Solomon Kane Cast List

[Cthulhudrew]

Yep, spounds like something he's pulling out of his nether regions. :/

That's good and bad news. One of the things I like about Kane's stories that I've read so far is the mystery about the character, and I'd hate to see it delved into more than necessary. That said, I'd be far more appreciative and accommodating to the character's actual creator (Howard) doing such delving than someone else who comes along after the fact and decides to make it a kewl movie- along with jettisoning a key part of the character's nature (his Puritanism). I guess the guy is shying away from any religious aspects?

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Yep, spounds like something he's pulling out of his nether regions. :/

I am in agreement. I really hoped this would be good because Kane is an old favorite of mine. But these new additions are just not right. This isn't the Solomon Kane of the stories, it's somebody he created wholecloth inspired by the original, and I'm getting sick of that being the limit of what Hollywood can manage. Kane's Puritanism, his struggle against Evil because it is Evil is one of his central traits and refreshing in this day and age of "no evil or good, move along."

 

[nikolai]

I don't think you should be too negative. Realistically, what do you think he should have done?

I presume the African stories (which to be honest are the good ones) are out because of budgetary constraints. As much I'd like to see Moon of Skulls, it's a bit of an ask. There isn't much to the German stories, they are fairly straight small scale ghost stories and don't give you much to hang a film on. I imagine most of his choices here were forced.

Yep, spounds like something he's pulling out of his nether regions. :/

Not entirely. We know Kane did used to be a pirate/merc and an wrong-un before he took up the cause of god. If they've got to expand on something - and it doesn't seem like they have much choice - it's best to expand on stuff Howard put there.

 

[David Howery]

Moon of Skulls? I'd rather see "Wings in the Night"... it's got flying maneating harpy critters! What more could you want?

My biggest problem with "Moon of Skulls" is that it is one of REH's most racist stories... SK himself doesn't indulge in it, but there are plenty of descriptions in it that are rather unflattering (not to mention, that Atlantean in it who says how shameful it is to be part black). To be sure, the movie wouldn't do that, but imagine those who saw the movie and were inspired to read the story....

 

[Mark]

I don't think you should be too negative. Realistically, what do you think he should have done?

Leave most of his background as a mystery and get right to the action. In any event, the die is cast. Hopefully, he will not paint inself into too much of a corner that the actual tales cannot be told as originally imagined, mostly.

 

[Tonguez]

I found this at the REH Forum, a reply from Basset to a complaining fan

I don't want to get into a -for-tat thing with you about Kane and, of course, you're entitled to your own interpretation of who Kane is but let me direct you to a line of Kane's in 'The Blue Flame of Vengeance' where he says " I led a rout of ungodly men, to my shame be it said, though the cause was a just one. In the sack of that town you name, many foul deeds were done under the cloak of the cause and my heart was sickened - oh, well - many a tide has flowed under the bridge since then and I have drowned some red memories in the sea - "
I think that certainly points to a man seeking redemption and explains his fanaticism. Also, in Howard's own words Kane is never a true Puritan but a man who claims that faith but has a pagan heart with a brutal, violent passion within.
You may not like what I have chosen to do with the character and the story I'm trying to tell in order to introduce him to a cinema audience but please don't accuse me of doing it in some careless, ill-thought-out manner implying I don't care how it turns out. I have put years of effort into getting this project going (alongside one of the publishers of Kane's stories who is also a producer) and trying to find a way of opening him up to a wide audience and retain some measure of purity to who Kane is.
Is there a chance you'll hate how it turns out? Of course but it won't be because I have disrespected the wonderful source material.

Best wishes

M

So it seems that Basset does care and I for one am a bit more confident.

Personally I'd use the One Black Stain as a basis of his 'origin story' rather than creating something new (ok yes I know One Black stain happens later in his life but I'm taking poetic licence in making it an 'origin')

Now if I were telling the movie I'd play it out like this:
The movie starts with an aged and weary Kane entering Kanes Homecoming then flashback to a younger Kane leaving a young girl named Bess to join Sir Richard Granville in fighting the spanish.
He becomes a ships captain and privateer and we see scenes showing his contact with Africa, the New World, and the Spanish Inquistion. Next we are witnes to him joining and being friends with Francis Drake leading up to the deeds of "The One Black Stain" Fade

Kane is now ashore and is haunted by the death of his friends Drake and also Granville. We see him leaving a small village and being warned to take the swamp road but instead choosing the Moor Road to Torkertown in Skulls in the Stars

For the second movie do either Red Shadows or Moon of Skulls (but definately send him to Africa and meet with Nlonga)

 

[shilsen]

Moon of Skulls? I'd rather see "Wings in the Night"... it's got flying maneating harpy critters! What more could you want?

QFT. That just might be my favorite Howard story ever, and I'm not just talking about the Kane ones here.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Of course, right after the post I made above, I read "The Hawk of Bastri" which also mentions Kane's unfavorable past. At least the film isn't just making stuff up. But I'm still nervous about the screenplay--a sentence or two hint is much different from several scenes in a film. Too bad "The Hawk of Bastri" is just a fragment.


And "Wings in the Night" was great. Just finished that one last night.

 

[mmadsen]

I'd rather see "Wings in the Night"... it's got flying maneating harpy critters! What more could you want?

Something that won't lend itself to questionable CGI?

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

...apparently losing his Puritan background.

Solomon Kane as a character minus Puritan is like Wolverine as a character minus mutant. It makes me say “What the hell” and hurts my head.

It’s things like this that make me less sympathetic to the writers and the writers strike.