TBF, Mags, you have been doing a lot of the heavylifting for the quest, so this will be in good hands.
To be clear to everyone, this is just me burning out on imagination of the quest, since my muse has been hitting me over the head a lot with so many different ideas that I just can't find myself too interested in this.
I'll still hang out here, though, since this still does have a sepcial place in my heart.
I'd like to thank you all for making this a wonderful experience while it lasted.
I'd also like to thank @Magoose, @Fluffy_serpent, and @Martin Noctis for doing so much to help prepare and write this quest. I couldn't have done it without you all.
Something something, history and how we got here, something something, the place of violence in our society, something something, learning half a lesson is worse than learning a whole lesson.
Excalibur Directed by: John Boorman
Written by: Rospo Pallenberg and John Boorman
Produced by: John Boorman
Production Studio: Orion Pictures
Distribution Studio: Lucasfilms Unlimited
Starring: Nigel Terry (Arthur), Helen Mirren (Morgana Le Fay), Nicholas Clay (Sir Lancelot), Cherie Lunghi (Guenevere), Paul Geoffrey (Perceval), Nicol Williamson (Merlin), Corin Redgrave (Duke of Cornwall), Patrick Stewart (King Leodegrance), Keith Buckley (Uryens), Clive Swift (Ector), Liam Neeson (Gawain), Gabriel Byrne (King Uther Pendragon), Robert Addie (Mordred), Katrine Boorman (Igrayne), Ciaran Hinds (King Lot) and Niall O'Brien (Sir Kay).
Budget: $11,000,000 Domestic Profits: $37,586,116
International Profits: $67,917,805
Total Gross: $105,503,921
When you managed to get the rights for the Lord of the Rings, as well as the Hobbit, you'd made sure to also speak to Christopher Tolkien in order to get his blessing, and also reassure him of the commitment to making a faithful adaptation of said books, even giving him the right to participate in the production and hear what he has to say when it comes to changes made in the script. It's been years since you've bought the rights to the books, years in which some guy (you think his name is...Bakshi or something?) tried to make an animated version without your permission, years in which Rankin/Bass tried for an adaptation of the Hobbit, and years since the last time you'd ever thought about starting on the adaptation.
It was maddening in a way. You'd already had everything set to start the filming for Dune, a movie that was as grandiose and expansive as Lord of the Rings (just don't tell Christopher about it!), you'd felt no apprehensions when it came to said film, heck in fact you felt excited to begin the movie and were looking forward to the challenge. You'd made Conan for crying out loud, what you consider to be one of the greatest Fantasy Novels to ever exist! So, what was it that made Lord of the Rings so daunting to you?
Perhaps the fact that for once you were not so certain that you had what it took to bring said adaptation to life.
Why are you thinking about this now? Because as you sit in the theatre, watching a movie that you'd offered to distribute make its grand debut across the ocean, after being filmed in Ireland no less, you can't help but think that perhaps you might have just found the man to bring said adaptation to life. For if this piece of work, what can only be described as a labor of love towards the Arthurian Mythos doesn't show the man's dedication, passion, and talent for Fantasy, then you don't think there's anyone that could be called to bring said work to life.
For John Boorman has managed to make what you can only describe one of the most faithful, yet unique, adaptations of Le Morte d'Arthur that one could've ever seen.
Everything about this film is big; Costumes entail men walking everywhere in full plate armor. Sets are huge and completely impractical. Performances reach for the rafters. The world is filled with magic and the implication of a huge dragon. It's very much of its own style, with fights being non-choreographed and visceral (you would almost call it full of gore as well), showing not the idealized version of battles or fights that many movies in Hollywood try to display, but the dirty and almost outright nasty way that one fights for his own survival. That Boorman could marry both the idealistic tone and the grittier altogether speaks volumes of his skill.
The traditional Arthurian legend filtered through the mind of John Boorman goes beyond the formalistic stylistic approach to the story, but the inclusion of every weird factor of the original myths plays into his own wheelhouse; Merlin using the magic of the dragon to disguise Uther to trick Igrayne is a prime example. It blows through the Arthurian legend, mostly propelled by Nicol Williamson's awesomely weird performance as Merlin, watching Uther father Arthur, Arthur claim the sword in the stone and rise to become king, the peace that follows, and the dissolution of that peace precipitated by the affair between Guinevere and Lancelot. Alongside is the rise of Morgana, her tutelage under Merlin, and her raising of Mordred.
If you exclude the artistic treatments of the Arthurian legends dating back to the Middle Ages and focus on the more theatrical performances and adaptations like "Knights of the Round Table", or Disney's "The Sword in the Stone", as well as the musical "Camelot" by Lerner and Lowe which was possibly the most popular rendition of the story until now. All these renditions, although they have their appeal, cannot measure up to the movie. Why is this the best of the Arthurian-based films? One would say that it's because of the story being told, and yet to you the story here takes a back seat to the imagery and its dedication to the original Arthurian myths. The entire look of the film reeks of Medieval Legend; The lush forests, the enormous castles, and the glittering swords give a visual and dream-like reality. This is NOT how it was in the Middle Ages. This is how people in the Middle Ages would have liked it to have been, which is the entire point of the Arthurian myths; Boorman understood that myth is about dreams.
Even more, Boorman also looks at the Druidic and pagan roots of the Arthur's story, taking that often-overlooked passage "The Land is the King.", and when Arthur becomes ill, the land of his kingdom becomes barren. This concept was a widely held belief in the Middle Ages: that the sovereign was essentially married to the kingdom. How can he condense so much into a single movie without the need for exposition is something that enthralls you. This is more of a visual experience, where the world around them tells as much if not more than the characters themselves.
And the cast, you could not do justice to this film without the cast that Boorman managed to get together for this interpretation. All of them theatrical performers that give the film this tone that separates it from other works: Nigel Terry, the rightful King who, accidentally, removes the sword of power easily, not once, but twice; Helen Mirren, the enchantress Morgana, Merlin's nemesis and Arthur's treacherous half-sister, who seduces Merlin, and then encircles him in a stream of vengeance; Nicholas Clay, persuasively ardent and athletic as the First Knight; Cherie Lunghi, the damsel in distress who loves her husband with her mind and Lancelot with her heart; Nicol Williamson, the wily Merlin who would see that the young Arthur receive the necessary training and guidance to fulfill his unlikely destiny; Gabriel Byrne, the hot-blooded Uther Pendragon, who plunges 'Excalibur' deep into a stone rock in one last act of defiance; Katrine Boorman, the woman taken as by a fully armored King; Liam Neeson, the knight who dares to accuse the Queen; and Robert Addie, the 'unholy child' who comes to Camelot to demand the throne of his father...
Though if you had your say, the portrayal of Merlin by Nicol Williamson is possibly the best Merlin ever to come to the large screen, as well as the best character in the entire movie. He steals every scene he's in, and you can't keep your eyes off of him due to his shenanigans. Some of the most humorous moments of the film occur with Merlin, but instead of being the absent-minded wizard of "The Sword in the Stone", he is the last of the Druids, a race giving way to Medieval Christians. He knows his age is ending, and yet he goes forward nonetheless, choosing to trust Arthur and the men that will come after him.. Excentric, irreverent, and just outright bizarre in his behavior, you think this is the template that will perdure and be used as a template for movies to come.
The fact that he and Helen Mirren had a dislike of each other only added to their renditions of Merlin and morgana; you could feel the utter loathing they had, like nothing would give them greater pleasure to have them disappear forever. And Mordred...dear God that little psychopath grew into a greater psychopath, with every time he laughed feeling like a chill had gone over your soul (How does a childish laugh contain such malice?).
Though you had to admit, the man who played Perceval, Paul Geoffrey, he was another highlight of the film. He might not steal the show like Nicol does, but he makes an impression nonetheless.
The audience certainly seemed to agree with you, as they remained spellbound over the imagery, the story, and perhaps a bit shocked at the level of violence as well. The movie is certainly not family friendly, as the level gritty violence was for 15 years old or over in Britain, and it was only thanks to Mike and his tireless work on your behalf that it was rated PG 13 here in the US. For Japan and the Asian countries, well, there did not seem to be that much interest in Western myths, already so different from their own. While in Europe went wild for the story; France already has as much invested due to Lancelot, and his final redemption in the battle to save Arthur felt like pure vindication for them all. A movie that lasted over 2 hours to be properly told, and thanks to your editors much of what made the movie was able to be put into a coherent tale, one that had Morgana as the main villain, yet also a victim. Arthur as the naive hero, who grows, makes mistakes, fails, yet rises again after confronting them, showing himself wiser than his father. Lancelot and Guenevere, both given the proper time to shine and fall into Morgana's ploy to destroy Camelot and the Land from within...
It was an Odyssey that gripped you from the start, and never let go until the last moment, when you see Arthur disappear into the fabled land of Avalon, waiting and resting until he's needed once more; the once and future king.
Critics agreed with you over the epic shown, lamenting in how the ratings made it nearly impossible for more people to see it. But a good quarter of the critics remained firm in their opposition to the film, claiming that it was way too gory, the story being more spectacle and being only skin deep. What everyone could agree on though was the excellent score by Trevor Jones, which managed to distinguish itself from the many other scores from Wagner used in the film. Truly, you'd have snapped him in an instant if he hadn't been hired by Henson already! At the very least you know he'll do great with "The Dark Crystal", so perhaps you'll get your chance afterwards.
But above all, Lord of the rings, the movie you'd once felt like an Everest, suddenly seemed not so daunting after watching this film. After all, if Boorman could create such a magnificent adaptation, then you're certain that Lucasfilms will be able to as well, and even more so if you can convince him to take on the challenge as well. It won't be a single movie though, the material is too much for it, unlike the Hobbit.
I stand before you today as a humble storyteller, one who has dared to delve into the rich tapestry of Norse mythology that, to your apparent dismay, features what you so eloquently term "bloodcurdling violence."
But if you would, allow me to marvel at the audacity of this question. Are you genuinely, and with absolute sincerity, asking me to explain why this august body should waive the protections of the First Amendment, and erase the realities of a most fascinating past?
My dear congressional representatives, have you sincerely just asked me to endorse an act so deeply and utterly un-American, that the USSR and CCP would applaud us for joining them in their cruel and authoritarian measures just as they do?
But I digress, allow me to begin by addressing the rather perplexing inquiry as to why I included such elements in my portrayal of Norse mythology. Authenticity, Ladies and Gents, authenticity is paramount. To twist the narrative of Norse mythology, to sanitize it for the delicate sensitivities of a few, would be a disservice to the very essence of storytelling. Can you imagine the absurdity of presenting the tales of Thor and Odin without a hint of the battles they waged, the challenges they faced, and yes, the blood they shed? It would be akin to presenting a watered-down version of American history, void of all its complexities and harsh truths.
