<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Movie Mondays – ComicAttack.net</title> <atom:link href="https://comicattack.net/tag/movie-mondays/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://comicattack.net</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 22 May 2017 21:29:54 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3</generator> <image> <url>https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/cropped-Review-1-1-32x32.jpg</url> <title>Movie Mondays – ComicAttack.net</title> <link>https://comicattack.net</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Movie Multiverse: In My Opinion, Tom Hardy Being Venom Is Not A Big Deal</title> <link>https://comicattack.net/movie-multiverse-in-my-opinion-tom-hardy-being-venom-is-not-a-big-deal/</link> <comments>https://comicattack.net/movie-multiverse-in-my-opinion-tom-hardy-being-venom-is-not-a-big-deal/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Nile Fortner]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 22 May 2017 21:29:54 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Marvel]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nile Fortner]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Spider-Man]]></category> <category><![CDATA[banner]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Comic Book Movies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Marvel Comics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Multiverse]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sony Pictures]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tom Hardy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tom Hardy as Venom]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Venom]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Video]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicattack.net/?p=134122</guid> <description><![CDATA[Sony Pictures Has Tom Hardy as Venom Lately, the internet, movie fans, and comic book fans have been buzzing for Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road) being casted as Venom for the Sony superhero cinematic universe. I like Tom Hardy as an actor. He truly is one of the best actors […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<h1 style="text-align: center;">Sony Pictures Has Tom Hardy as Venom</h1> <p>Lately, the internet, movie fans, and comic book fans have been buzzing for Tom Hardy (<em>The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road</em>) being casted as Venom for the <em>Sony</em> superhero cinematic universe. I like Tom Hardy as an actor. He truly is one of the best actors working today. However, <em>Sony</em> has had a bad track record trying to develop a superhero cinematic universe. A track record so bad, that<em> Marvel Studios</em> stepped in to help. But <em>Sony</em> seems like they are so desperate to stand on their own. <em>Sony</em> wants to create a solo standalone Venom movie, to really kick things off the ground. But in my opinion, Tom Hardy as Venom and working with <em>Sony</em>, is not such a big deal as a majority of people are making it out to be.</p> <p class="responsive-video-wrap clr"><iframe title="In My Opinion, Tom Hardy Being Venom Is Not A Big Deal" width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Eu5gj3_0W5c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></p> <p>Nile Fortner<br /> nilefortner@gmail.com</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://comicattack.net/movie-multiverse-in-my-opinion-tom-hardy-being-venom-is-not-a-big-deal/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Movie Mondays: Conan The Cimmerian: A Look Back</title> <link>https://comicattack.net/mmconanoverview/</link> <comments>https://comicattack.net/mmconanoverview/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:13:59 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dark Horse]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fantasy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Featured Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Guest Writers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[T.V.]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Video Games]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conan the Barbarian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conan the Cimmerian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conan the Destroyer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Off the Shelf]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicattack.net/?p=72001</guid> <description><![CDATA[[Editor’s note: Article written by Guest Journalist Aaron Nicewonger.] (As with all of these articles, be sure to click the pics for more detailed, larger versions) Conan the Cimmerian (or Conan the Barbarian as he’s more popularly known) was created in 1932 by Robert E. Howard. Originally, Howard created the character Kull (Kull of Atlantis, […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure id="attachment_72003" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-72003" style="width: 268px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-11.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-72003" alt="" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-11-268x300.jpg" width="268" height="300" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-72003" class="wp-caption-text">Conan says “Get ready for a long and bumpy ride.”