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Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

post #1 of 65
6/15/06 at 8:05am
Thread Starter 
Instead of "King Conan", it looks like we're going to be getting an entirely NEW take on "Conan the Barbarian". I was actually really hoping that Arnold would've come back one last time after being the Governor.

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=15005
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post #2 of 65
6/15/06 at 8:37am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

As a BIG fan of the original Howard stories I find that article to be hopeful.

But theyve been talking about another Conan movie forever.
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post #3 of 65
6/15/06 at 9:08am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Me, too. The original film has some nice scenes (and a GREAT score) but it's got less to do with Conan than Burton's Batman movies had to do with Batman. I'm sure some will whine about more remakes but this is material that really deserves a fresh start.

Boaz Yakin's an interesting choice. It's been awhile since I last saw but I seem to remember thinking Fresh was pretty good...
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post #4 of 65
6/15/06 at 10:03am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Whatever the original got wrong about the character, it was very right when it came to telling a fantasy story. It took the story and characters seriously (definitely not the trend in the early 80s), didn't shy away from swords actually causing wounds that bleed, had one the best scores ever, and so on.

I've never read the books, so I'm not hardcore about exactly how the character is portrayed. The movie should be R-rated, Conan should not be "cleaned" to be altruistic and more of a conventional hero, and the story should take itself and the characters seriously.

Here's hoping Warners has learned something from the success of LotR and its own Batman Begins: hire the right people, aim for accessible but quality storytelling, and get out of the way.
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post #5 of 65
6/15/06 at 10:26am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
It took the story and characters seriously (definitely not the trend in the early 80s), didn't shy away from swords actually causing wounds that bleed, had one the best scores ever, and so on.
Yep. The travesty that followed it fell down on all those points (made the character clownish, cleaned up the violence for the kiddie market, inferior score, etc.).
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post #6 of 65
6/15/06 at 2:10pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

For those interested, heres a great place to start without having to go to ebay and getting the books one at a time and without L Sprague De Camp and Lin Carters additions (though I am grateful for the work they did)...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/034...lance&n=283155

And also theres this, a essay Howard wrote to describe the history and world that Conan lived in. its a really great read. Enjoy!

http://www.cswnet.com/~dbruce/conan/...1/cn01005.html

And a detailed map based on Howards to cross reference if you want to while reading...
http://hyboria.xoth.net/maps/chrysagon_hyboria.jpg

A few of the books have this map overlapped on todays atlas of that area which is interesting to see what sank and whats areas of land are still there today.

Also a bit more Conan info from Howard responding to a letter that was sent to him....
http://www.cswnet.com/~dbruce/conan/...1/cn01004.html
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post #7 of 65
6/15/06 at 2:24pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael:M
I've never read the books, so I'm not hardcore about exactly how the character is portrayed. The movie should be R-rated, Conan should not be "cleaned" to be altruistic and more of a conventional hero, and the story should take itself and the characters seriously.

If nothing else, the people in charge of the character these days have been saying the right things. This new movie is just one part of a general "back to roots" campaign that's being spread among various media.

The real hard part is probably going to be casting as there will likely be a lot of pressure to go for a wrestler/bodybuilder type, like Arnold, instead of focusing on the character as written. Conan is very strong but he's also equally quick and nimble and as much I like Arnold, no one ever accused him of being light on his feet or a credible swordsman
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post #8 of 65
6/15/06 at 2:33pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertR
Yep. The travesty that followed it fell down on all those points (made the character clownish, cleaned up the violence for the kiddie market, inferior score, etc.).

one of the rare (only?) times I'm more a fan of the lighter, dumbed down sequel than I am of the reverent, serious first film.
Reason being Destroyer was much more in the vein of the comics which I was ( and still am ) a big fan of. IIRC Roy Thomas was involved in the story and that would explain that. Big (rubber) lizard monsters, fetching virgin princesses, the quest structure. I still dig it. I hope it comes out on HD DVD someday (the original should be a relatively early release).

that said, It's well past time for another stab at this character on the big screen.
I'm just surprised they haven't done anything with him already.
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post #9 of 65
6/15/06 at 2:40pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Yea but Howard also talked about, many time, his freakish strength. He was able to break the neck of a supernatural creature, who couldnt break his, and his stories of full of feats which could only be done by someone of abnormal strength. In that same story he bragged about breaking the neck of a bull as a teen.

