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Conan The Barbarian

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DRCEQ Since: Oct, 2009
#1: Nov 10th 2010 at 8:28:35 PM

Here's something I've been wondering for a while in regards to a certain trope.

I've been looking through all the Punk tropes (Desert Punk, Steampunk, Cyberpunk, etc), and got to thinking: What type of Punk does Conan fall into? I can't seem to find any proper description of the series' setting that describes its.

edited 10th Nov '10 8:28:49 PM by DRCEQ

Seamus Another Perfect Day from the Quantum Savanna Since: Jul, 2009
ImipolexG frozen in time from all our yesterdays Since: Jan, 2001
frozen in time
#3: Nov 10th 2010 at 8:55:52 PM

Sword and Sorcery.

no one will notice that I changed this
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
DRCEQ Since: Oct, 2009
#5: Nov 10th 2010 at 9:15:16 PM

Just Sword and Sorcery, huh? I figured there'd be a Punk name to describe a rocky wasteland world where civilization is uncultured with very low technology.

collex Since: Jan, 2010
#6: Nov 11th 2010 at 5:30:34 AM

Thud And Blunder

You could make a YKTTW for a "desert punk" trope. Off the top of my head, examples would be Darksun, a Dn D campaign setting, Conan, probably Kull too, The Scorpion King (it's basically a Poor Man's Substitute of the first Conan movie.)

Though I must admit I find this odd that you post this in film. Wouldn't it be more fitting in Litterature?

Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#7: Nov 11th 2010 at 7:57:31 AM

There already is a Desert Punk trope.

Fight smart, not fair.
DRCEQ Since: Oct, 2009
#8: Nov 11th 2010 at 7:58:03 AM

Most literature I know of comes in Film form first... yeah.

collex Since: Jan, 2010
#9: Nov 11th 2010 at 8:01:46 AM

[up][up]Ah well, ok, we'll find something else to call it. Let me see... Harsh Fantasy?

[up] Wait, so didn't know there was books (short stories to be precise) before the movie, or you knew but you thought the movie would be more well-known (which isnt a bad assumption.

edited 11th Nov '10 8:02:45 AM by collex

DRCEQ Since: Oct, 2009
#10: Nov 11th 2010 at 8:34:49 AM

I really don't read anything outside of manga and anything on the internet, so chances are I won't learn that a movie is based off a book until after the movie is announced.

collex Since: Jan, 2010
#11: Nov 11th 2010 at 8:42:23 AM

That happens to me too, but I meant when you posted here did you know that the Conan movies (the Barbarian and the Destroyer, and the upcoming movie)were based on book? because you,re last comment was ambiguous. I not criticizing you, I'm just curious :)

DRCEQ Since: Oct, 2009
#12: Nov 11th 2010 at 8:56:35 AM

Honestly, if I had known that Conan was based off a book series, I would have posted this in literature.

collex Since: Jan, 2010
#13: Nov 11th 2010 at 10:06:19 AM

Oh, you didn't know. Well, it a series of short stories by Robert E. Howard published at about the same time as H.P. Lovecraft stuff. In fact, he was a friend of H.P Lovecraft and there is some small overlap between the 2 mythos.

If you need more info, ask!

EddieValiant,Jr. Not Quite Batman from under your bed. Since: Jan, 2010
Not Quite Batman
#14: Nov 12th 2010 at 9:59:42 AM

[up][up] Your avatar will haunt my dreams for years to come. Thank you. Thanks for that.

"Religion isn't the cause of wars, it's the excuse." —Mycroft Next
DRCEQ Since: Oct, 2009
Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#16: Nov 14th 2010 at 11:38:30 AM

Conan doesn't really fit into a Punk genre at all.

The various -punks all have other aspects in common besides "cool stuff" — as our own page says, "Common for all such genres is that the technology (and/or magic) level is turned way up, an ultra-modern sensibility is grafted on, and that the protagonists are somewhere along the Sliding Scale Of Anti Heroes living in a Privately Owned Society."

