skywalkersaga wrote:Secondly, I completely agree with you, Rev, that while the first Arnie movie is a CLASSIC and is by far the better film, that the Jason Momoa Conan was probably a bit closer to the Robert E. Howard version of the character. Both in terms of physical features, and characterization as you noted. I'm glad at least I was not alone in thinking that.
You mentioned the dialogue and cinematography in the original Conan movie, and yes, completely agree. The score/soundtrack is also pretty iconic.
So glad to hear you're on my side on this one. I think he must have read a bunch of the original stories when he got the part, because he just got it. And you're right, really looked the part. I think it's a real tragedy that the film was so bad, because we'll never get to see him reprise the role, and I think that's a real shame.
And yeah, I had totally forgotten to mention how incredible the soundtrack was as well! It really is a perfect film in it's own right. And I do think Arnold is great in it.
GubernatorFan wrote:Thank you very much. I agree that it works pretty well, even if not quite perfectly (hence the rationalization about him trying to fill someone else's shoes -- and vambraces); let's not forget it is a test.
The forehead hairline is a difficult transition point even for professional action figure makers (look at Asmus'
Lord of the Rings figures), and I don't trust myself to handle it perfectly. So I decided to leave a bit of the sculpted locks in that area, and since they work well enough, I left them in. If the contrast was greater, I would have removed them. I made the same choice with the more recently re-haired KP Arnold/Conan head sculpt, although there the sculpted hair is more covered by the "real" hair. (see here:
https://onesixthfigures.forumotion.com/t2126-converting-arnold-schwarzenegger-kp-conan-head )
Momoa worked very well for this type of character visually, but I was long sold on Arnold as Conan (and never knew Conan in any other form); moreover, technically Arnold's features might be more plausible for a Cimmerian. At any rate, I didn't think the Momoa film was quite as bad as everyone else seems to think it was. But for all of its strangeness, the first Conan movie was a bit of a masterpiece (not least because of the music).
Yep, Krull was a fun, strange film. I wish there were more like it. And can I mention the (original) Beastmaster?
You can ALWAYS mention Beastmaster. I remember LOVING that movie so much as a kid, but have only vague memories of it today. May need to re-watch too.
And I don't think any rationalization is necessary. I was actually making the point that the outfit look really great on him, and it's so odd that we would even think otherwise, that the gigantic M34 or M35 would be the standard. Everything looks like it fits as it should. I dig the whole set up a lot, and think he looks like a finished figure, even if he is just a test.
I agree that getting the front hairline right is tricky. I had to stare at the Conan head for a long time before U could even see the plastic hair that was combed over. I've got a few tricks I use when I wig a head to try to get that front part right, but it's always the most difficult part. I didn't even notice the plastic part here at first, and it definitely works. It's just something I can be fanatical about.
And I totally get how Arnold is the definitive Conan for most people. And honestly, I think he's actually fantastic in the movie. I was just so surprised when seeing Momoa play the role just how much he inhabited the role, as I'd pictured it reading Howard's stories and a lot of the comics more closely based on them. So many of the more subtle traits and his charisma just came through so perfectly. That scene where he gets captured on purpose, and the moment where he smiles and lets them know he's exactly where he wanted to be, is so perfectly Conan, and I'd love to have seen him in the role, in a film that was anywhere near the caliber of the original.
GubernatorFan wrote:Funny that such clumsy dialogue should be so fitting, but you're right about the first Conan movie on all counts.
There's so much of the dialogue I just loved. I think both Conan and Subotai are both foreigners in the place where this takes place, and I think they way they speak, accents and all, really fit. And any of the exchanges between them are just perfect. My favorite moment is still
"Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom... so grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!"
(It should be no secret that I drew some inspiration from Crom for Abarath and Marrow's relationship to him)
or Subotai referring to civilization as "ancient & wicked." It's just so good.
I mean other than the people they fight against or the monsters they slay. 