And let us not forget the importance of staying true to canon. Norse mythology is not a fairy tale; it is a saga of gods and giants, of honour and betrayal, of life and death. To dilute it for the sake of political expediency would be an insult to the legacy of those ancient storytellers who crafted these tales with such care and reverence.
But perhaps the most absurd notion put forth today is the idea that a little violence on a children's TV show will somehow harm our youth. Have we forgotten the power of imagination? Children are not so fragile that they cannot distinguish between reality and fiction. Moreover, a well-told story can teach valuable lessons about courage, resilience, and the consequences of one's actions. Please, let us not succumb to the misguided notion that censorship is the solution.
Aight. 3 hours of sleep over 40 hours. Doktor, turn off my cringe inhibitors
[x] Silver Tongued from the Silver Screen
"Members of the [Board/Committee/High Council/Whatever], let me tell you a story.
When I first showed up in LA, I was nobody. A face among a sea of faces, only a lad of sixteen, just some young punk hoping to make it big. Just like everyone else who dreams of the silver screen. In fact, I was luckier than most. My father knew Clint Eastwood; both had been on the set of Walker Texas Ranger. I was at least able to crash on his couch for the first few months, while I did no-name gopher jobs. Trying to get my face recognized.
I was frustrated. Dissatisfied with my progress, that I'd made the dumb decision to run off to Hollywood with only a couple semesters of theater under my belt. So I did what I'd often done in New York when I needed to clear my head. I went for a walk. And on that walk, I came across a group of four men, cornering a woman, a pretty young thing who couldn't have been much older than me in an alleyway. Now, when I realized what I was looking at, and what these gentlemen intended, I realized I had a choice. I could rush off to the nearest payphone, which I had no clue where it was, call the police, put the matter in the law's hands and hope for the best.
I, being a foolish young man, chose the other option. I suppose I should be glad those men only roughed me up, instead of killing me. But when I woke up the next morning, I was sitting on a chair in a room I'd never seen before, my bruises and scrapes tended to, next to someone I'd never met, and will never forget. He asked me what I was thinking, involving myself like that. I'd told him I just wanted to help, and wished I could have handled myself better. He offered to teach me. And to this day, I will be grateful for everything Bruce Lee did for me.
Now, the reason I told this story was because there's an important lesson here. For all we might wish it otherwise, for all we'd like to pretend we're beyond the old days of barbarism, there are bad people in the world. People who think that, by trickery or force, if they want something and can take it, they are entitled to it. And as much as we must have faith in our fellow man, we must also be prepared for when that faith is betrayed. That is why we have police. That is why we have prisons. That is why we have a military.
It is my belief that few cultures in the world internalized this uncomfortable truth of human nature better than the Norse did. And it is uncomfortable. That my children might be on either end of that exchange is something that keeps me up at night. But I would rather they learn this lesson watching television, instead of when someone tries something and they end up learning the hard way."
Not entirely happy with it, doesn't address funding. Bleh. That's enough cringe for one night. Doktor, why would you ever let me do that
Here's another entry for the Charlton line up! Saw is one of those franchises that really should have never been a franchise in the first place. In fact, it almost wasn't. The second Saw film as actually pitched as an entirely different movie and the studio said that they'd have it made, but only if they turned it into a Saw sequel. Despite the many, many, many... flaws of the Saw franchise, it's a series that I honestly enjoy a lot, if only for how much it all feels like a soap opera and regardless of it's flaws, it's still a highly influential franchise. I felt like Saw would make an excellent horror comic(although admittedly, I feel like it'd work better for the 90s, but whatever) and potentially be able to spawn off into some other comics or films(that aren't particularly threatening) for Fox once Charlton is acquired and so I decided to whip this up real quick. I think it could end up turning into an interesting comic series, especially if I adjusting some of the worse aspects of Saw, like the ENDLESS FUCKING FLASHBACKS!! For the writer, I once again chose the OC Noelle Meinhardt, but for the artist, I decided to go with Tom Sutton. At this time, he had already been doing work for Charlton on horror comics, and he also lived in Connecticut. I also saw that he didn't seem to have done work during and past the 80s for any other company that couldn't be replaced by someone else, so I thought he'd make another good talent acquisition for Charlton. I hope ya'll enjoy!
Charlton Comics Presents... Saw
SET UP: Photographer Adam Faulkner and oncologist Lawrence Gordon regain consciousness while chained to pipes at either end of a filthy bathroom. As the two men realize they've been trapped by a sadistic serial killer nicknamed "Jigsaw" and must complete his perverse puzzle to live. Meanwhile, Dr. Gordon's wife and young daughter are forced to watch his torture. Writer: Noelle Meinhardt Artist: Tom Sutton
Photographer Adam Faulkner wakes up in a bathtub filled with water. In his instinctive flailing, his foot catches and removes its plug; as the water drains a glowing blue object can be briefly seen to be washed away with it. After a few cries for help, a voice answers him, revealing that he is not alone. Surgeon Dr. Lawrence Gordon is on the other side of the same room, and soon finds the switch to turn on the lights.
Both men are inside a grimy, dilapidated industrial bathroom, chained to pipes at opposite corners of the room. Between them, out of their reach, is a body lying in a pool of blood, holding a revolver and a microcassette recorder. Both men discover envelopes in their pockets which contain microtapes; Gordon also holds a bullet and a key that does not unlock their shackles. Adam, with Lawrence's help, manages to snag the player from the body with which they play their tapes. Both tapes have the same voice, distorted by a pitch modulator. Adam's tape refers to him as a voyeur and asks, "Are you going to watch yourself die, or do something about it?" Gordon's tape reveals he must kill Adam before six o'clock, which is within seven hours as evident by a clock on the wall, or his wife and daughter will die and he will be left in the bathroom, presumably forever to starve to death. "Let the game begin..." the voice concludes. Hacksaws are soon discovered in the toilet tank; neither is sufficiently sharp to cut the chains, and Adam accidentally snaps his in frustration. Dr. Gordon realizes that the saws are meant instead for their own ankles, which, if sawed through, would free them from their shackles.
The perspective is then switched to Detectives Tapp, Sing and Kerry, who are shown to be investigating the murders of two of Jigsaw's previous victims. Both men failed to escape, and so had pieces of skin cut from them in the shape of a jigsaw puzzle piece, leading him to be referred to as the "Jigsaw Killer." The police then begin interrogating Jigsaw's only known survivor, a highly traumatized heroin addict named Amanda Young, who believes that her experience in the test has made her a better person in the end.
Tapp and Sing are later shown to illegally break into what turns out to be one of Jigsaw's lairs. The two discover a man tied to a chair with two drills mounted on each side. Before the detectives can secure Jigsaw's arrest, the drills are activated. While Tapp subdues Jigsaw, Sing attempts to save Jeff. Though Jigsaw points out a box that contains the key to release Jeff, the box in question is seemingly endlessly filled with keys. Sing shoots the drills instead, but the gunshots distract Tapp long enough for Jigsaw to escape, who slashes and permanently scars Tapp's throat in the process. While Tapp recovers from his deep knife wound, Sing pursues Jigsaw and is killed by multiple shotguns set on a tripwire.
His partner's death has a permanent effect on Tapp, and what was already an unhealthy fascination with the case deepens into an obsession that leads to him being discharged from the police force. Convinced by a piece of evidence shown earlier that Dr. Gordon is the Jigsaw killer, Tapp moves into a house across the street from Gordon's and monitors it with video surveillance.
After a brief sequence where Adam and Dr. Gordon discover a hidden camera, a flashback sequence shows Gordon's last moments with his family, and their subsequent abduction. Back in the bathroom, Gordon, with assistance from Adam, discovers a box holding cigarettes, a lighter and a note suggesting he dip a cigarette in poisoned blood from the body and uses it to kill Adam. Gordon and Adam attempt to fool the camera by faking Adam's death with the un-poisoned cigarette, but a strong electric shock is sent through Adam's chain, proving Adam to still be alive. The box also contains a cell phone which cannot make calls, but receives one from his wife Alison, who tells Gordon that Adam knows more than he is revealing. Adam explains that he had been paid by Detective Tapp to spy on Gordon, and has witnessed him going to a hotel with the intention of cheating on his wife. In fact, Gordon left the hotel before doing anything, but this is between Gordon and the other woman, Carla, who is one of the med students to which Gordon had been explaining the condition of a cancer patient of his, John Kramer. In the pile of Adam's photographs which he hid from view of Gordon when found with the hacksaws, the two find a photograph of an orderly at Gordon's hospital named Zep, seen through Gordon's window after he left the house. Just as this realization is made, however, the hour of six PM strikes.
Alison manages to free herself and take control of Zep's handgun, however she is soon overpowered. Shots are fired, which attract the attention of Tapp, who wounds Zep. He is unable to keep him from leaving the house, however, intent on killing Gordon, who is only aware of the sounds of screaming and gunshots. Flung into a state of desperate temporary insanity, he follows his instructions by sawing off his foot and shooting Adam with the revolver held by the body in the middle of the room and the bullet found in his envelope.
Zep arrives, pursued by Tapp, however Zep manages to shoot Tapp fatally. He then enters the bathroom but tells Gordon he's "too late," because "it's the rules." Adam recovers from his gunshot wound, which was in fact non-fatal, and kills Zep with the toilet tank lid. Gordon crawls away to seek medical attention, promising to return with help.
Adam searches Zep for a key to his chain and instead finds another micro-cassette player. The tape informs Adam that Zep was also following instructions under pain of death, and as soon as Jigsaw's familiar voice ceases, the body lying in the center of the bathroom lets out a long breath. As Adam watches, his face frozen in horror, the dead man peels off the latex that gave the appearance of his head wound and then slowly rises to his feet. He is revealed to be John Kramer, a terminal brain cancer patient of Dr Gordon's, seen briefly, in the same scene where Zep is introduced. Jigsaw/John Kramer, whose voice is in fact quite weak, informs Adam that the key to his chain was in the bathtub all along.
Adam reaches for a gun to shoot John, but is stunned with electricity. Just before he flicks off the lights in the bathroom for the last time, John repeats a line he said to Amanda immediately after she escaped: "Most people are so ungrateful to be alive. But not you. Not anymore." John then shouts: "Game Over!" before slamming the door shut, sealing Adam in the bathroom forever, screaming in despair, alone in the dark.
Good point. We're certainly not going to pull a Disney and can the entire 2D department to focus only in 3D. Frankly, I've always felt that was a mistake since so manyn more movies or series could have been done. Blinded by stupidity the whole ot of them.
