Movies/books/tv that've inspired your D&D/RPG games?

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

I'm not entirely sure if this has ever been a thread on here, but I was curious as to what movies/tv shows/books the community has stolen any ideas from to form and run a successful campaign. I don't care if it's modern day, epic fantasy, or scifi. Lets get a good list together of what inspires us!

Personally, about a decade ago I was so impressed after reading Dennis L. McKiernan and Raymend E. Feist's books that I decided to take my DM'ing to their worlds. I had my player (solo campaign at the time) traverse to these different worlds and interact with the main characters from the books which I made into NPCs of various levels. The PC was able to help save their worlds and cross other planes of existence, other realms of reality, and other timelines in his journeys. Ended up being one of my favorite campaigns of all time.

So EnWorlders, what are your stories? What are your inspirations?

Thanks for sharing ahead of time,
Trav

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

Dude, that font you posted in is super tiny (at least at my screen's resolution).

I'll think about my list and get back to you...

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

Not sure how that happened, I went ahead and fixed it to be larger font though. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Greg K]

Beastmaster

Clash of the Titans

Dragonslayer

Excalibur

Ladyhawke

Name of the Rose

Heavy Metal (Taarna was the basis for one of the deities)

The Archer: Fugitive From the Empire a TV Movie that was failed pilot by Nick Corea, but had some success as a theatrical release outside the United States as Archer and the Sorceress

edit: I see the title now goes beyond movies
The D&D Cartoon
Blackstar
Thundarr
Dune
Hobbit/Lord of the Rings

Edit 2: I forgot these
Robin Hood movies
Sinbad movies (7th Voyage, Golden Voyage, Eye of the Tiger)
Zorro movies

 

[Ahnehnois]

Can't discount the Lord of the Rings movies as stylistic influences.

That said, the main movies I was consciously inspired by during my last campaign were The Dark Knight and Pan's Labyrinth.

I copied a lot of tone and pacing from TDK, and even made an elaborate reference to a scene from the movie (I intercut an NPC being poisoned, a building exploding, and a nemesis bursting into a room in search of his quarry, similar to the scene leading to the Joker and Batman's first confrontation).

I took heavily from Pan's Labyrinth in my portrayal of the Faerie Realm, the darkness, the desire for a place in the immortal realm and the ambiguity of its inhabitants. My fairies were heralded by mystical bugs. I also named one of my antagonists Captain Vidal.

I also took central plot elements from a song in BSG that seemed very conducive to epic fantasy.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3gUY940chg"]a[/ame]


***

I also once ran a CoC game based on Generation Kill (HBO miniseries in turn based on a book).

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

MOVIES

• Jason and the Argonauts
• The Sinbad movies
• Clash of the Titans
• Heavy Metal
• Beastmaster
• Fire and Ice
• Sword & The Sorcerer
• Krull
• Highlander
• Conan the Barbarian
• Excalibur
• Escape from New York
• The Thing
• The Fog
• King Kong
• The Island of Doctor Moreau
• Sword of the Valiant
• Dragonslayer
• Highlander
• Flash Gordon

AUTHORS
(* denotes major/lasting influence)

• Michael Moorcock*
• Tolkien
• Fritz Leiber*
• Robert Asprin's "Thieves World"*
• Edgar Rice Burroughs
• Robert E. Howard*
• Poul Anderson
• Robert Adams
• Jack Vance
• Glen Cook
• Gene Wolfe
• Frank Herbert
• A. Merritt
• H.P. Lovecraft
• Roger Zelazny
• Joel Rosenberg
• Fred Saberhagen

 

[Traveon Wyvernspur]

Someone please give Philotomy some exp I'll hit you back tomorrow, I've given a bunch out today.

Thanks Philotomy for a great list!

 

[Janx]

Babylon5.

I adapted the space opera series to a fantasy naval campaign in D&D.

I even managed to pull off a Battle of the Line with suitably dramatic finish.

 

[Henry]

I adapted the movie Equilibrium with Christian Bale for a plot of a Spycraft one-shot.

I also stole the Eagles Song Hotel California's lyrics for a Post-apocalyptic campaign setting. It didn't go anywhere, but I'd love to resurrect the concept with a different group.

 

[prosfilaes]

I was running GURPS Wild Cards: Aces Abroad, and stuck in a night's segment based on Dio's Rainbow in the Dark.