Norfolk and North Folk
I just got back from a week in Norfolk with my family - which was nice. We saw some castles, rode on a steam train, saw lots of fish, penguins, seals and otters and visited a beach with a hundred mile per hour wind :) The kids were more interested in the gravel in the cottage's garden but at least they were happy.
Whilst there, I read more Conan and actually watched the pilot episode of the Conan TV series that ran for one season about ten years ago. Dear lord it was bad. Really, really, really bad. Poorly funded, poorly written, poorly acted, poorly directed and poorly produced. It felt like watching a fan film. I was going to watch the first couple of episodes to give it a fair go, but I don't think I'll bother. Shudder!
I actually really like the Schwarzenneger movie. It had an earthy, grittiness to it that gave it some credibility - much like the Dollars westerns. The sequel was more glossy but still an enjoyable film. The TV series - which was clearly trying to look like the movies - was just the worst kind of toe-curlingly embarrassing drivel, nicied-up for family appeal and maximum ratings. I mean, it made Hercules and Xena look classy and mature. I think it might work if HBO did a real balls-out, brutal, blood and guts version - but even then I'm not so sure.
Reading the books at the same time didn't help, mind. I find the books a mixed bag. Howard can, in one sentence be masterfully evocative and in another, eye-wateringly amateurish. The tone of the stories seems to waver wildly from one to another aswell. One might be a fantasy adventure, another a murder mystery another a ghost story. Conan too can go from being an indestructable and unstoppable force of nature to surprisingly vulnerable (but still more powerful than joe average of course). The mysogyny rampant in the books is disconcerting but I find I just have to aknowledge the fact that I dissaprove of it and and move on. The books are brutal, violent and quite graphic and it's often hard to imagine that these were written in the 30's. I'm amazed they were deemed fit for publication.
This aside, they are rip-roaring adventures and I think the most surprising thing is that Conan isn't a good guy. He's totally self motivated and mercenary but he has a sence of rough justice and loyalty that sets him above the often snivelling, backstabbing and dishonourable supporting cast and gets you on his side.
Having now read, Tower of the Elephant, Queen of the Black Coast, The Hand of Nergal, The Snout in the Dark, The Vale of Lost Women, Black Collosus, Rogues in the House, The Frost Giant's Daughter, The God in the Bowl and Iron Shadows in the Moonlight I must confess to being a bit burnt out and may move on to something else for a bit.
Best story so far is Queen of the Black Coast. If you remove the Queen herself - who's essentially just a juvenile wank fantasy - it's a really gritty fantasy action-adventure and it has pirates! However, if I read the line, 'naked, save for a loin cloth.' one more time I'll go nuts.
Wayne
Whilst there, I read more Conan and actually watched the pilot episode of the Conan TV series that ran for one season about ten years ago. Dear lord it was bad. Really, really, really bad. Poorly funded, poorly written, poorly acted, poorly directed and poorly produced. It felt like watching a fan film. I was going to watch the first couple of episodes to give it a fair go, but I don't think I'll bother. Shudder!
I actually really like the Schwarzenneger movie. It had an earthy, grittiness to it that gave it some credibility - much like the Dollars westerns. The sequel was more glossy but still an enjoyable film. The TV series - which was clearly trying to look like the movies - was just the worst kind of toe-curlingly embarrassing drivel, nicied-up for family appeal and maximum ratings. I mean, it made Hercules and Xena look classy and mature. I think it might work if HBO did a real balls-out, brutal, blood and guts version - but even then I'm not so sure.
Reading the books at the same time didn't help, mind. I find the books a mixed bag. Howard can, in one sentence be masterfully evocative and in another, eye-wateringly amateurish. The tone of the stories seems to waver wildly from one to another aswell. One might be a fantasy adventure, another a murder mystery another a ghost story. Conan too can go from being an indestructable and unstoppable force of nature to surprisingly vulnerable (but still more powerful than joe average of course). The mysogyny rampant in the books is disconcerting but I find I just have to aknowledge the fact that I dissaprove of it and and move on. The books are brutal, violent and quite graphic and it's often hard to imagine that these were written in the 30's. I'm amazed they were deemed fit for publication.
This aside, they are rip-roaring adventures and I think the most surprising thing is that Conan isn't a good guy. He's totally self motivated and mercenary but he has a sence of rough justice and loyalty that sets him above the often snivelling, backstabbing and dishonourable supporting cast and gets you on his side.
Having now read, Tower of the Elephant, Queen of the Black Coast, The Hand of Nergal, The Snout in the Dark, The Vale of Lost Women, Black Collosus, Rogues in the House, The Frost Giant's Daughter, The God in the Bowl and Iron Shadows in the Moonlight I must confess to being a bit burnt out and may move on to something else for a bit.
Best story so far is Queen of the Black Coast. If you remove the Queen herself - who's essentially just a juvenile wank fantasy - it's a really gritty fantasy action-adventure and it has pirates! However, if I read the line, 'naked, save for a loin cloth.' one more time I'll go nuts.
Wayne