D&D General How you would have done the Dungeons and Dragons' movie - 80's edition

[TiQuinn]

You do realize the first D&D movie was made in 2000, right? $45M was a so-so budget, not enough for great special effects, which you need for a fantasy movie. Making it in the 80's is even less money (in '86 Labyrinth had a $25M budget).

You do realize that there was inflation between the 1980s and 2000, right?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

What I would do for a D&D movie in the 80s would be to adapt one of the Endless Quest books. They were pretty big sellers for TSR after all. Do it either as an animated movie from Top Craft or a live action with creatures by the Jim Henson Co.

There was also this thing called "Icewind Dale Trilogy" coming out shortly after Dragonlance, so you could do a movie set up the novel series

I would say that the Crystal Shard as a better starting point for a D&D movie in the 80s than Dragonlance. For the budget the movie would likely have and the special effects of the time, the number of dragons and draconians, the magic, the battles, the sets, just wouldn't be feasible. Dragonslayer had a spectacular dragon, but that was just one dragon on an $18 million budget.

I love Krull. I bought Horner's Krull double CD box set when it first went out of print and it set me back over $120. I still consider it among his best work (if not THE best work).

That soundtrack is so thrilling. Horner was known for reusing his motifs, but they really shine here and on the Wrath of Khan.

I remember renting it on VOD and got a 1/4 of the way thru and had to shut it off, it was crap.

It has its moments, but over the years I think it falls down more than it shines. The save-the-world plot was not a great place to start.

When we eventually get a new Conan movie, my vote is either do a King Conan story with Arnold, or start anew with a young Conan and do Tower of the Elephant.

 

[TiQuinn]

Last Crusade in 1989 had a budget of 48 million according to Wiki (about 125 mil now). Movies cost less back then even adjusting for inflation. Dial of Destiny had a budget north of $295 million according to Wiki.

Krull 27 mil
Beast Master 9 mil
Willow 35 mil
Conan the Destroyer 18 mil

Yeah, I think Return of the Jedi was around $30 million at the time.

 

[Charlaquin]

I'd knock off The Princess Bride. Replace grandpa reading a book to his grandson with a group of kids playing D&D.

Have one kid be the reluctant one who didn't want to play, and ends up being the hero in the end.

I’d do that if I was making a D&D movie today!

 

[R_J_K75]

It has its moments, but over the years I think it falls down more than it shines. The save-the-world plot was not a great place to start.

I honestly don't remember much recollection of the movie, so for me it was very forgettable for the little bit I watched.

When we eventually get a new Conan movie, my vote is either do a King Conan story with Arnold, or start anew with a young Conan and do Tower of the Elephant.

According to Arnies IMDB page the Legend of Conan is still in pre-production. I think as far as cinematic Conan is concerned; people will always associate him with Conan. So, until he either retires, dies, or that movie gets made with him, rebooting it with another actor again will probably fall flat.

 

[Charlaquin]

I wasn’t alive in the 80s, so that would make directing a film project challenging to say the least. That said, Topcraft (the studio that did the animation for The Hobbit and The Last Unicorn, and most of the animators from which went on to found Studio Ghibli) was still around in the 80s, so I’d do an animated film with them. Also, the D&D cartoon was still running then, so I’d probably lean on that; a more mature take on the premise, with the same cast of characters, realized in Topcraft’s distinctive Western animation meets anime, dark fantasy style.

 

[DarkCrisis]

Also, it would probably do far better numbers as an animated film then a live action.

 

[jdrakeh]

Also, it would probably do far better numbers as an animated film then a live action.

There was an animated Dragonlance film and it absolutely bombed.

 

[DarkCrisis]

There was an animated Dragonlance film and it absolutely bombed.

Because they went cheap on it.

 

[HaroldTheHobbit]

If it was me as I were in the early eighties who got the job, the budget would probably be minimal. So chances are I would go with soft pr0n Italian fantasy, throw in a bad stop motion dragon and even worse non-lip synched dubbing, and call it a day.