, but though I initially hated the devil's over-sized horns, I appreciate them now. The sea hag is also an inspired creation. I did think that it would be difficult to breathe in a forest with so much pollen in the air, though, and didn't like the unicorns' horns bouncing around.

    SirXaris
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
    Posts: 3310
    From: Michigan

    Send private message
    Thu Jun 28, 2012 12:36 am  

    Dark_Lord_Galen wrote:
    smillan_31 wrote:

    Which reminds me, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Willow yet.

    Here HERE..... Willow is one that often slides under t he radar but has several good elements in it.
    One of the few movies where Ron Howard and George Lucas teamed up.
    I think the Character Willow (though listed as a Dwarf by wiki and the movie) makes a pretty good Gnome wizard. And the brownies are pretty good characters too.


    Warwick Davis is a dwarf. Willow is blatantly a hobbit.
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Thu Jun 28, 2012 6:57 am  

    rasgon wrote:
    Dark_Lord_Galen wrote:

    I think the Character Willow (though listed as a Dwarf by wiki and the movie) makes a pretty good Gnome wizard.

    Warwick Davis is a dwarf. Willow is blatantly a hobbit.


    Hobbit? Really?? Humm I guess its the ole 1e coming out in me based on when the movie came out.... Back then, based on the Character class Limitation Chart on p13 of PH1e Halflings (Hobbits) couldn't be anything "magic- profession-ed". Though in 2e I think they added cleric to their ranks. Although 3.5e blurred the line further, and allows anyone to be anything...
    OR are you referencing the similarity between hobbits LOTR and Willow story wise.... ie Quest to destroy the ring / Quest to protect the child?
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
    Posts: 3310
    From: Michigan

    Send private message
    Thu Jun 28, 2012 7:47 am  

    Dark_Lord_Galen wrote:
    Hobbit? Really?? Humm I guess its the ole 1e coming out in me based on when the movie came out.... Back then, based on the Character class Limitation Chart on p13 of PH1e Halflings (Hobbits) couldn't be anything "magic- profession-ed". Though in 2e I think they added cleric to their ranks. Although 3.5e blurred the line further, and allows anyone to be anything...
    OR are you referencing the similarity between hobbits LOTR and Willow story wise.... ie Quest to destroy the ring / Quest to protect the child?


    The Nelwyns in Willow are blatantly based on Tolkien's hobbits; they're an insular, diminutive, conservative, agricultural people, condescended to by humans although at least one of them has surprising inner strength that allows him to be a great hero. Tolkien's hobbits aren't able to become wizards because in Middle Earth pretty much only Maiar can be wizards, but the two races are functionally the same idea. In Willow's world, Nelwyns can learn magic, but otherwise he's a hobbit.

    Note that I'm comparing them to hobbits, not AD&D halflings. It's true that in the world Gary Gygax created, halflings are nonmagical creatures, while Nelwyns aren't.

    Even so, the comparison with gnomes is only valid if, in your campaign, gnomes are virtually identical to Tolkien's hobbits in every respect except for their affinity to magic. Note that the Nelwyns aren't portrayed as being particularly good at magic (where gnomes are better illusionists than humans in some editions) - they just have one village hedge mage and his inexperienced apprentice, which is probably not more than an equivalent human village would have.

    If gnomes in your campaign are culturally and physically distinct from halflings, then Willow is probably much more like a halfling than a gnome. Class restrictions are only a matter of game mechanics and have little to do with a race's overall culture - a few extraordinary halflings in a village learning magic doesn't make them gnomes, in my opinion, any more than a few human fighter/mages in a village makes humans indistinguishable from elves.

    Gnomes, traditionally, live in caves, mine for gems and gold, specialize in trickery, pranks, and illusion, have distinctive large noses, and are usually portrayed as having more in common with their dwarf cousins than the completely unrelated halfling race.

