Eragon vs Star Wars

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Was it just me, or did the writers of Eragon just take Star Wars and replace spaceships with Dragons?

― Dante Hicks (Dante), Monday, 18 December 2006 11:36 (seventeen years ago) link

Boy you tripping balls!

― kv_nol (kv_nol), Monday, 18 December 2006 11:38 (seventeen years ago) link

Email notification? WTF? This means that much to you?

― kv_nol (kv_nol), Monday, 18 December 2006 11:39 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh noes, I just fell for this. Ach well, I'm not even supposed to be here today etc...

― kv_nol (kv_nol), Monday, 18 December 2006 11:45 (seventeen years ago) link

I kinda chuckled at the childish vandalism of penned moustaches and glasses on the billboard near my house of Jeremy Irons, and that chick. That is all I know of this Eragon movie.

― Ste (fuzzy), Monday, 18 December 2006 11:50 (seventeen years ago) link

I repeat: THERE ARE NO GOOD DRAGON FILMS

― Johnney B has zeros off the line (stigoftdumpilx), Monday, 18 December 2006 11:52 (seventeen years ago) link

Dragonheart got decent reviews but i've never seen it.

― sede vacante (blueski), Monday, 18 December 2006 11:55 (seventeen years ago) link

(ditto with dragonheart, but I fear the worse. It's just that dragons are so mutherfuckin cool, but nothing I've ever seen has come anywhere near how cool it could/should be)

― Johnney B has zeros off the line (stigoftdumpilx), Monday, 18 December 2006 12:01 (seventeen years ago) link

Well I needed to get my address verified for the site... Now if you've watched the movie, you will see a young farm boy staring off at the setting sun, arm on knee, hills in the background, yearning to see the world just like our boy Luke. Ergon lives with his uncle, the uncle is killed by creatures from the earth (sand people?), and then their hut is burnt to the ground. Just reminded me of the first movie. Now granted, many "You are the chosen one" movies have the same characters in them. We have the "Wise Mentor", who everyone thinks is crazy (Old Ben). The princess who of course needs to be saved. The dark haired shifty eyed side kick that you don't know if you can trust.
Now you don't have to agree with me but mark my words, when Ergon 2 comes out and he gets his hand cut off, his buddy is caught in a spell, frozen, then taken back to the castle, you'll know.... you'll know.

― Dante Hicks (Dante), Monday, 18 December 2006 12:12 (seventeen years ago) link

it sounds like a KUROSAWA film or some shit.

― temporary enrique (temporary enrique), Monday, 18 December 2006 12:13 (seventeen years ago) link

young farm boy becoming the hero of the fantasy world is the story of every mainstream fantasy nove ever, though? (*)

The guy who plays the dragon rider dude looks just like young bill bruford.

I've never heard of the books this film was based on. The trailer I saw I didn't much like the look of.

*(ok maybe a slight exaggeration)

― Norman Phay (Pashmina), Monday, 18 December 2006 12:16 (seventeen years ago) link

Pashmina OTM, get one 'Hero With A Thousand Faces'

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Monday, 18 December 2006 12:26 (seventeen years ago) link

Only my blind devotion to Malkovich makes me want to see this shit.

― Fat Lady Wrestler (Modal Fugue), Monday, 18 December 2006 12:58 (seventeen years ago) link

My husband has an autographed copy of the book that he won when trying to win something better than an autographed copy of the book. It looks a bit rubbish.

(Pete's Dragon has a dragon in it and is great, so saying there are no good dragon films is just wrong)

― ailsa_xx (ailsa_xx), Monday, 18 December 2006 13:04 (seventeen years ago) link

the title of the book/film just appears to be the word "dragon" with the letter "d" incremented one space.

― Norman Phay (Pashmina), Monday, 18 December 2006 13:07 (seventeen years ago) link

isn't there a character called aragorn or something in that other lame d&d fantasy film thing?

― temporary enrique (temporary enrique), Monday, 18 December 2006 13:08 (seventeen years ago) link

There's also "Jane and the Dragon", weekend mornings, channel 5.

― M Grout (Mark Grout), Monday, 18 December 2006 13:10 (seventeen years ago) link

Yes, in "Lord of the Rings". (x-post)

― Norman Phay (Pashmina), Monday, 18 December 2006 13:10 (seventeen years ago) link

WE ARE ALL LOSERS FOR BEING ON THIS THREAD

― TOM. BOT. (trm), Monday, 18 December 2006 13:59 (seventeen years ago) link

damn!

― Ste (fuzzy), Monday, 18 December 2006 14:20 (seventeen years ago) link

I'm only a loser for spending good money on this movie...

