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 Post subject: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:27 pm 
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Location: Portland, OR (USA)
Starts April 17.

I'm honestly excited about a show again, for a change.

Very happy it's on HBO and not syfy or some shit.

(They better not fuck this up)


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:30 pm 

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 10:25 pm
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They won't. Check the trailers and featurettes on youtube. It doesn't look cheap like Legend of the Seeker (Sword of Truth) did, and the tone seems appropriate. A grimmer LOTR comes to mind.



All of the videos I've seen have raised my interest level from "interested in seeing how they handle it" to "this needs to be on the air now!"


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 1:20 am 
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yeah i haven't been able to resist peeking at the trailers, and i'm pleased to see that it looks grim and dark and not family-friendly.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:26 am 
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I've checked out two trailers, so far and they've looked good visually. We'll see how well they carry the story line with the limited amount of episodes they have slotted (the # I'm unsure of - like 6 maybe?)/


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:25 pm 

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IMDB says 10 episodes, and the runtime per episode is about an hour. Time shouldn't be an issue when it comes to telling the tale. I don't remember where I read it, but I believe the plan is to have each book as one season. So season 1 is A Game of Thrones, season 2 is A Clash of Kings, and so on.

The only concern I have at this point is the actual translation from book to TV and what will be lost and altered, but it's only a very, very minor concern.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 1:01 pm 
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my concern about the same issue is tempered by the fact that GRRM is no stranger to television writitng and supposedly was fairly involved in the adaptation.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 4:11 pm 
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Yeah, but that said, you know some important elements of the story are going to be lost/omitted. It always happens. So it's a valid concern, IMO, despite GRRM's involvement.

I don't have HBO but I'm seriously considering subscribing so I can watch this.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:21 am 
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yeah i bit the bullet...upgraded my cable so they threw in hbo free for 6 months...hopefully i can scam that again when that ends.

and yeah you're right, some of the more subtle and cerebral elements of the plot will have to be sacrificed in the name of streamlining and pacing...i'll just grin and bear it as long as they get the rest of it right.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:19 am 
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I plan on watching this. I may not like everything HBO does, but they do enough good stuff to earn the benefit of a watch.

This is a book series right? How are they? I was considering reading them before the show came on.

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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 12:59 pm 
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There's four of them and, conservatively, they encompass about 3000 pages of reading. So if you're going to read them before April 17th, better get started (good luck!).

As to how are they? They're terrific. I've read them all twice they're so good. Lots of intrigue, backstabbing, sword play, sex, and politicking. Sprinkle in some magic and ice zombies and you've got a winner.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 5:25 pm 
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Well, we all know how much Godshifter loves some good swordplay!
AHEM...


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 7:13 pm 
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I quit.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 12:10 am 

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If you're going to read the books before the show's premiere, the only one you really have to read beforehand is A Game of Thrones as the show will deal only with that book during season 1. Like I mentioned earlier, the plan is to handle one book per season. Chances are, though, that after reading it you'll get sucked into the series and want to burn through the rest as quickly as possible.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:48 am 
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So at first I got the audiobook of Game of Thrones for the interest of speed. But for some reason it's harder to listen to this book. I think its because there is SOOO many names you have to keep track off and unless you actually SEE the names, it becomes a chore to follow. I'm relieved having actually read the first few chapters, it's much easier and a whole lot more intriguing.

But that does suck for my interest in watching the show, so I haven't made up my mind to either watch it and take my chances to beat the show on a week by week basis or to just read it and watch it all the way through once I'm done.

I got the e-book for my iPad, which I'm relieved because it's a fucking phone book and would become cumbersome with commuting.

I haven't read a straight fantasy book since high school.

Sorry for the rant.

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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:16 pm 

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The series does indeed have a ton of characters to keep track of. It's my biggest gripe about the series. The main cast is easy enough, but the vast majority of the supporting cast (especially all of the lords and knights) is really difficult for me to keep straight. My advice is to just try and roll with it and not get too caught up on it as a lot of them don't really matter to the story all that much. Any of them that do eventually spend more time with the main cast and become part of the tale.

The first 12 minutes of the pilot have been posted online. http://www.hbo.com/video/video.html?vie ... oplay=true


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 1:11 pm 
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Only about 100 pages in.

I dig it a lot. Seeing that preview made me excited for the series and so far they've casted really well.

Tommy Carcetti as Littlefinger
Sean Bean as Ned
and Peter Dinklage as Tyrion.

So far spot on choices.

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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 9:56 am 
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So....What do we think? Anyone watch it yet? I rather liked it.

