[Recommendation] Stardust (the movie)

Stainless · Post by **Stainless** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 12:13 pm

I recently watched the movie "Stardust" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486655/) as my regular Sat. evening movie with my wife. I didn't know anything about it but had happened upon the trailer on my DVD rental company's web site, so I thought I'd give it a try since it looked like a modern fantasy movie.

I was somewhat apprehensive that my wife would thing it rubbish or else, she'd love it but I'd find it rubbish. I was also a bit worried it might turn out to be a children's or teenager's movie and so we'd both find it rubbish.

Well, it turned out to be a very enjoyable film. It's actually a "chick flick" so my wife loved it, but it also has a lot of really interesting fantasy ideas and some great CGI.

Well worth watching.

For instance, it's inspired me to rip off a bit of the movie for my up coming C&C campaign.

The players will be from somewhere in England during a pre-industrial period (haven't decided just yet). For a cleric, there'll be a minister (CoE or RC). For a wizard, there'll be a school teacher or book keeper. For a Ranger there'll be a park keeper or some such, etc. They live in a remote village called "Wall" which has been secretly protecting the Wall against tresspassers from the "Other Side" and preventing people from this side crossing it. The Wall seperates this world from that of a fantasy world. For time out of memory, there's been a hole in the Wall and it is this that must be guarded (as the rest of the Wall magically can not be scaled, broken or mended). One night a stranger arrives in the village during a storm. Mayhem ensuse as it is revieled or realised that he must be from the Other Side of the Wall. He'll end up being killed and then the Curse will start. Pregnancies will abort, sheep will be killed, barns will burn down, etc. The elders will now tell of the legend that if someone from the Other Side of the Wall dies on this side of it, the Balance will be disturbed until someone from this side of the Wall dies on the Other Side. Adventurers will be assembled and sent through the Wall. Perhaps one will be a criminal, and the others told to kill him at an opportune time. Perhaps they'll all be sent unknowing and the hope of the elders will be at least one of them will die. No matter what, they'll soon find they can't find their way back, and so a quest will hopefully start to find a map that will return them. They'll also soon discover that a death of a party member is not needed for arcane reasons, and so a second quest will start to remove the Curse but without a death.

I hope this will create some party tension/interaction, moral decisions, high fantasy dungeon crawls, legends, curses, quests, a defined goal and end.
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Lurker · Post by **Lurker** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 1:37 pm

Sounds fun, better than the standard "you walk into a hole in the ground and try to kill everything" game.

Buy the way, I to enjoy the movie and use it for indirect inspiration quite a bit.

Good luck with the campaign
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Sundog · Post by **Sundog** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 1:44 pm

That is a fun movie. Everyone really gets into it, and the performances are fantastic.

And Robert de Niro can really work a fan.

Secret Skeleton · Post by **Secret Skeleton** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:15 pm

I think the movie was a bit more entertaining than the book, actually. If you really want to read into the mythos of Door, Susanna Clarke wrote a short story in wall called "The Duke of Wellington Loses His Horse" in her compilation of short stories called "The Ladies of Grace Adieu."

Neil Gaiman is a big fan of hers (as am I) so you should go check it out, it is pretty good stuff.

Julian Grimm · Post by **Julian Grimm** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:24 pm

I found it a fun movie and one the whole family could enjoy. I did see a few things that I could use in a game but they don't fit our style so I have left them alone.
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Go0gleplex · Post by **Go0gleplex** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 6:12 pm

We saw it on Netflix and I went and bought it the next week. It's, simply put, a FUN movie. I wouldn't necessarily call it a chick flick...but definitely a family friendly one!
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:27 pm

Perhaps a Stardust campaign can compliment a grand and rousing Inglorious Basterds C&C campaign.
~O
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Orpheus · Post by **Orpheus** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:00 am

GREAT MOVIE! We saw this one in the theater when my wife was pregnant, and we both loved it. We kept tickets, tour guides or any other swag from whatever we did during the pregnancy (chick thing) and we still have our tickets for this in the baby book. We bought the DVD when it came out and we still watch this one about once-a-month.

