Café de Nuit

Rotipher wrote:Just remember that much of "I, Strahd" is his propaganda, not the literal truth. We know from other sources -- sources, that aren't first-person claims by a darklord who's recalling what he's convinced himself happened four centuries back, even when he's not lying outright -- that much of his recounting of events is incorrect; for instance, he really DID slaughter most of the (innocent) wedding guests himself, because we saw him doing so in "From The Shadows".

Very true, but many of those other sources are flawed as well. Perhaps I should have said that we're using Strahd's original story, as can be gleaned from many points of view. I don't believe Strahd's silly "It wasn't me, it was the one-armed man!" shtick, but FtS was written before IS, and IS includes details that have since also been canonized, such as a certain vampire sorcerer who is still entombed up in the Balinoks as of Gaz 1.

The truth, I think, is somewhere in between. I find the Tome of Strahd incredibly fishy where it says that Strahd's own guards shot him full of arrows--why would they turn on their master? IS clears this up.

Despite the problems with using I, Strahd, the bottom line was, if you're going to make a Ravenloft movie, you've got to start at the heart of what Ravenloft is, and IMNSHO that's with the words, "I am the ancient, I am the land...." Without that, nothing else really makes sense.

I'm perhaps a little weary of using Strahd.

In writting, Strahd works. In a DnD campaign, Strahd works. In a movie, however, Strahd would translate too easily into "just another Dracula". We don't see it at way because we understand Ravenloft, but to your average viewer Strahd first appears to be nothing special. Strahd's life might make a good prequel (or even special feature, but not a good feature film.

Lets relate to the success of other 'Saga' movies that initially have a lot of material, but some how managed to captivate an auidience. Movies like Harry Potter and LOTR do so well because after watching those movies, people want to become part of that world. That's why people buy harry potter scarfs, or lord of the rings jewelry: secretly they dream of joining Hogwarts academy or being an elf of Imladris. They made something that was intially 'geeky' into something that was 'cool', WITHOUT denaturing the material.

If you ask me, in the case of Ravenloft, what would make the series 'cool' is the Van Richten Society. Here you have this society of classey monster hunters that shatters MANY misconceptions about the creatures of the night. It has cool toys, but isn't about 'playing rambo'. It is aesthetically pleasing, without being being completely vain.

Undead Cabbage wrote:I'm perhaps a little weary of using Strahd.

In writting, Strahd works. In a DnD campaign, Strahd works. In a movie, however, Strahd would translate too easily into "just another Dracula". We don't see it at way because we understand Ravenloft, but to your average viewer Strahd first appears to be nothing special. Strahd's life might make a good prequel (or even special feature, but not a good feature film.

Lets relate to the success of other 'Saga' movies that initially have a lot of material, but some how managed to captivate an auidience. Movies like Harry Potter and LOTR do so well because after watching those movies, people want to become part of that world. That's why people buy harry potter scarfs, or lord of the rings jewelry: secretly they dream of joining Hogwarts academy or being an elf of Imladris. They made something that was intially 'geeky' into something that was 'cool', WITHOUT denaturing the material.

If you ask me, in the case of Ravenloft, what would make the series 'cool' is the Van Richten Society. Here you have this society of classey monster hunters that shatters MANY misconceptions about the creatures of the night. It has cool toys, but isn't about 'playing rambo'. It is aesthetically pleasing, without being being completely vain.

Cabbage, you're a motha****in' genius!

pardon my Luktar...

Cabbage, you're a motha****in' genius!

Umm...thank you. I'm flattered...cool

When it comes to the Van richten society, I kind of picture a team of bad-arse heros, sort of like in League of Extrordinary Gentlemen, X-men, or in LOTR. Only in this case, they would clear up a lot of the misconceptions there are about monsters, such as vampires being killed by silver.

great ideas so far - many of them I was discussing with J/ Am(brus) earlier today over beer/coffee...

i particularly like the movie showing what really happened while Strahd narrates his view... I also thought of that before reading the post here...

And, Cabbage, i am ALSO fed up with Strahd - aka Dracula. You can't portray Strahd on the live screen and NOT have it be thoguht to be just Dracula with a different name. (Which it is anyways...)

i also like the monster hunter idea... though PLEASE - no messing it up like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen! Now there was a good idea, a great idea, that was dragged out back, shot, stabbed, mutilated... and then served for dinner uncooked. Really, they rushed everything with one-liners... which is the dangers of having too many main characters - they muscle for space and then no character development happens... and then the movies stinks...

but, I disgress. I am all about Ravenloft - the Movie.

