Gandalf's Reflection (The Hobbit Soundtrack 1977)

Another clip from Ranking Bass' ROTK

This clip from the Rankin-Bass Return of the King also has a certain something to it. I've got lots of problems with this animated adaptation, but this scene isn't one of them. GO GROND!!



Most of my good feeling about the film comes from the fact that I first saw it when I was seven and that I had a book and record set telling the story of the film. I also had the book and record set of the Hobbit which was just about my favorite thing in the world back then. Much of my fondness for fantasy (and subsequently D&D) come from seeing these movies. I didn't get around to reading Tolkien's books for another three years, but these films were enough to get me started.

In some ways this is better than the Peter Jackson film. . .

I've had a love-hate relationship with the Rankin-Bass naimated Tolkien adaptations since the 1970s. Return of the King, for one example, has way too many goofy songs! However, it has its moments too. I always liked this moment in the film:

Low Anthem!

This video is the perfect collision of image and music. It haunts me.

I WILL read the Necronomicon!

Here's a brilliant video from the same folks who brought you the Elder Sign commercial which I posted back HERE

Running Stormbringer at SoCal MiniCon IV (July 30-31).

UPDATE: My slot at the SoCal Minicon has been cancelled due to obligations that have come up since I first signed up for running this game. I'm sad that I won't be able to attend, but hopefully it will work out for me to go next year.

It's now official: I'm going to be running Stormbringer at the So-Cal MiniCon. I'm one of those gamers who doesn't go to cons very often, but I went to MiniCon last year and had a great time. I played in Tavis Allison's OD&D game where I played a Sleestack, and I played in Cyclopeatron's legendary Mutants of Metal session which you can read about HERE.

As if that wasn't cool enough, one of the designers of Stormbringer, Steve Perrin, is running a session of his homebrewed version of Runequest that afternoon!

My game is in the 7pm Saturday Evening slot on July 30. There are plenty of seats as of now--so sign up if you're up for some old school sword and sorcery goodness. Details and schedule can be found HERE.

Blood and souls for my Lord Arioch!

1980s Fantasy Art: Robert Gould's Moorcock Art

Here's a selection of images by Robert Gould who remains one of my favorite fantasy artists. Back in the 1980s his work graced the covers of most of Berkley's Moorcock novels. His Elric covers remain the definitive version of the character for me--although I also quite like Brunner, Whelan, and Cawthorn's Elric work as well.

The above picture here is my favorite Elric image ever. Its was used as the cover for my favorite book in the series: The Vanishing Tower (which was a re-title as it was originally called The Sleeping Sorceress).

Here's Gould's wonderful cover for Moorcock's City in the Autumn Stars--the sequel to The War Hound and the World's Pain.