Dungeons & Dragons: The Sequel

[barsoomcore]

did he ever play the game?

Sure. He's a DM.

People suggesting that he hang himself or whatever are being excessively cruel, I think. You didn't like the film, fine. But you're talking about a real person. You wouldn't say something like that to his face, I'm sure.

Having read interviews with him and spent a couple of hours listening to his commentary on the movie, I can say that he certainly comes across as a guy who honestly and truly wanted to make a great fantasy movie.

Okay, so he failed. But give me an honest effort over crassly commercial cash grabs any day. He strikes me as a guy who honestly loves the game, loves the genre and through a wild combination of circumstance, chutzpah and hard work got himself the rights to the Dungeons and Dragons movies.

And then he got one made. Good for him.

Yeah, it was pretty lame. It felt like my first ten homebrew campaigns, is what it felt like. Watching that movie reminded me of a million afternoons and evenings spent with my friends, trying to recreate the stories we read of Aragorn, Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, and Conan. We failed, too. But god, we had fun.

I have a soft spot for the D&D movie, I admit it. I don't think I'd like some flashy, slick, over-produced film purporting to be D&D. D&D is about homebrewy goodness, warts and all. It's about imagination and excitement, not special effects and pretty cinematography. It's about TRYING. Not succeeding, just trying.

And what I sense in every frame of the D&D movie is just how hard everyone is trying. They fail, no question. But sometimes failure is more fun. Or at least it seems more appropriate, somehow.

 

[Henry]

Just a word of note: Sweetpea Entertainment is Courtney Solomon's company name, so I'm pretty sure he's involved.

One thing I always noted about him: Before the movie came out, in all the updates he was "Corey Solomon." As soon as the movie came out, and about a month before that, he was "Courtney Solomon." Sounds like he was tired of the nickname, and was ready for his propers.

As for the movie? If it hits production, then I'll start watching with bated breath. I would like to see a success, but I won't necessarily count on it. In the movie, budget will be everything, and if he can get a respectable sum (say, about 60 or 70 million to make this thing), and he can get a special effects company that won't dump him in the middle of filming, then he might actually get a decent movie out of the deal.

I watched the D&D, and one reason the plot was so choppy is because of budget constraints. Another problem in my opinion, was his inexperience to rewrite within the budget constraints he had. It is possible that most of his problems came after the film was shot, and impossible to reshoot, when the SFX company bailed; but if not, if falls to the producer and director to work with what they have to create a good story.

Good luck is the two best words I can use to him.

 

[Alaric_Prympax]

Sure. He's a DM.

Yes, I already knew he had played and was a DM. As such since it was his story and he was the director he could have been truer to the monsters. Though I was disappointed in the film I had heard that they made enough money in overseas revenues to make another. Since I heard that awhile back I have been looking forward to his next attempt and I hope he makes a better movie.

Heck, in my group I was the biggest defender of the movie. Also as I said back then and I will say it now... it was better then not having a movie "based" on D&D. Athough disappointed in it, I would watch the D&D movie over quite a few other movies, afterall it does belong to a genre that I enjoy and is based off a game that I love.

 

[KenM]

Here is how I would do a DnD movie:
You start in the real world with a bunch of people playing the game, then you "fade into" the game world they are playing and you get different actors to play the characters in the game world, you can have a character die and the player bring in a new character, differnert actor and show what playing playing an RPG is all about.

 

[KenM]

Double post.

 

[Tiefling]

When does the F.A.T.A.L. movie come out?

 

[Viking Bastard]

When does the F.A.T.A.L. movie come out?

About Christmas I think, although I've heard it might get pushed
back until Eastern. It'll most likely be PG rated.

As for the D&D movie, heck, I didn't think it was that bad. I find it
somewhat amusing that people seem to have really expected it to
be really good. I actually found it to be much better than I had
expected. Campy fun.

 

[krunchyfrogg]

As for the D&D movie, heck, I didn't think it was that bad. I find it somewhat amusing that people seem to have really expected it to be really good. I actually found it to be much better than I had expected. Campy fun.

I feel the same way.

This movie was fun. Not very good, but who really expected much out of it?

I can't wait for D&D2.

 

[tecnodemon]

I would say the D&D movies be considered a new "cult" movie like Rocky Horror or Plan 9 from Outer Spcae.

For the second film I hear they planned on doing a 3 movie deal with the characters going to different worlds. I would like to see more characters/classes and races instead of the standard classes & races. Show the D&D univeres more diverse. Hmm doing a Half-orc character would be interesting but the make-up migh be costly or maybe not if done correctly. Halflings and Gnomes could be difficult though

 

[Black Omega]

I enjoy Rocky Horror and Plan Nine. I found the DnD movie unwatchable.

But there's hope. I'm sure the second try will be better than the first. I'm not sure it could get much worse unless the budget's $50,000 or less. and they have the beneift of hindsight. They can look back, see what was so wrong with the first movie, then try to fix it.