Appendix N type movies.

[Karaptis]

Hammer Horror is way too fun and Your Highness is totally my DnD group. In fact some of my friends called me up and said I was the main character! When do I get to have Natalie Portman?!?

[8bitjunkie]

Hawk the Slayer

Edit...as mentioned by reverenddak above

[neverreflected]

Fantastic Planet! This little know animated French movie from the 70s kicks all kinds of ass and it definitely belongs in Appendix N.

[Karaptis]

If you can find it, Light Years aka Gandahar, is another movie by that same animator.

[jmucchiello]

I think it's fascinating that there are so relatively few "proper" swords & sorcery films and we have to quickly venture out into movies with the correct feel but different settings.

This is because it is a style of story that isn't conducive to modern movie making. The boy is generally not heroic and really should not be likable as they tend to be murderous thieves.

Oh, and the boy shouldn't get the girl. The girl is killed by the mark and while the mark is killing her, the thief is stealing the McGuffin. The settings are dark and grim. These two things are usually hated by focus groups who only want "feel good" movies to be made.

Additionally, S&S stories tend to be "capers", the protagonists (at most 2) are trying to steal something. Modern capers are things like those atrocious Mission: Impossible films or casts of tens films like the Danny Oceans films. When cliffhanger serials were all the rage in the 40s/50s, Space was big, so that films era doesn't have a lot of S&S influence. But that would have been the time for proper S&S films to have been made.

[reverenddak]

I watched 13th Warrior for the first time the other night. I gotta say, Thanks! I really liked it. I'm going to judge this movie by how it inspires me to play D&D, and this movie sure does. Ensemble cast. Witches. A strange humanoid enemy. Epic sword fights. And mystery, darkness and weirdness. I have to say, it's pretty good classic Pulp.

A couple things of interest, that you'll see in the movie: Dexterity as AC. Shield's Splintering. And my favorite, without spoiling the scene, there is a very Lamentation of the Flame Princess language rule moment in the movie. If you don't know the rule, Raggi has a very flexible system for knowing languages: If you come across a language, you can make a roll to see if your character knows it... or in this case, can learn it very fast... hehe. I loved it. I've been using a similar system in my game since monsters are unique and there are no "generic humanoids."

Ok, time to get off this stupid computer for a weekend full of bicycles & beer. But while I wait for my Lady Friend to come home, I'm going to see if I can find episodes of that Pirate cartoon. Either that, I might watch the 1981 Clash of the Titans, it's been a while.

[Klyngster]

I watched 13th Warrior for the first time the other night. I gotta say, Thanks! I really liked it. I'm going to judge this movie by how it inspires me to play D&D, and this movie sure does. Ensemble cast. Witches. A strange humanoid enemy. Epic sword fights. And mystery, darkness and weirdness. I have to say, it's pretty good classic Pulp.

Awesome! I'm glad you liked it.

While there's some modern elements to it, I believe that 'Army of Darkness' is also an Appendix N type of movie.

[shadewest]

Awesome! I'm glad you liked it.

While there's some modern elements to it, I believe that 'Army of Darkness' is also an Appendix N type of movie.

Absolutely Army of Darkness! Plenty Appendix N has modern (or at least contemporary) elements. The pulp feel is much more important than the medieval setting.

[reverenddak]

Absolutely Army of Darkness! Plenty Appendix N has modern (or at least contemporary) elements. The pulp feel is much more important than the medieval setting.

That's how I feel. Which is why I love Buckaroo Banzai and Big Trouble in Little China SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much. Again, ensemble casts (i.e. a team of adventurers) and wild adventures into the unknown, mysterious and weird.

[shadewest]

That's how I feel. Which is why I love Buckaroo Banzai and Big Trouble in Little China SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much. Again, ensemble casts (i.e. a team of adventurers) and wild adventures into the unknown, mysterious and weird.

Jack Burton may say its all in the reflexes, but he's also got a high luck score with a lucky roll on reflex saves.

You know, I have never seen Buckaroo Banzai. Coupled with BTILC, I'll consider it a strong recommendation.

[ragboy]

there is a very Lamentation of the Flame Princess language rule moment in the movie. If you don't know the rule, Raggi has a very flexible system for knowing languages: If you come across a language, you can make a roll to see if your character knows it... or in this case, can learn it very fast... hehe. I loved it. I've been using a similar system in my game since monsters are unique and there are no "generic humanoids."

This is actually one of my favorite scenes in the movie -- When I started at Dell many years ago, I spent the first couple of months sitting in meetings in a similar situation -- Dell has it's own language of acronymns, business units (that come and go at random) and other arcane terms -- and they don't necessarily help you learn it.