Conan doesn't have the technology or the magic turned way up (and much of what magic exists is divine (from a god or gods) in nature, there's no ultra-modern sensibility, and it's not a privately-owned society

tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Never Trust
#17: Nov 17th 2010 at 8:43:08 AM

Basically Conan falls into Heroic Fantasy, a genre which his creator to a large extent invented (the modern incarnation anyway).

Trump delenda est
Taranaich Since: Dec, 1969
#18: Apr 12th 2011 at 7:04:49 AM

(I'm still not getting the hang of discussion layout, so hopefully this appears in the Conan thread and not a new one)

"I figured there'd be a Punk name to describe a rocky wasteland world where civilization is uncultured with very low technology. "

That's the films: the original short stories had technology varying from the neolithic to the Renaissance. Whole armies wearing full steel plate, highly advanced metallurgy, substantial agricultural development, huge cities, and *very* infrequent sparks of complex modern technology (usually stuff like gunpowder as opposed to clockwork/steam/whatnot).

"Thud And Blunder"

In Poul Anderson's original essay, he more or less says that Howard's Conan stories do NOT come under the uncomplimentary banner of "Thud and Blunder," and instead mentions him in the same breath with the likes of Eddison, Vance and Dunsany. Indeed, in every case where Howard is mentioned in the essay, it's how Howard doesn't fall victim to these tropes.

In any case, Heroic Fantasy or Sword-and-Sorcery is the genre. No "punk" element, really.

Nonapod probably drunk again Since: Jan, 2010
probably drunk again
#19: Apr 13th 2011 at 1:54:42 PM

Conan's also been referred to as kind of cynical Low Fantasy

Vanitas Since: Jan, 2013
#20: Apr 13th 2011 at 2:25:34 PM

Which reminds me anyone hear of the Conan movie coming out this year ?

Buscemi I Am The Walrus from a log cabin Since: Jul, 2010
I Am The Walrus
#21: Apr 13th 2011 at 5:26:49 PM

I saw the teaser before The Lincoln Lawyer. The teaser isn't very good as doesn't show much footage but I will still see it anyway.

More Buscemi at http://forum.reelsociety.com/
AirofMystery Since: Jan, 2001
#22: Aug 1st 2011 at 5:38:48 AM

Necroing this thread because the new movie's about two weeks away.

I remain cautiously optimistic. I'm not really really hyped for this movie, but I didn't have much high expectations for Thor, or X-Men First Class, or Captain America, and they just got progressively better for me. I'm a fan of the Arnold movie first and then the original stories, but I'm not one of those "BAWW MY CHILDHOOD" types about remakes/re-imaginings.

I think this movie tends to the latter, from what I've seen. It's kind of like the Karate Kid remake: they took a beloved 80s film and instead of just copying it, they took similar plot ideas and did new things with them. New Conan looks like it's doing that with the first Conan movie: having a similar plot, but taking it in a whole new direction, with slightly more emphasis on the books as a source.

Honestly, what I think is ideal is the Film.Sherlock Holmes approach: instead of just adapting one of R.E. Howard's stories direct to film, where it may well not work, take bits and pieces from many of his stories to make a plot that works as a film, not as a written work.

Also, Jason Momoa may have been the best casting choice I've ever seen. Nobody but Arnie can copy Arnie, so they didn't try to.

brc2000 Thermonuclear Warrior from here Since: Jul, 2010
Thermonuclear Warrior
#23: Aug 1st 2011 at 6:11:53 AM

It's great that they want to remain true to the source material (or truer than the 80s films), but I remain skeptical. The initial teaser trailer a few months ago looked a bit too cheesy, and I love Commando, Manowar, and Willow.

edited 1st Aug '11 6:12:57 AM by brc2000

Schitzo HIGH IMPACT SEXUAL VIOLENCE from Akumajou Dracula Since: May, 2009 Relationship Status: LA Woman, you're my woman
HIGH IMPACT SEXUAL VIOLENCE
#24: Aug 1st 2011 at 10:12:18 AM

wild mass guess They won't get the rights to any Manowar songs, no matter how hard they trywild mass guess

ALL CREATURE WILL DIE AND ALL THE THINGS WILL BE BROKEN. THAT'S THE LAW OF SAMURAI.
MadassAlex I am vexed! from the Middle Ages. Since: Jan, 2001

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