D&D General Best on screen adaptation of D&D

[dave2008]

I have to say I'm a bit surprised that Conan the Barbarian got more votes than the Destroyer. The Destroyer just screams "we made a D&D movie and just called it Conan."

But "the Barbarian" is by far the better movie IMO, and it is rated R.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

But "the Barbarian" is by far the better movie IMO, and it is rated R.

Barbarian is the better movie, but Destroyer is far more akin to a D&D adventure. What makes a good adventure isn't the same as what makes a good movie.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[dave2008]

Barbarian is the better movie, but Destroyer is far more akin to a D&D adventure. What makes a good adventure isn't the same as what makes a good movie.

The OP title had the caveat "and enjoyable." For me Barbarian's enjoy-ability outweighs Destroyer's D&D-ability. Barbarian is enough like D&D (wizard, rouge, 2 fighters against an evil wizard, steal treasure, fight monsters, etc. - heck they even get a patron to send them on an adventure) to pass and is much more enjoyable.

 

[dave2008]

Barbarian is the better movie, but Destroyer is far more akin to a D&D adventure. What makes a good adventure isn't the same as what makes a good movie.

Now that I have thought about more, how is Destroyer "far more akin" to a D&D adventure than Barbarian? Once Conan's band of comrades gets together in Barbarian (i.e. when the "game" starts, everything else is backstory), it seems very much like a D&D adventure(s) to me. I don't really feel Destroy improves on that much if at all.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Saw it when I was a kid. But then again, I also have distinct memories of watching Poltergeist, Blood Beach, Excalibur, and other questionable children's viewing.

Anyway, my votes went to The Gamers, the Mythica series, and Hawk the Slayer. As awesome as many of many of these movies are, I think a proper D&D movie needs to have a proper adventuring party. Are these my favorite movies of the list? No, not necessarily. That would probably be Conan the Barbarian. But, despite Barbarian and Destroyer featuring characters adventuring alongside Conan, they tend to hew more to sidekicks than an ensemble. The movies are ever about Conan's journey.

Ice Pirates.

PG.

Great Kids Movie!

....

Well, it was a different time. What can I say.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Now that I have thought about more, how is Destroyer "far more akin" to a D&D adventure than Barbarian? Once Conan's band of comrades gets together in Barbarian (i.e. when the "game" starts, everything else is backstory), it seems very much like a D&D adventure(s) to me. I don't really feel Destroy improves on that much if at all.

For me, the roles in the Destroyer were clearly more D&D defined. Malak was the thief, Conan was a barbarian, Bombaata was the fighter, Zula was a monk, Akiro was a wizard who was part of the actual party, not just for a scene. In Barbarian, the "party" were all just kinda a mix between a fighter/thief in a blurry way. And Destroyer had that campy feel that most D&D campaigns did

 

[the Jester]

Absolutely Krull.

But due to having too many options, I want to limit them to medieval-esque fantasy only.

You're really cutting the essence of D&D pretty thin, then, and lopping off two of its limbs while you're at it. D&D has always had sci-fi elements in it, from the very beginning. Blackmoor, Temple of the Frog, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, Spelljammer half-machine templates, warforged (and really, Eberron in general)... And that's not to mention fantasy-only games with distinctly non-medieval setting. I've been in modern but magic games, stone age games, etc.

D&D is far broader than medievalesque fantasy alone.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Absolutely Krull.



You're really cutting the essence of D&D pretty thin, then, and lopping off two of its limbs while you're at it. D&D has always had sci-fi elements in it, from the very beginning. Blackmoor, Temple of the Frog, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, Spelljammer half-machine templates, warforged (and really, Eberron in general)... And that's not to mention fantasy-only games with distinctly non-medieval setting. I've been in modern but magic games, stone age games, etc.

D&D is far broader than medievalesque fantasy alone.

Those were always just outlier one offs. Like D&D deciding to change it's hair style, or put on stone washed jeans. An experiment that wasn't part of what the core of D&D is. I feel pretty comfortable saying that when most people are being introduced to D&D, they are shown a medieval fantasy world and not a sci fi world. And that's what this thread was about--something to best capture what D&D is, and I'm sure you'll agree that D&D as a whole is more medieval fantasy than it is spelljammer.

Also, as I noted (and in the part you quoted), I had to limit it. Otherwise I'd have over 100 poll options, which would be worthless. A poll is only as good as the scope is defined.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Now that I have thought about more, how is Destroyer "far more akin" to a D&D adventure than Barbarian? Once Conan's band of comrades gets together in Barbarian (i.e. when the "game" starts, everything else is backstory), it seems very much like a D&D adventure(s) to me. I don't really feel Destroy improves on that much if at all.

Timespan, pacing and lack of cheese mostly. The first film takes place over something like 20 years. There are lots of time gaps over which we can assume "stuff happened" but it isn't "played" through.

Destroyer does not improve on anything, but the storyline follows the typical beats of a D&D adventure.

1) The party meet up;

2) They are given a quest to find a McGuffin;

3) They fight monsters and escape traps;

4) They retrieve the McGuffin from a minor boss;

5) The quest giver betrays the party;

6) Bad stuff happens and the party has to fight a big boss monster.

It all happens sequentially, over the course of a few weeks, with no gaps where other adventures could have happened, and it isn't a solo adventure for half it's run time.