Pick #83: More Hobbit Ponderings

Never guessed that the set of the Hobbit would be blessed by Maori.



But you all knew, didn't you? I just was slower to watch ;-)



I wonder if my family who went to live in Wellington NZ noticed anything of the filming there.

Here's a silly note to the teaser with alternative lyrics. No, it's not official, whatever it says.



Just to make sure, by now I do think it's a good idea to split the Hobbit into two parts, and not just because of increased funding opportunities - as in "two movies pay out more than one". The story is quite extensive for just two hours. Better to give it the length it needs.

On yet another note, if you could not get enough of the short eerie version... here's all 27 verses by ShaDoWCa7.

Pick #82: The Hobbit on a darker note... through Dungeons Deep

Some time ago, I noted that the Hobbit teaser almost suggested a movie of horror - being much darker than the book. Now, some people who have spoken to people who spoke to the insiders suggest that I may be right.

The Hobbit will be a more grown up, darker movie than the book. As it seems, J.R.R. Tolkien tried to rewrite the Hobbit in the 1960s, to make it lead up more naturally to Lord of the Rings. Apparently, he abandoned the attempt, as the Hobbit would have changed too much.

Peter Jackson picked up this idea, and seems to be extending on it. The movie thus will not only contain elements from the Hobbit, but also from other, more mature Tolkien works. At least, for as far as copyrights allow, that is. To ponder on what this may mean... listen to the chilling Misty Mountains (Cold) and Dungeons Deep from the trailer. For twenty-five minutes.



Or take to this eerie enchanting version by ShaDowCa7. It's spine tingling, believe me.



Makes you look forward to the film after all, doesn't it? It does to me.

Movies for Gamers #16: Pirates of the Caribbean, Stranger Tides is maybe better RPG material than it is a movie

Finally we watched the fourth Disney installment of Jack Sparrows Saga. And we concluded what we were already told by many friends: this movie is not very good. It could have been, but it's not. And that may exactly be what makes it interesting for gaming. A game with the given story elements might be better – if these elements are played out better than the movie.

Eh.. haven't seen it?

For those who haven't seen the movie, Pirate Jack Sparrow is caught by the King in London, to make him find the Waters of Life. But because Jack then would have to work for his old enemy …, he escapes and ends up captured by his ex-girlfriend and zombie captain Blackbeard, who also happens to look for the Waters of Life. To make things more complicated, the Spanish are also looking for the same dew – so it's a triple party race.

Why isn't the movie working? Because there are quite a few loose ends, failed jokes, and because the whole movie feels like a railroading adventure. It has to move forward into the action at any cost, in a direction that not always seems to make sense. Jack's father appears out of nowhere for one, and then disappears for the rest of the movie. No conflict, no answers, just an odd way to give plot information. Jack's father! What could you have done with that? Why drop it in and then forget about it?

Directors Cut vs Final Cut

One possibility is that the film was longer before it reached the final cut. That's often the case. The director and writers aim for a complex and interesting story, lasting three hours in screen time. Often such a version is part of the contract, called “director's cut”. Then come in the producers, and they say “great”, but they also decide to cut the film back to a two hour slot. To do so, they have to cut a few scenes – possibly a third of all that's there. Why a two hour slot? Because that way you can have two shows each night instead of one, and rake in more money. That's the idea, at least.

Unfortunately, cutting out scenes might not only mean cutting whole story lines, but also cutting out the logic of the movie. Or at least the sense of depth and meaning. The first Highlander movie is a notorious example, where the American (short) version was a horrible mess of decapitations. The European version actually had drama and philosophy left. Most of Ridley Scott's movies are also cut to pieces like this – but he found a way out: his more meaningful Director's Cuts now typically arrive on DVD half a year later. So watch the Kingdom of Heaven in the long version only, not the cut down one.

