Comments on: Encountering Howard http://www.blackgate.com/2010/01/22/encountering-howard/ Adventures in Fantasy Literature Mon, 21 May 2012 06:41:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Bill Ward http://www.blackgate.com/2010/01/22/encountering-howard/comment-page-1/#comment-1450 Bill Ward Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:25:35 +0000 http://www.blackgate.com/?p=4876#comment-1450 It's one of my favorite films of all time -- and a perfect example of how a film doesn't have to be slavishly devoted tot he source material to be good (unfortunately, Hollywood tends to err on the other side of the spectrum as the new abomination with the Conan name attached to it will no doubt prove). As you say, the sequel is shuddersome. It’s one of my favorite films of all time — and a perfect example of how a film doesn’t have to be slavishly devoted tot he source material to be good (unfortunately, Hollywood tends to err on the other side of the spectrum as the new abomination with the Conan name attached to it will no doubt prove).

As you say, the sequel is shuddersome.

]]> By: John R. Fultz http://www.blackgate.com/2010/01/22/encountering-howard/comment-page-1/#comment-1442 John R. Fultz Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:41:49 +0000 http://www.blackgate.com/?p=4876#comment-1442 John Milius' CONAN THE BARBARIAN movie remains one of the greatest fantasy films in history, despite naysayers who just "don't get" Howard's or Milius' vision. This film stands up to repeated watchings, and it evokes the doom and savagery of the Hyborian Age, as well as its fantastic elements. Ah-nold (who was a relatively unknown at the time) was a perfect choice for Conan. The only problem was the horrible sequel, which involved an entirely different creative team, and a deliberate effort to remove the "R" rating...it took all the teeth from Howard's creation and tried to turn it into a Rated PG franchise. Tragic. CONAN THE BARBARIAN, however, still holds up. John Milius’ CONAN THE BARBARIAN movie remains one of the greatest fantasy films in history, despite naysayers who just “don’t get” Howard’s or Milius’ vision. This film stands up to repeated watchings, and it evokes the doom and savagery of the Hyborian Age, as well as its fantastic elements. Ah-nold (who was a relatively unknown at the time) was a perfect choice for Conan.

The only problem was the horrible sequel, which involved an entirely different creative team, and a deliberate effort to remove the “R” rating…it took all the teeth from Howard’s creation and tried to turn it into a Rated PG franchise. Tragic.

CONAN THE BARBARIAN, however, still holds up.

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