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Thoughts on the Proposed English TV Conan Film

The situation with the proposed English TV version of the Robert E. Howard story, “The Devil in Iron” is reminiscent of the events surrounding the 1986 James Bond film, “Never Say Never Again.” Before producer Harry Saltzman purchased the rights to film Ian Flemming’s Bond novels, writer Kevin McClory co-wrote an original screenplay with Ian Fleming that eventually became the film “Thunderball.”  Broccoli, however, had only purchased the rights to film the novels.  He had no claim on the screenplay written before he sewed up the rights to the books.

After much legal rangling, Warner Brothers was allowed to make the 1986 film as long as the film did not deviate in any major way from the original McClory script or use any names or events from the Flemming novels or the United Artist Films produced by Broccoli’s company.

Applying the lessons learned from “Never Say Never Again” to the proposed Conan TV film may work in the favor of REH purists.  The film makers might find the safest legal route in bringing their project to English television is to adhere closely to the original REH story, “The Devil in Iron.”  The television production, if it does come to fruition, may turn out to be an interesting contrast to the expected action-movie style of the more expensive theatrical production.

This entry was posted on Friday, June 26th, 2009 at 2:55 pm and is filed under Conan Movie Rumours. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  • http://www.dekada.org Artur

    It seems there’s a lot of interest lately in Conan. I wonder why? Anyway, that is always a good thing.

  • Kortoso

    I am not at all sure that it will be good for Conan to have several different interpretations running around.

  • James McKenzie

    There are already so many interpretations of Conan from REH to L Sprague De Camp to Roy Thomas, to Buscema and Frazetta and the list goes on… To me REH was great and created great characters and great stories along the way but some of his stories where not as polished as they could have been as he was evolving but due to depression was taken too soon. I think the best Conan story went with him. So, I am apprehensive when they say “REH purist” because unlike STAR WARS where that world is controlled by Lucas REH’s created world is more chaotic and welcomes interpretation. But let’s not get crazy here, REH created a world before Tolkien and probably inspired him to do the same as well as many other writers. A consistent Hyborian world is alive and well thanks to REH and the likes of those mentioned above. Lets allow it to evolve with the memory of REH rather then limit it.

  • http://poderfriki.com Kike

    James: YOU ARE WRONG.

    Conan BELONGS to Howard exactly the same that Sherlock Holmes BELONGS TO Arthur Conan Doyle or James Bond BELONGS TO Ian Fleming. The rest is fan-fiction. You can forgot ALL the pastiches, comics and derivate works and only read Del Rey paperbacks of Conan stories and you WILL understand the character and the Hiborian Age. You dont need more.

    The movie MUST BE faithfull to the original tales, because the original tales are truly art and them NEVER get a loyal adaptation to the silver screen.

  • James McKenzie

    Maybe I’d be more convinced if you could spell Hyborian.

  • James McKenzie

    @KIKE
    BTW I don’t think I said Conan belongs to anyone else besides REH. The Del Rey books I have and read and enjoyed but only came out recently. This stories where first published in Weird Tales as novellas if you will. Now I’m not a perfect speller by any means but a true REH fan would know how to spell Hyboria.

  • Victor

    h ah ha haha

  • http://poderfriki.com Kike

    Weird tales stories are Howard stories so your point have no sense.

    I cant´believe you spent two comments to note that i mistaken “Y” with “I”.

  • James McKenzie

    @KIKE
    Who doesn’t know that the Conan Weird Tales Stories where written by Howard? How old are you? It is quite obvious you missed my point. Let me make it clearer; these stories where originally written by Howard as novellas for Weird Tales, and my point is I don’t think someone with very little knowledge of REH or Conan (except for what they where taught from AOC which is very pastiche and borrows from the Millius film by the way) should stand on their pedestal and tell other people that their opinion is wrong.
    BTW comments are free and I can spend as many of them as a want.

