tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post1306242538432063863..comments2024-03-29T07:35:51.362+00:00Comments on Fabled Lands: In days of oldDave Morrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-27919187733946512762010-06-25T09:08:41.829+01:002010-06-25T09:08:41.829+01:00Merlin was quite good - I mean the Sam Neill mini-...Merlin was quite good - I mean the Sam Neill mini-series, not the BBC's current lame effort. I haven't seen the movies you mention, Wayne, though I can just imagine Clive Owen as Arthur. He's a really good actor when given a role he can connect with (The International, Gosford Park, Closer) but, like most British actors, he can't seem to make that leap of imagination to get comfortable with fantasy or SF. Look at the pantomime gurning we get in British television of the genre compared to the naturalistic performances in almost any US sf/fantasy show.Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-4735987170941247292010-06-24T22:27:09.541+01:002010-06-24T22:27:09.541+01:00Perhaps the 'Grailquest' series of gameboo...Perhaps the 'Grailquest' series of gamebooks had the whole Arthurian theme tied up?<br /><br />And how can you compete with a system that gives you a magic sword called Excalibur Junior? :)<br /><br />There's been a couple of movies with Arthurian themes in the past decade or so - King Arthur (Clive Owen) and The Last Legion spring to mind, plus the Merlin mini series with Sam Neill in the title role. Nothing spectacularly epic however, though I've heard the Merlin series was quite watchable (the two movies, which I have seen, are so-so, with Clive Owen a particularly wooden Arthur.)Wayne Imlachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03904174524132194290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-18495850034362630392010-06-23T00:15:53.330+01:002010-06-23T00:15:53.330+01:00Excalibur is one of my favourite movies. But a rem...Excalibur is one of my favourite movies. But a remake? Heaven help us. They'll be doing a remake of Blade Runner next.<br /><br />Robin of Sherwood - yes, that was a classic TV series and a huge influence on Dragon Warriors. You're so right, Rudd - I'm going to dig out the DVDs this weekend.Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-2365429801271560822010-06-22T20:02:27.953+01:002010-06-22T20:02:27.953+01:00The Pendragon RPG just got a new publisher so mayb...The Pendragon RPG just got a new publisher so maybe a mini renaissance in the gaming world. A remake of 'Excalibur', hard to imagine what the result would be like.<br /><br />I like the sound of 'Knights of Renown' I was back home a few weeks ago and went though my bookshelves to find my old DW book. I also came across a Robin of Sherwood game book, something I'd forgotten I had. I haven't reread it yet but the system looks a little different from the norm. It has also put me in the mood to re-watch some episodes of the show.Ruddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12174843939252395797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-66697167991902917942010-06-22T16:43:36.385+01:002010-06-22T16:43:36.385+01:00Not sure about written fiction, but on the big scr...Not sure about written fiction, but on the big screen we've had 'King Arthur' (which I detested), and on the small screen 'Merlin' (which was disappointing IMO). Still hard to beat 'Excalibur' (which apparently they are doing a remake of).Paltoguehttp://fightingfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/User:Paltoguenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-44283849514304222052010-06-22T12:47:09.631+01:002010-06-22T12:47:09.631+01:00I'm surprised Arthurian myth seems to have sun...I'm surprised Arthurian myth seems to have sunk into the doldrums a bit in the last twenty years. I think that publishers dismiss it as old-fashioned, forgetting that Malory was updating older stories for a contemporary readership, as Tennyson did later, and that all it needs is the kind of reboot that Sherlock Holmes or Star Trek got recently to make it something that a modern audience can connect to.Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2141372262111342844.post-68407096621116457552010-06-21T20:48:01.961+01:002010-06-21T20:48:01.961+01:00'Knights of Renown' sounds great and shoul...'Knights of Renown' sounds great and should have been a gamebook! Definitely Fighting Fantasy didn't do enough with the knights and chilvalry theme. A couple of years ago I was reading Mallory and then put together an outline for an amateur FF gamebook heavily influenced by that - you'll not be surprised that it has some similarities with your 'Knights'. I might write it up some day, maybe for Fighting Fantazine.Paltoguehttp://fightingfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/User:Paltoguenoreply@blogger.com