Hmm, how will this affect how other studios see us? In a way, we are the ones who have the technology and skill to make a perfect "Who framed Roger Rabbit?" film now.
Yeah........them canning the 2D department was one of the worst decisions they could have made.....aside from killing Jetix, letting Disney X-D get treated like crap, etc.............
And this is coming from a 17-year old in the year of 2024.........
I think the Don Bluth Hates 3D is a bit overplayed. Sure he prefers 2d over CGI because he thinks 2d brings drawings to life while CGI is more puppetry, but it's not like he's been vocal in demanding that Pixar burn at the stake for its movies OTL and he did make Titan A.E, a film which blends 2d and 3d animation. He admits the film wasn't for him but he still did his best to make it as good as he could. Don also worked on Dragon's Lair 3D, a 3D platformer. Sure, Bluth just did the 2d cutscenes, but if he was so offended by the concept of 3d animation he wouldn't have worked on it.
It's not like Don is going to direct Toy Story and Shrek, but I think he'll begrudgingly accept it so long as 2d animation is still given its love and 3d doesn't monopolize our animation like OTL Dreamworks and Disney. Plus even he can't deny a work of pure art like Spiderverse or Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
I don't know about you guys, but I never want Dreamworks, Hanna-Barbera or Sunrise to ever get rid of 2d animation. 2D can depending upon the right artists be superior to 3D and 3D is only at its best when it's got a fat budget.
Right, and besides, other good examples of CG is the Reboot show, Transformers: Beast Wars, Jimmy Neutron and even all of Toonami and Miguzi's presentation, which was really impressive for it's time and is still the best CG animation made for TV I'd EVER seen.
[X] Defending History and Animation
-[X] "Ladies and gentleman of Congress, I have been called here today to answer the fears and hysteria of reactionary crowd to one of our television shows that was met with heavy popular reception and support. Now, I can understand and sympathize with some of the base fears of our critics, as a father of three I want what's best for my children and for them to grow up into upstanding people. However, the response to such concerns should never be blanket authoritarian censorship with the erasure of the past and disregard for other nation's cultures.
-[X] When Classical Tale was created, it was created with the goal of educating children about the diversity and rich culture and tradition that is spread across our world but so many children will never come into contact with in person. It's a saga of storytelling and the human experience throughout the ages that is meant to inspire the creativity and imagination of those watching and grow as more educated experienced people, mindful of the many different viewpoints and beliefs they may come into contact with as they venture into the greater world.
-[X] In adapting the second season of Classical Tale, our storytellers tried to be as respectful and faithful to the Norse mythology of old to share what generations past were told for a modern audience. If we had sanitized the Canon then it would have lost all its complexities, themes and narrative impact just for the delicate sensitivities of a few.
-[X] The violence present is not meant for shock value or to celebrate in the existence of conflict. It's to deliver important messages on heroism, the cycle of life, the nature of good and evil, flaws of humanity, the question of what is right and how to live. Through this, the audience learns of how a culture received such lessons and lived their lives, and can take their personal experiences and grow and learn as people. The violence provides context to the morals and a vehicle for the stories to deliver their impact.
-[X] Some may be uncomfortable at such a presentation and it is their right to dislike or not watch the program. However, their personal objections should not be forced as wholesale censorship in defense of a fantasy that children will never know hardship or experience nuance and complications. The most popular faith in our nation teaches in its most important and sacred belief that the son of God suffered and died on the cross for our sins. Are we to censor Bibles because of such violence? Should children be banned from Churches until they are 18 because the Passion is a violent passage in spite of it being about redemption, sacrifice, and love?
-[X] The themes presented are more complex than traditional animation to be sure, but the reason we tell such stories is because at Dreamworks we recognized that children are intelligent and curious people who deserve to be treated with respect in their entertainment instead of talking down to them as if they have no mind or character of their own or tricking them. The traditional belief in animation from a layman's perspective is that it's kiddy art and not deserving of effort or complexity. Is it not the fact that they are children, the future of our nation, our beloved sons and daughters, that we should endeavor to create and share with them impactful stories of high quality and creativity that will stick with them as they grow older and help them to become wonderful and outstanding individuals?
-[X] Does that mean that we should try and speak about anything and everything to a child? No, there are understandable limits, but it does mean that neither should we treat them as small idiots who cannot understand the difference between reality and fiction. Furthermore, that is something a parent should do, to make them understand what they are watching and which behaviors should be imitated and emulated and what they should abstain and recognize as wrong. Keep the government out of the family home and let parents and children communicate with one another, understand and grow through shared experiences."
Not entirely happy with this, but I just wanted to get my own thougts on a response. Okay if Poke's wins, but I just had differing takes in what I would focus on.
[X] Do your lobbyists have your best interests in mind?
Children do not need to be told that monsters are real. They already know that. Children are told stories so they know monsters can be beaten. Fear and violence two of the oldest monsters there are.
Excalibur Directed by: John Boorman
Written by: Rospo Pallenberg and John Boorman
Produced by: John Boorman
Production Studio: Orion Pictures
Distribution Studio: Lucasfilms Unlimited
Starring: Nigel Terry (Arthur), Helen Mirren (Morgana Le Fay), Nicholas Clay (Sir Lancelot), Cherie Lunghi (Guenevere), Paul Geoffrey (Perceval), Nicol Williamson (Merlin), Corin Redgrave (Duke of Cornwall), Patrick Stewart (King Leodegrance), Keith Buckley (Uryens), Clive Swift (Ector), Liam Neeson (Gawain), Gabriel Byrne (King Uther Pendragon), Robert Addie (Mordred), Katrine Boorman (Igrayne), Ciaran Hinds (King Lot) and Niall O'Brien (Sir Kay).
Budget: $11,000,000 Domestic Profits: $37,586,116
International Profits: $67,917,805
Total Gross: $105,503,921
When you managed to get the rights for the Lord of the Rings, as well as the Hobbit, you'd made sure to also speak to Christopher Tolkien in order to get his blessing, and also reassure him of the commitment to making a faithful adaptation of said books, even giving him the right to participate in the production and hear what he has to say when it comes to changes made in the script. It's been years since you've bought the rights to the books, years in which some guy (you think his name is...Bakshi or something?) tried to make an animated version without your permission, years in which Rankin/Bass tried for an adaptation of the Hobbit, and years since the last time you'd ever thought about starting on the adaptation.
It was maddening in a way. You'd already had everything set to start the filming for Dune, a movie that was as grandiose and expansive as Lord of the Rings (just don't tell Christopher about it!), you'd felt no apprehensions when it came to said film, heck in fact you felt excited to begin the movie and were looking forward to the challenge. You'd made Conan for crying out loud, what you consider to be one of the greatest Fantasy Novels to ever exist! So, what was it that made Lord of the Rings so daunting to you?
Perhaps the fact that for once you were not so certain that you had what it took to bring said adaptation to life.
Why are you thinking about this now? Because as you sit in the theatre, watching a movie that you'd offered to distribute make its grand debut across the ocean, after being filmed in Ireland no less, you can't help but think that perhaps you might have just found the man to bring said adaptation to life. For if this piece of work, what can only be described as a labor of love towards the Arthurian Mythos doesn't show the man's dedication, passion, and talent for Fantasy, then you don't think there's anyone that could be called to bring said work to life.
For John Boorman has managed to make what you can only describe one of the most faithful, yet unique, adaptations of Le Morte d'Arthur that one could've ever seen.
Everything about this film is big; Costumes entail men walking everywhere in full plate armor. Sets are huge and completely impractical. Performances reach for the rafters. The world is filled with magic and the implication of a huge dragon. It's very much of its own style, with fights being non-choreographed and visceral (you would almost call it full of gore as well), showing not the idealized version of battles or fights that many movies in Hollywood try to display, but the dirty and almost outright nasty way that one fights for his own survival. That Boorman could marry both the idealistic tone and the grittier altogether speaks volumes of his skill.
The traditional Arthurian legend filtered through the mind of John Boorman goes beyond the formalistic stylistic approach to the story, but the inclusion of every weird factor of the original myths plays into his own wheelhouse; Merlin using the magic of the dragon to disguise Uther to trick Igrayne is a prime example. It blows through the Arthurian legend, mostly propelled by Nicol Williamson's awesomely weird performance as Merlin, watching Uther father Arthur, Arthur claim the sword in the stone and rise to become king, the peace that follows, and the dissolution of that peace precipitated by the affair between Guinevere and Lancelot. Alongside is the rise of Morgana, her tutelage under Merlin, and her raising of Mordred.
If you exclude the artistic treatments of the Arthurian legends dating back to the Middle Ages and focus on the more theatrical performances and adaptations like "Knights of the Round Table", or Disney's "The Sword in the Stone", as well as the musical "Camelot" by Lerner and Lowe which was possibly the most popular rendition of the story until now. All these renditions, although they have their appeal, cannot measure up to the movie. Why is this the best of the Arthurian-based films? One would say that it's because of the story being told, and yet to you the story here takes a back seat to the imagery and its dedication to the original Arthurian myths. The entire look of the film reeks of Medieval Legend; The lush forests, the enormous castles, and the glittering swords give a visual and dream-like reality. This is NOT how it was in the Middle Ages. This is how people in the Middle Ages would have liked it to have been, which is the entire point of the Arthurian myths; Boorman understood that myth is about dreams.
Even more, Boorman also looks at the Druidic and pagan roots of the Arthur's story, taking that often-overlooked passage "The Land is the King.", and when Arthur becomes ill, the land of his kingdom becomes barren. This concept was a widely held belief in the Middle Ages: that the sovereign was essentially married to the kingdom. How can he condense so much into a single movie without the need for exposition is something that enthralls you. This is more of a visual experience, where the world around them tells as much if not more than the characters themselves.
And the cast, you could not do justice to this film without the cast that Boorman managed to get together for this interpretation. All of them theatrical performers that give the film this tone that separates it from other works: Nigel Terry, the rightful King who, accidentally, removes the sword of power easily, not once, but twice; Helen Mirren, the enchantress Morgana, Merlin's nemesis and Arthur's treacherous half-sister, who seduces Merlin, and then encircles him in a stream of vengeance; Nicholas Clay, persuasively ardent and athletic as the First Knight; Cherie Lunghi, the damsel in distress who loves her husband with her mind and Lancelot with her heart; Nicol Williamson, the wily Merlin who would see that the young Arthur receive the necessary training and guidance to fulfill his unlikely destiny; Gabriel Byrne, the hot-blooded Uther Pendragon, who plunges 'Excalibur' deep into a stone rock in one last act of defiance; Katrine Boorman, the woman taken as by a fully armored King; Liam Neeson, the knight who dares to accuse the Queen; and Robert Addie, the 'unholy child' who comes to Camelot to demand the throne of his father...