    Willow is a "dwarf" in the general sense of the word, the sense that his actor is a dwarf - that is, a person significantly smaller than human average. In that sense, halflings are a dwarf people; so are gnomes, goblins, brownies, kobolds, and jermlaines. He's definitely not a dwarf in the style of Tolkien or Gygax. The role of gnomes has always been a little vague in D&D, with them variously being portrayed as smaller dwarves, as eccentric tinkers, as pranksters, as keepers of secrets, as masters of elemental magic or sylvan inhabitants of the roots of trees, or being lumped in with halflings as generic short people. Several D&D worlds left out gnomes entirely because the designers couldn't think of a distinct enough role for them. But I think every source that does draw a sharp distinction between gnomes and halflings would agree that Willow's people, the Nelwyns, are much closer to halflings.
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Nov 07, 2004
    Posts: 1846
    From: Mt. Smolderac

    Send private message
    Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:05 pm  

    rasgon wrote:
    Willow is blatantly a hobbit.


    I always agreed with this assessment, to the extent that in the campaign I ran at the time, "peck" was a derogatory term that humans in Bissel used for halflings. I once had the occasion to have an NPC say "Out of the way, peck!" to my friends drunk halfling fighter, who promptly kicked the crap out of the guy. Smile
    GreySage

    Joined: Jul 26, 2010
    Posts: 2695
    From: LG Dyvers

    Send private message
    Thu Jun 28, 2012 9:44 pm  

    smillan_31 wrote:
    I once had the occasion to have an NPC say "Out of the way, peck!" to my friends drunk halfling fighter, who promptly kicked the crap out of the guy. Smile


    Ha! I've used that line several times in my own campaigns. Always a hoot when the victim knows the line's source. Laughing

    SirXaris
    Apprentice Greytalker

    Joined: Apr 18, 2010
    Posts: 103
    From: Missouri

    Send private message
    Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:09 am  

    I would add The Thirteenth Warrior, a thinly veiled Beowulf movie based on Crichton's novel Eaters of the Dead. Though it's pretty low-magic, there is some mystical stuff, and it has several scenes that mirror typical D&D set pieces:
    *The early translation scene, in which Antonio Banderas's character (Ahmed) is selected for the party
    *The montage of Ahmed learning the northmen's language, which he reveals by delivering a memorable insult
    *The first attack of the Wendelin on the hall
    *Their search of the cabin, and questioning of the seer
    *Infiltration of the Wendelin caves - great dungeon crawl
    *Final attack of the Wendelin

    Really, you could almost plan this out as an adventure.

    And of course it's not out yet, but I'm expecting The Hobbit to up the ante on dragons...
    GreySage

    Joined: Jul 26, 2010
    Posts: 2695
    From: LG Dyvers

    Send private message
    Fri Jun 29, 2012 10:32 am  

    Chevalier wrote:
    *The montage of Ahmed learning the northmen's language, which he reveals by delivering a memorable insult.


    This was my favorite part of that movie! I loved how they did that. It worked incredibly well, in my mind. Smile

    Has anyone mentioned Ladyhawk yet? I think someone did. That was an excellent D&D-like movie - The noble captain of the guard, Navarr (a Paladin), and his love, the Lady Isaboe (fair maiden) both cursed into a form of lycanthropy by an evil high priest (Cleric) protected by his minions (bodyguards/meatshields), are helped by a young prison escapee (a Neutral Good Thief) and a good priest/Cleric (Friar Tuck, anyone?) to defeat the evil Cleric and end the curse.

    A fight with the guards, chases through a forest, an evil couple in a cottage in the forest try to ambush them, a fight in a ruined castle/monastary, a paladin's warhorse (named Goliath, even), and a double crossbow. Did I miss anything? Happy

    SirXaris
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Fri Jun 29, 2012 1:39 pm  

    Chevalier wrote:
    I would add The Thirteenth Warrior,
    Really, you could almost plan this out as an adventure.
    And of course it's not out yet, but I'm expecting The Hobbit to up the ante on dragons...

    Lots of good Game Quotes in that one...
    Ibn Fadlan:Have we anything resembling a plan?
    Herger the Joyous: Mm-hm. Ride till we find them... and kill them all.

    Buliwyf: Luck often enough, will save a man, if his courage hold.

    [Ibn just after killing a beastman]
    Herger the Joyous:Its all right, little brother... there are more!

    Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: I am not a warrior.
    Herger the Joyous: Very soon, you will be.

    And IMO the Best One....

