Where are all the fantasy movies?

[Captain Tagon]

I'm not familiar with many of those you mentioned (I read Terry Brooks, but stopped after Wishsong of Shannara, and I read the first couple of Dragonlance books). I understand the Wheel of Time covers a ton of books. Are the suggestions you mentioned the kind that would be accessible to those who haven't read them? I thought the LoTR movies and Hellboy did a good job of making movies that the fans would appreciate and that many people who hadn't read the books would also enjoy.

Of course, I guess that depends on the script and director, in many ways, and not so much the story, really.

Warrior Poet

Very true. Most of them probably would be fairly accessable if done well and starting with the first part of the series. Much like many such things though, if you missed the first one I'm not sure how well the others would hold up. But again, I am still burned out on fantasy. Hard to get all inspired about heroics and romance when you realize none of the characters have probably bathed in like a year.

 

[sniffles]

Very true. Most of them probably would be fairly accessable if done well and starting with the first part of the series. Much like many such things though, if you missed the first one I'm not sure how well the others would hold up. But again, I am still burned out on fantasy. Hard to get all inspired about heroics and romance when you realize none of the characters have probably bathed in like a year.

What, you can't be heroic if you're not all clean and shiny?

I understand what you mean about Conan. I don't find Howard's writing style particularly fun to read.

I think the general limitation on fantasy films is due to a strange audience perception. The average citizen just can't take magic and pseudo-medieval derring-do seriously unless it's presented in a "for kids" form like Harry Potter. For some reason people have no trouble accepting superheroes, perhaps because they generally live in the present day and are otherwise just like you and me. But non-fantasy genre fans have a hard time relating to a bunch of people who live without electricity or mass transportation. Some films are able to transcend this, but it's rare.

I offer as an example when I went to see "House of Flying Daggers". It's not a fantasy film per se, but it has elements that relate it to fantasy. There were a couple of young men sitting next to me who spent the whole movie giggling at all the wuxia action. Those same young men probably saw "Spider-Man 2" and didn't have a second thought about believing a guy can shoot spiderwebs out of his wrists, but they just couldn't take flying leaps or super-accurate archery seriously.

 

[Captain Tagon]

What, you can't be heroic if you're not all clean and shiny?

Exactly.

I offer as an example when I went to see "House of Flying Daggers". It's not a fantasy film per se, but it has elements that relate it to fantasy. There were a couple of young men sitting next to me who spent the whole movie giggling at all the wuxia action. Those same young men probably saw "Spider-Man 2" and didn't have a second thought about believing a guy can shoot spiderwebs out of his wrists, but they just couldn't take flying leaps or super-accurate archery seriously.

Oddly enough that is probably my favorite movie that I've seen in theatres this year.

 

[DreadPirateMurphy]

If anything by Feist is going to be made into a movie that doesn't look like a LOTR clone, it will be the Empire series (Servant of the Empire/Daughter of the Empire/Mistress of the Empire). Not S&S by the strictest definition, but definitely different.

I would also like to see Orson Scott Card's Alvin Maker series (maybe as a miniseries rather than film). I also can't believe there isn't already a Dragonriders of Pern in production somewhere.

Actually, the closest thing to S&S that I wouldn't mind seeing as a movie or miniseries would be King's Dark Tower series. Would that be Guns and Sorcery?

 

[David Howery]

I find Howard's tales to be a mixed bag. His bad stories are really bad, his good ones are pretty good, and he wrote a number of stark scenes that are classic in the genre.... Conan's crucifixion and killing of a vulture with his bare teeth is probably the most widely known fantasy scene around. But one of the things that bothers me the most about REH is the blatant racism in some of his stories... it's simply appalling at times...

 

[barsoomcore]

LOTR is about as far from S&S as you can get.

Assuming we exclude virtually every film ever made.

I would say, for example, that The Breakfast Club was further from S&S than LotR.

Or My Dinner With Andre. Or Hiroshima Mon Amour. Or Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle.

I mean, come on.

A question: how many of the people who are saying they don't like Howard have read the "Howard-only" tales, as opposed to the "edited" pastiches that are far more common? Because I certainly DON'T find Conan (as actually written by Howard, as opposed to "interpreted" by various editors and "post-humous collaborators") to be an unproblematic celebration of violence and strength. I do find the racism strong at times, especially in the Solomon Kane stories (which I find much inferior to Conan generally), but I guess I just shrug and put that aside. By no means do I find it a central theme to the stories, it just seems to be a basic assumption that Howard has in his head. What bugs me about the Kane stories is that at times (at the end of the Moon of Skulls, for example) the racist agenda gets pushed forward more and it's harder to ignore.

But the Conan stories I've read (especially the better ones) do not celebrate violence or racism or pure brute strength. They do often suggest that civilization produces "distractions" that weaken a person's ability to do the right thing, but that's fair enough, says I.

As for now finding his style "fun" to read, for me, his style is practically the very definition of fun to read. Fast-paced, gripping, memorable descriptions and great galloping whacks of narrative. Just how I like it.

But I HATE Dragonlance novels, Robert Jordan and Terry Brooks with a deep and abiding passion, so it's not surprising that we disagree.

 

[Captain Tagon]

But I HATE Dragonlance novels, Robert Jordan and Terry Brooks with a deep and abiding passion, so it's not surprising that we disagree.

And differences in taste is what makes the world so fun. Imagine how boring it would be if we all liked the same thing.

EDIT: And as an aside, the only Conan stuff I've read is the Howard only stuff from those new collections that have been coming out over the past year or so. Never even finished the first book as after just a few of the stories it just bored me.

 

[barsoomcore]

BTW, the Del Rey tradepaper version of Bran Mac Morn hits the shelves at the end of the month. It contains some material that did not make it into the Wandering Star edition.

My copy shipped from Amazon today.



For someone so late to the party, I've turned into a real Howard fiend. I keep rereading those stories and marvelling at how good he can be. Damn.

 

[Swoop109]

There's a movie (and a pretty good one) that's a fictional account of Howard in Texas in the 30s, called The Whole Wide World. It stars Renee Zellwiger (or however her name is spelled) and it's not a bad film. It deals alot with Howard's personality and what he was trying to write about. You might check it out. It's by no means totally authentic, nor does it rest heavily on historical accuracy for some things, I'm sure, but I think there are several moments where Howard's "inner workings," so to speak, are revealed when it comes to writing.
Warrior Poet

That movie is based on the Howard bio, One Who Walked Alone, written by Novalyn Price-Ellis. so far it remains the only bio of Howard written by someone who actually had first hand contact with Howard. Mrs. Price-Ellis and Howard dated, off and on, for a couple of years. Warrior Poet is correct in that the movie does take a few liberities with the actual material and compresses some events down.
Anyone interested in getting a good recounting of the type of individual that REH was should do themselves the favour of getting this book. It was recently reprinted and can still be found on amazon.com and through most bookstores.

 

[Ranger REG]

But I HATE Dragonlance novels, Robert Jordan and Terry Brooks with a deep and abiding passion, so it's not surprising that we disagree.

Meh. If you had loved them, I'd be mandated to hate them. So it all worked out in the end.