Charon of Styx

Today I and my Dejah Thoris went to see the John Carter of Mars movie. We really enjoyed it. More or less all the elements were there that Burroughs wrote and then some. There was the Tharks destroying the eggs that had not hatched at the incubator as mention in Burroughs story. Then there were the Fliers which look great, the Atmosphere Plant (or at less what I thought was it) and the Martians cities, which were just as we imagine them.

The movie is an acceptable for a true John Carter movie to us. We think it is a winner and just hope when the dvd comes out there will a extended version.

On the flip side to me it seemed the movie was a little rush or crammed. There was much that was not explained to the general audience, which may have not been necessary if your intention in making the film that was a one shot deal. Then your point was made. A man was transported to Mars via an alien device and saved the good guys. Sounds like “Stargate”.

Many of the audience I spoke with after the movie was over stated the movie was good, but much of it they did not understand, they just accepted it and went on. Everyone enjoyed it, but it seemed that they were not drawn into the Barsoomian lore. Which is sad, just another scifi action film. It would have been smart maybe if Disney would have taken the time to explain some aspects about the different races and the struggle that was transpiring on Barsoom through the many trailers that were show over the past several months. Of course along with billing it as an action pack love story love on Mars in a time not so long ago. Even though Burroughs Martian saga was meet for a juvenile audience it was complex and I think this is where the movie failed for me. To much action not enough story.

Overall through it looks like Disney was trying to portray a good Burroughs rendition of his near 100 years old Martian saga.

1952 Gnome Press - The Sword of Conan "Red Nails".

When I get caught up on my reading in general going back to these books are always a treat.

Also been reading some John Carter getting ready for the movie!!!

Just pull Michael Resniick's ERB #12 supplement "The Forgotten Sea of Mars" out of a box of fanzines. Guess I'll read through this one too...

Arnold and Momoa both have merits. I watch the 82 CTB over the weekend and found I like better since I've seen the new movie.

There are parts in both movies that speak strongly of Conan. The witch scene for example in the first movie and the first part of the new movie when the Cimmerian village is attack is another. Love Ron Pearlman as Conan’s father.

To say one actor portrays a better Conan of the other is a hard one. Momoa is like a Barry Winsor Smith’s style Conan and Arnold is Buscema style Conan.

Martin

Just when you thought you had seen, heard and had enough concerning the new movie. How about a Munchkin game base from it.



Follow the Yellow Brick road!!!



http://www.worldofmu...anthebarbarian/

In 1982 I was at the USA premiere of Conan the Barbarian in Atlanta Georgia, a fantastic movie as far a first attempt to bring the iconic character to the screen, but still hardly the Conan I knew according to Robert E Howard’s writings. At the time I remember leaving the theater feeling disappointed to some degree and trying to digest watch I just saw. This was not the Conan I thought, but then again it wasn't a bad one all things considered. The fans were disappointed that I spoke with at the time coming out of the theater, claiming pretty much the same as they are doing now. Largely the complain centered on the movie being John Mulinus’s version of the character, not Robert E Howard’s. Sounds like the familiar criticism concerning the new film?

All I read at the time from producer and directors was you cannot transfers Howard’s books to film; certain liberties have to be take for the general public to grasp the movie as a whole and who Conan is. Same as to day it seems and for the most part this is understandable. The critics at that time by and large trash the movie for the same reasons they are doing with the 2011 release. Saying the film was mindless; Conan in general is just an ignorant barbarian buffoon and should be treated as such. If you think about it what are these critics actually saying about the fans? Is this how they view a Conan/Howard fan as a rule?

Conan the Destroyer met the same fate and largely was a total flop, although I thought the movie was better than the first, except for that stupid drunken scene that was supposed to be funny. None the less one thing was for certain again, no one had a clear idea of what Conan should really be like on screen.

