A Game of Thrones Television Adaptation on HBO/BBC

[valentinesdead?]

http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html

Winter is Coming. . .

Don't know how many of you have ever heard of A Game of Thrones beforehand, but it's television adaptation debut certainly has me psyched! Based on the best selling book series A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R R Martin, this series has the potential to rival The Sopranos as the greatest television show ever made, thanks no part to his riveting source material. The books themselves are my #1 all-time favorite novels, and A Song of Ice and Fire itself, as a whole, stands on my personal "Tri-force" of inspiring artistic vision(Dragonball Z and Metal Gear Solid being to other two).

I've only read the first 3 books in the series, but since the series is set to premiere on April 17th, and the fact the 5th book is hitting stores this July, I've reread the first book in anticipation so I can accurately judge if this adaptation will truly match the awesomeness of the books. To anyone who has the faintest interest in reading, I cannot recommend or badger you enough to read them. They really are something quite amazing--but enough of my rambling.

Even though April 17th is about a week and a half away--that hasn't stopped HBO from releasing the first 15 minutes of the first episode on their website. I haven't watched it yet, but very soon.

So, anyone excited like I am? Or simply curious about what all the hubub is all about?

Here's a trailer for a quick overhead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PxLidxnAE8

Also, if your lost about the dozens of characters in this series, HBO has quite a few really well-done preview features done on the different families and important characters. But, for the moment, I'll just leave you with a few pics of one of one of my favorite characters, Daenerys Targaryen--Blood of the Dragon.







Don't wake the dragon!

Thoughts?

[Zombie Fred]

Me and Emma watched this last night.

For someone who hasn't read anything on "ice and fire" or knows anything about it, I was very impressed how they explained the world and story so far in just one episode alone. You didn't need to really pay attention as the writing was solid on introducing the characters and world around you (a great job with the show’s title sequence to go with this), and I can see why my friend said about the writer being a big fan of European history and a table-top role-player. This looks like to be a greatly written fantasy universe to enjoy and watch. Also <3 Sean Bean. Very impressive cast of characters and unpredictable turns on what to expect. Bring on the second episode!

[Darkmoon]

I briefly played the table top game years ago, but I haven't read the books despite urging to do so. I decided to wait until after the series and then read the book, since I found I tend to enjoy things more that way.

But yeah, I got a distinct War of the Roses vibe when I was playing the roleplay.

Looking foward to watching this...whenever I get the time, really.

[Rancid Cheese]

Looks good anything with Sean Bean in it is fine by me Sky+'d it but haven't gotten to it yet, Boardwalk Empire and Treme are ahead in the queue . . .

[Darkmoon]

OK, I watched this and...holy shit. Maybe I've just missed other dramas like this but this has an unwholesome ammount of porn in it. I've seen soft core pornos with signficiantly less sex in them. I knew the series was violent, but this seemed a touch over the top in terms of the sex department. Has anyone whose read the books tell me if they're simply being true to the novel? Because some of this stuff is downright creepy. Such as;

- On screen incest
- Brother stripping and groping sister and making her spend a good 10 minutes of screen time in a see through dress. Said sister is meant to be thirteen years old. You also get to see her rather unwilling wedding night.
- A bunch of warriorss fighting to screw some girls who, again, spent the whole time they were there in a state of undress. One gets eviscerated on screen, with just loop of guts popping out before the victor cuts off his brain (sign of loss in that culture) and remounts.

The impressive part is you don't see any of the dudes with any clothing off (bar a midget in a shirt long enough to cover him while working his way through a brothel), leading me to two conclusions - the director likes porn and has a crippling fear of penis'.

The introduction gave you a good idea as to the what had happened, what was currently happening and who most of the characters were. I know enough about the Game of Thrones to know Sean Bean has as much chance of reaching the end of episode ten as if he was made of snow and dancing on a furnace, but he was good as ever. The scene where he was deciding whether to take up the King's offer, and his conflict there, was excellently done.

All told, I'm not sure what to make of it. The ammount of porn (and creepy porn) really threw me off. The plot seems fine, but obviously, they haven't really been able to do much. I'm mostly interested in seeing what's happening beyond the Wall for now, and that hasn't happened yet. So...

[aris13]

All told, I'm not sure what to make of it. The ammount of porn (and creepy porn) really threw me off.

You haven't seen anything yet, try watching Spartacus the the show. Stimulating sex every 10 minutes.

[Darkmoon]

I tend to avoid historical dramas. I'm an Archaeologist. You haven't seen nerd rage until you've seen me watch Indiana Jones movies.

[aris13]

Are you saying that Archaeologists don't embark on great adventures after finishing class? And you don't have a whip on your tool kit?

[Darkmoon]

I have a whip. I have several. Also, riding crops and a cat' o nine tails. But they're rarely used in Archaeology, I'm afraid. We're also discouraged from doing anything that might destroy rare sites and exotic artefacts.

[valentinesdead?]

Well, decided to bump this topic. . . .


Just bought the official soundtrack off of Itunes. The score for the series has been crazy awesome. The soundtrack is being released physically this coming tuesday(June 28).

I'm planning on starting A Feast For Crows Within the next day or so to get ready for this.



Also, just found that apparnetly IGN has put up review videos on each episode. Pretty interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUm6HnNOtIo&feature=relmfu

And one more thing, just found the First Season on Blu Ray listed on Amazon for $54 bucks. Gotta say, that's a steal.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y5HWMW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

And Darkmoon, yeah, the material isn't exactly clean or wholesome--which is another reason I love the series. I mean, not because of the lewd things themselves, but because of the tone it sets. It's more of a real world than something constructed on morale ideals and such. Or maybe I'm just screwed up mentally like the author himself. . .

[Mr. Spencer]

And yet none of you mention Charles Dance.

You disgust me.

[REmaster]

You haven't seen anything yet, try watching Spartacus the the show. Stimulating sex every 10 minutes.

NO SHIT. I bought Spartacus on dvd a few months ago and I was quite suprised to say the least. From gladiators plowing women, gladiators plowing young men, to big tranny parts all up in yo face, anything your into...it's probably got lol. I watched a random episode of Game of Thrones, but Sean Bean was missing for most of it, along with sex scenes. It felt empty.

[valentinesdead?]

And yet none of you mention Charles Dance.

You disgust me.

THEY HAVE MY SON!

There, happy?

[Mr. Spencer]

Yes, and I follow up with this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMxY0Lxo_ow&NR=1

[valentinesdead?]

And I raise you this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNzAS0Xk3os&NR=1