I once joked with my wife that I could get her to play a tabletop RPG if I set it within the world of Stardust.

AslanC · Post by **AslanC** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 4:40 am

Saw it a couple of years back and loved it.
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Maliki · Post by **Maliki** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 5:08 am

I really liked this movie, and agree with the OP, some very cool ideas could be snatched from Stardust. (The whole Wall idea was great.)
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Secret Skeleton · Post by **Secret Skeleton** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:27 am

Great soundtrack for that movie, too. Eli Ishkeri did a fine job. Good background music for a game, too.

Rikitiki · Post by **Rikitiki** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:50 pm

Yes, wonderful movie: loved it myself.

Suggestion - instead of the whole "kill a 'normie-from-Wall' on the other-side to balance things; which, of course, would have complications for players thinking one of them must be sacrificed - their quest could be simply to take the body-from-the-Other-side back over there and lay it to rest which will, of course, remove the curse.

Then you could play it out however short or long you wanted depending on how tough you make it for them to: a) journey in the Other-Side, and b) determine where and what will constitute 'laying-to-rest' the Other-Sider so his soul will be at peace and the curse will be lifted accordingly.

(just a thought) - Riki

Stainless · Post by **Stainless** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 8:41 pm

Rikitiki wrote:
Yes, wonderful movie: loved it myself.

Suggestion - instead of the whole "kill a 'normie-from-Wall' on the other-side to balance things; which, of course, would have complications for players thinking one of them must be sacrificed - their quest could be simply to take the body-from-the-Other-side back over there and lay it to rest which will, of course, remove the curse.

Then you could play it out however short or long you wanted depending on how tough you make it for them to: a) journey in the Other-Side, and b) determine where and what will constitute 'laying-to-rest' the Other-Sider so his soul will be at peace and the curse will be lifted accordingly.

(just a thought) - Riki

Yep, my thoughts also. I have other scenarios in mind, such as needing to reclaim the bones of a 'this-sider' who died on the Other Side. I think I'll work this out using algebraic modelling! There's lots of goal-driven adventure with this set-up plus the difference of spanning two realities and historic/fantasy roleplaying. Just need to start learning the rules, making notes, deciding on the fantasy setting, appropriate modules to modify, etc. So should be ready this time next year!
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Secret Skeleton · Post by **Secret Skeleton** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:15 pm

You should really read the book, too. It gives you a bit more insight as to the nature of the people of Wall. They're really some up-tight xenophobic people with attitude problems.

Rikitiki · Post by **Rikitiki** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 9:25 pm

Stainless -

oh, and how 'bout this: the reason for crop failures, miscarriages, etc, on the Wall side is because of the ghost of the dead 'other-sider' - yeah, just like the ghosts of the dead princes in the movie, you could have the 'other-sider' ghost latch onto them (visable/audible to all, or maybe only to one). Besides giving you an ever-present NPC to nudghze them on, make commentary at their expense, etc, he can give out clues: "Oh, I got coshed from behind just the other side of the wall and fell over here before I died. Nope, didn't see who did it, though just before my eyes darkened I saw a hand with an interesting ring on it swoop down and grab my locket from around my neck. I remember that ring..."

...and off they go with him along for the ride - he won't 'move onward' until they've avenged him, so they're stuck with him until then.

Stainless · Post by **Stainless** » Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:18 pm

He, he, I seem to have sparked your imagination as well Rikitiki!
Secret Skeleton, thanks for the pointer to Susanne Clarke's work as I wasn't aware of it previously. I've often seen copies of "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell", but never paid any attention to it. Both of her books are now in my Amazon wishlist awaiting my next order.
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Lord Dynel · Post by **Lord Dynel** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:16 am

Sounds like a good movie...I will have to check it out. Thanks for point this out, as I have previously missed this one!
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