Inspirational Movies and TV for Dark Conspiracy

[Zvezda]

It seems like an excellent idea (i have been browsing the database instead of working today) but is also seems to be a lot of additional work.

[Linden]

I'm two thirds of the way through 1980s nuclear drama Edge of Darkness. It's not quite as good as I remember it being but there's plenty of DC tropes in there: Government cover ups, malevolent corporations, rogue secret agents, Earth mother style activist groups and infiltration of the bad guys' secret base to find out exactly what they're up to.

[Linden]

Continuing my brief excursion into British 1980s conspiracy thrillers I've just finished watching Dead Head, the tale of small time crook Eddie Cass who is stitched up by the establishment for a series of horrific murders. I can't say I'd recommend it, there are some good performances and a few striking scenes but the plotting is really quite shoddy. The DVDVerdict review is on the money.

Where it might be of interest to DC fans is in its use of 40s noir style in a modern setting, which even extends to the actors' costumes - their look isn't at all dissimilar to the characters on the 1st edition cover. For the gun fondlers there's also the occasional bit of retro-ordnance on display: Ingram SMGs, an SLR and even a Sherman Tank.

[ReHerakhte]

For the gun fondlers...

I'll have you know I resemble that remark!

Indignantly yours
Kevin

[Linden]

I'll have you know I resemble that remark!

Indignantly yours
Kevin

I was going to say "they know who they are" but thought it was probably superfluous

[Pennanngalan]

Scourge. A demonic parasite infects and moves from host to host (bad results for the host).

[Zvezda]

Yesterday I watched Death Line I can’s say why but since my early years of playing DC I have a soft spot for cannibals dwelling in underground tunnels of the public transport. The movie is low budget (and form the early 70s) but both, Inspector Calhoun and the M.I. 5 Agent Stratton-Villiers are very inspirational.

[Linden]

Been ages since I saw that. Only things I really remember are Donald Pleasance's cynical copper and the mutant shouting "Mind the Doors!" over and over again. Creep is a modern take on the same basic premise and is quite well done but the abortion scene is gratuitous and brings the whole thing a bit too close to the realms of torture porn.

[Phulish]

What I hate about remakes, at least the Hollywood ones, is that scary scenes are replaced with "Let's shock them with gore" scenes. So sometimes it's best to keep to the classic originals. As an example, CGI only enhances the painfully stupid in the new "Piranha". The original would be a good ET experiment tormenting a Prole resort, the latter one needs to be buried in a dump! (End gripe).

[ReHerakhte]

Oh yeah! I totally agree with you in this (I haven't seen the "Piranha" remake, I've seen the original and didn't believe I'd need to see a remake).

What I hate about remakes, at least the Hollywood ones, is that scary scenes are replaced with "Let's shock them with gore" scenes. So sometimes it's best to keep to the classic originals. As an example, CGI only enhances the painfully stupid in the new "Piranha". The original would be a good ET experiment tormenting a Prole resort, the latter one needs to be buried in a dump! (End gripe).

[Phulish]

Save your time and money, it's horrid! The plot I thought about would have proles and mikes dependent on gnome tourists. The waters are reasonably pristine due to leakage from a water protodimension that the lab is in. Closing the gate would add as much misery as a gnome buffet for the mutated fishes. A lot of the "nature lashes back" genre can be adapted. There is a movie where the weakened ozone layer causes animls and some people to attack a Colorado small town, I think it was "Day of the Animals".

[Linden]

A lot of the "nature lashes back" genre can be adapted. There is a movie where the weakened ozone layer causes animls and some people to attack a Colorado small town, I think it was "Day of the Animals".

My favourite revolt of nature movie is the 1970s Aussie film The Long Weekend. It's got an atmosphere of real creeping dread which I'm not sure would be easy to adapt to the more action orientated Dark Conspiracy although... the rifle toting husband could provide an example of a means to punish gun happy characters. The way the couple prove unable to escape the beach has a touch of the protodimension about it.

Not seen the 2008 remake. I've heard it's ok, if a bit pointless.

[Morthrai]

My favourite revolt of nature movie is the 1970s Aussie film The Long Weekend

I couldn't remember the name of this one! Saw it only once, late movie on BBC2 years ago. It's a cracking film.

[Linden]

Used to be a bit of a late night fixture on BBC. I think I saw it some time in the early 90s.

Screenwriter Everett DeRoche was also responsible for RazorBack, a rather more visceral take on Australian wildlife.

[ReHerakhte]

This is a link to a Popular Mechanics article titled "The 50 Greatest Sci-Fi TV Shows Ever".
While I wouldn't place them in the order the author has and I agree with some of the comments (particularly about Gerry Anderson's UFO being left off the list) it's still a decent compilation of sci-fi shows. Some of them have absolutely influenced my DC campaigns (and other modern/near-future RPG sessions) .

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technol ... ws#slide-1