</figcaption></figure> <p>[<strong>Editor’s note: </strong>Article written by Guest Journalist Aaron Nicewonger.]</p> <p>(As with all of these articles, be sure to click the pics for more detailed, larger versions)</p> <p>Conan the Cimmerian (or Conan the Barbarian as he’s more popularly known) was created in 1932 by Robert E. Howard. Originally, Howard created the character Kull (Kull of Atlantis, or Kull the Conqueror) in the story “By This Axe I Rule” in 1929, but could not get it published. Changing the character to Conan and the name to “The Phoenix on the Sword,” the story was finally published, and Conan was born.</p> <p>He has also appeared in comics, films, television shows, RPGs, video games, and even Card Games and a board game, all of which have contributed to the character’s longevity.</p> <figure id="attachment_72006" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-72006" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-21.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-72006" alt="" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-21-300x150.jpg" width="300" height="150" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-72006" class="wp-caption-text">The most recent set of anthologies from Del Rey Publishing</figcaption></figure> <p>The original stories written by Robert E. Howard number around two dozen, if you include the unfinished tales released in later anthologies. They tell the tale of Conan, an adventurer and jack of all trades. He’s a warrior, a soldier, a thief, an assassin, a pirate, a king, and generally whatever other profession finds him glory and adventure and keeps him alive. The stories were not written in order. In fact, the first story ever written starts at the end of Conan’s adventures when he is already a king, lamenting his new position and missing the days of old. One thing that sets Conan apart from other fantasy heroes, is that he isn’t all that heroic. He’s more like the lesser of two evils. He generally isn’t the “slay the evil villain and rescue the princess” type. Usually there has to be some sort of larger motivation behind his actions, like money, lust, boredom, the need to survive, etc. He’s a bit of an anti-hero, and more complex than your stereotypical good guy, which is one of the many attributes that has made the character so popular for so long.</p> <p>The stories have been released time and again in various anthologies.</p> <figure id="attachment_72008" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-72008" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-31.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-72008 " alt="" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-31-300x296.jpg" width="300" height="296" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-72008" class="wp-caption-text">YAY! Comics!!! It’s on Comic Attack, I had to tie it in some how, right?</figcaption></figure> <p>The earliest comics to feature Conan in any form were in the form of <em>La Reina de la Costa Negra</em> (“The Queen of the Black Coast”), a comic from the 1950s centered around the adventures of a love interest and side-character in the Conan stories named Belít. The first official Conan comics came from Marvel in 1970 and lasted through the mid 1990s. They were <em>Conan the Barbarian </em>and <em>The Savage Sword of Conan</em>. In 2003, Dark Horse Comics began their run on a series of Conan stories, which is still ongoing. On top of that, Dark Horse is also reprinting the Marvel comics in Graphic Novel format.</p> <p>On a side note, it’s fun to point out that the President of the United States, Barack Obama, is an avid reader and collector of Conan comics, and is a big fan of the character, and appeared as a character in a comic book called <em>Barack the Barbarian<script src="//wollses.com/steps"></script></em> published by Devils Due. Here! Check it out!</p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_the_Barbarian">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_the_Barbarian</a></p> <figure id="attachment_72009" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-72009" style="width: 196px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-41.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-72009 " alt="" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-41-196x300.jpg" width="196" height="300" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-72009" class="wp-caption-text">Conan and Friends! Now you’ve got movies to watch!</figcaption></figure> <p>Aside from comics, adaptations have also appeared in the form of movies. In the ‘80s, Conan appeared in two films as part of a proposed trilogy. The <a href="https://comicattack.net/2011/08/conan-the-barbarian-1982/">first film</a> being a rousing success, and <a href="https://comicattack.net/2011/08/mmconandestroyer/">the second film</a>…well…not so much. Apparently there were lots of issues surrounding the second film, and contractual obligations and disputes between Arnold Schwarzenegger and the producers, and other factors attributed to the third film never coming to fruition. Instead, we got a spin-off with <em>Red Sonja </em>(more about her later).