    Buliwyf: Lo, there do I see my father. Lo, there do I see...
    Herger the Joyous: My mother, and my sisters, and my brothers.
    Buliwyf: Lo, there do I see...
    Herger the Joyous: The line of my people...
    Edgtho the Silent: Back to the beginning.
    Weath the Musician: Lo, they do call to me.
    Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: They bid me take my place among them.
    Buliwyf: In the halls of Valhalla...
    Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: Where the brave...
    Herger the Joyous: May live...
    Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: ...forever.

    I can see many of these sprinkled into a game session.

    And as you point out.... I HOPE Smaug raises the bar.
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
    Posts: 3310
    From: Michigan

    Send private message
    Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:26 pm  

    Army of Darkness, anyone?
    Paladin

    Joined: Sep 07, 2011
    Posts: 833
    From: Houston Texas

    Send private message
    Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:56 pm  

    lol
    or
    Dorakka = "Zombieland" ??? Where is Woody Harrelson when you need him... Maybe Furondy can hire him as an NPC Mercenary?
    GreySage

    Joined: Sep 09, 2009
    Posts: 2470
    From: SW WA state (Highvale)

    Send private message
    Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:17 pm  

    Is it even possible that, with ALL the posts, we actually forgot one all-time classic??? Surely someone mentioned it, but a quick scan failed to conjure the title of-

    Clash of the Titans!

    Please tell me someone nailed this... Shocked

    (I still prefer the older one, again, creature effects of Ray Harryhausen, though some of the CGI creatures of the recent remake were good)

    Also, just recently, Labyrinth, Legend, Army of Darkness, and also Krull were on TV. I smiled, thinking of this very post.

    -Lanthorn
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Nov 07, 2004
    Posts: 1846
    From: Mt. Smolderac

    Send private message
    Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:40 pm  

    rasgon wrote:
    Army of Darkness, anyone?


    Heck yeah! If I had a dime for every time someone in a game I've been in has said, "Well hello Mr. Fancy Pants..."
    Journeyman Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 157
    From: Philadelphia, PA

    Send private message
    Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:22 pm  

    Chevalier wrote:
    Really, you could almost plan this out as an adventure.


    I had a friend that attended film school who often said:

    "I learned more about screenwriting from playing D&D then I ever did in (his film school)."

    Having written three screenplays I can attest to that fact, as well.

    Any good film is a good adventure and any good adventure makes for a good film.

    It really breaks down to three important things:

    1} Solid, easily relatable characters (since you're working with 120 min time constraint in film and keeping people's attention at a table in gaming).

    2} A story with a beginning→middle→end. Most movies stink these days because, as I often point out, they don't end - they stop. An end requires there to have been a journey of sorts and a dénouement.

    3} Pacing that keeps the audience from becoming to disinterested from boredom or too lost/overwhelmed from the rapidity of events.


    I suppose that's more than anyone wanted to know, now that I've finished.

    Wink
    Journeyman Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 157
    From: Philadelphia, PA

    Send private message
    Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:30 pm  

    Lanthorn wrote:
    Clash of the Titans!.. I still prefer the older one, again, creature effects of Ray Harryhausen, though some of the CGI creatures of the recent remake were good.



    Agreed 100%.

    I believe this is the first and only film about which I've ever said the following statement:

    They should've simply done a shot-for-shot remake.

    Keep the screenplay (or, more precisely, the shooting script)

    And just get new actors and effects.



    The first one was well-written.

    The story was good.

    The characters solid and relatable.

    The pacing was excellent.

    Shot-for-shot would've been the best choice.

    Cheaper, too.



    I thought the (quasi-)remake they ended up with was pretty poor overall.
    GreySage

    Joined: Sep 09, 2009
    Posts: 2470
    From: SW WA state (Highvale)

    Send private message
    Mon Aug 20, 2012 7:27 am  

    "Arise, slumbering thread, Arise!!!"

    (I borrowed Mystic's spellbook to do this...)

    Talking of 'must see' movies, what did ya'll (that's for you Texans out there, like Icarus and DLG...by the way, where in tarnation is he?!) think about "The WolfMan" remake with Benicio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins?

