Did you just cast aspersions on a Queen soundtrack? Well I never.
Though, admittedly Basil Poledouris's masterpiece is one of the best soundtracks in film, so there is that.
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Did you just cast aspersions on a Queen soundtrack? Well I never.
Though, admittedly Basil Poledouris's masterpiece is one of the best soundtracks in film, so there is that.
Much as I like the songs on their own as music, they leave a lot to be desired as a film score.
I'm trying to get an actual look at the original stories. But since they aren't novels, is there some kind of complete list of Hyborian Age stories with chronological and publication order?
And are they all about Conan or also other ones, and are they all by Robert Howard or are there any by other writers as with Lovecrafts stories?
I'm pretty sure they were published like/as novels at some point (or at least small novel sized collections of small numbers of stories). I'm also pretty sure you can get them as a weighty collected-stories tome.
It's kind of Like the Bond stories, in that to all intents and purposes they are Robert E Howard and him alone, but other people have had a crack at it in the years since and which YMMV with.
Conan stories are about Conan. Even crossover cameos are rare, few and far between. However, I'm sure he did set several of his other series in the same setting, including far before them chronologically, possibly far after, and maybe one or two roughly contemporary. Not so sure of the last one.
I recommend the "big" Del Rey compendia like this one - I have a ton of the collected Conan books, but have all of the other Howard compendia (Solomon Kane, Horror, Kull, Bran Mak Morn, etc) and really like the work they've done. I think there are three Conan editions...start with the linked one and work from there!
- M
EDIT: Oh, by the way the most recent comic book run (Dark Horse) is pretty strong as well...though some volumes are hit-or-miss...check your local shop or library AFTER reading the original stories!
It's not all Conan, there are other characters form Hyboria that where developed during/after the original Conan stories came out. Kull the Conqueror being one, another being Red Sonja.
Howard wrote the original stuff, but a number of other authors have had there shot at the franchise since he died. Many however feel that Howard is the gold standard though, me among them.
And look up The coming of Conan the Cimmerian. It's an anthology of publication order Robert E. Howard Conan stories. All the original ones the creator penned himself and published during his life time.
Project Gutenberg has most or all of the stories here under "Howard".
And I happened to look up the comics. I thought it would have been a one time thing with 20 issues or so, but that thing has been going since the 70s with about 700 issues. :smalleek:
This idea is win, Conan of the Isles was one of my favorites. If they bring the budget and writer, it could be just as mainstream as any Batman was. That was the problem with the recent Conan, it wasn't the setting. Batman and LOTR have proved that the masses can embrace their inner nerd, it's that the story was just a Conan story, it had no "wow" factor.
Young Arnold was a great young Conan, and I think he's necessary to get the "buzz", but I'm not sure that old Arnold is a great old Conan, I guess we'll see...
I would love, love, love, to see him as Druss, but definitely not the early prequel books as movies. Gemmel caught the whirlwind with Legend, and never came close with any of his other books as far as I'm concerned. Throw in some flashbacks, but don't do the whole stories, and get rid of the "demon axe" idea, just let him be a man.
I was specifically pointing to the most recent Dark Horse run...I think they are compiled in volumes of 6 or so issues, and there are eek...13 volumes now (if you count "Volume 0").
If you count the Marvel run, the Savage Sword magazine, King Conan and all the others I'd certainly believe it hit 700+.
Still, the big compendia are my recommendation!
Agreed about Druss. Did you see Arnolds recent pic where he had the whitish beard? Man. It looked perfect.
Gemmel...too many amazing legends passing away. Though I liked all of his other books even more than Legend.
I think A.S. will do fine as an aged King Conan. Get him on a roid drip and GO:)
no.. I don't think Arnie has half the charisma necessary to play the role. physically he could do it, sure, but that's about it. I would want someone who can actually act..possibly with less of a thick voice..
as for getting rid of the demon axe.. by the time of Legend, the axe was just an axe, albeit one that didn't need sharpening..and Druss was always both "just a man" and so much more than just a man.. and was never really controlled by Snaga.
have you been reading the same books I read?
on a more personal note..I agree that Legend kind of tops the series if not in quality at least in tone and inspiration..but the other books of the drenai series are just as good a read.
Sorry for any confusion, I was meaning that if I were to condense "The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend" and the other assorted prequel stories about Druss into a set of flashbacks for a movie based on the book "Legend" I would not include the idea of Snaga as a sentient weapon.
You see, I liked Snaga being a demonically possessed weapon. It further emphasized just how strong Druss was, not in body, but in will. Its history of turning all who used it into psychotic slaughtering monsters underscored Druss and his ability to avoid that fate. The one time it got out of his possession, (when he got captured by bandits and tossed in a dungeon for the better part of a year) we got to see exactly what kind of effect it has on the weak minded when the bandit leader started using it. Druss was like some sort of greek hero without the tragic fate. He had to face endless trials, had a hopeless quest he would not stop chasing after, was tested physically, mentally, emotionally. He became an inspirational figure, and one whose very name would make his enemies shudder in fear. He walked through hell itself and came back out with exactly what he wanted. His axe was a central part of so much of his back story, it would be a travesty to diminish it.