Though if you had your say, the portrayal of Merlin by Nicol Williamson is possibly the best Merlin ever to come to the large screen, as well as the best character in the entire movie. He steals every scene he's in, and you can't keep your eyes off of him due to his shenanigans. Some of the most humorous moments of the film occur with Merlin, but instead of being the absent-minded wizard of "The Sword in the Stone", he is the last of the Druids, a race giving way to Medieval Christians. He knows his age is ending, and yet he goes forward nonetheless, choosing to trust Arthur and the men that will come after him.. Excentric, irreverent, and just outright bizarre in his behavior, you think this is the template that will perdure and be used as a template for movies to come.
The fact that he and Helen Mirren had a dislike of each other only added to their renditions of Merlin and morgana; you could feel the utter loathing they had, like nothing would give them greater pleasure to have them disappear forever. And Mordred...dear God that little psychopath grew into a greater psychopath, with every time he laughed feeling like a chill had gone over your soul (How does a childish laugh contain such malice?).
Though you had to admit, the man who played Perceval, Paul Geoffrey, he was another highlight of the film. He might not steal the show like Nicol does, but he makes an impression nonetheless.
The audience certainly seemed to agree with you, as they remained spellbound over the imagery, the story, and perhaps a bit shocked at the level of violence as well. The movie is certainly not family friendly, as the level gritty violence was for 15 years old or over in Britain, and it was only thanks to Mike and his tireless work on your behalf that it was rated PG 13 here in the US. For Japan and the Asian countries, well, there did not seem to be that much interest in Western myths, already so different from their own. While in Europe went wild for the story; France already has as much invested due to Lancelot, and his final redemption in the battle to save Arthur felt like pure vindication for them all. A movie that lasted over 2 hours to be properly told, and thanks to your editors much of what made the movie was able to be put into a coherent tale, one that had Morgana as the main villain, yet also a victim. Arthur as the naive hero, who grows, makes mistakes, fails, yet rises again after confronting them, showing himself wiser than his father. Lancelot and Guenevere, both given the proper time to shine and fall into Morgana's ploy to destroy Camelot and the Land from within...
It was an Odyssey that gripped you from the start, and never let go until the last moment, when you see Arthur disappear into the fabled land of Avalon, waiting and resting until he's needed once more; the once and future king.
Critics agreed with you over the epic shown, lamenting in how the ratings made it nearly impossible for more people to see it. But a good quarter of the critics remained firm in their opposition to the film, claiming that it was way too gory, the story being more spectacle and being only skin deep. What everyone could agree on though was the excellent score by Trevor Jones, which managed to distinguish itself from the many other scores from Wagner used in the film. Truly, you'd have snapped him in an instant if he hadn't been hired by Henson already! At the very least you know he'll do great with "The Dark Crystal", so perhaps you'll get your chance afterwards.
But above all, Lord of the rings, the movie you'd once felt like an Everest, suddenly seemed not so daunting after watching this film. After all, if Boorman could create such a magnificent adaptation, then you're certain that Lucasfilms will be able to as well, and even more so if you can convince him to take on the challenge as well. It won't be a single movie though, the material is too much for it, unlike the Hobbit.
Alright. This has been in my mind for quite a while since I've followed the thread AND played what is considered as Mortis Ghost's Magnum Opus. And considering how last year was the game's 15th anniversary, I think I can do this. Now, I've debating as to whether or not make this an OVA or Animated Series, but after watching Tan Blanque's OFF series, I chose the latter at the end (It's probably gonna be one season only, considering that the game isn't that long if you know how to do things). Now, honestly I feel like animation is practically perfect for OFF, considering how bizarrely surreal and abstract the game is. On top of that, I feel like the fights shown in the game (Or "Battle Times" as they're referred to) could be visually stunning, especially the one with the Queen.
With all that said, I present to you:
Animated TV Show Pitch:
OFF GENRE: Surreal/Psychological/Action
SUBGENRE: Horror
FORMAT: Animated Television Show
SET UP: Taking place in a bizarre world built from the remains of a devastated one, we follow a human-like entity known simply as "The Batter", tasked with the mission of purifying this world from the plague and damaged cause by the Spectres, ectoplasmatic entities beyond the laws of reality and casualty that caused havoc whenever they follow that come in numerous shapes and forms. Alongside them, The Batter must also battle with the Guardians, rulers of the main Zones who have become corrupted with their power.
The story begins with a little boy named Hugo, who, as time passed by, became sick with an illness. Thanks to this strange sickness, the relationship between Hugo's parents began to fall apart. The father, who was rather dull and simplistic, causing Hugo to dislike him, wanted the child to be healthy once more, giving the boy pills that were supposed to make him feel better, while bringing him comics and toys to entertain Hugo, while the mother, who Hugo favored, wished for her son to be away from the world, thanks to his fragile state. Eventually, the Father decides to leave his family, believing that there was nothing more he could do.
Sometime later, the mother perishes, leaving Hugo alone. However, thanks to his wild imagination, he creates beings known as "The Batter" and "The Queen", based on what he thought of his parents. At some point, a reality-breaking catastrophe happens, destroying part of the universe, bringing time to a standstill and breaking the Earth into several pieces, while the space-time fabric cease to exist, creating the void known as "The Nothingness". The Batter would be a physical incarnation of Purity, while The Queen would represent Vividness and Creation.
The Batter, just like Hugo's father, leaves to the Nothingness, for reasons unknown. Meanwhile, Hugo leaves his room and helps three survivors, The Tall Mister, The Bird and the Big Mister. The three promise Hugo that the new world will become a utopia for all to enjoy, all thanks to the guidance of The Queen.
The Queen assigned them the role of "Guardians" rulers of three main Zones that were maintained using the infinite power of the Sun, granted by The Queen.
The Queen creates the new inhabitants of this world, known simply as "Elsen". Quiet, timid men that would serve as employees to the Guardians assigned to each Zone.
Another survivor, a talking cat named Pablo, better known as "The Judge", is assigned a Zone of his own, called Zone 0, so that he and his brother could live in peace. This Zone would become the means of accessing the other Zones.
In Zone 1, the Tall Mister, Dedan, ruled with an iron fist, at first strictly, but with fairness. However, soon enough the cowardly attitude of the Elsen made him slowly lose his patience, ending up as an aggressive, foul-mouthed tyrant filled with nothing but rage.
In Zone 2, the Bird, Japhet, contrasted differently, being a kind and generous Guardian loved by the Elsen. But the Elsen became frightened by their Guardian as soon as news of Dedan's rage came, causing the Firebird to be emotionally distraught, but still determined to prove his people that he would never become like that. However, like his fellow Guardian, Japhet would be consumed by anger, creating entities known as Spectres to attack the Elsen, made so that he would swoop in to save the day. But he would be consumed by Valerie, The Judge's brother. Japhet would overpower Valerie, controlling his body like a repulsive parasite would.
Finally, in Zone 3, the Big Mister, Enoch, was never consumed by rage, being cold yet fair. He would secretly create an element known as "Sugar". An addictive substance that would deteriorate the Elsen's minds. The worst part about this? Sugar was created from the bodies of dead Elsen. Not caring about what was going on with his colleagues, Enoch would rule his Zone gleefully, watching as his citizens would be "enlightened" by the sugar, seemingly uncaring about the fact that the Element would cause the Elsen to become violent over it.
Aware of what was going on, The Queen would follow Japhet's design and create Spectres of her own, sent to teach each Guardian a lesson and show them how they have failed in their tasks. Dedan would at first fight ferociously with the Phantoms, but only when he felt like it, as he believe the Elsen didn't deserve his help. Japhet would believe he could control these Spectres as he did to his own, leaving them to attack the poor Elsen in Zone 2. Enoch would also happily let the Spectres attack the Elsen, as they would bring him more corpses to created more Sugar. However, some Elsen would fight back against the Spectres, as they believed the Phantoms would take away their favorite substance.
The Judge would be safe from all this madness, as The Queen had no care for Zone 0. However, he would find it strange that his brother never returned from his visit to Zone 2, unaware of Valerie's fate. The Queen would hide Hugo away from what was happening, leaving him alone in the last part of The Room, neglecting him to focus on maintaining control of the World.
The Batter became aware of the Phantom's presence on all the Zone. The Batter became obsessed with the idea of "Purifying" the World that the Queen had rebuilt and simultaneously destroyed at the same time. Soon enough, a strange, otherworldly entity known as "The Puppeteer" would catch his intentions, willing to aid The Batter with its help.
However, in order for his "Purification" to work fully, The Batter would first need to eliminate the Zone Guardians, as their death would simply speed up the process. So, aided by his baseball bat and the omnipresent eyes of The Puppeteer, The Batter would arrive in Zone 0, where the Judge, unaware of the Batter's true goals, guides him along the way. He also encounters a weird, masked merchant known as Zacharie, who keeps rambling on an on about how this is just a TV Show. Zacharie's 4th wall breaking would also be partially nihilist, being aware of what the Batter's mission truly is, and still helping him all the way through. The Batter would also encounter three ring-like entities known as Add-Ons, metaphysical beings that represent his ideals- named Alpha, Omega and Epsilon, representing the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This would just bolster the Batter's holy quest.
In Zone 1, The Batter clears out any Spectre that he encounters in all of the Zone's stations, much to the glee of the Elsen. He would confront Dedan, each one accusing the other of the presence of the phantoms. The Batter would kill Dedan for his harsh treatment of his Zone, and purifies it, obtaining a card to arrive to the next Zone.
In Zone 2, The Batter removes the Phantoms whenever he can, wether in the Library or the Mall. He arrives in the residential area, and proceeds to purify the phantoms there, saving the Elsen. He would encounter the Judge as well, who asks the Batter for his help finding his brother, who considers himself to be Japhet. The two confront Japhet, still controlling Valerie's body, revealing his true nature. The Batter confronts Japhet over his madness and glee, albeit being apathetic over Valerie's death, to which the Millennial Firebird proclaims that while he admits he failed his purpose, he would not go down without a fight. The Batter eliminates Japhet, resulting in the Purification of Zone 2.
