Much as I like those scenes in their original contexts, they're not Robert E. Howard's Conan. The next video is closer to Howard's Conan than every alleged "Conan" film, television show or cartoon to date combined. If Momoa's Conan is given a scene like this performance in "Game of Thrones," then I think the ghost of Arnold may be dispelled at last.
"And to my son, the stallion who will mount the world, I will also pledge a gift. I will give him the iron chair that his mother's father sat upon. I will give him seven kingdoms. I, Drogo, will do this. I will take my Khalasar west to where the world ends, and ride wooden horses across the black salt water, as no Khal has done before. I will kill the men in iron suits and tear down their stone houses. I will rape their women, take their children as slaves, and bring their broken gods back to Vaes Dothrak. This, I vow, I, Drogo, son of Bharbo. I swear before the Mother of Mountains, as the stars look down in witness.
As the stars look down in witness."
*Obviously I doubt Conan would make that claim about raping and slavery since "he never took a woman against her will" and he seems to have a strong dislike of slavery, but let's not get into that debate. The point is, BADASS.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful bit of circuitous fortune. That speech of Drogo's is taken pretty well intact from GRRM. The Dothraki and Khal Drogo are clearly inspired by the Mongol Horde led by Genghis Kahn. As we have seen elsewhere, "Ahnold"'s speech in the first Conan movie was inspired by a speech of Gehnghis Kahn's as detailed in Harold Lamb;s biography. Now here is Momoa speaking words inspired by the same source as Schwarzenburger's lines.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it ironic? You bet it is.
Let's not forget the Atlantean Sword Kata. As you said, for all this scene's merits, it's still not Howard's Conan because of that dratted "Khitai War Master technique". I imagine an A Witch Shall Be Born adaptation where Conan tests his sword arm on palm trees.
ReplyDeleteMomoa is great in that scene and he's not even speaking English. I'd like to hear him read and act out Conan's ranting at Shah Amurath in Iron Shadows in the Moon. Perhaps someone should get him to do that at a convention.
Hey, that's...really pretty impressive.
ReplyDeleteMomoa is acting up a storm there.
While speaking complete gibberish.
Just try to imagine any of the guys who starred in the Conan-clone films yesteryear (Deathstalker! The Barbarian Brothers!) trying to pull that off.
I'm not watching Game of Thrones yet, so thanks for that.
John Hocking
All I know is that scene was darn good. It was not the inspirational piece from LotR, Braveheart or Henry V but it had a similar effect. I immediately went to Midway and the "awoke a sleeping giant" comment. I have been meaning to read the book forever and now i think I have to. I was stuck on page 79 or something like that.
ReplyDeletelooks like Momoa's having a lot of fun.He's gonna do fine as conan.makes me wanna read the books too, actually. the language sounds like its somewhere between russian and klingon....is it just me or does he seem like he has more weight on here than in conan?-Mario
ReplyDeleteon another note, though REH's conan wasnt one for prayer I much prefer that part in the movie to the ghengis kohnan part where he barks like a caged pitbull, and not a man of free will , willing to tell his absentee god " to hell with you!" I think my favorite part in the original movie is the infiltration of the caves and the trashing of the orgy, aside the final battle.-Mario
ReplyDeleteCrom laughs at Khal Drogo and his maori posing gibberish.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful bit of circuitous fortune. That speech of Drogo's is taken pretty well intact from GRRM. The Dothraki and Khal Drogo are clearly inspired by the Mongol Horde led by Genghis Kahn. As we have seen elsewhere, "Ahnold"'s speech in the first Conan movie was inspired by a speech of Gehnghis Kahn's as detailed in Harold Lamb;s biography. Now here is Momoa speaking words inspired by the same source as Schwarzenburger's lines.
ReplyDeleteThat is indeed pretty neat.
Let's not forget the Atlantean Sword Kata. As you said, for all this scene's merits, it's still not Howard's Conan because of that dratted "Khitai War Master technique". I imagine an A Witch Shall Be Born adaptation where Conan tests his sword arm on palm trees.
Indeed.
Momoa is great in that scene and he's not even speaking English. I'd like to hear him read and act out Conan's ranting at Shah Amurath in Iron Shadows in the Moon. Perhaps someone should get him to do that at a convention.
Heh, on the other hand, maybe Momoa's great in that scene *because* he isn't speaking English! And I'd kill for someone to ask him to recite some REH lines at a convention, and catch it on video. Particularly that line, which is one of my ten favourite Conan moments.
Hey, that's...really pretty impressive.
Momoa is acting up a storm there.
While speaking complete gibberish.
Just try to imagine any of the guys who starred in the Conan-clone films yesteryear (Deathstalker! The Barbarian Brothers!) trying to pull that off.
I'm not watching Game of Thrones yet, so thanks for that.
Nice of you to drop by, John! I was taken aback by how much more impressed I was than from his earlier appearances. This is probably the scene Jason was referring to as his "finest piece of acting he's ever done" in an interview that currently escapes me.
All I know is that scene was darn good. It was not the inspirational piece from LotR, Braveheart or Henry V but it had a similar effect. I immediately went to Midway and the "awoke a sleeping giant" comment. I have been meaning to read the book forever and now i think I have to. I was stuck on page 79 or something like that.
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
That's another one of those quotes (even if its veracity is questioned) that just gives me chills, and I love that story convention.
I'm glad I finished "A Game of Thrones," though I've still to muster the courage to buy the next book and read it.
ooks like Momoa's having a lot of fun.He's gonna do fine as conan.makes me wanna read the books too, actually. the language sounds like its somewhere between russian and klingon....is it just me or does he seem like he has more weight on here than in conan?-Mario
I think he does: either that, or they've cast really small co-stars.
on another note, though REH's conan wasnt one for prayer I much prefer that part in the movie to the ghengis kohnan part where he barks like a caged pitbull, and not a man of free will , willing to tell his absentee god " to hell with you!" I think my favorite part in the original movie is the infiltration of the caves and the trashing of the orgy, aside the final battle.-Mario
There is one really REH-like quote in the film:
The Wizard: The gods are pleased with you, they will watch the battle.
Conan: Are they going to help?
The Wizard: No.
Conan: Well, then tell them to stay out of the way.
Though one could argue that's a bit too much "treading on their shadow," it does have that aspect of Conan that would fight anything - man, beast, devil or god.
Crom laughs at Khal Drogo and his maori posing gibberish.
From his mountain?
Funny you mention that line I was thinking of that and Makos narration too: " throw down your sword and return to the earth...ha! time enough for earth in the grave..."I love the cave/orgy scene ,because as the go deeper into the cults cave they see the grim truth of thulsa dooms cult accompanied by that music . they see that the cultists are given great pleasures and a kubla khan setting almost hypnotized by their bliss...but really doom wishes to devour them...literally!he controls their minds hearts souls, and has a steady meal out of them! very reptilian ,primal stuff for doom and says a lot about cults and the people who follow them ( result of being to civilized and lost in it perhaps, thinking they must return to the earth in this manner? and not with their 'lives nailed to their spines" as conan demonstrates?)as well as the charismatic sorts that lead them.
ReplyDeleteI think Conan would not 'tread on their shadow' in the respect that he knows enough not to go out and mess with things he doesnt comprehend..but if trouble finds him....Enjoy the weekend Al and I commend you on putting Kortosos trailer up on the blog!Mario