Railroading Movie into Sandbox Adventure

Will there be a more sensible version of Pirates IV? I won't hold my breath for it, but I can wonder about what the movie might have been like. And I can turn (parts of it) into an adventure. Blackbeard's ship, with snakelike ropes dancing to the tune of his sword are a wonderful gadget to use. The scorned ex-girlfriend who impersonates one of the heroes, and might still want him is also a great NPC (no, there's no chemistry between Cruz and Depp, so imagine another duo instead). The mermaids are beautiful to use. What kind of world would there be behind those alluring yet deadly creatures?

And best of all, you could leave the players to choose more of their own path. You might make more of a sandbox-like experience of the elements. Of course, you can have a clock ticking, and both Blackbeard and the Spaniards going for the Waters of Life. But you could also allow more freedom in how, when and where the players fit in. On their own ship? On all three ships? With the Spaniards?

And then there's intriguing questions for your adventure to answer. Like... why was the Spanish ship balancing on top of a high cliff? So, if you see the movie, figure how you can chop it up and use it.

Pick #73: The Hobbit starts to sound... like a horror movie

No, that's not necessarily bad. Really.
It's just that I began to wonder, seeing this trailer, whether it should be scary journey. I do remember the scary episodes, with the trolls, the Mirkwood spiders, Gollum, the goblins, well - maybe the whole book. But Tolkien's Hobbit stands in my mind as a children's story. One you can safely read before bedtime. Almost safely. And this trailer... is darker than what I felt the Hobbit was like.

It's, almost as if it's the Hobbit if it were written AFTER Lord of the Rings. Is Jackson trying to do that? Intriguing idea. Might actually make it more worthwhile. Like their interpretation of Boromir's actions in the Fellowship movie. That made more sense than the book did for me.




You didn't think I meant that I beleive the Hobbit will be a bad movie, did you? Horror being bad, I mean? Hardly possible with such a cast, Peter Jackson, good story to begin with... except maybe that I'm not quite sure you should cut it in half and make two movies out of it. Which is what's being done, I understand. But we'll see. If the Maya Calendar doesn't get there first.

Pick #72: Between the Hobbit and LotR is...

The Hunt for Gollum. It's a highly professional fan-made film, made non-profit, for about 3000 pounds by Chris Bouchard and colleagues. Shot entirely on HD video. The film took two years to make, with over a hundred people working on it. Probably because it's so good, Tolkien Enterprises don't allow it to be sold (they have no stake in it), but do allow the film to be shown for free on the internet.

It's been around since 2009, and chances are that you heard of it. Over ten million views on Youtube. But if you have not seen it, you'll have something to watch for! Have a look how Aragorn eventually takes over captured Gollum from a horde of orcs. Worse, Uruk Hai. And be impressed by a very extended combat scene rivaling Boromir's demise in Peter Jackson's first Tolkien film.

True Tolkien fans also should be happy, as the writers did their best to stay faithful to the source, basing the story on appendices in Tolkien's books.

It's fourty minutes long - almost - so take your time.

Pick #68: Snow White goes Postal

Grimm's fairy tales are a welcome source of storylines if you're out of inspiration. Or if you're looking for doing a classic without bothering to pay for the rights. In other words, looks like Snow White is back!
Nothing like Lord of the Rings, fortunately ;-)

At least the trailer looks fairly cool - if mostly violent and not with too much intelligence required for the male leading part. Looking at it I think the only suspension of disbelief you need is on Kristen Stewart becoming more beautiful than Charlize Theron. Duh... no way!

Maybe this Snow White can handle a long knife better. Still, looking forward to what commercial director Rupert Sanders makes of this. You never know, maybe he can pull off things longer than 1'30" too!

With thanx to Book of Worlds for discovering the trailer in the first place.

Pick #66: Hard Streets... they Rock

Okay, it's not a role playing game. It's not even part of a role playing game.
But it's rather funny. And maybe you get inspired to do some live action role play in those mean hard streets with them mobsters and youknow... like slug out hard, and kick em down and...

Have a look here. This is the first part of the (rather probably spoofed) 70-ies movie "Hard Streets". Some of the funniest worst action acting around. Find the other parts on your own ;-)

Movies for Gamers #15: The Man from Earth

Yesterday I watched one of those lesser known, lower budget movies that are gems. The Man from Earth. Although the acting was a bit stilted, especially in the first couple of scenes, I was quite impressed. It's a story that keeps humming in the back of your head.