In Zone 3, the Batter sets out immediately for Enoch, fighting the sugar-addicted Elsen, but encounters trouble among the way, including a critically burnt Elsen who does nothing but cry for help. He requires passage through various areas in the realm to reach the director of the twisted factories. He soon discovers the path to the sadistic Guardian's office and confronts him, believing him to be a fat sloth who is blind to his subject's misery. Enoch talks back, proclaiming that his factory is a fortress against the spectres, as well as revealing his god-complex. The Batter tries to purify Enoch, but his excess weight proves too much for the Purifier, who flies while being chased by the obese Guardian. Enoch blocks the monorail The Batter was about to enter, but soon enough falls, as he exhausted himself by squeezing through the sugar pipes. The Guardian reprimands The Batter, as a Zone deprived of its Guardian would soon be broken. The Batter cares not for this, for his holy mission will not be stopped by anything. Besides, Enoch got what he deserved....at least in The Batter's eyes.
Finally, after eliminating all three Guardians, The Batter reaches The Room. In there, he encounters some of Hugo's belonging and remarks some of its absurdity. He then relives the young boy's memories of encountering all three of his friends. The Batter flies to the Sun and confronts The Queen. The Queen proclaims that she expected his arrival, but demands that he leaves. The Batter, in return, proclaims that he is home - the cradle of Hugo, his father and creator, is where they are both standing. The Batter also states that she is the ruler of a kingdom that no longer exists. The Queen demands to know why The Batter has destroyed the kingdom that she worked so hard on, to which he replies that she only had one purpose: To take care of Hugo, a task in which she failed, for being neglectful of the child and his health, all while letting her kingdom burn.
The Batter is confident that she has failed in this regard - because of her, what is left of reality has been corrupted to no end, and so The Batter much complete his mission of Purification. The Queen attempts to defend her actions, saying that everything she did was for her child's sake. The Batter cuts off her words, reminding her that they both focused too much on the new world to remember whom it was made all for - Hugo. This finally breaks the Queen's patience, who exclaims that she will not allow The Batter to touch the child that brought the two of them into existence. She summons her own Add-Ons, made to represent her regality, and proceeds to fight with her "lover".
Ultimately, The Batter's power proves to be too much, and he ends up victorious. A dying Queen succumbs to her wounds, saddened by what her former partner has done. She regards The Batter as her "love", reminded of what they once had. The Batter tells her that she must now join her disciples now. He remarks how everything by now had gone wrong, and that his "wife" must now dream sweet dreams. The Queen in her dying breath says that Hugo has The Batter's eyes, before passing away. The Batter, however, states that the boy's are full of fear.
The Batter enters the final part of The Room, where he encounters the "God" of this new world - Hugo, who is coughing and holding a piece of meat. At this point, Hugo is coughing severely, and his eyes are always wide with fear at everything. The Batter at first is quiet at the sight of his child and creator, but proclaims that he is here. The Batter then attacks Hugo, who does nothing but let the representation of his father end his pain. Upon being defeated, Hugo meekly cries that he is afraid of the darkness, while viewing The Batter, in his eyes at least, as a disturbing, crocodilian-like creature with soulless white eyes, serrated teeth and huge claws. The Batter, still in this monstrous form present in Hugo's view, calmly assures the child that from now on, there will be no more darkness. Hugo dies, and The Room is purified, giving way to the end.
The Batter reaches a switch, one that is believed to have caused the previous world total annihilation. Before The Batter can touch the switch, Pablo rushes in at the last minute, having finally recovered from the mental breakdown of his brother's death. The Judge has finally realized the true purpose of The Batter's sacred mission, and finds it to be disgusting - all of the Zones are left to be empty and cold, being inhabited by aggressive creatures known as Secretaries, and now, everything is going to be wiped away. Furthermore, The Judge is aware of what the Batter has done to his "wife" and "child", and chastises The Puppeteer for going along The Batter's plan.
The Batter coldly proclaims that it is better for the world to end like this. The Judge begs The Puppeteer to aid him and stop The Batter once and for all, to which The Batter tells The Puppeteer he still requires its help. The Puppeteer ultimately chooses The Batter, as it finds that this world being kept like this is just further torture. The Batter wins exclaiming that everything is over now and that escaping one's purpose is completely impossible, killing the Judge. The Batter finally pulls the Switch on OFF, finally ending all of reality, leaving nothing but the blackness of peace.
The Batter: A stoic and unfeeling male humanoid, often speaking in as few words as possible. The Batter is determined to purify all the Zones, while being very straight forward about his intentions and does not seem to give his own action much attention. He appears to be calm about having The Puppeteer controlling him, although whether or not it is to manipulate the entity into helping him is unknown. It is also unknown if he held any kind of affection towards The Queen or Hugo.
Played by: Paul Dobson
The Judge: A talking white and fluffy cat, who's real name is Pablo. The Judge has a mischievous and nonchalant personality, not caring much of whatever happens in the rest of the Zones. Although this doesn't mean that he is uncaring, as he loves his brother Valerie, and is deeply saddened by his death. The Judge, as his name implies, also has a sense of justice, as he is completely against The Batter's true mission.
Played by: Liam O' Brien
Zacharie: The Amicable and often optimistic merchant who sells The Batter all kinds of things. Zacharie frequently breaks the fourth wall, being aware that the world he lives in is nothing more than a cartoon. He is even bored of this situation, stating that the characters are starting to pile up, and that the show needs to have less dialogue and more action. He enjoys his role as a merchant, and doesn't really mind The Batter's objectives. However, he is shown to be caring, as he refers to the Judge by his true name, and shows sorrow when the Batter tells him that he killed Sucre, albeit he says that it's "probably for the best".
Played by: Bruce Campbell
Dedan: The anger-filled and temperamental ruler of Zone 1. Dedan has terrible demeanor and has no patience for most things. He is extremely vicious towards the Elsen, especially thanks to their inability of dealing with the Spectres on their own. In the past, he was far more calmer while having a strong work ethic, as he believed that the everyone should work together to built their future. Despite his nastiness, Dedan seems to care deeply about keeping his Zone safe and operating, even if he ends up causing more harm than good.
Played by: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Japhet: The majestic ruler of Zone 2. Although he is shown to be intelligent and ambitious, Japhet has grown to be torn about the deteriorated state that his Zone is currently in. Though the Firebird tried to maintaining the grip he had over the various Elsen that he ruled over, he anticipated his own death due to his failure. In the end, he was proven right, as he was slain by The Batter after being confronted over his corruption.
Voiced by: Mark Hamill
Enoch: The enormous and tubby ruler of Zone 3. A cold and condescending individual, Enoch shows no care whatsoever for the countless deaths of his employees. He has no morals, as he made Sugar from the corpses of Elsen. Enoch is also shown to be rather arrogant, as he loves the metaphor referring to the Zone Guardians as "Gods", as well as not taking any consideration on how strong The Batter truly is.
Played by: Joe Silver
Vader Eloha: Better known as The Queen, Vader Eloha rules over the world of OFF. The Queen, although believing herself to be righteous, is rather neglectful in her tasks, especially towards taking care of Hugo, her son and creator. She recluses herself from the rest of the world, sending the numerous Spectres to attack the Zones in a twisted sense of punishment. Despite this, The Queen seemingly still cares for Hugo, and is even defiant to let the Batter attack him. It is unknown whether or not she has a naive sense of view, or that she favors her Kingdom being in sufferment over oblivion.
Played by: Meryl Streep
Hugo: A small, sick boy, who acts as the "God" of OFF. He is the son of The Batter & The Queen, although he is also known to be their creator. Hugo is bald, wears a plain white shirt and black pants, and is seen holding a piece of ham. Hugo appears to be sick, as he constantly coughs and is barely able to finish a phrase.
Played by: Scott Menville
Sucre: An enigmatic tall and pale girl who appears in a cellar built in Zone 0. Sucre has an odd behavior, most likely caused by the Sugar that surrounds her. Sucre speaks in a melancholic, simple and strange manner, laughing while talking. She is somewhat aloof, outright ignoring The Batter's questions and refuses to waste time on "useless introductions". She appears to be deeply affected by the Sugar, as she finds everything to be frightening. Sucre also has some history with Zacharie, as she begs The Batter to tell him goodbye on her part before dying.
Played by: Jodie Foster
Elsen: The main inhabitants of the world of OFF. All the Elsen look the same, generally dressing in business-like attire, which seems to be related to their jobs. Elsen are generally timid, and show no signs of hostility towards The Batter. However, should an Elsen undergo significant stress and/or personal harm, their heads will explode, causing the Elsen to become the Burnt. In Zone 3, the Elsen are addicted to Sugar, and their attitude will change depending on how much they had, growing more hostile the closer they are to withdrawal.
Played by: Robin Williams
(Phew! That took a lot of work. Hopefully you guys enjoyed this thing I made. Opinions? Is it good, meh or bad? Personally, I think it's in the "meh" part, but it's your choice.)
[X] Defending History and Animation
-[X] "Ladies and gentleman of Congress, I have been called here today to answer the fears and hysteria of reactionary crowd to one of our television shows that was met with heavy popular reception and support. Now, I can understand and sympathize with some of the base fears of our critics, as a father of three I want what's best for my children and for them to grow up into upstanding people. However, the response to such concerns should never be blanket authoritarian censorship with the erasure of the past and disregard for other nation's cultures.
-[X] When Classical Tale was created, it was created with the goal of educating children about the diversity and rich culture and tradition that is spread across our world but so many children will never come into contact with in person. It's a saga of storytelling and the human experience throughout the ages that is meant to inspire the creativity and imagination of those watching and grow as more educated experienced people, mindful of the many different viewpoints and beliefs they may come into contact with as they venture into the greater world.
-[X] In adapting the second season of Classical Tale, our storytellers tried to be as respectful and faithful to the Norse mythology of old to share what generations past were told for a modern audience. If we had sanitized the Canon then it would have lost all its complexities, themes and narrative impact just for the delicate sensitivities of a few.
-[X] The violence present is not meant for shock value or to celebrate in the existence of conflict. It's to deliver important messages on heroism, the cycle of life, the nature of good and evil, flaws of humanity, the question of what is right and how to live. Through this, the audience learns of how a culture received such lessons and lived their lives, and can take their personal experiences and grow and learn as people. The violence provides context to the morals and a vehicle for the stories to deliver their impact.
-[X] Some may be uncomfortable at such a presentation and it is their right to dislike or not watch the program. However, their personal objections should not be forced as wholesale censorship in defense of a fantasy that children will never know hardship or experience nuance and complications. The most popular faith in our nation teaches in its most important and sacred belief that the son of God suffered and died on the cross for our sins. Are we to censor Bibles because of such violence? Should children be banned from Churches until they are 18 because the Passion is a violent passage in spite of it being about redemption, sacrifice, and love?