Whoever they get has to be physically imposing. Someone looking like Russell Crowe from Gladiator isnt enough(thats how I think superman should look). He should be larger.
Howard even said he was deceptively fast for his size.
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post #10 of 65
6/15/06 at 2:55pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Also, all the familiar artwork I've ever seen for the character shows him with bulging muscles, very much in the vein of a bodybuilder. Any "ordinary" build just wouldn't look right.
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post #11 of 65
6/15/06 at 3:03pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

I vaugly remember a recent syndicated tv series attempt from a few years back and I thought the lead at least looked the part- He reminded me of the big guy from Gladiator who was originally training the new slaves- he is also in the arena for the "Battle of Carthage' sequence.
he might even be the same guy.
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post #12 of 65
6/15/06 at 3:06pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

I'm not saying the guy shouldn't be built, just that grabbing any old oaf with big muscles won't cut it (IMO, the Rock, while not the guy I'd choose for Conan, does have the right combination of strength and agility). Personally, I'd rather they just get a guy who can actually act and then lock him up for six months with the cruelest physical trainer they can find

And that guy in the tv show was the guy from Gladiator: Ralf Moeller. He got the part because he's buddies with Arnold.
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post #13 of 65
6/15/06 at 4:22pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

"He reminded me of the big guy from Gladiator who was originally training the new slaves"

It was him.
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post #14 of 65
6/16/06 at 10:11pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Arnold will always be Conan the way Christopher Reeve will be Superman.

Conan needs to be big. He has mighty thews and gigantic girth. Long black square cut hair, bronze skin and smoldering blue eyes.

This is Conan.



The Rock I could see pulling him off if the one liners are cut down.

And the new movie must have: "I'll fill your belly with a foot of cold steel, dog!"
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post #15 of 65
6/17/06 at 4:37pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Shawn, Ive got a really rare statue of that painting(which along with Destroyer is also on my wall). Its a Clayburn artist proof, unpainted. There are only 15 of these in the world. Heres a pic.....

Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us

To me Frazettas Conan is perfect.
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post #16 of 65
6/18/06 at 5:28am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
Arnold will always be Conan the way Christopher Reeve will be Superman.

Nah, for me Arnold is like Michael Keaton's Batman: Good enough for most people but totally off to me. Slurred speech, whiny, stupid, a docile slave, no fury, no quickness or agility, terrible swordsmanship, no black hair, too Norse/Germanic...nothing remotely Celtic about the guy (hello? Conan is an Irish name, after all)...yeaugh, he's just WRONG. He's got literally nothing to offer the character but big muscles
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post #17 of 65
6/18/06 at 11:11am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by JonZ
Shawn, Ive got a really rare statue of that painting(which along with Destroyer is also on my wall). Its a Clayburn artist proof, unpainted. There are only 15 of these in the world. Heres a pic.....

What's the painting behind it?
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post #18 of 65
6/18/06 at 11:22am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Andy Sheets
He's got literally nothing to offer the character but big muscles

Would THRUD the Barbarian have been a more appropriate role?
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post #19 of 65
6/18/06 at 1:18pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by JeremyErwin
What's the painting behind it?

Conan The Buccaner by FF.

If anyone live in near Pa, I highly recommend a Saturday trip to the Frazetta museum. I hit it a few years back with a co-worker and his wife, and since we were the only people in sight for most of the afternoon, Ellie herself gave a guided tour. I was never all that impressed with Frazettas paintings before, based on the stylistic tendencies (though I have always loved his pen/brush and ink work), but seeing the paintings up close I finally 'got it'.
Just mind blowing stuff.
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post #20 of 65
6/18/06 at 8:50pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

interesting discussion.

other than his look, do you think "the world" of Conan can survive today's ultra-PC/conversative environment? i mean, i'm all for the gratuitous naked ladies, no-nonsense whoop ass violence, swordplay and all those things that inhabits Conan's world, but what of the feminists, conversatives, etc.?
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post #21 of 65
6/18/06 at 9:34pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by YiFeng
interesting discussion.

other than his look, do you think "the world" of Conan can survive today's ultra-PC/conversative environment? i mean, i'm all for the gratuitous naked ladies, no-nonsense whoop ass violence, swordplay and all those things that inhabits Conan's world, but what of the feminists, conversatives, etc.?

actually I think it will be more applicable soon if not already.
War and a war environment spills over into cultural attitudes.
Film noir, and its philosophical underpinings, was as much a result of the exposure of people to the horrendous behaviour man was capable of in WWII as it was the restricted budgets.
The 'gritty' and violent films from the late 60's/early 70's were clearly a reaction of people being made to face the unpleasant facts of the Viet-nam war.