― Dante Hicks (Dante), Monday, 18 December 2006 14:26 (seventeen years ago) link

The books were released as Young Adult lit, partially because the author was about 15 when he wrote the first one. So Eragon is pretty impressive for a 15-yr-o but not so much in its own right. Also, the sequel didn't come out for ages while he finished high school and er, started college? so I was hoping it would show greater stylistic improvements given the intervening years, but was sorely disappointed. WILL NOT BUY AGAIN.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 18 December 2006 14:38 (seventeen years ago) link

That 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes seems pretty generous.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Monday, 18 December 2006 15:58 (seventeen years ago) link

why was this movie made? i mean, lord of rings is like THE fantasy novel, and yeah those film were huge so copycats were sure to come. but why THIS series of novels? after you do LOTR as the iconic source (and can't do other famous and old fantasy stuff like conan or the leiber books cos they're not EPICK or whatever), why these? aren't there thousands and thousands of dragonriding vs evil empire trilogies at this point? are these novels a big deal at all? was the world crying out for eragon films? it just seems kind of random (hate that word usually but here i really mean it... like the dart didn't hit the other 19 fantasy titles pinned to the wall or whatever)

― urghonomic (gcannon), Monday, 18 December 2006 16:01 (seventeen years ago) link

LOTR, yes, but Harry Potter as well. As Laurel notes, this straddles the line between the two demographics handily for marketing purposes.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 18 December 2006 16:08 (seventeen years ago) link

In other words, this was probably the only one that could be made PG rated & under 2 1/2 hours.

― has been plagued with problems since its erection in 1978 (nklshs), Monday, 18 December 2006 16:16 (seventeen years ago) link

The first time I saw a trailer for this movie was when I took the boy to see Happy Feet (great, btw). In the lobby before we entered the theater, I gave the boy $.50 to play at one of those crane-arm things nobody ever wins anything out of. He pulled not one but TWO toys out of there with one clawdrop! I was so proud.

Anyway, he kind of wants to see this.

― has been plagued with problems since its erection in 1978 (nklshs), Monday, 18 December 2006 16:18 (seventeen years ago) link

It sounds like a KUROSAWA film or some shit.

That reminds me. In that Steven Seagal "turn off your mobile" advert that's now been replaced by Joanna Newsome, does he say "It's a Kurosawa piece" to the Orangeman when he's trying to pitch him his romantic comedy idea, and if so, how does that make sense?

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 18 December 2006 16:22 (seventeen years ago) link

wtf!

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 18 December 2006 16:36 (seventeen years ago) link

Something has been replaced by Joanna Newsome? Surely that's backwards....

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 18 December 2006 16:38 (seventeen years ago) link

I repeat: THERE ARE NO GOOD DRAGON FILMS

http://www.groundlings-review.com/blog/uploaded_images/dragonslayer-758795.jpg

― Nu-Edward III (edward iii), Monday, 18 December 2006 16:54 (seventeen years ago) link

Nu-Edward III OTM. I was just about to post that pic!

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 18 December 2006 16:59 (seventeen years ago) link

Interesting side question: when did the trend of portraying dragons as good rather than evil (or, alternatively, both good and evil) in fantasy start? The influence of the Chinese dragon has probably something to do with it, for example in Neverending Story (the book) the friendly dragon is clearly Chinese, but these days the same applies to most Western style dragons too. With Tolkien dragons were still evil.

I this is related to other folklore monsters (vampires, werewolves, etc.) gradually getting a more sympathetic treatment as well.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 18 December 2006 17:02 (seventeen years ago) link

"I guess this is"

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Monday, 18 December 2006 17:03 (seventeen years ago) link

Don't forget about this little number coming down the pike

― kingfish in absentia (kingfish), Monday, 18 December 2006 17:07 (seventeen years ago) link

I repeat: THERE ARE NO GOOD DRAGON FILMS

UH: http://www.geocities.com/lairof/

― jw (ex machina), Monday, 18 December 2006 17:45 (seventeen years ago) link

Eragon is based on a book written by a 15-year-old

― latebloomer (clonefeed), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:22 (seventeen years ago) link

o wait somebody mentioned that already, sorry

― latebloomer (clonefeed), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:23 (seventeen years ago) link

Eragon's marketing campaign is based on scans of AD&D materials, printed on an inkjet, by a 15-year-old.