Allow me to elaborate on my exclamation toward Cabbage's comments earlier. The Van Richeten Society, besides from sounding really "movie character-esque", provides a perfect instrument to tell the story. You have an opportunity to create a group of characters from various backgrounds (without the lame-o LXG introductions by way of three lines of dialogue), and send them on a realm-spanning adventure across the Core (thus we get to see different places).

I could put together a team of three-four monster-hunting professionals (occult specialists?) who are dedicated to the memory of their fallen (read: vanished) founder. That whole angle of them pulling the wool off of people's eyes in regards to monsters and their nature is pure gold. It would put a new twist on the monster-hunting genre (Van Helsing = sweaty donkey nuts), while allowing for the creation of new myths.

I picture this group as being very disliked by religious and other authorities for obvious reasons. The common folk would probably shun them as well for fear of bringing down the pain from the (dark) powers that be. They would almost be outlaws in a way; fighting uglies on one side, and dealing with the heat from the authorities on the other.

I think I'm actually going to write this thing. Hey Cabbage, can I use your suggestion without fear of you showing up at my house at 3am in the rain demanding royalties?

I think I'll just try drafting a short treatment of it and maybe post it to get everyone's thoughts.

This msg board rulz...

Add an element of corruption there. When you gaze into the Abyss, the Abyss gazes into you.

Agreed with that. It wouldn't be Ravenloft if something wasn't corrupt...

I think I'm actually going to write this thing. Hey Cabbage, can I use your suggestion without fear of you showing up at my house at 3am in the rain demanding royalties? Embarassed

Hey, its yours! Nor would I ever have a good ground for any royalties. I'm glad you like it.

Which characters would you use? My vote goes to both George Weathermay and Agatha Clairmount (albeit, the movie might want to perhaps not get too enrapped into the divinity of man kind).

Sorry, my example of the Leage of Extrodinary Gentlemen wasn't exactly the best. The comic is awesome if you ever get a chance to read it (and it's without the american propoganda:i.e. Tom Sawyer).

Also, an idea would be to address the idea of a Charlatan. You could have your typical vampire slayer come into a town, boost, put down the main characters.

5 minutes later, he is ripped in half by the Vampire that was 'allergic to silver crosses'.

Now that I think about it it would be quite easy to do a Ravenloft series in the style of Hurcules or Beastmaster (without all the camp ). Each weak the heroes (the VR sociaty) are drawn into a new adventure to hunt down a monsters/foil a evil plot/help an ally etc: with long reaching plots develpoing in the background (IE: the first season werewolf episode was just a setup for Timothys sending out a army of werewolves to invade the core)

Various big name NPCs would show up for guest star type placement with showings of Darklords reserved for sweeps week episodes.

Sorry, my example of the Leage of Extrodinary Gentlemen wasn't exactly the best. The comic is awesome if you ever get a chance to read it (and it's without the american propoganda:i.e. Tom Sawyer).

Aw... I really enjoyed the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen...

Well, I say that, I enjoyed Stuart Townsend in the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen. If that movie was a sinking ship, Mr. Townsend was the only one without a leaking lifeboat...

Olly wrote:

Sorry, my example of the Leage of Extrodinary Gentlemen wasn't exactly the best. The comic is awesome if you ever get a chance to read it (and it's without the american propoganda:i.e. Tom Sawyer).

Aw... I really enjoyed the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen...

Well, I say that, I enjoyed Stuart Townsend in the League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen. If that movie was a sinking ship, Mr. Townsend was the only one without a leaking lifeboat...

His Grey rocked. "We'll be at this all day."

Best line in the film. That or, "What are you?"

"I'm complicated."

Hah, I just re-watched that this weekend and I have to say- I thought it was better the second time.

Scede wrote:Hah, I just re-watched that this weekend and I have to say- I thought it was better the second time.

I'm sorry, that movie plays out like some kind of 2-hour trailer. No substance whatsoever. Yeah, Grey had great potential, and he looked great, but he was paper thin like the rest of the league.

The graphic novel is the bomb, I've checked it out. They totally missed the mark on that one.

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