Legend....Erde?

[Julian Grimm]

So the kid wants to watch a move today. Looking through my stack I pulled out my copy of Legend. As we're watching it I start seeing some similarities to Erde in there. Some subtle some blatant. Unklar's tower looking like a twisted tree seems to reference the tree that the heroes come to in Legend where "the wicked came to sacrifice" and if you look at the tower where Darkness resides, it looks like a twisted tree. Some of the goblin pics in the codex seem to resemble Blix a lot as well. Oh and the nasty cursed winter seems quite familiar.

So am I the only one that has noticed this or have others? Was Legend an inspiration for Erde?
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[seskis281]

Julian Grimm wrote:
So the kid wants to watch a move today. Looking through my stack I pulled out my copy of Legend. As we're watching it I start seeing some similarities to Erde in there. Some subtle some blatant. Unklar's tower looking like a twisted tree seems to reference the tree that the heroes come to in Legend where "the wicked came to sacrifice" and if you look at the tower where Darkness resides, it looks like a twisted tree. Some of the goblin pics in the codex seem to resemble Blix a lot as well. Oh and the nasty cursed winter seems quite familiar.

So am I the only one that has noticed this or have others? Was Legend an inspiration for Erde?

I mentioned it to my wife a while back -- certainly all those elements are very seemingly influential, and Tim Curry seems very much a precursor to Unklar the Horned god too.

I imagine Steve and Davis, like all of us, had numerous influences as their game progressed. When I pulled the map of my world out at GenCon, Jim Ward remarked "looks like Greyhawk." And, certainly, the geographic design was very much influenced by that, and in my history people will certainly see a strong Star Wars iconographic influence.

Kind of curious if Steve would let us know if it was a strong intentional influence/tribute, an "in the back of the head" kind of thing or mere coincidince.

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John "Sir Seskis" Wright

Ilshara: Lands of Exile:
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High Squire of the C&C Society
www.cncsociety.org

[Julian Grimm]

I'd love it if Steve, Davis and the others would give us insights like this. Much like Gary did for Greyhawk. Funny you should mention Tim Curry's role, when I first read the Codex I imagined Unklar to look like Darkness and still hold that image in my head.
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[Troll Lord]

Julian,

There is no doubt that Legend was one of the largest influences on Erde/Airhde. I watched that movie and it had every element of fantasy I loved, from the classic devil type figure (Tim Curry is unmatched IMHO), to the love story between Jack and Lilly (my daughter's name is Rachel Lilly by the by) to the goblins being special and not just a pack of humanoids. And the winter, oh what a concept that was. Everything locked in the cold embrace of death. Love it and still do. I've been trying to get my kids to watch the movie but no dice yet.

I do remember watching that in the theatre way back when. I was struck dum.

Excellent stuff. Without a doubt.

You can see the Tree in Aufstrag.

Darkness in Unklar.

The goblins in the eldritch goblins.

The winter in Winter's Dark.

Other things never made it into publication, the fey most of all. I have always loved fey (early heavy metal stories rocked in this regard) and Legend has a nice portrayal of that.

Meshing the concepts with the fantasy rpg were hard, but fun.

Steve
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[Julian Grimm]

Legend was about 5 shades of awesome. I think it and Dragonslayer were the peak of 80's fantasy movies. Thanks Steve, I have a new appreciation of Airdhe now.
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[cleaverthepit]

Wizards by Ralph Bakshi (neutral space, good/evil as twin forces, style and look) followed by the Hobbit (thematic arcing storylines and depth of narrative). I would have to think real hard about the rest. Blade Runner, some others - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

Some movies effected mood, some style, some narrative content.

davis

[dachda]

Legend was on Movieplex tonight. It really drove home all the influences you mentioned, Steve. Can't wait now for A13 Aufstrag. I'm imagining all I'll have to tell my players to describe the place is, 'umm remember Legend? yeah, this place looks like that!"

Great movie, even if I did have to repress memories of who Tom Cruise has become since then.
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Sir Dachda McKinty,

Margrave and Knight of Portlandia
Castles & Crusades Society

[Troll Lord]

Hahaha I really try to divorce actors and their babbling lunacy. Ha. Todd goes so far as to jump out of a room or threaten to kill someone if they speak about what actors and actresses say/believe/do/think/feel or anything. I tend to agree.

They are all NUTS!

LOL

But that movie rocks! If I wasn't so emeshed in the Trailer Park Boys I would watch it tonight. hahhaah

Steve
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He who sits on the elephants back

Castle and Crusade Society
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[skathros]

Glad some of our southern neighbors enjoy our TPB

[seskis281]

Heh - as a theatre guy I can only say this....

actors are just like the rest of everyone else.... neurotic, flaky, self-conscious, and range from barely keepin' it together to outright losin' it...

Hmm.. reminds me of people with duct tape.

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John "Sir Seskis" Wright

Ilshara: Lands of Exile:
http://johnwright281.tripod.com/

High Squire of the C&C Society
www.cncsociety.org

[dachda]

seskis281 wrote:
actors are just like the rest of everyone else.... neurotic, flaky, self-conscious, and range from barely keepin' it together to outright losin' it...

Only too true, that's why I'm with Steve and Todd, the less I know about actors personalities, the more easily I can enjoy their acting. All the Tom Cruise antics the last couple of years were just broadcast too much to avoid, but I never watch interview shows anymore cause I don't wanna know how screwed up or weird or dumb my favorite actors are. Destroys my sense of disbelief when I go see a movie.
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Sir Dachda McKinty,

Margrave and Knight of Portlandia
Castles & Crusades Society

[seskis281]

I like your new pic Chris -

Watership Down was a fav of my younger days.