The premise is, that a professor decides to move on and invites his befriended scholars for a farewell party. And then he reveals something about his past. That he is a man who is... 14,000 years old. A very interesting, suspensefuland yet philosophical long conversation follows as the scholars try to find out if what the professor says is true.

There's no big special effects, no agonising chases with stunts, there's hardly more than one room as a location. It's more of a play than a movie. And yet, it works.

So it made me think, could you do such a conversation-like story as a role playing session too? I think that's possible indeed. All you really need is  a non player character who is mysterious enough with his past, and cooperating, but also antagonising enough presenting the heroes with a puzzle of his past. Actually, I remember doing this during a campaign where the heroes tried to pry out the truth from a supervillain with memory loss. And all the time the question also was, when would he also remember what he once held against the heroes? It worked pretty well.

I think you could do the same by inviting the heroes and confronting them with someone like the professor - as long as there are enough hooks, they might also want to know if he's really 14,000 years old. An educated cave man.

The Man from Earth was made poshumously after a script by Jerome Bixby, known for his work on Star Trek. He was the writer of the famous Mirror Mirror episode in the old series. So, it is kind of fitting that Star Trek actors and a Star Trek director took up the story and filmed it. I found it inspiring on many levels. Anyone else who already watched it?

Pick #63: Kings Quest Revisited... and yes I know it's a Computer RPG

It's 1984. One of the first computer adventures. One of the first graphic computer games. One of the first games on the march to change the face of table top-roleplaying. Into lap-top roleplaying.

Well, almost anyway. I'm still confused that I have to explain what D&D is by referring to World of Warcraft. "You know World of Warcraft? Well, D&D is just like it, only without a computer." It seems like the world is upside down. This used to be the other way around, right?

King's Quest was a Sierra game series which was hugely succesful. Until Shoot-em-ups and eventually MMORPG took over. They were puzzle games. And the graphics were revolutionary. At that time. Now, they're not.

A group of programmers named Anonymous Game Developers Interactive decided to give the games a new life, and remake the first three parts of the series up to the standards of Kings Quest V. With SVGA graphics, speech and an improved engine. For Free. And they succeeded - as you might know, because the first one already has been downloaded half a million times since re-release in 2002. Or you might not know, like me.

In that case, have a look at Kings Quest I, Kings Quest II, and Kings Quest III. New old style.

Pick #43: The Hobbit

You probably saw the trailer a thousand times already, you heard the rumors a zillion times, and you will probably move to live in New Zealand this may...

but even then you may want to have a sneak peek into principal photography of the prequel of Lord of the Rings, as envisioned by Peter Jackson.



And the "official" trailer by Gameovais, which did once look real enough:

Movies for Gamers #14: Excalibur

This is part of a series of reviews of movies particularly interesting or inspiring for role playing. Because of their setting, style, characters, editing or story. Read the introduction here or here if you are new to this series.

Knights in stainless shining armour, with shoulder pieces like football heroes. Flashing blades of silver and gold. The swelling song of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. It's King Arthur from legend. It's John Boorman's Excalibur.

No, it's not realistic. No, it's not historical. No, it's not even true to Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory – although it doesn't stray too far off. But it's magickal. It's mystical. It's dramatic, it's tragedy. You could say it's visionary. It's even somewhat gritty. And bigger than life.

My favorite is Merlin, portrayed by Nicol Williamson, who is scary and funny at the same time. Plotting behind the scenes he both witnesses and steers the land and Arthur from the old time of myth into the time of Christianity. But is it what he wants? He is caught in an inevitable drama like all the others. From the sword in the stone to the search for the Holy Grail. It makes him very intriguing.

In role playing I've not yet dared to impose the same kind of inevitability on the players. Usually it doesn't feel right – and players hate to be railroaded. Usually it doesn't feel right in a movie either, but here it does. Maybe it is because the characters have such a clear sense of purpose and destiny, and they do not care that they direct themselves to their own doom. Maybe that's why it works. All characters have to do what they have to do.

