Vondy Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 Re: B-movie inspiration I'm sorely tempted to create a fantasy campaign based on several B-grade movies. A tangent that will come to the point... I'm one of those *laid back internal sorts* of people. I went to see the first batman movie (the one with keaton and nicholson), the audience was screaming, my friends were ooh-ing and ahing, and I sat their quietly and watched it. I enjoyed it. After the movie my friends were raving. When asked what I thought about it I said: "I enjoyed it," which I did. I liked it a lot. They looked at me with a weird look that screamed "that's it?!" The same thing happened with X1 and X2, Spiderman, etc. My wife knows this about me. It doesn't just apply to movies or books, but to potentially life-ending experiences as well. I tend to be interested rather than excited. She coined the phrase "understated man," to describe this character trait. With entertainment, I talk to her about what I like, but I don't whoop and holler and go goo-gah over the stuff I like. It tends to be a more cerebreal experience. About a month ago I downloaded one of the japanese lone wolf and club flicks with sloppy english subtitles. B-Grade. My wife was dubiously trying it out - she knows I have ecclectic (ahem!) tastes. She's still not sure what to think of some of the chinese and japanese serials I like and has complained that I have "schitzoid" entertainment interests. She's still not sure what to think of legend of the condor heroes. So, anyways, I'm half watching this lone wolf flick (I got into the comic iabout twenty years ago) and all of a sudden, the first time we see the baby-cart. I whig-out. My arms shoot out, I whoop and start boo-yeah-ing. I don't know what hit me. I got a visceral kick. And it wasn't from a top end movie. Just a b-grade samurai flick based on a comic I liked as a teen. And, despite the low-budget, it turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable and well-done film that gave me a few minutes of "I wish I still had people to game with" zingers. B-Grade doesn't always mean lousy. A lot of good cult classics are b-grade films. Heck, some of the better television shows weren't the ones the network put the money and effort into, or cancelled before it got really started because of low ratings (that were struggling with ratings because they were preempted for sports, or didn't get a stable time spot, and the like). Forever Knight, Space Above And Beyond (1 season and ended on a springboard point), Firefly... and many more. I say look for cult classics, one season wonders, and b-movies that were b because they didn't have budget, but did have good writing and conception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 Re: B-movie inspiration In truth, with few exceptions, most fantasy movies - even good ones - don't quite hit "A List," recent examples being excepted, of course... Dragonheart, Dragonslayer, Willow, and Ladyhawk (B+ or A- movies depending on your preferences). The sinbad flicks from the 40's-60's are good for lifting stuff. The land that time forgot and journey to the center of the earth are good for "lost world" genre inspiration. The Beastmaster and The Sword and the Sorceror are pure b-grade swords and sorcery. You might also lift stuff from asian films: the previously mentioned legend of the condor heroes might be worth mining for ideas, and there are numerous japanese and korean serials with subtitles online. I've found some of my most successful settings take a historical european default setting and fuse them with contemporaneous asian elements. The Anime movie series "slayers" is fantasy, you might be able to grab some stuff from it. In that vein, Ninja Scroll is... interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted February 6, 2008 Report Share Posted February 6, 2008 Re: B-movie inspiration You know' date=' I've always considered Big Trouble in Little China the perfect supplement to Highlander.[/quote'] Big Trouble In Little Quickening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 Re: B-movie inspiration These are TV series and not movies' date=' but Roar and Wizards and Warriors would make good campaign settings. W&W was one of those series that had a villain who was more interesting than the heroes. But it was very much like a D&D game on tape, complete with snide PC remarks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spence Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 Re: B-movie inspiration W&W was one of those series that had a villain who was more interesting than the heroes. But it was very much like a D&D game on tape' date=' complete with snide PC remarks.[/quote'] I never saw it. IAW IMDB it only had 8 episodes. Not even a season, too bad because we will probably never see it on DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 Re: B-movie inspiration I never saw it. IAW IMDB it only had 8 episodes. Not even a season' date=' too bad because we will probably never see it on DVD.[/quote'] It wouldn't surprise me if we did, actually, assuming the original films of the episodes still exist. Things are coming out on DVD that you wouldn't believe. (I'm hoping for a Quark box set.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.