Inspirational Films

[Aholibamah]

You prompt me to mention others since you are thinking outside the box:

The Good the Bad and the Ugy
Fistful of Dollars
these in a way epitomize to me one sense of Conan--the treasure hunt, the intrigues in rough places with few rules.

 

[Dpetroc]

The Sinbad films can work --

But for those who really want to have fun in Brythunia/Border Kingdom/Hyperborea I recommend "The Wicker Man" and "Lair of the White Worm"

There's a lot that can be gleaned from those two. I specifically mean the first version of Wickerman, but the Nick Cage one wasn't as tragically awful as I feared it would be.

 

[Clegane]

I have always found great inspiration in John Huston's The Man Who Would Be King, which is based on a Rudyard Kipling short story. The chronological setting is Victorian/Colonial, which may seem a bit jarring, but the bulk of the film takes place in sort of a 'land removed from time', as it were.

It is not only the quintessential 'adventuring buddy film', in my opinion, but is an excellent presentation of primitive religious dominance, warring tribes, and backwards, rugged hill country. Certainly PLENTY of room for that in a Conan campaign.

 

[Spectator]

The MAn who would be king was made into a rather fun movie starrring Michael Caine and Sean Connery, great story about the guys who go into Afghanistan and basically take over a giant tribe, Very Conan-esque in the amount of balls, swagger, and chutpah needed to such a thing.

 

[Axerules]

Yes, I also think that The Man Who Would Be King was a GREAT movie. But I don't think it would work in the Conan RPG for my players. You need to have a PC who could fall into delusions of grandeur to use it directly as a Conan story...

 

[Clegane]

Heh, yeah. I didn't necessarily mention the movie with the intent of it being transplanted directly into a Conan RPG. Just as a good source of inspiration for general theme. The movie does a great job of depicting that 'rough hill country' flavor that I'd expect to find northwest of Vendhya or all along the Zamoran/Turan border. You can just see the grizzled Himelian tribesmen pissing in one another's rivers and playing polo with their rival chieftans' heads.

As I also mentioned, the Alexandrian cult and the way it and its rites are presented can also very easily be adapted into a Conan RPG.

In any event, I'll state again that its an absolutely fabulous adventure movie, regardless of its potential inspirational value. Michael Caine and Sean Connery have a more palpable and endearing chemistry in that film than nearly any 'buddy flick' I've ever seen.

 

[tarkhan bey]

NB) movie-The Warlord-contains spoilers















I remember seeing a movie on TCM starring "Chuck" Heston that I think could be good for a Conan game. It was called "The Warlord" and was set on the coasts of Normandy some time before the Norman Invasion of Britain.
Basic concept. A Norman Lord(Chuck) arrives to take control as seneschal of a small village on a marshy coast near the low countries. The villagers are nominally christian but are actually still practicing their old ways.
He and his retinue arrive at the village just as Frisian raiders launch an attack.(These guys were some sort of Viking types)A battle ensues in which the Norman knights and soldiers drive off the raiders and in the process a young Frisian boy is left behind and captured.
The villagers seem less than grateful to their new master for saving them
from the raiders although the village priest welcomes their arrival.
Chuck notices an attractive woman and sets about making her his own. He is stymied by the fact that she is already betrothed and due to marry soon. In an attempt to curry favour with the locals he allows a pagan wedding ceremony ,much to the annoyance of the priest and several of his men.
However,he just cannot help himself and invokes the right of prima nocta. The woman, has of course by now fallen for Chuck and following the first night she does not return to her husband.
A traitor within the Norman faction reveals to the husband that the Frisian boy prisoner is a prince of his people.(Cant quit remember how this was revealed). Anyway,off trots the husband to bring back an army of Frisians to rescue his wife(He believes that she is held against her will)and the Frisian prince.
There are some good battle scenes,as the heavily outnumbered Normans attempt to hold the delapidated keep against the Frisians.
I thought that the Normans and villagers could be replaced by Aquilonians in a village of Gundermen on the Cimmerian border. A religious conflict between the Mitraic Aquilonians and Bori worshipping Gundermen. Any takers?