    For added benefit for those who don’t know here is
    The Robert E. Howard Stories

    Published in Weird Tales
    1. The Phoenix on the Sword (Dec 1932)
    2. The Scarlet Citadel (Jan 1933)
    3. The Tower of the Elephant (Mar 1933)
    4. Black Colossus (Jun 1933)
    5. The Slithering Shadow (Sep 1933)
    6. The Pool of the Black One (Oct 1933)
    7. Rogues in the House (Jan 1934)
    8. Shadows in the Moonlight (Apr 1934)
    9. Queen of the Black Coast (May 1934)
    10. The Devil in Iron (Aug 1934)
    11. The People of the Black Circle (Sep/Oct/Nov 1934)
    12. A Witch Shall be Born (Dec 1934)
    13. Jewels of Gwahlur (Mar 1935)
    14. Beyond the Black River (May/Jun 1935)
    15. Shadows in Zamboula (Nov 1935)
    16. The Hour of the Dragon (Dec 35/Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr 1936)
    17. Red Nails (Jul/Aug/Sep 1936)

    Howard completed four Conan stories not published in his lifetime:
    18. The Frost Giant’s Daughter, originally a Conan story, but after being rejected, Howard revised it, retitled as “The Gods of the North”, the main character’s name changed to “Amra of Akbitana”.
    19. The God in the Bowl
    20. The Vale of Lost Women
    21. The Black Stranger, rewritten by L. Sprague de Camp as “The Treasure of Tranicos”; Howard’s version published in 1987 in Echoes of Valor.

    Four other Conan stories were begun by Howard but unfinished:
    22. The Snout in the Dark, fragment
    23. Drums of Tombalku, fragment
    24. The Hall of the Dead, synopsis only
    25. The Hand of Nergal, fragment

    Wolves Beyond the Border
    A non-Conan story set in Conan’s world, fragment.

  • http://poderfriki.com Kike

    Oooooh, good lore… god bless wikipedia!

    Another person says exactly what i think about the topic, so i will copy his words here:

    “REH’s Conan stories are far more consistent, in terms of both continuity, and overall quality, than Lucas’ Star Wars films, which are riddled with inconsistencies. Additionally, the idea that the REH’s writing is “unpolished” is largely a myth perpetuated by L. Sprague deCamp; a myth that is still being perpetuated to this day. REH wrote over 300 stories in his short career. He was far more prolific than his collegues Lovecraft and Smith. Clearly, his “depression” didn’t effect his output. And the idea that his “best” Conan story went with him is also factually incorrect. REH abandoned the character and stopped writing Conan stories a full year before his suicide. Apparently, Red Nails was his final statement about the character. I don’t see a great need to “reinterpret” the Conan stories or Conan’s world, because its already highly detailed.”

    And i never played AOC.

  • http://www.ageofconan.com Waldgeist

    Guys, don’t kill each other over words and hairsplitting arguments :)

  • http://poderfriki.com Kike

    You are right Waldgeist. But you know, it is the BERSERKER rage…

  • http://www.ageofconan.com Waldgeist

    True barbarians never insult each other over words and petty arguments! It’s without honor to play the civilized fools game and twist words around. :D

  • James McKenzie

    @Kike
    Where did you find this persons quote I’m going after him!
    Just kidding;-)
    To quote the unknown, “I don’t see a great need to “reinterpret” the Conan stories or Conan’s world, because its already highly detailed.”
    I agree one hundred percent.
    I really don’t know what where argueing about anymore.
    “And the idea that his “best” Conan story went with him is also factually incorrect.” Can opinions be fact?

  • James McKenzie

    @Forestghost
    Well said!

  • http://www.freewebs.com/fantasy-unlimited/ Athgulasan

    I was put of with the spelling arguements there, as they seem to be distracting and anal… ;)

    The best story for me that should be turned into a film should be Hour of the Dragon, it has all the main ingredients for a block buster i.e. Evil wizard brought back for the dead ooer, beautiful women to help our disposed king and a battle scene at the end to give it the cherry on the cake. But then again, being the franchise that is Conan, they may need to do 3 big films and start of with Conan as a youth wandering the pictish wilds and stealing a pilvering his way to film 2, of him trying to build his way to the kingdom of Aquilonia, maybe iuntrodusing some of the characters that finally help him to power like Zelatta and co.

  • James McKenzie

    @Athgulasan
    Sorry I was a little angry at being told my opinion was wrong. How can an opinion be wrong? Any way, me and Kike are ok now. How are you?

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