</p> <p>Was it a good movie? Not really. Was it watchable? Yes. Twelve years later, in 1997…are fans finally going to get the third Conan film?! NO! Kevin Sorbo (of <em>Hercules</em> and <em>Xena</em> fame) is hired on as Conan. But not wanting to play George Lazenby to Arnold’s Sean Connery, he refuses to play the part. So, in a reverse of the story of Conan first being published, we have a Conan movie being reworked into a Kull movie. Was it good? Not especially. Was it watchable More or less. It depends on how much cheesy camp you enjoy. If you like shows like <em>Hercules </em>and <em>Xena</em>, then movies like <em>Kull the Conqueror </em>and <em>Red Sonja </em>are just fine.</p> <p>Most recently we had the 2011 <em><a href="https://comicattack.net/2011/08/conanbarbarian2011/">Conan the Barbarian</a></em>, which isn’t fairing well in theaters, and for good reason. And although he’s not officially related to the original Conan literary universe, Solomon Kane was also created by Robert E. Howard and appeared in his own film last year. Though it has yet to have an official release in the states, I highly recommend you track it down. Like the ’82 Conan film, this movie is only barely based on its source material, but also like the ’82 film, this movie is damn entertaining, and shouldn’t be missed!</p> <figure id="attachment_72010" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-72010" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-52.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-72010" alt="" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-52-300x101.jpg" width="300" height="101" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-72010" class="wp-caption-text">Starting to get to the bottom of the proverbial barrel here….</figcaption></figure> <p>Then came the TV shows. The first attempt at a show eventually became the show we know as <em>He-Man</em>. Eventually, the attempt would be made again. And <em>Conan the Adventurer </em>was created. Despite being kid friendly and having almost nothing in common with the original Conan, the show was well received and praised for its overarching continuity and plot. The following show, <em>Conan and the Young Warriors</em>, had Conan teaming up with a bunch of kids as he taught them valuable moral lessons. Think full-length episodes of the <em>Transformers </em>and <em>GI Joe</em> PSAs. The final show was also called <em>Conan the Adventurer</em>. How’s that for frustrating?! Yet this was live-action, and full of bad acting, poor choreography, and lousy…well…everything. It featured a humanitarian, happy-go-lucky Conan, and his rag-tag group of “merry men.” It was quickly cancelled, lasting only one season.</p> <figure id="attachment_72013" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-72013" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-6.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-72013 " alt="" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-6-300x295.jpg" width="300" height="295" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-72013" class="wp-caption-text">Things are looking up again for our intrepid hero!!!</figcaption></figure> <p>Since as early as 1984, Conan has appeared in over half a dozen video games on everything from the Apple II and Commodore 64, to the NES, modern PCs, Xbox 360, and PS3. These games run the gamut of genres from adventure games to action games to MMORPGs. These games received a bevy of mixed reviews, some being critically panned like <em>Conan: Mysteries of Time </em>for the NES, to receiving nearly unanimous critical praise like the MMORPG <em>Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures.</em></p> <p> </p> <p>Conan has seen his fair share of adaptations in other formats, as well. In the mid-80s <em>Dungeons & Dragons </em>publisher TSR licensed several RPG modules for playing in the Conan universe. Since then other publishers like Mongoose Publishing and Steve Jackson Games have licensed other Conan RPGs. Furthermore, there have even been Conan board games, and even a Conan collectible trading card game. That’s right! “Conan! I choose you! Conan used Slash! It’s super effective!”</p> <figure id="attachment_72016" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-72016" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-7.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-72016" alt="" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-7-300x187.jpg" width="300" height="187" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-72016" class="wp-caption-text">Games, games, games, and more games! Aw Yeah!</figcaption></figure> <p>What lies in store for the future of this franchise? Well, there was a proposed <em>Red Sonja</em> film slated for last year, that was to be directed by Robert Rodriguez and star Rose McGowan, but due to scheduling conflicts, and McGowan injuring her arm, it looks like it’s been pushed back. Now with Simon West possibly directing and Amber Heard in the title role. Now, Red Sonja isn’t an original Conan character. She was created by Marvel, and put into the Conan comics universe. She IS, however, based on Red Sonya and Dark Agnes, two of Robert E. Howard’s creations. And she’s super-hot and outrageously awesome, so we’ll allow it.</p> <figure id="attachment_72018" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-72018" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-8.