D&D General Dave Arneson: Is He Underrated, or Overrated?

[Guest 7042500]

Do not underestimate the influence of Hollywood costume movies of the 50s and 60s. Besides such as The Vikings and El Cid you had Black Shield of Falworth, Prince Valiant, The Warlord, a gazillion Arthurian movies, plus Jason and the Argonauts and other Harryhausen films, plus don't forget an entire genre of Italian "Sword and Sandal" movies. Google "Sons of Hercules."

All of which were Satutday afternoon TV fare on the small independent UHF channels.

 

[Mannahnin]

Do not underestimate the influence of Hollywood costume movies of the 50s and 60s. Besides such as The Vikings and El Cid you had Black Shield of Falworth, Prince Valiant, The Warlord, a gazillion Arthurian movies, plus Jason and the Argonauts and other Harryhausen films, plus don't forget an entire genre of Italian "Sword and Sandal" movies. Google "Sons of Hercules."

All of which were Saturday afternoon TV fare on the small independent UHF channels.

Absolutely.

The Magic Sword (1962) and The Raven (1963) are two more I've also seen come up in discussions. The latter has a magic duel at the end between sorcerers played by Vincent Price and Peter Lorre which may be the source of D&D's interaction between the Magic Missile and Shield spells.

 

[Guest 7042500]

Oh, it is, it is. Gary said so in as many words.

 

[Alzrius]

Oh, it is, it is. Gary said so in as many words.

Rob Kuntz also said so in his list of the movies that influenced Gary (and how they show up in D&D) in the appendix at the end of Gargax's Glorious Gewgaws, noting quite a few other spells that were inspired by that film.