What do you think of the Conan movies?

[GregLynch]

Do they actually try and treat it as a serious work? If so that would be hilarious.....

They do. After Jeremy Irons gnaws through the scenery like a weed-whacker in any given part of the movie, they ooh and aah and say things like 'Oh, that was just amazing ... the depth he gives the character there' or 'Working with Jeremy on this project was just such a joy. He brought a true spirit of professionalism to the script, and inspired all of us to turn in the best performances we could.'

Those are made-up quotes, of course, but they're in the same vein as what you'll hear on the commentary.

The deleted scene with Gary Gygax in which Jeremy Irons stalks off the set is also delightful. You can just tell he's thinking: 'I won an Oscar. I won a Tony. I won an Emmy. What the hell happened?'

 

[greenjelly]

My favourite part in the first D&D film was the part with the Beholders and the castle grounds. It looked like it was filmed in someones backyard... :lol:

 

[greenjelly]

I think I must be alone in the world when I say I really enjoyed Red Sonja a lot. It has it's faults of course, but I still really like it.

The first Conan movie was enjoyable also. Though for the life of me I have not figured out what so many people seem to love about the soundtrack!

Fire And Ice was really great also. If anyone wants to see another good fantasy film, try Dungeons And Dragons 2:Wrath Of The Dragon God, I was really surprised how good it actually was, basically an RPG come to life. It isn't an Oscar winner, but I think any fantasy fan not expecting LOTR level stuff will REALLY enjoy it!

Yeah I was amazed how much I liked D&D 2, Wrath of the Dragon God- it was really entertaining. I loved that one scene whent the cleric buys it fighting the dragon: the beast breaths on him and freezes him solid, then in the ensuing battle he gets smashed to a bunch of pieces. Shaman heal thyself!

Then there was also the scene where the Dwarf thief saves the party from that wicked trap- man, those spikes meant business!

There was one scene that didnt work that well: the one where two members of the party are working to decipher a riddle or something at the statue, and the two females are told to fight off the group of bad guys running at them. Did I miss something? Why not kill off the bad guys as a team, then decipher the stupid riddle afterwards? You could even have the two chick characters scrounge up some lunch while the guys figure out the damn riddle.... Perhaps the idea was that the bad guys were an endless horde, therefore they had to decipher it right then and there in order to open the passageway beneath, but there were only i dont know, 25 or 30 bad guys running at them, yes a lot of baddies but not an endless horde. They shoulda just killed em off as a team, then gone back to the damn statue. Now, the two chicks handled them well. But it seemed like an attempt to draw some suspense out of the situation that didnt add up. Like, "Will these intrepid heroes decipher it in time or will they be overrun by the inept baddies? Tune in next week..." I guess budget constraints limited the # of bad guys they could show, but at the time watching it i was like- hey, kill the bad guys as a team, then decipher the effing riddle at your liesure, criminy!

But overrall, that was a cool flick- the bad guys were pretty cool- even the lich with the bad teeth (which figures, Lich dental care being what it is since Kemmler took over as the Lichmaster...) and the dragon was effing awesome, and the good guys werent annoying: and some of them took a dirt nap, too! Fun stuff!

I just figured they had to get inside because they could not hold them all back, and eventually would have bene overhwelmed with their numbers.

But it was a good fantasy film, and I hope they do another sequel. I think LOTR has made it hard for fantasy films now, nothing can really stand up to those, but if you don't expect LOTR quality, it is an enjoyable film.

 

[geordiekimbo]

My favourite part in the first D&D film was the part with the Beholders and the castle grounds. It looked like it was filmed in someones backyard...

they were.

Jeremy Iron's backyard.

Thats why he's mad throughout the whole film.

He wasnt acting in those films, He really did want THEIR BLOOD TO RAIN FROM THE SKIIEEESS

I so HATE that movie.

 

[Yogah of Yag]

The second DnD film was shown on the SciFi channel a month or two previously, so I though I would put aside my scepticism and watch. However, after only a few minutes of viewing, the amateurish production level triggered an automatic vomiting response. I think my major concern was the lighting on their sets. Everything was all very bright--uniformly bright, but the source of the lighting was not always logical or clearly defined. It was sort of a cheesy, overblown primetime sitcom lighting. In other words, some depth was needed, some light and shadow to create the proper atmosphere, and a clear, rational link between the lighting in a scene and the source, say, torches in wall-sconces, candles, daylight falling in through a sky-light, window, etc.

Also, DnD seems to require a long parade of mythical animals, as if we were going through an artificial setting such as a zoo, wherein all manner of beasts are to be found in the very same environment.

Let's hope that when a Conan film comes out in the future, the people in charge take into account the world that they must create in the film, remain true to its spirit, and the spirit of Howard's original tales, and not turn the film into a 2-hour infomercial selling merchandise.

 

[greenjelly]

I don't think you can expect film quality from a made for cable tv movie. The people who worked on it probably only ever worked in television before, which would explain the lighting.

 

[Vincent791]

Well, Merlin was made for TV too, but it's well realized. I'd try to watch D&D2, I've only read good things in this thread.

 

[Korppis]

Also, I am so glad to hear that someone else believes that The Sword & the Sorceror is complete and utter crap! That damn movie gets so many damn good reviews from people who think Conan the Barbarian is crap! never understood that. Man, does that movie blow huge chunks.

Hey, the hero from Sword and Sorcerer is soooo much more badass than Conan... When Conan was crusified he had been killed withouth his friend saving him. That Dude from S&S just tears himself free and starts to fight those bad guys with nails still sticking out his hands...

Yep, total crap.

Also, that 3-bladed sword was totally camp.

 

[Neeklus]

Gor totally destroys SoS in terms of crappiness.

 

[toothill man]

have a soft spot for the beastmaster series which I am getting professional help for :?