― jw (ex machina), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:23 (seventeen years ago) link

hahahahaha

― latebloomer (clonefeed), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:28 (seventeen years ago) link

seriously, it looks like Dragonlance in the subway

― jw (ex machina), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:28 (seventeen years ago) link

gully dwarf buskers

― has been plagued with problems since its erection in 1978 (nklshs), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:30 (seventeen years ago) link

John Malkovich as Fizban.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:30 (seventeen years ago) link

why was this movie made? i mean, lord of rings is like THE fantasy novel, and yeah those film were huge so copycats were sure to come. but why THIS series of novels?

they appear to be massively popular, if the number of adults reading them on the train over the past year is any indication

― akm (akmonday), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:43 (seventeen years ago) link

Is yr train the BDFV? Because there are like 6 major publishing offices within walking distance of various F stops and I don't know who else is reading it.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:47 (seventeen years ago) link

I just realized that this is Jeremy Irons' second Dragon movie

― latebloomer: glutton for PUNishment (clonefeed), Monday, 18 December 2006 18:56 (seventeen years ago) link

I was going to say.

http://www.jabootu.com/images/d&dprofionoveracting.JPG

http://www.jabootu.com/images/d&dpd.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:00 (seventeen years ago) link

it appears to be crushing the kids' book category on the nyt lists. i wonder how its real numbers compare with ahem adult books. or its own numbers from before the movie came out!

― urghonomic (gcannon), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:00 (seventeen years ago) link

my train is in the california bay area, where there are alot of people with stunted intellectual development who think they are still teenagers

― akm (akmonday), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:01 (seventeen years ago) link

I just realized that this is Jeremy Irons' second Dragon movie

His glory years were definitely on Playaway.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:04 (seventeen years ago) link

(XP) I'm sure you don't mean to disparage YA lit by suggesting that its readers are all stunted or delusional in some way, so that's all right. And whoops! I haven't been looking at the NYT lists; I keep not having time for PW, which is just sad.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:05 (seventeen years ago) link

UGH! You guys are heartless have you ever tried to write a 300 page book and keep it consistent? Read Harry Potter and get some perspective. Paolini did a very very good job.

So far most of the criticism is about Arya, who probably follows many vegan rules but not others in order to put on a show. Remember, elves are very political.

"The lack of originality" hmmm, he made over half a dozen cities practicaly from scratch, a map, a magic system, at least fifty characters, smart *gasp* villains, an entire set of elven customs that he kept consistent, and dozens of magical words with thousands of different combinations and uses,....... JK Rowling couln't say that much, though I have to admit she came close on some of those.

"Inconsistency" Ok, on which floor is the bathroom in Harry Potter? Since when did Harry have a bedroom? How many typos are in the first book alone? Ask these questions on Harry Potter, ask those same questions in Lord of the Rings and Ringworld, then come back and ask those questions on Eragon. You would be suprised.

― urghonomic (gcannon), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:11 (seventeen years ago) link

I would like to know why Saphira has feathered wings - when dragons should tradionally have membrained wings and if I am not mistaken "Eragon" states that whilst he was flying Saphira, he made a comment on her membrained wings. I am very disappointed that Saphira looks like a giant duck with an elongated sausage neck.

I am enjoying the book, however, after seeing photos I don't want to spoil it by going to see the movie.

Anyone else feel the same way ?

HAVE YOU SEEN PAOLINI??? HE LOOKS LIKE FAILURE.

― urghonomic (gcannon), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:13 (seventeen years ago) link

I repeat: THERE ARE NO GOOD DRAGON FILMS

i really liked Reign of Fire! it was not a good movie but went the commendable route of taking itself completely seriously and featuring the performance of Matthew McConaheehawy's career.

― latebloomer: glutton for PUNishment (clonefeed), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:18 (seventeen years ago) link

xpost: the above is from here. lots of predator-ship level nerd pants-pissing, if you can stand it.

― urghonomic (gcannon), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:20 (seventeen years ago) link

http://www.bbspot.com/Images/News_Features/2004/06/reign_of_fire.jpg

― latebloomer: glutton for PUNishment (clonefeed), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:20 (seventeen years ago) link

When people complain about a lack of originality, I don't think they mean an author's prowess at thinking of non-existant names that have too many (or too few) consonants (or vowels). I think they're complaining about yet another repetition of the exact same quest narrative and character treatments and scene set-ups (ie forest ambushes, aerial combat, dwarves burrows, etc). Also, keeping his characters straight and building believable cities is the LEAST I expect from a fantasy author...so that's hardly raising the bar.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:29 (seventeen years ago) link

tell it to the nerds!

― urghonomic (gcannon), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:31 (seventeen years ago) link

Top This article has been rated as Top-importance on the importance scale

For. Fuck's. Sake.

― Fat Lady Wrestler (Modal Fugue), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:33 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh, sorry! I cross-posted and didn't see the attribution. And I was really, really close to asking whether someone else had taken over your computer/brane....

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:35 (seventeen years ago) link

well, i would like to know where harry potter's bathroom is

― urghonomic (gcannon), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:41 (seventeen years ago) link

What do you think Teh Chamber of Secrets was about?

― Fat Lady Wrestler (Modal Fugue), Monday, 18 December 2006 19:43 (seventeen years ago) link

Thanks Laurel,

You got the point. Johnny B, are there any good made for tv dragon shows?

― Dante Hicks (Dante), Monday, 18 December 2006 21:28 (seventeen years ago) link

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