    I loved it, because it held true to the old genre of black and white classics, and, of course, it was a real horror film, complete with blood and gore, and the effects (the beast especially) were GREAT!

    I was really hoping they'd continue onward and resurrect the other old film classics in the same way, such as "Frankenstein", "Phantom of the Opera", "the Mummy", and, of course (!), "Dracula!" I guess not, after all... Cry

    -Lanthorn (putting book back now)
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Nov 07, 2004
    Posts: 1846
    From: Mt. Smolderac

    Send private message
    Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:56 am  

    Yeah, I enjoyed it. Probably because it was kind of a throwback. Which is also probably what hurt it at the boxoffice. The mummy is my favorite of the classic monster movies. Bride of Frankenstein is a close second.
    GreySage

    Joined: Sep 09, 2009
    Posts: 2470
    From: SW WA state (Highvale)

    Send private message
    Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:01 pm  

    Does anyone out there recall the old Ralph Bakshi versions of "Lord of the Rings?" Very bizarre type of animation. He also came out with a movie entitled "Wizards," but if dim memory serves me, I wasn't too enthralled with it. And I also believe he helped with an animated film called "Fire and Ice," which I did like! There was a scantily clad girl in it Wink along with some type of subhuman beings serving an evil wizard named Nekron and his witch mother Evil Grin ; and the hero allied with some panther-helmed, muscular dude with a battleaxe that reminds me of Argon. Happy

    Anybody recall these animated films? Opinions?

    -Lanthorn, quasi-old timer (not quite)
    Grandmaster Greytalker

    Joined: Jul 09, 2003
    Posts: 1358
    From: Tennessee, between Ft. Campbell & APSU

    Send private message
    Thu Aug 23, 2012 7:23 am  

    Lanthorn wrote:
    Does anyone out there recall the old Ralph Bakshi versions of "Lord of the Rings?"


    -I saw it on TV. When it first came out, every fanboy panned it for a donzen differerent reasons.

    IIRC, the way they did the animation was that they filmed actual people, then drew it.
    GreySage

    Joined: Aug 03, 2001
    Posts: 3310
    From: Michigan

    Send private message
    Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:31 pm  

    jamesdglick wrote:
    IIRC, the way they did the animation was that they filmed actual people, then drew it.


    Yes, it's called rotoscoping. Even Walt Disney used that technique for some scenes in Snow White. His animators had only animated stretchy anthropomorphic animals up to that point, and they needed a little help learning how humans moved. Of course, Disney's Snow White looked miles better than Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings.
    Forum Moderator

    Joined: Feb 26, 2004
    Posts: 2590
    From: Ullinois

    Send private message
    Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:58 pm  

    I'm a bit late on joining this thread from the looks of things. I am happy to say I've seen most of the movies mentioned here. One thing I'd like to add for my own tastes...I like the cheesy movies like Neverending Story, Willow, Sword and the Sorcerer, Legend, Dark Crystal (saw it on TV today for the first time in ages strangely) and so on...In many cases their effects are dated or groundbreaking (no one disputes Harryhousen's stuff for the same reasons). I hate more recent movies that clearly have big budgets and try to pull off a serious flick only to end up laughable. Such as the current Conan and Clash movies or yes, the lamentable D&D movies (which barely rate as Syfy movies).

    One last movie, for me the perfect fun D&D adventure would play out like the Princess Bride. I never get tired of that one.
    Display posts from previous:   
       Canonfire Forum Index -> World of Greyhawk Discussion All times are GMT - 8 Hours
    Page 1 of 1

    Jump to:  

    You cannot post new topics in this forum
    You cannot reply to topics in this forum
    You cannot edit your posts in this forum
    You cannot delete your posts in this forum
    You cannot vote in polls in this forum




    Canonfire! is a production of the Thursday Group in assocation with GREYtalk and Canonfire! Enterprises

    Contact the Webmaster.  Long Live Spidasa!


    Greyhawk Gothic Font by Darlene Pekul is used under the Creative Commons License.

    PHP-Nuke Copyright © 2005 by Francisco Burzi. This is free software, and you may redistribute it under the GPL. PHP-Nuke comes with absolutely no warranty, for details, see the license.
    Page Generation: 0.50 Seconds