PS - Speaking of good acting - I really want to see Mickey Rourke's performance in "The Wrestler."

(Boy that moved the thread OT even futhrer....)

_________________
John "Sir Seskis" Wright

Ilshara: Lands of Exile:
http://johnwright281.tripod.com/

High Squire of the C&C Society
www.cncsociety.org

[dachda]

seskis281 wrote:
I like your new pic Chris -

Watership Down was a fav of my younger days.

PS - Speaking of good acting - I really want to see Mickey Rourke's performance in "The Wrestler."

(Boy that moved the thread OT even futhrer....)

Thanks, was wondering if anyone would notice I finally came up with a pic. I almost went with a pic of General Woundwort as he leapt up to fight the dog at the end of the flick, but Bigwig rocks. The movie has been rereleased on DVD in a special anniversary version as well as the other Richard Adams book made into a movie: Plague Dogs.

Ugh, can't stand Mickey Rourke since the days of Wild Orchid (though Carrie Otis was hawt) and Pope of greenwich village. I'm working myself up to hold my nose and see Wrestler to give him one last chance, but I'm not sure I'll make it. Maybe when it hits netflix. . .
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Sir Dachda McKinty,

Margrave and Knight of Portlandia
Castles & Crusades Society

[Julian Grimm]

Back on topic: So what's everyone think of the Directors Cut of Legend? The extra scenes and such added much more to the movie and the new/original score gives it a new feel. But, I have known some who hate this version due to the changes. Especially the Soundtrack.
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[dachda]

Julian Grimm wrote:
Back on topic: So what's everyone think of the Directors Cut of Legend? The extra scenes and such added much more to the movie and the new/original score gives it a new feel. But, I have known some who hate this version due to the changes. Especially the Soundtrack.

Haven't seen the director's cut yet. I saw it on movieplex the other week and it was the original. I'll have to put the director's cut on my netflix list!! How many extra minutes of footage were restored?
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Sir Dachda McKinty,

Margrave and Knight of Portlandia
Castles & Crusades Society

[Julian Grimm]

I'm not real sure on the run time. I do know it is longer and the Jerry Goldsmith score has been restored which, by the by, give the film a different feel but isn't bad.

I just watched the bonus making of thing on my Ultimate Edition set and the things said there were damned awesome. The original script/write up is something I'd like to get a hold of.
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My blog

[Julian Grimm]

So, I'm watching Narnia and find some more Airdhe. The long winter and the battle at the end must have been some inspiration. Yeah, I know the movies weren't out then but you guys must have read the books.

I also was inspired to make a Jadis like character that could have been a governor or Sanjak. Perhaps she's still around...
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The Lord of Ravens
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[Julian Grimm]

Per Fiff's idea of rezzing old threads here we go:

Gonna watch Legend again today and see if it helps get me some idea going for my campaign. I know I am definitely ripping Darkness as my Unklar but beyond that I don't know. We'll see what happens there.

On a side note I am going to watch the Director's Cut again to see how well it holds up to the original. I may make another thread on that one. . .

[Zudrak]

Legend was on TV today. One of my wife's favorite movies when she was younger, due to Tim Curry's involvement. Of course, I'm looking at it and had the sudden epiphany Julian mentions in the OP -- especially when I saw Curry's character and thought, "Unklar!" My only regret is not getting to see the whole movie due to other things going on today. I'll have to look for it on DVD.

[Julian Grimm]

Do yourself a favor and try to get a copy with the Director's Cut. Not only will you see Ridley's original vision for the film but you get to hear the beautiful Goldsmith score. The difference between the two cuts is amazing. They are almost like two different movies and each stand on their own quite well. One thing is that I found the Director's Cut to be a bit darker in tone than the original. It is more like an older Grimm's tale than it is anything else.

You'll thank me for it.

[serleran]

The only version that can be watched, in my opinion, is the director's cut. Plus, you can see testing in Blade Runner. Like the unicorn. It's totally from Legend.

[Zudrak]

Thank you, Julian & Serleran. I'll add the director's cut version to my Amazon wishlist.

[Julian Grimm]

Cool. Don't get me wrong, the original version is still a classic and one I watch regularly. However, seeing Scott's original vision is almost an entirely different movie. Is it superior? I can't say as nostalgia keeps me going back to the Tangerine Dream soundtrack and the feel of being a child seeing the film.

Like Bladerunner though, you get to see what, as an adult, I feel is better story telling and character development. If you get the version that has the 'Making of' documentary you will hear what the original story was which, would have been an epic along the lines of Lord of the Rings.

[Tadhg]

Tom Cruise????

For a moment, I said no way can I watch any movie with this moron . . . but then I see that it's a Ridley Scott movie.

OK, I'll give it a go!

[Julian Grimm]

It was Tom before he became the reincarnation of Xenu.

[Lurker]

The only version that can be watched, in my opinion, is the director's cut. Plus, you can see testing in Blade Runner. Like the unicorn. It's totally from Legend.

I can't believe I've missed that all these years .....

For divorcing idiocracy of actors from movies ,,, you have to or you couldn't watch any movies . That said, Tome Cruies is a loon, but he makes good action movies ...

Now to get back on topic. It amazes me how much influence things like moves etc make it into my game ideas and backgrounds. Even if it is subconscious ... especially things like names, locations.