Conan the Barbarian - A New Take ? (1 Viewer)

DavidPla · Jun 15, 2006

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

JonZ · Jun 15, 2006

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.

Andy Sheets · Jun 15, 2006

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...

Michael:M · Jun 15, 2006

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.

RobertR · Jun 15, 2006

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.).

JonZ · Jun 15, 2006

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

Andy Sheets · Jun 15, 2006

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

Paul_Scott · Jun 15, 2006

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.

JonZ · Jun 15, 2006

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.

RobertR · Jun 15, 2006

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.

Paul_Scott · Jun 15, 2006

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.

Andy Sheets · Jun 15, 2006

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.

JonZ · Jun 15, 2006

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

It was him.

Shawn_KE · Jun 16, 2006

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!"

JonZ · Jun 17, 2006

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.....

To me Frazettas Conan is perfect.

Andy Sheets · Jun 18, 2006

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

JeremyErwin · Jun 18, 2006

What's the painting behind it?

JeremyErwin · Jun 18, 2006

Would THRUD the Barbarian have been a more appropriate role?

Paul_Scott · Jun 18, 2006

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.

JediFonger · Jun 18, 2006

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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