Rodriguez (Sin City) Developing Conan?

[mmadsen]

To anyone who thought Milius's Conan was "light" (rather than simply not-REH), I recommend A Critical Appreciation of John Milius’s Conan the Barbarian by David C. Smith:

Milius very much wanted to make the movie, and he jumped at the chance to direct it when the opportunity presented itself. He rewrote an original screenplay drafted by Oliver Stone [1] (in which the action takes place in a post-nuclear holocaust future) and set the story firmly in Howard’s own Hyborian Age, and meanwhile brought to the reenvisioned movie the nobility of the samurai bushido code of discipline, duty, and honor and an appreciation of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s late-Romantic era concept of the übermensch or overman. The synthesis works well even though the idea of Conan as fascist strongman is counter to Howard’s own political sensibilities.​

 

[Klaus]

IIRC, Conan himself isn't too tall. Cimmerians are shorter than either Aesires and Vanires, right?

 

[Swoop109]

IIRC, Conan himself isn't too tall. Cimmerians are shorter than either Aesires and Vanires, right?

Howard wrote that at the age of 15 Conan was 6'0' and still short of his full growth. In other stories he is described as being a giant, although he does meet other warriors who are taller then him.

There is a thread about this over on the conan.com website. If interested, here is the link;

http://www.conan.com/invboard/index.php?showtopic=1618

 

[barsoomcore]

I actually think Arnold does a fine job in Conan. He's not asked to do much, but his reactions to, say, Valerian's death, his confrontation with Thulsa Doom ("Steel isn't strong, boy."), and his encounters with the sorcerer all show an ability to emote, at least.

I think he kind of blew the "Grant me REVENGE!" speech, a bit, although it didn't bug me as much last time I watched it.

I've watched it like five times in the last couple of months, so it's very fresh in my mind. If you haven't seen it in a while, check it out. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

WP: what kills me about Milius' and Bergman is how he characterizes her as a Valkyrie not once, but like, EVERY FRICKIN' TIME she shows up on screen. "She's a like Valkyrie, isn't she? She's wonderful." No, tell us how you really feel, Ron. It's very charming.

And I second the notion that the world would be a better place if Milius were doing King Conan and Rodriguez were doing A Princess Of Mars. That's another thing I'll change when I'm Supreme Dictator.

 

[Desdichado]

That's another thing I'll change when I'm Supreme Dictator.

Dicator!

 

[Ranger REG]

I think they should remake Conan the Destroyer ... only this time, Robert Rodriguez should try to get Jessica Alba to show some boobage.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Seems to me that if you wanted to get someone who has shown that they can handle a Sword&Sorcery film, is tall enough, he's 6'4", and has an accent that I belive would match Conan's perfectly, then you need Valdimir Kulich from, The 13th Warrior.


Yes, I know that 13th Warrior is not really a Sword&Sorcery film. But, its damn close.

I think Kulich is just damned cool, and way under-utilized in Hollywood and television.

That said, however, I think the man's too old to be playing Conan. He's in his 50s, and while he's in great shape, he looks like he's in his 50s.

I'd love to see him in some big-budget fantasy movie. Maybe even Conan. Just not in that particular role.

 

[Desdichado]

Thanks for the review. I'd still like to see it, though it sounds somewhat less engaging now.


Ah, thanks for the recommendation. Yeah, I still want to see it.

I still recommend it, especially for bit Frazetta fans, but it's just not quite as good as it could have been. They didn't spend enough time on the things that were interesting, and too much time on things that weren't.

 

[Desdichado]

I think Kulich is just damned cool, and way under-utilized in Hollywood and television.

That said, however, I think the man's too old to be playing Conan. He's in his 50s, and while he's in great shape, he looks like he's in his 50s.

I'd love to see him in some big-budget fantasy movie. Maybe even Conan. Just not in that particular role.

I dunno... by the time he's King Conan, he was in his middle ages, wasn't he? That's the nice thing about REH Conan, you see him at all kinds of stages in life.

 

[Swoop109]

I think Kulich is just damned cool, and way under-utilized in Hollywood and television.
I'd love to see him in some big-budget fantasy movie. Maybe even Conan. Just not in that particular role.

Well, Karl Wagner's Kane character has been optioned for the movies. With the right beard and his hair dyed red, I think Kulich could do a respectible job with the character.