Now that might work in role playing, but the players would need to know. All would need to know beforehand that they will play in a tragedy. All should know that they will push their characters into their own damnation. All would have to know and agree it will not end well. Then it might work. Food for thought. Food for a coming experiment.

On the other hand, if Arthur would just have been cool about Lancelot and Guinevere, there would have been much less of a problem.

Excalibur was finished in 1981, but it feels timeless. Worth viewing and viewing again, different from virtually every other movie in feel. And yet, there is a remake in the works. By Wunderkind Brian Singer, who also did “The Usual Suspects”, “The X-Men” and “Valkyrie”. It's produced by John Boorman himself – who did the 1981 Excalibur – and it's scheduled for release in 2012. Then we'll have the Once and Future King once again.

Movies for Gamers #13: Tales from Earthsea

This is part of a series of reviews of movies particularly interesting or inspiring for role playing. Because of their setting, style, characters, editing or story. Read the introduction here or here if you are new to this series.

Earthsea, written by Ursula Le Guin is one of my longtime favorite book series. They are so rich in atmosphere, dreamy depth and an own sense of reality that I can still almost reach out and touch that world. I figure that more people have that feeling.

And try to put it into film. Tales from Earthsea is a Manga-like animated feature, almost two hours long, by Goro Miyazaki. And it does feature hero Ged from the books. And it does feature the Dragons. It features Arren. And it loosely follows the third book – The Farthest Shore. Very loosely.

To me it's not the same feel. It's not even really close. But you know what? It's okay. Because Tales from Earthsea works well enough on its own. It captures some of the elements of the books, and blends them into something new. Something that also sometimes feels chillingly real. To me, anyhow.

“Once Man and Dragon were one. Man chose Land and Sea. Dragon chose Wind and Fire.”

See it as the Manga version. Not Le Guin's version. Then figure that you can probably do a better version of Earthsea yourself. Better than Miyazaki. Or at least one that's also good.

Alright, with that out of the way, can we use the movie in our games? Yes, I think so. One of the nice touches is heroes who are not what they seem. A young woman is in fact a dragon, an old man is the strongest wizard around - and he can change into a bird, their main antagonist is also a dragon - an almost undead one. But at the beginning they look like normal people.

Imagine giving each of your players a character like that, without telling the others. And you also give them a reason not to reveal their true nature straight away. They're supposed to be dangerous, dark secrets. I've seen this kind of secrets work beautifully in practice, giving a new feel to the game. Giving all players something to chew on while it's not their turn. Plan their next actions while not telling their secrets. Use your dragon powers to save your friends, or use them only in a hidden way, to avoid being spotted by your arch-enemy? Tell your party members that you have just been stalked by your dark shadow self, or wait until you can solve your problem - to avoid being cast out?

Have a look at Tales from Earthsea, and see what I mean.

Movies for Gamers #12: Floris van Rosemondt

This is part of a series of reviews of movies particularly interesting or inspiring for role playing. Because of their setting, style, characters, editing or story. Read the introduction here or here if you are new to this series.

Another series only available in Dutch. I'm talking about the late 1960s black and white series done by Paul Verhoeven – who you may know from Basic Instinct or Zwartboek (Black Book). Verhoeven won international fame with many films, but this was his first real thing after doing promotional films for the army.

The series was conceived as the Dutch version of shows like the English Ivanhoe – the one with Roger Moore – or the French Thierry la Fronde. And even if it looks a bit slow, stilted and black and white nowadays, the basic ideas, combats and stunts are still good. The episodes just need a little upgrade. Or the loving eye of someone who saw the shows as a kid. Like me.

Knight Floris van Rosemondt is played by Rutger Hauer – who you may know from Ladyhawke or The Hitcher. He returns from crusade to find that his family castle has been stolen by the Duke of Gelre and his henchman Maarten van Rossum – the knight, not the historian. The first thing Maarten does is put Floris in prison. But fortunately his East Indian fellow traveller and mystic Sindala, and a magician help him escape. And there the series takes off. Floris fights to get his family home back for the next twelve shows.