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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:52 am 
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I think it was as good as it could be considering the limitations of film. It will never be as robust as the books, it can't be, it can't have that depth of history because it would take hours and hours to show all the stuff in a book that long. The books pause for historical references that give insight into the world that a TV show doesn't really need on screen.

Also, there's changes made to speed some of it up, the books take place over 2 years, and there's often weeks between sequences.

I've seen booknerds complain that dialog was excised and changed. Duh, it's film, dialog in prose does not always translate well to the screen, there's things we can tolerate in a book that we would think sounded strange in a film. Anyone expecting the book verbatim...fucking idiot.

I can't wait to see the reactions down the road, the reaction to the end of the premiere was perfect, a lot of people don't know what happens next.

Cannot wait to see reaction to certain other scenes. So much happens in the first book that echoes that scene at the end of the premiere that was just an inkling of the "No one is safe" element. Characters you figure will survive do not. Characters you WANT to survive, do not.

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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:03 pm 
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Jam8 wrote:
I think it was as good as it could be considering the limitations of film. It will never be as robust as the books, it can't be, it can't have that depth of history because it would take hours and hours to show all the stuff in a book that long. The books pause for historical references that give insight into the world that a TV show doesn't really need on screen.

Also, there's changes made to speed some of it up, the books take place over 2 years, and there's often weeks between sequences.

I'm still not quite finished with the book but I was half-way expecting a sort of "brief history of Westeros" prologue (The whole Targaryen thing) similar to Fellowship of the Ring movie. I imagine the history will unfold as the plot deems it necessary.

Anyone who expects a book to translate perfectly on to film, doesn't really understand either medium. You simply can't expect a literal translation and learn to expect losses in that translation. I only care when they omit something important to the theme of the book (Like No Country for Old Men starting off with Tommy Lee Jone's narration and never having it again even though it's through out the book and really the meat of the whole story....but I digress).

But I'm with you about the concern for the speed. Based on the material they covered in the pilot, I'm really unsure how they can make it in 10 episodes at this pace.

But props to HBO for putting this show on. It's a huge risk and I think they pulled it off nicely to appease the fans and casual viewers. My girlfriend will be the final judge of a layman's opinion.

Also that main title sequence is pretty fucking boss.

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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:47 pm 

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I thought it was great. I was excited for the show primarily to give me some visual reference and faces to place with the plethora of names the books throw out. One feasting hall started to look like every hall in my mind while reading. In this regard I was more than pleased. The books are still really fresh in my mind, so while watching the episode I was able to silently point out differences as it went along. Some of them were a little odd (no snow in Winterfell, wtf), but none of them were what I'd consider grievous. Fanboys will probably throw their arms up in fits of rage, but as mentioned before changes need to be made for the new medium and the pacing of TV to keep it interesting.

I think the backstory will develop naturally enough for the audience as the show goes on and the remaining books are adapted in the following seasons without having to explicitly explain it. Honestly, though, I wouldn't be surprised to eventually see something like a spinoff movie about the war that led to Robert being crowned. Martin has two more books to write after A Dance With Dragons comes out, and given his writing pace lately he's going to need something to give him time to finish while still maintaining interest in the series as a TV adaptation. What better way to buy some time than with a movie, or even an entire season, devoted to the backstory? On the flip side of that, though, I really hope that the TV show doesn't cause him to rush ideas to paper and put out subpar work to finish the series off with.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:26 pm 
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Again. Love the title sequence with the clockwork pop-up map. Pretty fucking bad ass.


Reminds of of the Pillars of the Earth intro. Which if you haven't watched and you like medieval politics, you should check it out.


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:48 pm 
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I watched Pillars of The Earth last year, pretty good, I never read the book.

Going just by page counts, the chapter with Dany's wedding ends past the 100 page mark, and the chapter with Bran's fall ends at page 85 or so. That's at least 1/10th of the way into the book.

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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 5:03 pm 
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Jam8 wrote:

Going just by page counts, the chapter with Dany's wedding ends past the 100 page mark, and the chapter with Bran's fall ends at page 85 or so. That's at least 1/10th of the way into the book.


Thanks for crunching the numbers, gives me hope for the upcoming episodes. Guess their pacing is right on track then.

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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 6:56 pm 
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I agree with you guys. For the most part, it was good. Minor bitching I could do about this or that, but, overall, it was good.

I will say, however, I did not like the title sequence shit at all..


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 Post subject: Re: Song of Ice and Fire HBO series
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 8:11 pm 
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GodShifter wrote:
I
I will say, however, I did not like the title sequence shit at all..


Pfft.

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