Disregarding the film adaptation (just the phrase "Disney's John Carter" gives me fits), I'm actually working up a quick city or two (from Jim Ward's Strategic Review #3 article) for my 1e Greyhawk campaign.  I've got the Castle Zagyg box, with its not-so-subtly hinted-at portal to Barsoom, and damned if I'm passing up THAT kinda opportunity to screw with my players.  

If I am going to go to a movie theater and spend a lot of money, them I will go to the nearby Cinema Grill and actually order a proper dinner to go with my film.

Quote from: Bradford C. Walker;521460If I am going to go to a movie theater and spend a lot of money, them I will go to the nearby Cinema Grill and actually order a proper dinner to go with my film.

The Cobb Theater right down the street from me is the same kind of place. they have a great coconut shrimp.

I'd still rather play Space:1889

RPGPundit

Went to see it yesterday. Having not read the books, but being a general sci fi/fantasy fan from the age of 5 or so (seeing Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger swung it, I think) I went in with an open mind, despite a number of negative reviews. It was 30 mins too long, the names were mostly incomprehensible and forgettable for some characters, and Disneys marketing has been utterly disastrous. It would've been better as an animated feature, and probably cost less to make (than the $250 million Disney coughed up). Twenty people (at a guess, might have been less) in a theatre 5 days after release sort of tells it's own story.

As for playing in the game setting, that might be fun, though I'd expand it to the solar system and have a whole bunch of other races. The Buck Rogers XXVC game might be a good fit (2nd AD&D rules with skills tacked on, easy fit to add psionics) as would the D6 game (Star Wars without the force). There were enough interesting bits that it seems a waste to ignore the setting. I'm guessing the demands of the ERB estate prevent anyone from making a licensed game. I'm sure Disney are regretting it now (having seen the numbers on Box office Mojo, it can only be called disastrous).

Oh, and in the UK it costs $33.15 (converted from pounds) for two adult seats in a near empty theatre with no popcorn, drinks or sweets. the only extra was a pound or so for more legroom. Might as well not have bothered.

I'd use original D&D (plus a few house rules) for a Barsoom campaign.

Quote from: finarvyn;521454I saw John Carter in 2D instead of 3D because I hate the funky glasses, and I thought it was a great movie.

I went out of my way to see it in 2D, too (weekday morning showing).  The movie was better than I was expecting, which was a nice surprise.  I wouldn't say it was great, but I didn't feel like I'd wasted my money (which is the way I felt after seeing the most recent Conan movie, and also after Immortals).  It reminded me of the way I felt about the Dune movie:  entertaining, with some good parts, but marred by disjointed storytelling and editing (and perhaps casting) choices.  And with a few "why the hell did they do that" things about it (although such elements in John Carter were fewer or less egregious than those in Dune).

On its fidelity to the source material, I'd say I was pleased that they kept a lot of the important elements of the storyline (even if they put a slightly different twist on them), but I was a bit disappointed that they felt the need to change the characters more than I thought was necessary.  John Carter the "reluctant hero" who doesn't want to fight?  And Dejah Thoris caught a mild case of the "butt-kicking hottie syndrome" that plagues modern hollywood action flicks, but not as bad as some cases of that particular disease.

But, so as not to end on a sour note, I'll repeat what I said initially: despite some nitpicks, I thought it was an entertaining movie, I enjoyed it, and it was better than I expected.

Oh, I got a laugh out of the HBO Rome casting crossover.  I noticed the lawyer was Posca, and mentioned it to my wife.  Then Caesar showed up.  Then Mark Antony!  We were laughing.  I half expected Atia to make an appearance as a Helium noblewoman.  :lol:

Quote from: Bradford C. Walker;521460If I am going to go to a movie theater and spend a lot of money, them I will go to the nearby Cinema Grill and actually order a proper dinner to go with my film.

I agree (we have a couple of Movie Taverns near us).  Seeing a movie with a pitcher of beer and a burger (or a blackened salmon, or whatever strikes your fancy) is the way to go.

$250m just to make the movie, and that's not counting marketing?

That's immoral, extravagant, and wasteful. Plenty of people could have done it (just as well) for less. I wonder if this was a covert investment into new movie making tech that will reduce the cost of similar movies in the future.

The movie itself was just ok, The Martian Cities were not like I imagined they would be, and the ridiculous Hollywood insistence of making all the aircraft perform like starships in the Star Wars movie was distracting. Likewise with the retarded coliseum fight with the Banth... just too Star Warsy for my taste and a clear sign the filmmakers lacked the capability even to envision Mars as Edgar Rice Burroughs originally envisioned.

I'm firmly convinced that the lack of new science and technology these days is directly related somehow to the lack of vision and imagination by the very people responsible for creating the new sciences and technologies. Hollywood is definitely not helping with this.

Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;521825Oh, I got a laugh out of the HBO Rome casting crossover.  I noticed the lawyer was Posca, and mentioned it to my wife.  Then Caesar showed up.  Then Mark Antony!  We were laughing.  I half expected Atia to make an appearance as a Helium noblewoman.  :lol:

Actually she voiced Sarkoja the Thark Elder woman.

Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;521825Oh, I got a laugh out of the HBO Rome casting crossover.  I noticed the lawyer was Posca, and mentioned it to my wife.  Then Caesar showed up.  Then Mark Antony!  We were laughing.  I half expected Atia to make an appearance as a Helium noblewoman.  :lol:

Now that makes me consider watching that film.

Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;521825Oh, I got a laugh out of the HBO Rome casting crossover.  I noticed the lawyer was Posca, and mentioned it to my wife.  Then Caesar showed up.  Then Mark Antony!  

I loved that! In my own private version, it really is Caesar and Marc Antony,  transported to Mars moments before their deaths.

Quote from: GameDaddy;521850I'm firmly convinced that the lack of new science and technology these days ...

LOL whut?

Quote from: RPGPundit;521675I'd still rather play Space:1889

RPGPundit

Hell, I'd rather be with like-minded people playing a tabletop RPG as well, but sometimes life gets in the way and that just isn't a viable option.

Quote from: APN;521813As for playing in the game setting, that might be fun, though I'd expand it to the solar system and have a whole bunch of other races.

ERB is way ahead of you.    He covered Jupiter and Venus, at least.  Haven't read the Venus stuff, but there's a JCoM story where he gets kidnapped and spirited away to Jupiter (and of course has lots of adventurous adventures) - quite memorable, one of my faves.

Even just on Barsoom, there's a double-handful of human subraces, some of which are "human, different skin color"...  and some which are decidely NOT.