As a starting point for a campaign, the Floris setting is intriguing. Because if you let the players be Floris and his friends, that means they are fighting for their own small country. Floris is heir to not only a castle, but an entire fief. Automatically, the heroes have something at stake - and that's something to play the game for. It is what I call embedding the characters. They are no longer loose cannons, but essential part of the story and the land.

As a straight fantasy setting, Floris will not be enough. Magic does not exist, and if the characters seem to think it does, it will always be a straight magicians trick or a guy hidden under a sheet. But there are some nice semi-historical types, like Lange Pier the tall Pirate, painter Hieronimus Bosch, and Floris himself. And you might get a few nice low-key plot ideas from watching the series. Or reading the comic strips of same.

Did I say the series was only available in Dutch? I lied. Paul and Rutger did a remake of the series in German, five years later. Floris von Rosemunde. In full color. You didn't know that, did you? Neither did I.

Then Floris was shelved for thirty years. Only recently the story was remade as a movie, with fresh Dutch actors, but that's for another time. As a basis for a campaign, Floris needs a bit more flesh. But as I said it's a nice start. And if you're Dutch, you might consider reading up on your history if you can do better than scriptwriter Gerard Soeteman. Hey, maybe you can! Also have a look at the Ammersfurt series of adventures on this site.

Nostalgic? Curious? If you speak Dutch, you can even have a look at the old shows on web video. Here.

Movies for Gamers #11: De Vloek van Woestewolf

This is part of a series of reviews of movies particularly interesting or inspiring for role playing. Because of their setting, style, characters, editing or story. Read the introduction here or here if you are new to this series.

Yes, this movie title is Dutch. And it's only available in Dutch. It's a children series for TV, made in the 1970s. And it means “Curse of the Werewolf”. It is based on a book by Paul Biegel, which was translated into english, french and spanish - so if you're not keen on learning our language you might consider finding the book.

A little over a year ago it came out on DVD, and to my surprise the story still works. It is no longer as scary as it was when I first saw it – I was eight at the time – but it's still fun to watch. If you understand Dutch, that is.

The story follows doctor Kroch who is given a huge treasure to cure a patient from gold fever. At first the doctor is not interested in the treasure, but when it is stolen by bungling thieves Oenk and Boenk, his interest is piqued. He sets out to find the rich patient, the Duke of Dire Wolf, and his adventures become stranger and stranger. And if you're young: scarier and scarier.

The special thing of the show is, that it's filmed entirely in front of a blue screen. And the backdrops are children book illustrations. It makes it a strange mix between child fairy tale and real life. The illustrations are very atmospheric – done by Carl Hollander. And the excellent storyline is done by children book writer Paul Biegel.

It's easy to convert the story to a more grown up, grittier version, and use it as a series of adventures. Your players don't have to play a doctor. But they could be invited to lift a curse. And then they'll have to find the Castle of Woestewolf, a ghostly place that exists only when the stars are right. Somewhere between reality and fairy tale. And in the mean time they have to resist the... gold fever.

Another thing you might consider, is using such a  - slightly scary - children series as a storyline for a game for your kids.

Yes, you could entice your eight year old or twelve year old into playing exciting fantasy story with werewolves, but with bungling thieves, silly grown ups, and so on. I'd not give them the roles of the doctor and his assistant, but make them children who travel with the doctor and his assistant instead. They would have to help the grown ups and be smarter than same grown ups (which will be fairly easy, actually). You shouldn't make the game deadly, and give experience points for being smart instead of slaying everything on their path maybe. But I think it will work. I already did a few role playing experiments with my seven year old, so...

Go see it, if you dare. And speak Dutch. Or no, wait. I think I'll use it myself in an adventure first.

Movies for Gamers #10: Brotherhood of the Wolf

This is part of a series of reviews of movies particularly interesting or inspiring for role playing. Because of their setting, style, characters, editing or story. Read the introduction here or here if you are new to this series.

