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Author Topic: D&D: the Movie  (Read 3994 times)

cavalier973

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #15 on: July 20, 2021, 10:40:11 AM »
I’ve not seen it, but “Excalibur” is supposed to be pretty good.

Eirikrautha

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #16 on: July 20, 2021, 02:20:25 PM »
I’ve not seen it, but “Excalibur” is supposed to be pretty good.
Excalibur is excellent.  I don't know if it is really "fantasy," though, as much as an attempt to put Malory's Le Morte D'arthur on screen (with liberal modifications and changes).  Sure, the Arthur myth is technically fantasy, but it is also literature.

hedgehobbit

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #17 on: July 21, 2021, 10:01:19 AM »
Excalibur is excellent.  I don't know if it is really "fantasy," though, as much as an attempt to put Malory's Le Morte D'arthur on screen (with liberal modifications and changes).  Sure, the Arthur myth is technically fantasy, but it is also literature.

This is really the issue. For me, growing up in the 70s, my favorite fantasy movies include Jason and the Argonauts, Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Mysterious Island. For my daughter, it would be Harry Potter and Avatar: The Last Airbender (I'd add Demon Slayer to that but we'll see how that holds up long term).

So, for me, there has never been a shortage of good fantasy movies. 

GriswaldTerrastone
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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #18 on: July 23, 2021, 07:24:26 PM »
The villain did make it worth watching- sort of like Count Zarthon in "Starcrash." (Not to mention Caroline Munro.)

And the "I got a new word for 'dumb-' 'Ridley!" routine was funny.
I'm 55. My profile won't record this. It's only right younger members know how old I am.

Omega

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #19 on: July 24, 2021, 11:56:16 AM »
Lets see. We've danced this dance before but that threads long buried and cant find it.

sooooo.

The first D&D movie is actually not bad. Problem is. Its barely a D&D movie. WOTC interfered some so a bit of blame can be placed there. The main problem is it tries to be funny a bit too much and lacks enough D&D elements to click. I wish they had finished the unfinished scene where Ridley explains why he hates mages so much.

The second movie, which was made with a different company. Is to me the real D&D movie. Its got some issues to be sure. But it works on so many more levels and gets the job done with more practical effects and saves the CGI for the dragons and the like. I liked the characters and there were alot more nods to D&D that you can pick up on.

The third movie. Good lord the third movie. Its D&D in title only and is so low budget it hurts. I think with a little more work it would have fared better.

And then theres the totally obscure interactive CGI D&D movie. One of those endless quest sorts of paths. Characters from the 3e book go on an adventure. Not great but not bad either. Couple of different ending can find based on your choices along the way.

Crusader X

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #20 on: July 24, 2021, 07:09:39 PM »

I remember the 2nd D&D movie having an attractive Barbarian babe as one of the characters.  Eye-candy always makes thing better.

oggsmash

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #21 on: July 24, 2021, 07:26:50 PM »
I'm not a big fan of the Conan movies, my favorite of the three is Conan the Destroyer, and it's far from good.

I haven't seen Ladyhawke since the 1980s, don't remember finding it all that enjoyable. Great cast, bad story.

I actively hate The Dark Crystal. The Gelflings seemed like useless heroes, and the monsters didn't do anything for me either. I would argue Labyrinth is the better Muppet fantasy movie, and I find Labyrinth to be fairly flawed.

I'm not going to defend that joke as reality, but it was certainly our perception at the time. There are a ton of bad sci fi movies, but there are good ones to counterbalance that, and the best sci fi films were ones we watched over and over. Fantasy movies, by comparison, just didn't seem to have that top tier.

   I think the issue is there are ALOT more sci fi movies than fantasy movies.  I do wonder why hollywood doesnt bother taking some of their historical fiction movies and giving them a shot with a touch of fantasy.  It is strange that a gang that can make some fantastic historical fiction movies (Braveheart, Gladiator, Last of the Mohicans, etc) can do so poorly at making a fantasty movie.  You would think something grounded a bit more, like Sword and sorcery or the like would be easy for them. 
« Last Edit: July 24, 2021, 07:32:30 PM by oggsmash »

Omega

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #22 on: July 25, 2021, 01:48:02 PM »
Legend gets mentioned alot when D&D movies are discussed because to many that movie felt like a D&D movie.

cavalier973

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #23 on: July 27, 2021, 08:45:13 PM »
They should make a D&D movie based on the “Isle of Dread” module.

Lurkndog

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #24 on: July 28, 2021, 11:42:14 AM »
   I think the issue is there are ALOT more sci fi movies than fantasy movies.

Part of it may have been that the 1980's in particular were a drought of good fantasy movies, with some high profile stinkers thrown on top. The boom in straight-to-video led to a lot of exploitation level stuff like Barbarian Queen that were basically there for video stores that didn't carry porn. High profile fantasy movies were either ruined by cynical storytelling like Dragonslayer or they were children's movies. Willow was a huge disappointment. Even Disney was struggling.
« Last Edit: July 28, 2021, 12:50:28 PM by Lurkndog »

Omega

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #25 on: August 16, 2021, 03:52:57 AM »
D&D and the LOTR animations from Baski and Rankin/Bass kicked off a spate of fantasy movies which Conan probably really kicked into gear. At the same time Beastmaster goes from a sci-fi setting to a fantasy one for example. And on the flip side Conan was at one point suggested to be scripted as a sci-fi setting due to SW.

Hilariously Carters Conan Rip off Thongor would have been a movie 2 years before Conan came out had it not fallen apart during pre-production.

There were actually quite a few fantasy movies all at once in 82. Conan, Beast Master, Sword and the Sorcerer, Ator, Flight of Dragons and more. Some of the best from around that point. Before that though there was Hawk the Slayer, Archer Fugitive of an Empire, Excalibur, Dragonslayer, and Faeries all around 81. And at least a dozen more of lower quality in 83 alone.                       

Banjo Destructo

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #26 on: October 07, 2021, 03:43:01 PM »
I didn't see it when it was in theaters. I did eventually see it, it made me feel shame the first time I saw it, and then I grew up some, and now I kinda enjoy it for what it is, and it feels good to see Tom Baker on the screen even though he had a small role.

I saw the second and third D&D movies a few years ago too, they did pretty good with their budget.

Crusader X

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Re: D&D: the Movie
« Reply #27 on: October 07, 2021, 05:22:45 PM »
There were actually quite a few fantasy movies all at once in 82. Conan, Beast Master, Sword and the Sorcerer, e.                       

I saw The Sword and the Sorcerer at a drive-in theater when I was 11 years old, shortly after I started playing D&D.  I think I was the perfect audience for the film.  I haven't watched the movie since, but I remember there being alot of blood.  And half-naked women.  Good times.