GWC Podcast #215

Podcasts Galactic Watercooler
#21

‘The Savage Sword of Conan’ magazines were how I was introduced to Conan as a teenager, I was blown away by the art. Especially when they would reprint some of the old classic Barry Windsor Smith issues, the comics were alright and I collected them for awhile but the real gems were the magazines. They would actually illustrate some of the original Robert E Howard short stories, and that is what moved me to collecting a few of the paperbacks. I always felt Conan looked better in the magazine format, the larger panels and the highly detailed and shaded pen and ink looked much more stylish than the smaller colored panels.

Plus the magazine always included a second story in the back, usually a Kull, Solomon Kane, Red Sonja or Bran Mok Morn story. The ‘Red Nails’ and ‘Worms of the Earth’ stories illustrated by BWS were a knockout!!

I am looking forward to the ‘Solomon Kane’ movie, there has not been a R.E.H. inspired movie since ‘Kull’. If it does well maybe it will reinvigorate the franchise. The trailers look good, it will be a definite step up from ‘Red Sonja’…:stuck_out_tongue:

So Sean did you ever go to the Universal Studios ‘Conan Experience’? Basil (who wrote the soundtrack) wrote music for the ‘Experience’ too…

These are what Arnold had done prior to Conan-

The Jayne Mansfield Story (1980) (TV) … Mickey Hargitay
Scavenger Hunt (1979) … Lars
The Villain (1979) … Handsome Stranger
“The San Pedro Beach Bums” … Muscleman (1 episode, 1977)
- Lifting Is My Life (1977) TV episode … Muscleman
“The Streets of San Francisco” … Josef Schmidt (1 episode, 1977)
- Dead Lift (1977) TV episode … Josef Schmidt
Stay Hungry (1976) … Joe Santo
Happy Anniversary and Goodbye (1974) (TV) … Rico
The Long Goodbye (1973) (uncredited) … Hood in Augustine’s office
Hercules in New York (1970) (as Arnold Strong ‘Mr. Universe’) … Hercules

(oddly ‘Pumping Iron’ is not on the list…)

‘The Villain’ (rolls eyes) and ‘Hercules in New York’ (they used to show it all the time on Gilbert Godfrey’s UP ALL NIGHT) are two I bet Arnold wishes everyone would forget.:smiley:

#22

I’ve never read any of the original Robert E. Howard (although I look forward to giving it a go). Has anyone read any of the Robert Jordan adaptations? Are they any good?

#23

I have not read any of Robert Jordan’s adaptations but the ones by Lin Carter and L.S. deCamp are pretty good. Oh, and the Trades published by Dark Horse are quite good too, it is a nice blend of original stories inter spaced with their own ‘new’ fiction set in the Hybornian Age. And the artwork is consistently good too…

#24

Loving the Conan arc! A great choice Sean. If I’m not mistaken, Conan the Destroyer is available on Netflix Instant, so if you have the means, check it out!

#25

I loved Frazetta’s art! Grew up on Creepy, Eerie, Mad, Cracked, etc.

I particularly loved his Vampirella

#26

Ooh. That should be put forward for the book club.

#27

I was 7 when this came out, I’m guessing I missed, it what is Conan Experience? Sounds cool anyway.

Lol, yeah he did do some stuff on camera (but all small taters) Govenator himself credits this as his first “rheaal muvy” It’s the one featuring him and the one that sprung him - It also doesn’t hurt he didn’t talk a bunch but flexed alot :smiley:

Rock on Omra!

#28

True, Conan catapulted him into bigger roles and eventual ‘Action Hero’ status. Here is a link showing a bit of what used to be the Conan live action show at Universal studios back in the day-

http://www.thestudiotour.com/ush/attractions/castletheatre_conan.shtml

and a little video too-

//youtu.be/ape_oR5NlzQ

#29

If anyone has a beginner’s guide to Conan stories or recommended reading, please feel free to share.

#30

If you use this link: http://gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-a-m.html#letterH and page down to Robert Ervin Howard there’s a list for his Conan stories to 1936. I don’t know if they are in publication order because they do have release year listed and some years several stories.

#31

If you didn’t get to spend eight hours pushing the wheel of pain, it was a ripoff.

Speaking of wheel of pain, in the totally awesome making-of documentary that accompanies the more recent Conan DVDs, they reveal that the wheel of pain was made so well, and so well balanced, that it was totally effortless to push around. They had to have people off-camera on the other side of the wheel pushing against Ahnuld.

#32

P.S.A.

Do not listen to Galactic Watercooler while at the gym!

Sudden and involuntary fits of laughter and heavy weights are a bad combination. Also snickering while in the locker room is not good, people get paranoid and think you are laughing at their junk; IYKWIM.

#33

I’m not completely through the podcast yet, but I need to comment on the Conan discussion.

First, Robert E. Howard was writing pulp (and I don’t mean this in a bad way) when he wrote Conan. I would argue that swords and sorcery was not new, just kind of new to pulp. As far as the idea that Conan is ‘dark’ there is plenty of dark stuff from that time period or before (read Edgar Rce Burroughs for example).

Second, in the stories Conan is not stupid. When you read the stories Conan is not educated, but intelligent. I used to play D & D in the 80s and if I remember correctly Dragon magazine rating Conan’s intelligence (based on a compilation of the books, magazines, comics, and movies) at around 12-15 in the AD & D system (9 was considered average intelligence).

Finally, as has been alluded to earlier, Arnold Schwarzenegger had been in the states for nearly 20 years by the time he stars in Conan. His command of English is quite good (listen to his interviews in Pumping Iron) – the problem is that his accent is still terrible.

#34

To the same level, listening on the bus, and on the streets, of China will earn you many stares.

#35

You should record a PSA and send that in.

#36

The discussion of JEJ in that wig reminded me of this:

They could be twins!

#37

here is the most popular application of said theme:

//youtu.be/4C3umDN3voo

this is the most famous remix of said tune
//youtu.be/wke0-lj2wzw

and this is, technically, a counterpoint of said anthem:

//youtu.be/ffIUvzWDle8

these tunes are recommended listening while at the gym :
(they’re pretty good for an aerobic workout)

//youtu.be/-iqScVh5jRA

//youtu.be/5R2x8yByzKw

//youtu.be/n1JDKyW_eag

#38

Don’t forget Busta Rhymes’ “Fire It Up”

//youtu.be/v/YmHziduwBgI&hl=en_US&fs=1&

#39

omg! the head-bopping in “Fire it up” suddenly brought this music video into mind:

//youtu.be/YVkUvmDQ3HY

omg! that was in 2002! i’m OLD!

more’s the pity that the comedic genius of one Marshall Bruce Mathers III isn’t well acknowledged…

#40

Please, child.