-[X] The themes presented are more complex than traditional animation to be sure, but the reason we tell such stories is because at Dreamworks we recognized that children are intelligent and curious people who deserve to be treated with respect in their entertainment instead of talking down to them as if they have no mind or character of their own or tricking them. The traditional belief in animation from a layman's perspective is that it's kiddy art and not deserving of effort or complexity. Is it not the fact that they are children, the future of our nation, our beloved sons and daughters, that we should endeavor to create and share with them impactful stories of high quality and creativity that will stick with them as they grow older and help them to become wonderful and outstanding individuals?
-[X] Does that mean that we should try and speak about anything and everything to a child? No, there are understandable limits, but it does mean that neither should we treat them as small idiots who cannot understand the difference between reality and fiction. Furthermore, that is something a parent should do, to make them understand what they are watching and which behaviors should be imitated and emulated and what they should abstain and recognize as wrong. Keep the government out of the family home and let parents and children communicate with one another, understand and grow through shared experiences."
So I am going to be skipping the Melee omake, I thought I would have time an energy, but after today, I'm just beat up.
So instead, I will give you rewards.
Reward: HEMA will see explosive growth in the next few years, with many European nations having entire sections dedicated to their nations martial past and how they learned to fight.
And how to fight like knights and soldiers of yor.
In Britian however, there is a hilarious thing happening. Most major organizations discovered obscure laws and ordinances about men needing to train to be longbowmen, and many people are beginning to form longbow clubs so as to not "break the Queen's laws" in addition to football clubs that seem to be springing up all over the place as many weapons and pieces that would be scrapped found a second life as places for these amateur blacksmiths and knights in armor, train.
There has also been a hilarious scene, where a member of Parliment, supporting these clubs who should get governmental funding for the good of The UK... was arrested for wearing a sword and suit of armor in the Parliment.
As for Bruce... He is widely considered one of the best long swordsmen and Melee fighters in America, despite only having basic training. And the Melees that he has organized have been seen and watched by a lot of people thanks to the melee being broadcasted and recorded.
Alright. This has been in my mind for quite a while since I've followed the thread AND played what is considered as Mortis Ghost's Magnum Opus. And considering how last year was the game's 15th anniversary, I think I can do this. Now, I've debating as to whether or not make this an OVA or Animated Series, but after watching Tan Blanque's OFF series, I chose the latter at the end (It's probably gonna be one season only, considering that the game isn't that long if you know how to do things). Now, honestly I feel like animation is practically perfect for OFF, considering how bizarrely surreal and abstract the game is. On top of that, I feel like the fights shown in the game (Or "Battle Times" as they're referred to) could be visually stunning, especially the one with the Queen.
With all that said, I present to you:
Animated TV Show Pitch:
OFF GENRE: Surreal/Psychological/Action
SUBGENRE: Horror
FORMAT: Animated Television Show
SET UP: Taking place in a bizarre world built from the remains of a devastated one, we follow a human-like entity known simply as "The Batter", tasked with the mission of purifying this world from the plague and damaged cause by the Spectres, ectoplasmatic entities that caused havoc whenever they follow that come in numerous shapes and forms. Alongside them, The Batter must also battle with the Guardians, rulers of the main Zones who have become corrupted with their power.
The story begins with a little boy named Hugo, who, as time passed by, became sick with an illness. Thanks to this strange sickness, the relationship between Hugo's parents began to fall apart. The father, who was rather dull and simplistic, causing Hugo to dislike him, wanted the child to be healthy once more, giving the boy pills that were supposed to make him feel better, while bringing him comics and toys to entertain Hugo, while the mother, who Hugo favored, wished for her son to be away from the world, thanks to his fragile state. Eventually, the Father decides to leave his family, believing that there was nothing more he could do.
Sometime later, the mother perishes, leaving Hugo alone. However, thanks to his wild imagination, he creates beings known as "The Batter" and "The Queen", based on what he thought of his parents. At some point, a reality-breaking catastrophe happens, destroying part of the universe, bringing time to a standstill and breaking the Earth into several pieces, while the space-time fabric cease to exist, creating the void known as "The Nothingness". The Batter would be a physical incarnation of Purity, while The Queen would represent Vividness and Creation.
The Batter, just like Hugo's father, leaves to the Nothingness, for reasons unknown. Meanwhile, Hugo leaves his room and helps three survivors, The Tall Mister, The Bird and the Big Mister. The three promise Hugo that the new world will become a utopia for all to enjoy, all thanks to the guidance of The Queen.
The Queen assigned them the role of "Guardians" rulers of three main Zones that were maintained using the infinite power of the Sun, granted by The Queen.
The Queen creates the new inhabitants of this world, known simply as "Elsen". Quiet, timid men that would serve as employees to the Guardians assigned to each Zone.
Another survivor, a talking cat named Pablo, better known as "The Judge", is assigned a Zone of his own, called Zone 0, so that he and his brother could live in peace. This Zone would become the means of accessing the other Zones.
In Zone 1, the Tall Mister, Dedan, ruled with an iron fist, at first strictly, but with fairness. However, soon enough the cowardly attitude of the Elsen made him slowly lose his patience, ending up as an aggressive, foul-mouthed tyrant filled with nothing but rage.
In Zone 2, the Bird, Japhet, contrasted differently, being a kind and generous Guardian loved by the Elsen. But the Elsen became frightened by their Guardian as soon as news of Dedan's rage came, causing the Firebird to be emotionally distraught, but still determined to prove his people that he would never become like that. However, like his fellow Guardian, Japhet would be consumed by anger, creating entities known as Spectres to attack the Elsen, made so that he would swoop in to save the day. But he would be consumed by Valerie, The Judge's brother. Japhet would overpower Valerie, controlling his body like a repulsive parasite would.
Finally, in Zone 3, the Big Mister, Enoch, was never consumed by rage, being cold yet fair. He would secretly create an element known as "Sugar". An addictive substance that would deteriorate the Elsen's minds. The worst part about this? Sugar was created from the bodies of dead Elsen. Not caring about what was going on with his colleagues, Enoch would rule his Zone gleefully, watching as his citizens would be "enlightened" by the sugar, seemingly uncaring about the fact that the Element would cause the Elsen to become violent over it.
Aware of what was going on, The Queen would follow Japhet's design and create Spectres of her own, sent to teach each Guardian a lesson and show them how they have failed in their tasks. Dedan would at first fight ferociously with the Phantoms, but only when he felt like it, as he believe the Elsen didn't deserve his help. Japhet would believe he could control these Spectres as he did to his own, leaving them to attack the poor Elsen in Zone 2. Enoch would also happily let the Spectres attack the Elsen, as they would bring him more corpses to created more Sugar. However, some Elsen would fight back against the Spectres, as they believed the Phantoms would take away their favorite substance.
The Judge would be safe from all this madness, as The Queen had no care for Zone 0. However, he would find it strange that his brother never returned from his visit to Zone 2, unaware of Valerie's fate. The Queen would hide Hugo away from what was happening, leaving him alone in the last part of The Room, neglecting him to focus on maintaning control of the World.
The Batter became aware of the Phantom's presence on all the Zone. The Batter became obsessed with the idea of "Purifying" the World that the Queen had rebuilt and simultaneously destroyed at the same time. Soon enough, a strange, otherwordly entity known as "The Puppeteer" would catch his intentions, willing to aid The Batter with its help.
However, in order for his "Purification" to work fully, The Batter would first need to eliminate the Zone Guardians, as their death would simply speed up the process. So, aided by his baseball bat and the omnipresent eyes of The Puppeteer, The Batter would arrive in Zone 0, where the Judge, unaware of the Batter's true goals, guides him along the way. He also encounters a weird, masked merchant known as Zacharie, who keeps rambling on an on about how this is just a TV Show. Zacharie's 4th wall breaking would also be partialy nihilist, being aware of what the Batter's mission truly is, and still helping him all the way through. The Batter would also encounter three ring-like entities known as Add-Ons, metaphysical beings that represent his ideals- named Alpha, Omega and Epsilon, representing the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This would just bolster the Batter's holy quest.
In Zone 1, The Batter clears out any Spectre that he encounters in all of the Zone's stations, much to the glee of the Elsen. He would confront Dedan, each one accusing the other of the presence of the phantoms. The Batter would kill Dedan for his harsh treatment of his Zone, and purifies it, obtaining a card to arrive to the next Zone.
In Zone 2, The Batter removes the Phantoms whenever he can, wether in the Library or the Mall. He arrives in the residential area, and proceeds to purify the phantoms there, saving the Elsen. He would encounter the Judge as well, who asks the Batter for his help finding his brother, who considers himself to be Japhet. The two confront Japhet, still controlling Valerie's body, revealing his true nature. The Batter confronts Japhet over his madness and glee, albeit being apathetic over Valerie's death, to which the Millennial Firebird proclaims that while he admits he failed his purpose, he would not go down without a fight. The Batter eliminates Japhet, resulting in the Purification of Zone 2.
In Zone 3, the Batter sets out immediately for Enoch, fighting the sugar-addicted Elsen, but encounters trouble among the way, including a critically burnt Elsen who does nothing but cry for help. He requires passage through various areas in the realm to reach the director of the twisted factories. He soon discovers the path to the sadistic Guardian's office and confronts him, believing him to be a fat sloth who is blind to his subject's misery. Enoch talks back, proclaiming that his factory is a fortress against the spectres, as well as revealing his god-complex. The Batter tries to purify Enoch, but his excess weight proves too much for the Purifier, who flies while being chased by the obese Guardian. Enoch blocks the monorail The Batter was about to enter, but soon enough falls, as he exhausted himself by squeezing through the sugar pipes. The Guardian reprimands The Batter, as a Zone deprived of its Guardian would soon be broken. The Batter cares not for this, for his holy mission will not be stopped by anything. Besides, Enoch got what he deserved....at least in The Batter's eyes.
Finally, after eliminating all three Guardians, The Batter reaches The Room. In there, he encounters some of Hugo's belonging and remarks some of its absurdity. He then relives the young boy's memories of encountering all three of his friends. The Batter flies to the Sun and confronts The Queen. The Queen proclaims that she expected his arrival, but demands that he leaves. The Batter, in return, proclaims that he is home - the cradle of Hugo, his father and creator, is where they are both standing. The Batter also states that she is the ruler of a kingdom that no longer exists. The Queen demands to know why The Batter has destroyed the kingdom that she worked so hard on, to which he replies that she only had one purpose: To take care of Hugo, a task in which she failed, for being neglectful of the child and his health, all while letting her kingdom burn.
The Batter is confident that she has failed in this regard - because of her, what is left of reality has been corrupted to no end, and so The Batter much complete his mission of Purification. The Queen attempts to defend her actions, saying that everything she did was for her child's sake. The Batter cuts off her words, reminding her that they both focused too much on the new world to remember whom it was made all for - Hugo. This finally breaks the Queen's patience, who exclaims that she will not allow The Batter to touch the child that brought the two of them into existence. She summons her own Add-Ons, made to represent her regality, and proceeds to fight with her "lover".