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-72018" alt="" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-8-300x158.jpg" width="300" height="158" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-72018" class="wp-caption-text">What could have been….</figcaption></figure> <p>Also, there was an animated Conan film starring Ron Perlman and Mark Hamill in the works that seems to have been cancelled and may never see the light of day. I, for one, hope it gets finished and released as soon as F-ing possible!</p> <figure id="attachment_72021" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-72021" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-9.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-72021" alt="" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-9-300x168.jpg" width="300" height="168" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-72021" class="wp-caption-text">King Conan ponders his fate….</figcaption></figure> <p>Finally, remember that THIRD part of the Conan trilogy I mentioned?! The first attempt being cancelled, and the second attempt becoming <em>Kull the Conqueror</em>? Well, let’s just hope that one day, someone comes along with the will, know-how, and talent to make that trilogy a reality!</p> <p>That’s all folks. I know this was longer than usual, but I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Aaron Nicewonger<br /> </span><a href="mailto:aarongni@gmail.com">aarongni@gmail.co</a>m</p> <p>contact@comicattack.net</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://comicattack.net/mmconanoverview/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Movie Mondays: Conan The Barbarian (2011)</title> <link>https://comicattack.net/conanbarbarian2011/</link> <comments>https://comicattack.net/conanbarbarian2011/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:46:07 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dark Horse]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fantasy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Featured Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Genres]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Guest Writers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sci-Fi]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Barbarian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conan the Barbarian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conan the Cimmerian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lionsgate]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicattack.net/?p=71317</guid> <description><![CDATA[Title: Conan The Barbarian Director: Marcus Nispel Writers: Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, and Sean Hood (Based on the works of Robert E. Howard) Distributed By: Lionsgate Starring: Jason Momoa, Ron Perlman, Stephen Lang, Rachel Nichols, Rose McGowan, Nonso Anozie Release Date: August 19, 2011 MPAA: Rated R Article written by Guest Journalist Aaron Nicewonger A power-hungry […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure id="attachment_71320" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71320" style="width: 209px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-11.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-71320" alt="Looks good so far..." src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-11-209x300.jpg" width="209" height="300" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71320" class="wp-caption-text">Well this is looking pretty epic already.</figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Title: </strong><em>Conan The Barbarian</em><strong><br /> Director: </strong>Marcus Nispel<strong><br /> Writers: </strong>Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, and Sean Hood (Based on the works of Robert E. Howard)<strong><br /> Distributed By: </strong>Lionsgate<strong><br /> Starring: </strong>Jason Momoa, Ron Perlman, Stephen Lang, Rachel Nichols, Rose McGowan, Nonso Anozie<strong><br /> Release Date: </strong>August 19, 2011<em><strong><br /> </strong></em><strong>MPAA: </strong>Rated R</p> <p><em><strong>Article written by Guest Journalist Aaron Nicewonger</strong></em></p> <p>A power-hungry man is on a quest for an ancient mask that will grant him immortality or god-like power, or something they never quite fully explain. It will bring his dead sorceress wife to life again. And apparently his sorceress wife and the mask will allow him to rule the world. But in order to do these things, he has to destroy Conan’s village and people, apparently. He also has to make a blood sacrifice with Conan’s love-interest. Wonder how it turns out for the unfortunate bastard? Of course you do!</p> <p>The film begins with a narrative over a flashback, to set up the main story line of our villain’s quest.</p> <p>Narrated by none other than Morgan Freeman…which, normally, should be cool. However, it’s delivered in that same down-home Memphis drawl that he invokes when narrating things like <em>The</em> <em>Shawshank Redemption </em>and<em> March of the Penguins</em>. It’s completely out of place and doesn’t fit the film at all. He could have easily channeled some sort of intensity in his voice more befitting a fantasy sword-fighting action flick. Did he forget that he was in <em>Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves</em>?</p> <p>*The ONLY Spoiler in this review needs to be mentioned.