A fantasy movie set in historic France, in 1766? Yes. And it's based on historic fact too. Just based on, because it takes a few leaps from there. Horrific leaps. Martial arts leaps. Special effects leaps. Conspiracy leaps. Brotherhood of the Wolf combines many genres.

Director Christophe Gans, who also did Crying Freeman made it an impressive, atmospheric, and somehwat episodic movie. A movie about the legendary beasts of Gevaudan.

The beasts of Gevaudan in real life terrorized part of France during the reign of Louis XV, and assaulted and killed maybe as many as twohundred people. They may have been wolves. Or some sort of crossbreeds. It's still a mysterry and legend. Alive legend, I found out on my latest holiday in France. At several places where we stayed and ate, there were pictures of the beast. It was kind of scary. Like a werewolf that was never caught for sure. It made sleeping in a tent... different.

The film follows Fronsac, the royal taxidermist of king Louis XV. He is supposed to find the monster, and capture or kill it. Martial arts dancer Mark Dacascos, who was the lead in Crying Freeman now is his Native American Iroquis aide: Mani. Together they proceed on a path that becomes more and more twisted and misty. And they find out about a curse and a conspiracy...

Monica Belluci is in the movie too, as a mysterious character fit for player character status. She is much more than a courtesan. See for yourself and think about the wonderful implications. Belluci's real life husband Vincent Cassel also plays a role, with one arm bitten off by a lion in Africa.

The strong thing of this movie is, that you get an impression how to combine history and fantasy into an exciting mix. Eighteenth century history, at that. With flintlock guns, new found science, printing press, colonies in the west, martial arts of the east, American Natives. And a monstrous beast in an otherwise normal country. It shows that mystery can be stronger than loads of new zany creatures and treasure. You can use that knowledge in your games too.

The film was so inspiring to a few friends that they decided to do the story as an adventure. The idea was perfect. Except that they should have left the storyline and let us be the heroes. What they did instead was trying to make us fit the movie script, and take away our choices as players. I wish they'd try again and just use the backdrop. The feeling is so strong and rich. It would still work.

But then again, now I've seen the movie. Oh well. They can change the story a bit. I won't mind. I just want to feel the rush of this setting again!

Movies for Gamers #9: Ladyhawke

This is part of a series of reviews of movies particularly interesting or inspiring for role playing. Because of their setting, style, characters, editing or story. Read the introduction here or here if you are new to this series.

Modern music can make a movie, like in A Knight's Tale. Or it can make it very hard for the movie – like in Ladyhawke. If you see it (again) please try to look through the eighties synthesizer sounds. Once you do, you'll see a lovely adventure.

Ladyhawke has a special place in our group, for several reasons. Firstly it features a Dutch actor in the lead: Rutger Hauer. We are Dutch too. Hauer plays captain Navarre, knight by day, and wolf by night. He is cursed. And so is his love of his life Isabeau, played by Michelle Pfeiffer. She is a stunning woman by night, and a ladyhawk by day. Hence the name of the story.

Secondly, the story struck such a chord with my friend and co-designer of Dark Dungeon, that he started playing Navarre in a role playing series. It became one of his most favorite. He used a different name, but the basis was there. And hey, as a player he looked a bit like Rutger then. A few years later he even got a girlfriend with the eyes of Michelle Pfeiffer. It was uncanny. She now has ended up as my wife. Don't worry, we still are best friends. Today is my friend's birthday.

Mouse, played by Matthew Broderick – who you might know from the Cold War nightmare teenage film “Wargames” – Mouse is a lovable thief who guides the two lovers through the story. To a place where night and day are one. At times he has lovable private conversations with God – or is it the audience? They're funny and sweet at the same time. One of our common friends is a lot like Mouse – with similar humour, and similarly always a bit alone. And he played a similar role in our lives.

Even the setting found a way into our games. One of the main cities in many stories was Aquilla – “Eagle”. It came straight from this movie.

Did I already tell Ladyhawke was special to us? It is. Maybe you feel the same about some movies - no matter if the story was good or bad. Maybe they also found their way into your games. Maybe one of your favorite movie characters became your favorite role playing character too.