Ultimately, The Batter's power proves to be too much, and he ends up victorious. A dying Queen succumbs to her wounds, saddened by what her former partner has done. She regards The Batter as her "love", reminded of what they once had. The Batter tells her that she must now join her disciples now. He remarks how everything by now had gone wrong, and that his "wife" must now dream sweet dreams. The Queen in her dying breath says that Hugo has The Batter's eyes, before passing away. The Batter, however, states that the boy's are full of fear.
The Batter enters the final part of The Room, where he encounters the "God" of this new world - Hugo, who is coughing and holding a piece of meat. At this point, Hugo is coughing severly, and his eyes are always wide with fear at everthing. The Batter at first is quiet at the sight of his child and creator, but proclaims that he is here. The Batter then attacks Hugo, who does nothing but let the representation of his father end his pain. Upon being defeated, Hugo meekly cries that he is afraid of the darkness, while viewing The Batter, in his eyes at least, as a disturbing, crocodilian-like creature with soulless white eyes, serrated teeth and huge claws. The Batter, still in this monstrous form present in Hugo's view, calmly assures the child that from now on, there will be no more darkness. Hugo dies, and The Room is purified, giving way to the end.
The Batter reaches a switch, one that is believed to have caused the previous world total annihilation. Before The Batter can touch the switch, Pablo rushes in at the last minute, having finally recovered from the mental breakdown of his brother's death. The Judge has finally realized the true purpose of The Batter's sacred mission, and finds it to be disgusting - all of the Zones are left to be empty and cold, being inhabitated by aggressive creatures known as Secretaries, and now, everything is going to be wiped away. Furthermore, The Judge is aware of what the Batter has done to his "wife" and "child", and chastises The Puppeteer for going along The Batter's plan.
The Batter coldy proclaims that it is better for the world to end like this. The Judge begs The Puppeteer to aid him and stop The Batter once and for all, to which The Batter tells The Puppeteer he still requires its help. The Puppeteer ultimately chooses The Batter, as it finds that this world being kept like this is just further torture. The Batter wins exclaiming that everything is over now and that escaping one's purpose is completely impossible, killing the Judge. The Batter finally pulls the Switch on OFF, finally ending all of reality, leaving nothing but the blackness of peace.
The Batter: A stoic and unfeeling male humanoid, often speaking in as few words as possible. The Batter is determined to purify all the Zones, while being very straight foward about his intentions and does not seem to give his own action much attention. He appears to be calm about having The Puppeteer controlling him, although wether or not it is to manipulate the entity into helping him is unknown. It is also unknown if he held any kind of affection towards The Queen or Hugo.
Played by: Paul Dobson
The Judge: A talking white and fluffy cat, who's real name is Pablo. The Judge has a mischievous and nonchalant personality, not caring much of whatever happens in the rest of the Zones. Although this doesn't mean that he is uncaring, as he loves his brother Valerie, and is deeply saddened by his death. The Judge, as his name implies, also has a sense of justice, as he is completely against The Batter's true mission.
Played by: Liam O' Brien
Zacharie: The Amicable and often optimistic merchant who sells The Batter all kinds of things. Zacharie frequently breaks the fourth wall, being aware that the world he lives in is nothing more than a cartoon. He is even bored of this situation, stating that the characters are starting to pile up, and that the show needs to have less dialogue and more action. He enjoys his role as a merchant, and doesn't really mind The Batter's objectives. However, he is shown to be caring, as he referrs to the Judge by his true name, and shows sorrow when the Batter tells him that he killed Sucre, albeit he says that it's "probably for the best".
Played by: Bruce Campbell
Dedan: The anger-filled and temperamental ruler of Zone 1. Dedan has terrible demeanor and has no patience for most things. He is extremely vicious towards the Elsen, especially thanks to their inability of dealing with the Spectres on their own. In the past, he was far more calmer while having a strong work ethic, as he believed that the eeryone should work together to built their future. Despite his nastiness, Dedan seems to care deeply about keeping his Zone safe and operating, even if he ends up causing more harm than good.
Played by: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Japhet: The majestic ruler of Zone 2. Although he is shown to be intelligent and ambitious, Japhet has grown to be torn about the deteriorated state that his Zone is currently in. Though the Firebird tried to maintaing the grip he had over the various Elsen that he ruled over, he anticipated his own death due to his failure. In the end, he was proven right, as he was slained by The Batter after being confronted over his corruption.
Voiced by: Mark Hamill
Enoch: The enormous and tubby ruler of Zone 3. A cold and condescending individual, Enoch shows no care whatsoever for the countless deaths of his employees. He has no morals, as he made Sugar from the corpses of Elsen. Enoch is also shown to be rather arrogant, as he loves the metaphor referring to the Zone Guardians as "Gods", as well as not taking any consideration on how strong The Batter truly is.
Played by: Joe Silver
Vader Eloha: Better known as The Queen, Vader Eloha rules over the world of OFF. The Queen, although believing herself to be righteous, is rather neglectful in her tasks, especially towards taking care of Hugo, her son and creator. She reclused herself from the rest of the world, sending the numerous Spectres to attack the Zones in a twisted sense of punishment. Despite this, The Queen seemingly still cares for Hugo, and is even defiant to let the Batter attack him. It is unknown wether or not she has a näive sense of view, or that she favours her Kingdom being in sufferment over oblivion.
Played by: Meryl Streep
Hugo: A small, sick boy, who acts as the "God" of OFF. He is the son of The Batter & The Queen, although he is also known to be their creator. Hugo is bald, wears a plain white shirt and black pants, and is seen holding a piece of ham. Hugo appears to be sick, as he constantly coughs and is barely able to finish a phrase.
Played by: Scott Menville
Sucre: An enigmatic tall and pale girl who appears in a cellar bult in Zone 0. Sucre has an odd behaviour, most likely caused by the Sugar that surrounds her. Sucre speaks in a melancholic, simple and strange manner, laughing while talking. She is somewhat aloof, outright ignoring The Batter's questions and refuses to waste time on "useless introductions". She appears to be deeply affected by the Sugar, as she finds everyting to be frightening. Sucre also has some history with Zacharie, as she begs The Batter to tell him goodbye on her part before dying.
Played by: Jodie Foster
Elsen: The main inhabitants of the world of OFF. All the Elsen look the same, generally dressing in business-like attire, which seems to be related to their jobs. Elsen are generally timid, and show no signs of hostility towards The Batter. However, should an Elsen undergo significant stress and/or personal harm, their heads will explode, causing the Elsen to become the Burnt. In Zone 3, the Elsen are addicted to Sugar, and their attitude will change depending on how much they had, growing more hostile the closer they are to withdrawal.
Played by: Robin Williams
(Phew! That took a lot of work. Hopefully you guys enjoyed this thing I made. Opinions? Is it good, meh or bad? Personally, I think it's in the "meh" part, but it's your choice.)
"Ladies and gentlemen of Congress, I have been called here today to answer the fears and hysteria of reactionary crowd to one of our television shows that was met with heavy popular reception and support. Now, I can understand and sympathize with some of the base fears of our critics, as a father of three I want what's best for my children and for them to grow up into upstanding people. However, the response to such concerns should never be blanket authoritarian censorship with the erasure of the past and disregard for other nation's cultures."
That was one helluva a way to start this, and it caused congressmen, nay, the whole room seemed to be swallowed, captivated by your words, and they were sitting up, because you were not looking for anything but destruction and dissemination of this fear.
You continued. "When Classical Tale was created, it was created with the goal of educating children about the diversity and rich culture and tradition that is spread across our world but so many children will never come into contact with in person. It's a saga of storytelling and the human experience throughout the ages that is meant to inspire the creativity and imagination of those watching and grow as more educated experienced people, mindful of the many different viewpoints and beliefs they may come into contact with as they venture into the greater world."
And it made you angry. Hell, it made you even more angry than anything than you could possibly feel… well other than that moment of fear and terror on that night. What you despised, however, above all else was ignorance.
And what was happening here was the paramount of that ignorance. These people were not the representatives of the people but people wishing for the votes.
"In adapting the second season of Classical Tale, our storytellers tried to be as respectful and faithful to the Norse mythology of old to share what generations past were told for a modern audience. If we had sanitized the Canon then it would have lost all its complexities, themes, and narrative impact just for the delicate sensitivities of a few."
That was what you were fighting against. Because even if you failed at one thing, you always viewed the stories you helped create, even though money and making sure it had the resources to be made…
"The violence present is not meant for shock value or to celebrate in the existence of conflict. It's to deliver important messages on heroism, the cycle of life, the nature of good and evil, the flaws of humanity, the question of what is right and how to live. Through this, the audience learns of how a culture received such lessons and lived their lives, and can take their personal experiences and grow and learn as people. The violence provides context to the morals and a vehicle for the stories to deliver their impact."
You thought for a moment one of the congressmen would speak, to say something to stop you, but you only glared daggers at them, and there was silence. This was important to you, and to many others like it.
"Some may be uncomfortable at such a presentation and it is their right to dislike or not watch the program. However, their personal objections should not be forced as wholesale censorship in defense of a fantasy that children will never know hardship or experience nuance and complications. The most popular faith in our nation teaches in its most important and sacred belief that the son of God suffered and died on the cross for our sins. Are we to censor Bibles because of such violence? Should children be banned from Churches until they are 18 because the Passion is a violent passage in spite of it being about redemption, sacrifice, and love? The themes presented are more complex than traditional animation to be sure, but the reason we tell such stories is because at Dreamworks we recognized that children are intelligent and curious people who deserve to be treated with respect in their entertainment instead of talking down to them as if they have no mind or character of their own or tricking them. The traditional belief in animation from a layman's perspective is that it's kiddy art and not deserving of effort or complexity. Is it not the fact that they are children, the future of our nation, our beloved sons and daughters, that we should endeavor to create and share with them impactful stories of high quality and creativity that will stick with them as they grow older and help them to become wonderful and outstanding individuals?"
God, you hoped that was the case.
Your father always taught you that sometimes, there can be time for many things. Thee just needed to be a time or place.
"Does that mean that we should try and speak about anything and everything to a child? No, there are understandable limits, but it does mean that neither should we treat them as small idiots who cannot understand the difference between reality and fiction. Furthermore, that is something a parent should do, to make them understand what they are watching and which behaviors should be imitated and emulated and what they should abstain and recognize as wrong. Keep the government out of the family home and let parents and children communicate with one another, understand and grow through shared experiences."