A barbarian movie, if done properly, would be a license to print money at some point in the not too distant future imo.
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post #22 of 65
6/18/06 at 10:56pm

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

I agree with that point Paul. It would seem that we are shifting a little bit back to tougher, darker films when you see the edge that went into X-Men or Batman even. Audiences have been asking for films to be more gritty I think and have responded well to films like that lately.

Just think of where Miami Vice is headed this summer.
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post #23 of 65
6/19/06 at 1:36am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Chalk me up as a fangirl who would like to see Conan put on the screen RIGHT... yeah, Ahnold was okay, but let's get someone new, since he's busy being the Governator.

My brothers are trying to say The Rock would be terrific - if they can cut back on some of the stupid modernistic one liners they had him spouting all over the place in [I/]The Scorpion King[/i], I could almost see him pulling it off.

Make it mandatory, for WHOMEVER they decide to cast (known or unknown) that they read the short stories Robert E. Howard himself wrote. Some of the other writers who came along were okay, but only the Howard stories REALLY resonated.

As for the gripes about the gratuitous violence and naked ladies, solve that problem with putting in some strong female charcters. Valeria seemed able to hold her own in Barbarian. Just get an actress who can ACT, in addition to looking good in a scanty costume. Here's a suggestion: Lucy Lawless, who has warrior cred, to play a love interest or rival.
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post #24 of 65
6/19/06 at 5:26am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

"If anyone live in near Pa, I highly recommend a Saturday trip to the Frazetta museum"

I try to go every couple years. I was gonna try to get there again before the end of this summer. As impressive as his stuff looks in pictures, seeing them up close is amazing.

Yea I have Barbarian and Destroyer on the wall. Its Destroyer thats behind the statue...
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post #25 of 65
6/19/06 at 6:21am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

i haven't read the original short stories by Robert Howard, did he objectify women in his stories of Conan (like they did in the film romps)?
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post #26 of 65
6/19/06 at 6:29am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by JonZ

Yea I have Barbarian and Destroyer on the wall. Its Destroyer thats behind the statue...

oops.
the bottom of that looks to be the same set of figures he used for the cover of Conan The Buccaner.
If I can scan the image later I'll post it. (it's on page 72 of Testament)

___________

ah...ok.
I didn't read the liner notes with the image

"The painting in it's present form is entitled " The Destroyer" (see Icon page 63).
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post #27 of 65
6/19/06 at 6:40am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by YiFeng
i haven't read the original short stories by Robert Howard, did he objectify women in his stories of Conan (like they did in the film romps)?

For the most part, yeah, the women were there to look sexy and be rescued. On occasion, however, Howard would come up with a spitfire character like Valeria, Belit, or Red Sonya, and they would at least have some distinction in their personalities.

Conan's relationship with Valeria, who appears in the story Red Nails (one of the very best stories), was inspired to some degree by a real life relationship Howard had with a schoolteacher, Novalyne Price. There's a pretty good movie about them called The Whole Wide World. Features Vincent D'Onofrio in a really good performance as Howard and Renee Zellwegger as Price.

Edit: Just going on some more about The Whole Wide World, there's this one great scene in which D'Onofrio transforms and just totally becomes Conan in every way except his physique ("Conan? Conan's the damnedest bastard there ever was...Fightin's all he knows, ALL HE EVER WANTS TO KNOW!!!"). If they could have gotten him back when he was younger and built his body up, he would have been a *great* Conan.
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post #28 of 65
6/19/06 at 6:43am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

"the bottom of that looks to be the same set of figures he used for the cover of Conan The Buccaner"

Thats the same one Paul. It also goes by the name Destroyer. Im pretty sure thats its official name given by Frazetta.

Story goes that when Frazetta read Bucaneer trying get a idea for the cover, he found it long and boring (note:Buc isnt a Howard story).Unable to get any inspiration from the novel, he instead did a painting that he felt personified the character.
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post #29 of 65
6/19/06 at 7:00am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

I'll be driving past Franks house just about 24 hours from now on my way to work in NJ (well, east on 80 anyway).

ever work in oils Jon?
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post #30 of 65
6/19/06 at 7:03am

Re: Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ?

Yea but Im shit! No good at all.Painting has never been my thing really.
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