The first two movies certainly dumb down the character I thought. Conan was supposed to be daring, strong will, possessing strong intellect and muscular prowess which was fitting for a conqueror for his era. Both movies were interesting, but fail to produce a true Conan image to the fans and created a misplace one with the general public’s eye that we still live with today. CONAN IS DUMB!
Then there was the TV series, which was okay if you were desperate just to watch some Conan. Ralf Rudolf Möller was an excellent Conan overall for TV, but he did not stand a chance. The directing was awful, story lines were even worse, scripts were bad, and special effects look like something I would do. The 1990’s cartoon series was better overall than the TV show. Well enough said here.

Once again Conan failed to meet the general idea of the true characterization Robert E Howard created.

Now we have the new movie. Is this best Conan movie to date or is it time to pull out the board swords and cut it to pieces? The new movie is hardly perfect and neither takes away or adds to the Robert E Howard lore. It is just what it is a rendition of an issue of Savage Sword of Conan or even the online game if you think of it. This is what the general public is looking for, at least according to all the other action movies to hit the theaters recently and this is what they got. The new movie may not carry the exact Robert E Howard story line, but then again it is there. Even “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy was hardly true to Tolkien’s stories either.

All over the question seems to be who the hell is Conan and where is he? Can anyone, either actor, director, script, special effects and so on ever make a movie that can meet our expectations? It seems everyone has a general idea who Conan should be as actor, or who should direct the film or whom should do the special effects, and so on, but that’s the problem there is just a general idea. With a character that is so celebrate as Howard’s Conan it is hard to pin it down. The comic book fans have a general idea; the gamers have an idea; book enthusiast; etc…

Time has been kind to the first two movies. Now they are much celebrated, especially the first one and time will hopefully do so for the 2011 movie. The one thing Conan fans may consider asking our self before and after we see the new movie is; have we already made our minds up that the movie is going to fail our expectations’, even though we don’t know what we are looking for the most part. It easy to pick out all the things that don't work in the new movie, but we don't seem to mention the parts that do work or describe exactly what were saying, other than the movie isn’t what we were looking for.

Be mindful of what you say. There is much on the line here. Don’t bash the movie unless you can give true constructive criticism. Personally I would like to see a sequel, but if the numbers and fans aren’t there and/or our reaction to the movie is a total negative position, well we may not see Conan come to the screen for another 20 years. Hell, I’ll be too old to care even, not really.

So take care of what you say. Support is critical for this film. Lions Gate Films and others who invested into this venture is watching and if they drop it, well like I mention it may be another 20 years before we see another Conan movie. We should give them praise for even making an attempt to give us something. A proper response will always allow for growth, a negative reaction always closes the door. Once again let’s not trip over our on preverbal board sword, so to speak.

Jason Momoa is an excellent Conan overall. To the general public no one even knows who Jason Momoa is except those of us who watch Star Gate Atlantis, which by and large gave him the acting experience needed to play Conan. True he still may look like Ronan from SGA, but who cares. He is performed a good all round Conan.

Last year at a local SCIFI/Gamming convention I spoke with Jason about the new film briefly. I tried to pull aspects about the upcoming film out of him, but he said he was under contract and could really talk about, so we talk in general about the character of Conan. From what I remember he said that he was happy overall with his portrayal of Conan. Then said it’s just not as easy as you would think to transfer Howard’ Conan unto film if you appreciate the character the way I do. He stated that he is very familiar with Robert E Howard and namely Conan. An added that his goal was to be Conan, not just act a part. I got the impression he appreciated the character and wanted as much of Howard’s concept to be seen as possible and to bring the fans a believable Conan.

Please note I am not quoting Jason Momoa. It’s been a year since we spoke and I don’t know him.

Now, am I a Conan fan, oh yeah! Am I a Robert E Howard fan you can bet your life on it. Am I bias you're damn straight I am, but I am more than that, as the same as most of you. We as a fan base look at our self as being a part of the fanfare, not just a generalized participant. We are not the originator, but we do carry the torch forward so to speak. The works of Howard is a part of my life, not just a book I read or a movie I’ve seen. My opinions written here are probably one sided, but I feel hits the preverbal nail on the head, even if the nail got a little bent in the process. Guess I’ll be buried with an issue of Savage Sword under my arm…

Conan 2011 is a good movie, full of adventure and sword play. Hopefully there will be a sequel. We need a Conan Trilogy!