How is that with you? Were there special movies that really inspired you deeply? Let me know!

Pick #25: The Dungeon Masters Documentary

Working on documentaries, my own or those of others, is part of my day to day business. And playing and thinking about role playing games, is another part of my daily business. So, I am naturally curious when a documentary is out on role players.

And naturally I'm a bit apprehensive whether the movie maker will get it right. Our own group has been depicted in the news both lovingly and as ... freaks.

I cannot yet judge where the The Dungeon Masters by Keven McAlister lies. It is a documentary about three - as it says - Dungeon Masters. Richard, Elizabeth and Scott. He followed them a year around, and filmed their games, their quirks, and their personal lives. Elizabeth dresses up as a dark elf, Richard has a hard time choosing between his hobby friends and his wife, and Ninja Scott tries to write a book and hide from reality.

Often enough, people one sees depicted in docs, such as those by Theroux or Michael Moore, are not really as freaky in real life as they are in the movie. The documentary works, may even have an important truth in it, but you can wonder whether it's fair. Laughing at someone is not the same as laughing with someone. It's a thin line to walk sometimes. And as I gather from most critics - the Dungeon Masters walks this line. The Dungeon Masters trailer suggests to me that it crossed the border.

I guess I'll have to see the whole thing for myself - since it's out on DVD. You judge too, if you can. Are we freaks? Nah...

Movies for Gamers #8: A Knight's Tale

This is part of a series of reviews of movies particularly interesting or inspiring for role playing. Because of their setting, style, characters, editing or story. Read the introduction here or here if you are new to this series.

Imagine a medieval setting. Near a castle. With noble ladies and lords parading around. A joust is going to be held. Two ironclad knights are put into the saddle. The burnish their lances. The knights storm at each other. The crowd goes wild. And then we hear Queen's “We will, we will... Rock you!”.

Anachronistic? Quite so. Silly? Not really. Effective? Very. Director Brian Helgeland uses anachronism – that's mixing things from very different ages in a story – very much on purpose. You may or may not like it, but the idea is to engage the audience. Show how these people are younger, a new generation. Or as he says it: it's set in 1370. So one should use 70-ies music.

Anachronistic or not, the film has a cool medieval feel – without being stuffy. Heath Ledger plays the title role, and sets out as a knights page at the tournament. When his knight suddenly dies of indigestion during a break – while being on the winning hand – he dons his masters armour and takes his place... And that's where our story really begins. Eventually he'll fall in love. He will make enemies. He'll find out about an old secret. And he'll use the ridiculous sounding name of Ulrich von Liechtenstein from Gelderland – Gelderland is currently part of the Netherlands by the way - the place where I live.

Heath is great. But Paul Bettany is even better. Paul plays Geoffrey Chaucer. Yes, the monk who wrote the Canterbury Tales. And this film is about the period in Chaucers life before he wrote the book, and went missing for some time. This is what might have happened. Well, Bettany's Chaucer is a wonderfully eloquent herald in this story. I wish I could be so glib of tongue, and so good with crowds.
I guess training in acting wouldn't be a bad idea for role playing. But that's for another series of posts.

The story of this film would make for a good series of adventures. Let the players start out as pages or travelling assistants to high level non player characters. And then bring them in the situation that they have to impersonate these high level NPCs. From this point on it can get really interesting, as the players would have to take on (or avoid) challenges usually above their level or station.

The lead characters in a Knight's Tale are in themselves also great to use as player characters, and the comedic tone would do well at the game table. But best of all it left me wondering if I could structurally use rock music in a few of my sessions. As background music. Normally I'd use film music, or perhaps medieval music. That generally works. But why stop there? What works for a movie might work for a game. Anachronistic music (if you can speak of anachronism in a fantasy setting, since fantasy is usually full of anachronism anyway). Queen and Robbie Williams... Tina Turner perhaps. Would it work? I'll give it a try.

Haven't seen it yet? Go do so and watch Chaucer and Ulrich!