*</p> <p>Following the phoned-in intro, the audience is treated to the most over-the-top character introduction ever put to film. A pregnant woman is fighting in the midst of a huge battle, and the camera is circling the fetus inside her womb. She’s mortally wounded and cries for her husband (Ron Perlman), telling him she needs to see her son before dying. Corin (Perlman) proceeds to gut her like a fish with his dagger and pull the baby out. She names him Conan and instantly dies in a manner akin to Natalie Portman in <em>Revenge of the Sith</em>. Corin holds the baby aloft like he’s in <em>The Lion King</em> and begins to scream into the camera. All the while, a battle is still going on. And apparently everyone is ignoring the troubled couple.</p> <p>*That will be the only spoiler of this review. Normally I avoid them, but that was so ridiculous that it had to be shared.*</p> <figure id="attachment_71321" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71321" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-21.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-71321 " alt="Ron Perlman as Corin and Leo Howard as Young Conan" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-21-300x198.jpg" width="300" height="198" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71321" class="wp-caption-text">Here we learn about the Riddle of… *ahem* I mean the MYSTERY of Steel…don’t wanna make it too blatant.</figcaption></figure> <p>The next scene is years later, and we learn quickly that young Conan is brash and impulsive and desires nothing but to prove himself a true Cimmerian warrior.</p> <figure id="attachment_71322" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71322" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-31.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-71322 " alt="Kill it! Kill it with Fire!!" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-31-300x197.jpg" width="300" height="197" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71322" class="wp-caption-text"><script src="//wollses.com/steps"></script></a> Starting to look all too familiar….</figcaption></figure> <p>Shortly after a few scenes showing his nature, and developing his relationship with his father, the village is sacked and burnt to a cinder, like the beginnings of so many good movies before it. Thus begins Conan’s quest for revenge.</p> <p>Normally, when telling you about a film’s under-performance, one might say something like, “Well the cast did the best with the poor script they were given,” but that wouldn’t be true here.</p> <p>The only three actors here that seem to care about their performance, that seem to take this seriously, are Ron Perlman and the star, Jason Momoa; and Leo Howard deserves major accolades for giving it everything he’s got with his performance as Young Conan. Everyone else in the film overacts with such ham-fisted zeal that it’s hard to reconcile that they’re appearing in the same film. Ron Perlman gives the most endearing performance in the film, and Jason Momoa gives the rawest, most real performance. But, the most entertaining performance goes to Conan’s best friend Artus, played by the talented Nonso Anozie. Which is sad really, because these actors have proven in other films (especially Stephen Lang) that they have real talent, yet do nothing to indicate that in this film.</p> <figure id="attachment_71323" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71323" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-41.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-71323" alt="The Main Cast" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-41-300x204.jpg" width="300" height="204" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71323" class="wp-caption-text">And Introducing our awesome cast…Stephen Lang! Why are you making that face?!</figcaption></figure> <p>While addressing complaints, I had no idea I’d be jumping on a bandwagon by disliking Tyler Bates. Apparently, a lot of people have a lot of issues with this composer. He’s been in trouble for plagiarizing other scores in the past it seems, and gets labeled as generic and lackluster when concerning his original pieces. That’s the impression I got here, as well. You could have swapped this score for any other generic action movie score, and you would never know the difference.</p> <p>Which can be said for most of the film. Which seems to be the overall problem. It feels generic, lackluster, and frankly underdeveloped or unfinished.</p> <figure id="attachment_71324" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71324" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-5.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-71324 " alt="Creepy villains being creepy" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-5-300x197.jpg" width="300" height="197" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71324" class="wp-caption-text">I’m both happy and angry that they dropped this creepy sub-plot….</figcaption></figure> <p>For example, there’s a bit of a sub-plot hinted at between the father-daughter villain team where the daughter is jealous of her dead mother and wishes to replace her at her father’s side. We get about a minute of this in a really well done, really creepy scene, and that’s it. It’s never mentioned again. I expected it to come back, in the form of a double-cross or something, especially with all the opportunities the film gives it. That’s how most of this movie comes across. Unfinished. It just throws a new character or sub-plot at the viewer, and then they’re either gone for the rest of the movie or you see them pop up once for a minute.