Synopsis:
Orcs Orcs Orcs are battle ready, ugly, peeved and pouring out of the mountain to wreak havoc and destruction on outdoor enthusiasts and eventually all of mankind. Our collective fates lie in the hands of our hero trio; a couple of bumbling but well-meaning park rangers and Katie, a hot and feisty, over-the-top environmentalist.
So, a film called Orcs! Which has an exclamation mark at the end. For emphasis, no doubt.
This is either right up Scott's alley, or his worst nightmare.
(Also, an update: you may have noticed I've been a bit less frequent in my postings. This is due to work on the Newcomer's Guide, as well as The Secret Thing, and half a dozen other items and articles. Truly I have created a monster...)
Aren't Orcs the intellectual property of the Tolkien estate?
ReplyDeleteI might watch this. . .when it comes on cable.
ReplyDelete"Orc" dates back to at least Old English, but somehow I doubt many Anglo-Saxon scholars were consulted in the development of this film.
ReplyDeleteHeh, even though this was filmed literally right around the corner from me (I recognize that opening mountain cliff shot) here in Utah, I never heard about it until Scott posted about it on his blog last year.
ReplyDeleteSorry....this RAWKS!!!! Love bad movies that are supposed to be bad movies!
ReplyDeleteI am really not looking forward to this . . . :)
ReplyDeleteAren't Orcs the intellectual property of the Tolkien estate?
ReplyDeleteIf they are, then they'd better get on Blizzard, Games Workshop, TSR, Bethesda, Wizards of the Coast, and pretty much everyone else who uses Orcs. :P
I might watch this. . .when it comes on cable.
Might be fun for a larf.
"Orc" dates back to at least Old English, but somehow I doubt many Anglo-Saxon scholars were consulted in the development of this film.
Aw, you really think so? I could've sworn they had everyone on the set reading copies of Bruce Mitchell's books!
Heh, even though this was filmed literally right around the corner from me (I recognize that opening mountain cliff shot) here in Utah, I never heard about it until Scott posted about it on his blog last year.
Heh, really? Well, there you go.
Sorry....this RAWKS!!!! Love bad movies that are supposed to be bad movies!
I'm ambivalent to bad movies. Some I love, some I hate. The worst thing is there's no way of telling whether I'll love or hate a bad movie until I watch it. Only one way to find out!
I am really not looking forward to this . . . :)
I feared that would be the case. :(
Sooth! SOOTH! I shall say the sooth!
ReplyDeleteGonna suck.
Tex
(note this for future reference)
While the word "orc" itself is much older than Tolkien (William Blake used it, in a different and more positively connotated fashion), the concept of the Orc used by so many fantasy settings is unimaginatively copied from Tolkien. If the rip-off wasn't so widespread, the Tolkien Estate might actually have a good legal case.
ReplyDeleteSooth! SOOTH! I shall say the sooth!
ReplyDeleteGonna suck.
Noted for future reference.
While the word "orc" itself is much older than Tolkien (William Blake used it, in a different and more positively connotated fashion), the concept of the Orc used by so many fantasy settings is unimaginatively copied from Tolkien. If the rip-off wasn't so widespread, the Tolkien Estate might actually have a good legal case.
I think the fact that races called "Orcs" could easily be called goblins, ogre or trolls might suggest that, while there are definitely cases of ripping-off going on, it could be counter-argued that they're simply "drawing on the same mythological and cultural sources" as Tolkien. Or something.
Orcs have evolved over the past 20 years, though, particularly the green-hued porcine phenotype, which has no Middle-earth analogue. This trailer, though, is pretty blatantly based on not only Tolkien's orcs, but Weta's visual conception of Tolkien's orcs. If anyone should sue, it's Weta.
Well, this movie looks like it's trying to be funny. The problem is, I'm fairly sure it won't be funny at all. There's a big, thick line between "funny", "stupid-funny" and "stupid". "Orcs" falls into the last category, a failed comedy that's probably gonna be so bad it's horrible.
ReplyDelete