Movies for Gamers #7: The Princess Bride

This is part of a series of reviews of movies particularly interesting or inspiring for role playing. Because of their setting, style, characters, editing or story. Read the introduction here or here if you are new to this series.

An absolute classic of classics. The Princess Bride was made in 1987, but it's still fresh, silly, full of witty lines and humour, and sweet and romantic at the same time. Well, kind of romantic. It's a fairy tale about true love, TRUE LOVE, Trooo... Luv... And yet it's for all ages. All ages that understand English.

The Princess Bride was masterfully filmed by Rob Reiner, who also did When Harry met Sally (another classic you should see). The book and script were written by William Goldman, who also did classics like All the President's Men. Yes, he's old, I know. I'd say classic. Did I say classic? I'm overdoing.

The film is a frame story – told as a story within a story. We see how Peter Falk reads the book to his grandson, who at first is not interested in it because it does not contain sports. But as the story develops, he wants to know more and more – just like we do. Even about the kiss. The kiss that surpassed all kisses since 1642 BC. Now is this silly? Yes it is. And it gets better.

The Princess Bride book is about farm boy Westley, and Princess Buttercup, who are in true love with eachother. But of course they can't tell each other, for she is a princess and he is... well. Westley and Buttercup are separated, and the rest of the story is how they find eachother again. And on their quests they meet Fezzik the Giant, who was once "unemployed in Greenland" (you should use a nasal voice while saying this). And Inigo Montoya – “my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die”. Vizzini, whose brain will match anyone, Rodents of Unusual Size, the Dread Pirate Roberts...

Perhaps the movie is too witty to make into an average adventure. It will be a feat to play like this – although it would be a great trip. Quotes galore – have a look here and here if you already saw the movie. Otherwise see it first. And think about it, could you do an adventure session like this? This silly, this fast, this witty? Maybe you can, can't you?

Whether it would work or not would mostly depend on your playing style. And whether at least some of your players are good at thinking up silly quotes. And the game system - or the way you use it! - should be simple and fast to allow for it. It will be easier to use say - Risus, or Fudge, than Role Master or d20. Too much realism would also be crippling. Actually I think my own "Santiago Joe" would be pretty good for it, as it has the pace built in, and needs no dice whatsoever. You'd only have to adapt it for fairy tales. Maybe I'll do that too for a later free game. Keep you posted.

Another thing you might consider is to actually fit such a zany story into your regular campaign as a framed story. Just like the Princess Bride is a story within a story, you could do a role playing game in a role playing game.

Imagine the player characters come to storyteller wizard Goldman. They need him to help them. But he wants them to do something first. He is sitting at the fire, and he begins to tell them... a story. Then, as the story develops, the player characters (and their players) are engaged in the story, role playing new characters made up on the spot (in Risus, or Santiago Joe). These new characters then have to solve this story within the story first, before Goldman will do what they want.

So the player characters would have to play... second tier player characters! Lost already? Go watch Inception, that's six tiers - or was it five?

Anyway. Just get the Princess Bride (off the shelf again). And have a Merry Christmas.

Movies for Gamers ##: Inspiration for Role Playing Games

Why on earth review movies on a role playing blog? Because they're inspiration. Because they're a trove of ideas, not just for stories, characters, monsters, items, and locations. But often a trove of ideas for story telling techniques too.

Recently the first reaction to my application for the RPG Bloggers came in. Unfortunately (at that time rightfully) the reviewer attended me that he could not understand from the feeds that this is in fact a paper and pen role playing blog. Should you wonder too – let's say it again. Movies are a great inspiration source. Don't be afraid to plunder them for ideas, for feel, for soundtracks to play during your game – or planning for your game.

Afraid that players will recognize where you got your ideas from? Don't worry. Mix and match ideas from different movies, combine as you see fit. As long as you don't expect players to act out a whole movie in detail and follow its plot slavishly – you're fine. Better even, the players might be flattered to play alongside movie greats, or at least proud that they recognized where you got some ideas from.

Movies are a fine way to get your imagination started. And some are very good at it. That's why I bring these movies up here – in a paper & pen role playing blog.