As far as the movie goes, I've always enjoyed it. It's like the 7 samurai in viking-land. I really like the way they handled "magic."

[Stonebreaker]

EXCALIBUR!!!
I saw "7 Samurai" a couple of years ago. I loved it.
Stonebreaker

[Colin]

I'm one of the only people I know who really enjoyed the 2008 flick, Outlander. A fun, atmospheric sci-fi spin on the Beowulf tale.

Colin

[Troy812]

Movies I'd add....

• The Holy Grail
  Willow
  Princess Mononoke
  Highlander
  Time Bandits
  Excalibur
  ...every freakin' samari movie 'cause they are ...awesome!

[finarvyn]

I'm one of the only people I know who really enjoyed the 2008 flick, Outlander. A fun, atmospheric sci-fi spin on the Beowulf tale.

The Sean Connery movie where he's a space marshall. I love that one!

[randraug]

I would add the Rankin/Bass Hobbit and Return of the King, Dark Crystal and Willow(deserves another mention), Flight of Dragons, and Legend. I proffer these movies due to them being a heavy influence in my taking up the dice and 2e in elementary school.

Movies I have seen since that inspire to play would be Lord Protector, The Gamers by Dead Gentlemen Productions, JourneyQuest, and Ink and Pan's Labyrinth (more for the feel of it).

[Karaptis]

I'm one of the only people I know who really enjoyed the 2008 flick, Outlander. A fun, atmospheric sci-fi spin on the Beowulf tale.

The Sean Connery movie where he's a space marshall. I love that one!

That was Outland.

[Colin]

I'm one of the only people I know who really enjoyed the 2008 flick, Outlander. A fun, atmospheric sci-fi spin on the Beowulf tale.

The Sean Connery movie where he's a space marshall. I love that one!

That was Outland.

Yep. This is Outlander and it's a lot more fun than some folks gave it credit for. I think one issue folks had is that the trailer makes it look like there's more sci-fi content than there really is, when the movie is nearly completely focused on portraying the spaceman's preparation and battle against the dragon alien-thingy defending the Viking village.

Colin

[ravenspoe]

Nice call on Equinox! Has anyone seen the Corman films Deathstalker and Barbarian Queen? Not to mention Warrior and the Sorceress with the late David Carradine.

You are my hero for today!

Tales From the Fallen Empire has a huge Corman influence.

[ravenspoe]

I thought the Solomon Kane movie was pretty good. I also enjoyed Valhalla Rising, it had some moments that reminded me of S&S. Those are all recent movies.

The classics like Krull, Sword & the Sorcerer and Hawk The Slayer are awesome, cheesy and low-budget at times, but they're charming and true to the spirit. Ray Harryhausen movies are also fantastic.

I don't know why it is, but fantasy movies seem tough to make. There are rare exceptions, like Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and it's officially Appendix N.

John Carter let me down pretty bad, I don't even want to talk about it. It's not as bad as the 2010 Conan, but it ain't good.

Hawk the Slayer was the D&D movie when I was a teenager. I still watch it from time to time to get my fix....

"Sister, would you say this is Holy Food?"

[Bilgewriggler]

Two words: Lee Horsely.

I'll be sad if no one knows what I'm talking about!

[Flexi]

If 'Seven Samurai' is being flung in here, I will suggest the manga film 'Ninja Scroll' as well.
The wandering swordsman, sex, extreme violence with lashings of blood, demonic adversaries with eerie powers....
It has a great pulpy feel. One of the best manga films I have seen.

Also 'Mr Vampire'. A horror comedy about adventurers battling oriental hopping vampires. Vey good. Ignore the hideous sequel!

[tovokas]

Two words: Lee Horsely.

I'll be sad if no one knows what I'm talking about!

That name is not spoken here...

Triple damage baby!

[sheriffharry]

For about 12 bucks, you can get 50 European/Italian sword and sandal movies.
Ok, this is not "Star Wars" or "Gladiator", but many are fantastic, story-wise if not SFX-wise.

My favorites:
-Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops
-Fury of Achilles
-Goliath and the Dragon
-Hercules against the Moon Men (?!)
-Romulus and the Sabines (with Roger Moore!)
-Ulysses against the Son of Hercules

[reverenddak]

Just watched Ralph Bakshi's Wizards!

I like the concept of Wizards being a race... the brothers were born wizards! Isn't Gandalf a wizard, not only in class but RACE?

It's fantastic, and made me want to play DCC RPG! And, I'm fortunate to say, I am going to play tonight. It's Thursday! My weekly game meets today. And then listening to The Sword (the band) is hyping me up too.

Oh, and would like to comment on Alien & Aliens. Alien is like playing Old-School, while Aliens is like playing 3e+.