And when you finished, you sat down.
There was much more you wanted to say. But that would do.
-----------------------------
Well, Congress did something right once in a blue moon.
"PBS funding increased by a 25% in the next five years."
Reward: You have singlehandedly killed a censorship bill, and not only that, nearly doubled PBS' funding.
You may also have caused the team for the next season of Classical Tales to increase in quality by a +50.
It will be a massive increase.
---------------------------------------
You have 12 Actions
Lucasfilms Action:
[]The Man Who Would Make Dune: Francis Ford Coppola smirked as he and Mike sat at the meeting table. "Well I thought that we would wait for the action plan, but Francis won't take a no for an answer." DC: 20
[]The Voice of Bruce on Animation: "Wow, you guys are really doing something special… whats with the cameras?" DC: 30
[]George Lucas and John LAssater and the Cold War in the Office: Don. John. Now is not the time to start doing things stupid. "George help me out here!" DC: 40
[]Basil of Baker Street: You look at the boys and smiled. "Mary's going to love this." DC: 30
[]The People who want you to star in a movie: With most of Hollywood open to you again after the informal ending of your banishment from nonlucasfilm and TV productions, there are a few films that have come to your attention. DC: ???
[]Investing in the Future: You want to Spend some of that money you made into the company and make the whole thing better DC: ??? (Linetail what you want to invest in, and how much money you want to invest in it)
[]Look for Investors: Not that you need the money now, but maybe you can get people on board with this idea you have. DC: ???
[]Distributing Deals: Since you have a Distribution Company, or rather, are one… You can meet the major movie theater companies and strike a Deal with them. Even when you had nothing to offer them. DC: ???
[]Importing Foreign Films: So… you may have a way to get some films showing in American Theaters. Maybe you can go to other foreign film industries and… well, ask to distribute their films. Sure many of those foreign film companies never expected an American company to distribute their films in the US… but maybe you can get money without producing them. (Linetail where you try to get films from, and if there are any specific films, line tail them below) DC: ???
[]The Ideas of Industry: This action is meant for a write-in to act as a sort of Idea machine for the company. You must detail what you want to do below this action. This action can be taken multiple times.
Personal Actions:
[]Getting Control of our Lives: Carrie frowned as she looked at you. "I had a dream last night. About what my life would be without you."
[]Mary vs NASA: So Mary and Mike have been trying their best to do something fun. That fun being, they might have revolutionized space travel. Well Mary did. DC: 50
[]The Family Time: You need a night out with the family dammit! No more drama, no more work, just you and Carrie and the Kids!
[]Hanging out with the Friends: It's been far to long since you, John, and Robin hung out, so you will go out for some drinks and have some fun. DC: 45
[]A Well-Known Fan: So some really famous person is a fan of yours. Maybe you'll learn who they actually are. DC???
[]Learn to play an instrument: You want to learn how to play something DC: 80 (You have no idea what the hell you are doing.)
[]Investments: You want to invest your hard-earned cash into something that you feel will be a good return on investment. And as well as diversify your assets DC: 0 (Linetail what you wish to invest in below this action, and the amount of money you want to invest in)
[]The O'Riely Foundation Lobbying: You want California to help the men who have given nearly everything and more to this country. DC: ??? (Linetail how much money you want to throw at it, and what you want from the State)
[]A Charitable Heart: You want to invest your newfound wealth. Maybe even save some lives while you are at it. (Linetail what you wish to invest in below this action, and the amount of money you want to donate in)
[]Networking: Well time to start finding out who might actually be interested in meeting you. (Write-in what you want to try and network with)
[]Pray: It had been a long time since you went to Mass. You wish for the Lord to give you strength. DC: ???
[]Action Directing: It seems the town has been talking about how much of a beast you are at just being a stunt person. In fact, they knew you were a student of Bruce Lee. And they think you know how to stage and block a fight? Maybe you can DC? ???
[] Do auditions(Movies and TV Shows): You are going to go to some of the casting calls that are in the place where you can find work in. DC: 20(Possibility of only getting a commercial or TV show job, or extra work in a low-budget film)
[]Modeling (High Fashion): So you got a call from a photographer in LA, some no name. But that no name works for Gucci. And he wants you on their next lineup of products. And he needs you to model for him. Which is great… one problem, you have no idea what the hell you are doing. DC: 60
[]Modeling (Advertisements): Thankfully another Call Came in, one from an ad firm. They need you to have some pictures taken so that they are used for saner things. Like selling cars, or ice cream. DC: 40
[]Workout: A Healthy Mind and a Healthy Body are Key to having a good life, and you have been slacking as of late. Time to hit the workout and discipline, and perhaps, see things differently. DC: 30 Reward: You work out and feel better.
[] Ask Clint if you can act in a movie of his: You know you want to see if you can act opposite him, for a good time. DC: 40 (Clint wants to work with you.)
[] Gophering, and other signs of stuff: You want to try and learn how work behind the camera works, and what better way than being a gopher. DC: 50 (You have no idea what the hell they were doing, and you have no idea either)
[] Take a walk: Dad always said that the best ways to get inspiration are by walking, talking, and being open-minded. So you'll try that. DC: 10 (You are just going for a walk, what could be really said?)
[] Register in a theater: There are quite a few theater troops that are looking for some seasonal help for some play's that the regulars could not get to. Perhaps you can work there for a while. DC: 40 (Everyone wants to be famous here in Hollywood.)
[] Go to a bar or something to make jokes: You wanted to try some comedy, perhaps you can try. even with your shit timing. DC: 40 (Your Lack of comedy chops is going to be something that will bite you.)
[] Practice writing: You want to write something, maybe even a script. At least to learn the craft. DC: 20 (You try your hand at screenwriting, and maybe get something that is worth a damn.)
[] Research stuff, see if anything piques your interest: You may have graduated High School as a kid, but you never stopped trying to learn. DC: 15 (Write-in what you want to learn about below)
[X] Plan: Happy Saint Patty's Day! [X]The Man Who Would Make Dune: Francis Ford Coppola smirked as he and Mike sat at the meeting table. "Well I thought that we would wait for the action plan, but Francis won't take a no for an answer." DC: 20
[X]The Voice of Bruce on Animation: "Wow, you guys are really doing something special… whats with the cameras?" DC: 30
[X]George Lucas and John LAssater and the Cold War in the Office: Don. John. Now is not the time to start doing things stupid. "George help me out here!" DC: 40
[X]Basil of Baker Street: You look at the boys and smiled. "Mary's going to love this." DC: 30
[X]The People who want you to star in a movie: With most of Hollywood open to you again after the informal ending of your banishment from nonlucasfilm and TV productions, there are a few films that have come to your attention. DC: ???
[X]Importing Foreign Films: So… you may have a way to get some films showing in American Theaters. Maybe you can go to other foreign film industries and… well, ask to distribute their films. Sure many of those foreign film companies never expected an American company to distribute their films in the US… but maybe you can get money without producing them. (Linetail where you try to get films from, and if there are any specific films, line tail them below) DC: ???
-[X] Romania: Uncle Marin, the Billionaire
-[X] A Charitable Heart: You want to invest your newfound wealth. Maybe even save some lives while you are at it. (Linetail what you wish to invest in below this action, and the amount of money you want to donate in)
--[X] Project Ellis[$25 Million]: This charity proposal aims to provide essential aid and support to US territories, with an initial primary focus on Puerto Rico. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by these territories, our initiative seeks to assist in the recovery, resilience, and long-term development of Puerto Rico. By addressing critical areas such as infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities, we aim to rebuild hope and foster sustainable growth in Puerto Rico and other US territories.
--[X] Project Open Sky [$25 Million]: This charity proposal aims to address the unique challenges faced by Native Americans throughout the United States and its territories. By fostering cultural preservation, promoting economic development, and improving access to education and healthcare, our initiative seeks to empower Native American communities and contribute to their overall well-being. Through strategic partnerships and targeted programs, we aim to create sustainable change and support the rich heritage and future aspirations of Native Americans.
[X]Getting Control of our Lives: Carrie frowned as she looked at you. "I had a dream last night. About what my life would be without you."
[X]Mary vs NASA: So Mary and Mike have been trying their best to do something fun. That fun being, they might have revolutionized space travel. Well Mary did. DC: 50
[X]The Family Time: You need a night out with the family dammit! No more drama, no more work, just you and Carrie and the Kids!
[X]Hanging out with the Friends: It's been far to long since you, John, and Robin hung out, so you will go out for some drinks and have some fun. DC: 45
I really wanted to include a modeling action, but I think the charity ones from Orion are probably a bit overdue. I included importing more Romanian films since we talked about how it's been a while since we've distributed one and we need to hold up our side of the deal. I don't know any specific films to include though, so if anyone has suggestions, feel free to make them. Anyway, Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
[X] Plan: Life Goes On
[x]The Man Who Would Make Dune: Francis Ford Coppola smirked as he and Mike sat at the meeting table. "Well I thought that we would wait for the action plan, but Francis won't take a no for an answer." DC: 20
[x]The Voice of Bruce on Animation: "Wow, you guys are really doing something special… whats with the cameras?" DC: 30
[x]The People who want you to star in a movie: With most of Hollywood open to you again after the informal ending of your banishment from nonlucasfilm and TV productions, there are a few films that have come to your attention. DC: ???
[x]Getting Control of our Lives: Carrie frowned as she looked at you. "I had a dream last night. About what my life would be without you."
[x]The Family Time: You need a night out with the family dammit! No more drama, no more work, just you and Carrie and the Kids!
[x]Pray: It had been a long time since you went to Mass. You wish for the Lord to give you strength. DC: ???
[x]Mary vs NASA: So Mary and Mike have been trying their best to do something fun. That fun being, they might have revolutionized space travel. Well Mary did. DC: 50
[X]A Charitable Heart: You want to invest your newfound wealth. Maybe even save some lives while you are at it.
--[X] Provide non-perishable food and clothing to vetrans and their families (60 million)
[x] Workout: A Healthy Mind and a Healthy Body are Key to having a good life, and you have been slacking as of late. Time to hit the workout and discipline, and perhaps, see things differently. DC: 30 Reward: You work out and feel better.
[x] Ask Clint if you can act in a movie of his: You know you want to see if you can act opposite him, for a good time. DC: 40 (Clint wants to work with you.)
[x] Practice writing: You want to write something, maybe even a script. At least to learn the craft. DC: 20 (You try your hand at screenwriting, and maybe get something that is worth a damn.)
[x] Research stuff, see if anything piques your interest: You may have graduated High School as a kid, but you never stopped trying to learn. DC: 15
--[X] The last French emperor Napoleon III