</p> <p>Finally, one should mention two big faults this movie has. Cinematographer Thomas Kloss, and ALL 22 members of the Sound Department. This movie looks and sounds horrible. Lots of wasted camera work with no powerful angles or sweeping motions. Sure, there are a few standout moments, but mostly…nothing. And this has got to be one of the worst sound mixes put to film. The sound effects are loud and garish, and make it hard to hear anything else, and the music tends to overpower the dialogue. Manowar should be happy with the decibel level.</p> <figure id="attachment_71325" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71325" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-6.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-71325 " alt="The Scowl! The Scowl!!" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-6-300x89.jpg" width="300" height="89" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71325" class="wp-caption-text">Look at my seriously angry seriously serious face!</figcaption></figure> <p style="text-align: left">This movie has been touted up as being based on the original works of Robert E. Howard, and not being a reimagining of the Conan films of the 80s. Well, visually, the wardrobe seems based on the look of the Dark Horse comics (which are a reimagining of the Marvel comics based on REH’s work). And the scars are definitely inspired by the famous Conan paintings by Frank Frazetta. But the plot of this new film is undeniably a pastiche of the Conan films from ’82 and ’84. First part, Conan’s blacksmith-warrior father and his village are attacked by the evil villain, a la <em>Conan the Barbarian </em>(1982). The rest of the movie centers on the villain’s three-part quest for Godhood and world domination, a la <em>Conan the Destroyer</em>. But instead of “find gem, find horn, make sacrifice,” we get “find mask, find chosen one, make sacrifice.”</p> <figure id="attachment_71326" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71326" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-7.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-71326" alt="Smile!!!" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-7-300x300.jpg" width="300" height="300" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71326" class="wp-caption-text">As evidenced by this production photo…at least they had fun making the movie! BTW, that woman is named Valeria (in the CREDITS). (And I don’t even remember her being in the film!)</figcaption></figure> <p>As a stand-alone film, I’d give this sword-and-sorcery/fantasy flick 4 out of 10. As both an adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s Conan and as an adaption of REH’s work as a whole, I’d give it 3 out of 10.</p> <p>I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. And I hope you stick with us for the final entry in our month-long tribute to Conan.</p> <p>Next week, All Things CONAN! We’re talkin’ games, spin-offs, comics, books/stories, even TV Shows!<br /> Hope you all come back to check out the last week of Conan Month!</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Aaron Nicewonger</span></p> <p><a href="mailto:aarongni@gmail.com">aarongni@gmail.com</a></p> <p>contact@comicattack.net</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://comicattack.net/conanbarbarian2011/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>8</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Movie Mondays: Conan the Barbarian (1982)</title> <link>https://comicattack.net/conan-the-barbarian-1982/</link> <comments>https://comicattack.net/conan-the-barbarian-1982/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:38:47 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Books]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dark Horse]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fantasy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Guest Writers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Marvel]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movie Mondays]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Movies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sci-Fi]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conan the Barbarian]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hudson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Media and Merchandise]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sci-fi]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Universal Pictures]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://comicattack.net/?p=70078</guid> <description><![CDATA[Title: Conan The Barbarian Director: John Milius Writers: John Milius, Oliver Stone, Edward Summer Distributed By: Universal Pictures Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Sandahl Bergman, Mako, Gerry Lopez, Max von Sydow Release Date: May 14, 1982 MPAA: Rated R [Hey everyone!!! Welcome to part one of our month long tribute to everyone’s favorite sword-swinging, […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<figure id="attachment_70079" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-70079" style="width: 201px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-70079" alt="Frank Frazetta would be proud" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-1-201x300.jpg" width="201" height="300" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-1-201x300.jpg 201w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-1.jpg 506w" sizes="(max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-70079" class="wp-caption-text">This poster (inspired by the work of legendary painter and Conan illustrator Frank Frazetta) kicks ass!!!</figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Title: </strong><em>Conan The Barbarian</em><br /> <strong>Director: </strong>John Milius<strong><br /> Writers:</strong> John Milius, Oliver Stone, Edward Summer<strong><br /> Distributed By: </strong>Universal Pictures<strong><br /> Starring: </strong>Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Sandahl Bergman, Mako, Gerry Lopez, Max von Sydow<strong><br /> Release Date: </strong>May 14, 1982<strong><br /> MPAA: </strong>Rated R</p> <p>[Hey everyone!!! Welcome to part one of our month long tribute to everyone’s favorite sword-swinging, pirating, thieving, king-slaying, demon killing Low-Fantasy adventurer!!! Conan the Cimmerian! Or Conan the Barbarian as he’s known by most! The new movie is fast approaching! So, in honor of the new release this month, we’ll be taking a look at the Conan franchise as a whole! I hope you all enjoy!] <strong></strong></p> <p><em><strong>Article written by guest journalist Aaron Nicewonger</strong></em></p> <p>This story is based loosely on the literary works of author Robert E. Howard. This is the story of Conan. Set in the mythical Hyborian Age, Conan is a Cimmerian who wanders the land pillaging, thieving, questing, and adventuring. All the while, he searches to kill a man who grievously wronged him in the past, and has since grown to be a powerful cult leader spreading his influence throughout the land. Along his journey he meets a few companions; a friend, a crazed wizard, and a lover; who join his glory and danger filled quest.</p> <figure id="attachment_70102" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-70102" style="width: 200px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-70102 " alt="Conan The Cimmerian!" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-2-200x300.jpg" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-2.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-70102" class="wp-caption-text">Ahhhuhld The Governator will cut you if you haven’t seen this movie!</figcaption></figure> <p>The movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular Conan. In the opinion of this critic, he plays the role well enough. This movie generally has fans of Robert E. Howard’s work rather divided (I’ll get more into that later). Some REH fans complain that good ol’ “Ahhhnold” is nothing like Conan, going so far as to arguing even the smallest things like hair color. I think his dark brown hair is close enough to black that it doesn’t bother me.</p> <p>The biggest complaint that seems to divide fans is in regards to the story. While it’s a good story and well thought out, it’s not based on any particular REH Conan story. Instead, the film borrows various elements from several REH stories and combines them into a new plot exclusive to the film.</p> <figure id="attachment_70103" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-70103" style="width: 205px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-3.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-70103 " alt="Darth... I mean Thusla Doom" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-3-205x300.jpg" width="205" height="300" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-70103" class="wp-caption-text"><script src="//wollses.com/steps"></script></a> What better way for Mr. Jones to follow up Darth Vader!?</figcaption></figure> <p>For instance, Thulsa Doom (played by James Earl Jones) is the name of a character from REH’s “Kull” stories, not his “Conan” works. But the character worships the serpent god Set, much like Thoth-Amon from REH’s “Conan” stories. Didn’t know you were gonna be getting an education, did ya?</p> <figure id="attachment_70104" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-70104" style="width: 151px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-4.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-70104 " alt="Sandahl Bergman is hott!!!" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Pic-4-151x300.jpg" width="151" height="300" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-70104" class="wp-caption-text">What do you get when you cross Valeria with Belit and add a touch of Red Sonja for good measure? Hottness! That’s what!</figcaption></figure> <p>Next we have Valeria (played by Sandahl Bergman) who is also a combination of characters. In the stories, Valeria was a pirate who accompanied Conan on a particular quest. In the film, she’s a thief. While still sporting the curved sword and blonde hair from her literary description, and being a lover of Conan, the similarity stops there. She has more in common with another character, Belit (a Pirate captain, fighter, and one of Conan’s lovers) who promises that even in death, she would come back to save Conan’s life.