 

[xssurdinynexes]

The Man who would be king is a good one!
I also liked Hidalgo..reminded me of El Borak
the Far Pavillons is an old movie that had an awesome battle in it!
March or Die also had an awesome battle
The Legionaire with Van damme was pretty darn good

These are my favs
King Arthur
Troy
Kingdom of heaven
The two towers LOTR
Letters from Iwo Jima
The Brothers Grimm..cool!
Thundarr
willow
Conan the barbarian
The original Star Trek
The conquest of the planet of the apes
Zatoichi the blind swordsman
Ed Wood...Lugosi rocked!
Pirates...the Roman Polanski flick
and the fearless vampire killers also by polanski(beautiful film)

 

[Willowhugger]

It's a horrible adaption of its source material.

But....Arnold's Conan the Barbarian!

;-)

 

[Malcadon]

I enjoyed The Scorpion King and it was vary Hyborion in style. If you want to see a ballzy, kick-ass movie... you... CANT... GO... WRONG... WITH... 300! (I read the graphic-novel and seen the movie)

None did talk about the DnD movies. Is it that bad?

I had seen both. The first is good if you like eating raw sh!t. On the other hand, the second one is vary true to third edition D&D - IT WAS GAY!!!

 

[Willowhugger]

D&D is something that I've enjoyed a great number of years, Malcadon, so try and cut down on the abuse of it would you? Also, gay as a pejorative is rather juvenile.

But yes, I liked the first D&D movie as a family friendly and funny B-list film. It's very much like watching an 80s cartoon brought to life.

Honestly, I didn't like the second movie as much since it was just a generic fantasy film and they took everything way too seriously. The first movie had Richard O'Brien as the King of Thieves!

But yes, neither film is remotely appropriate for the Hyborean Age with it's glut of nice spell casters.

 

[Malcadon]

D&D is something that I've enjoyed a great number of years, Malcadon, so try and cut down on the abuse of it would you? Also, gay as a pejorative is rather juvenile.

But yes, I liked the first D&D movie as a family friendly and funny B-list film. It's very much like watching an 80s cartoon brought to life.

Honestly, I didn't like the second movie as much since it was just a generic fantasy film and they took everything way too seriously. The first movie had Richard O'Brien as the King of Thieves!

Oh sorry! The second movie was soooo on target with the purity of D&D that they forgot little things, like the plot, a good storyline, interesting characters, good acting. I swear, the Dragon Strike video had better dialog. One funny thing about it was how they lost their Cleric and they had a funeral, and all I can think was "Oh no! Our healer is dead and he cant resurrect himself. Dose anybody have a 5,000gp diamond?"

Oh, and dont even compare the cartoon with the movies! You see, the cartoon had something none of the movies had - good writing!

As for movies that work well for Conan, older movies like costume plays and Harryhausen films are the best.

 

[Aholibamah]

Black Robe was a great film,
Not very 'politically correct' since it portrayed the Infians (hurons and Iroquois) as very bad-ass and bloodthirsty savages, which they were.

Great film.

I thought it was a great film too. BTW--for those of us who live in the northern USA or Canada I think that it looked very good too--I remembered from winter camping the sense of loneliness and feeling surrounded by wilderness.

 

[bradius]

Seven Years in Tibet is worth seeing. And, if you're doing Asian culturs, Memoirs of a Geisha is good for the exoticness of the location.

 

[Spectator]

Note: if you watch Memoir of a Geisha, please have a female present or you might prine a candidate for Elfquest Live Action Role Playing.

 

[bradius]

Yeah. My wife wanted to watch it (that's my story & I'm sticking to it). The story was ok, but I really liked how the exoticness of the culture was portrayed. As well as the beautiful cinamatography.

 

[The King]

I just saw the Mist.
Wow! Very Lovecraftian in mood.
May be not a great inspiration for Conan, but excellent to settle an ambiance in a weird environment.

 

[Arcadayn]

I didn't read through the whole post to see if it's been mentioned, but I just watched Apocalypto this weekend. Highly reccomeded! Tons of inspiration for everything from Picts, to ancient cities, slave blocks, ritual sacrifice, etc. Plus, it's just a really good movie.[/i]

 

[Spectator]

I second the vote on APOCALYPTO.
I was not expecting much, but I was totally blown away by everything.
OK the plot device if the wife's predicament was silly, but it was necessary to keep the film at an incredible pace.

 

[Style]

I just watched Sahara. It was a pretty decent action movie. Not brain food, but then most action movies are not. It was fun.

Anyway, much of the scenery was very inspirational for a Conan game. Some of the action was as well, with turban-topped warriors charging into battle on camels and the like.