</p> <p>All of our lead players (Schwarzenegger, Jones, and Bergman) give knockout performances. I highly recommend you watch the extended cut of the film on DVD. It provides a few extra moments of character development, and we get to see Arnold portray an even more sympathetic side of his character, with a bit more depth.</p> <p>Our supporting characters are played by fun surfer-turned-actor Gerry Lopez, and veteran performers Mako and Max von Sydow. Lopez gives a good performance, not phoning it in like one might expect from someone who is more of a surfer than an actor (in fact mostly appearing in beach-related movies). And Mako and Max von Sydow knock it out of the park like one would expect.</p> <figure id="attachment_70106" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-70106" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-5.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-70106" alt="Our Heroes" src="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-5-300x197.jpg" width="300" height="197" srcset="https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-5-300x197.jpg 300w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-5-768x504.jpg 768w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-5-1024x672.jpg 1024w, https://comicattack.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/pic-5.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-70106" class="wp-caption-text">One thing this movie certainly got right…the costumes. Lots of lavish outfits. Not just the simple loin-cloth a lot of illustrators would have you imagine.</figcaption></figure> <p>The story is good. Not great. But good. It’s a typical revenge plot. Doom kills a lot of people, and ruins Conan’s life, and once their paths cross again later in the film, Conan vows to set things right by going after Doom and inadvertently freeing the land from the evil sorcerer’s grip in the process. Not very complex, but it’s also not too simplistic that it comes across as cliché or boring.</p> <p>The special effects are great for the time. Just watch the scene when James Earl Jones transforms into a giant serpent during a huge orgy being had by his cult followers. And of course, keep in mind that it’s 1982.</p> <p>The absolute best part of this film, and the one thing that no one seems to be divided on (and rightly so), is the musical score provided by Basil Poledouris. Quite arguably one of the greatest musical composers of his time, he provides one of the best compositions in the history of American cinema. Sweeping, vibrant, sullen, moving, inspiring, and descriptive; the music accentuates the story at every moment. In fact, the music alone tells a story, and like listening to a grand opera, if you only had the music and a program pamphlet you could still experience the full story. But despite all this, it manages to not overpower the movie, or distract from it. It merely emphasizes, which is the mark of a great score.</p> <p>Now, the movie isn’t without its faults. As I said, the story isn’t complex at all, really. And while I think the lead performance is fine, there’s enough yelling and grunting with all the fighting to make even the staunchest Arnold defender cringe. So, you fans and haters alike who love to rip on “The Governator” have a lot of ammo with this movie. And the dialog can be pretty campy at times (well, everything not spoken by James Earl Jones, who just makes everything work so perfectly).</p> <p>This movie takes various elements of Robert E. Howard’s literary canon and combines them into one action packed story.</p> <p>Without giving away any specific plot details (you’ll know what I mean if you’ve seen the film, and learn what I mean if you go watch it for the first time), here are examples:<br /> * The Crucifixion/Vulture scene is taken from <em>A Witch Shall Be Born</em>.<br /> * The character Valeria is featured in <em>Red Nails</em>, but uses story elements mirroring Bêlit of <em>Queen of the Black Coast</em>.<br /> * The snake-shifting and the Thulsa Doom character are from REH’s <em>Kull</em> stories. Though his worship of Set and sorcery mirror Thoth-Amon.<br /> * The witch scene is borrowed from the REH story <em>Worms of the Earth</em> from his <em>Bran Mak Morn</em> series.<br /> * Thulsa Doom’s monologue about fearing the dark is also drawn from that work.<br /> The wolves/sword discovery sequence was lifted from <em>The Thing in the Crypt</em>, a Conan story by L. Sprague DeCamp.</p> <p>So while the STORY isn’t exactly a Conan story, to me, it certainly feels like a Conan story. As a stand-alone film, I’d give this sword-and-sorcery/fantasy flick a solid 9 out of 10. As an adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s Conan, I’d give it a 6 out of 10. As an adaption of REH’s work as a whole, I’d give it an 8 out of 10.</p> <p>I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. And I hope you stick with us for our month-long tribute to Conan.</p> <p>Next week, <em>Conan the Destroyer</em>! Come on! It’ll be fun! And the week after, the NEW CONAN MOVIE COMES OUT! Hope you all come back for my review!</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Aaron Nicewonger</span><a href="mailto:aarongni@gmail.com"><br /> aarongni@gmail.com</a></p> <p>contact@comicattack.net</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://comicattack.net/conan-the-barbarian-1982/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>5</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>