Thursday, April 14, 2011

Using Film and TV to inspire games / Consistent Look and Feel part III

I've a running list in my head of films and TV Series that inspire me to run games, or that would serve as fine examples of games I already want to run. For example, i've previously mentioned how the Tom Cruise 'Valkyrie' movie made me want to run an Empire centric Star Wars game. I still maintain that it would rock. 

So, to complement my existing posts on Images and Music that make me think of the World of Darkness, here are the films and shows that, to me, serve as fine examples of the setting.

Movies
  • Sin City - The comic book counts as well. The corruption, endemic crime, moral decay and physical rot of Basin City shows how a World of Darkness city should look. The stark black and white images and stories of love, betrayal, loyalty and revenge all serve as excellent examples of the setting and its themes,and I swear to God that Marv is a Promethean
  • Night Watch - Opposing supernatural factions fight an occult cold war in a cramped and run down Moscow
  • Hellboy II: The Golden Army - I've only seen this the once, but i'll be damned if that's not a Changeling Goblin Market they find
  • Pan Labyrinth - This is such a good film, and could inspire a dozen or more Changeling: The Lost games. The horrific fairy tale elements are just fantastic, and could easily be excursions into the Hedge, with a True Fae tempting an innocent child into his court.
  • Dog Soldiers - A staple recommendation for Werewolf games, but more so Hunter games. The film doesn't focus on the Werewolf pack so much as it shines a spot light on how an organised cell can use tactics against a superior foe. Plus, I love it when a posh bird talks dirty.
  • Dark City - This is about a Mastigos Mage awakening to his power, and battling against Goetic Demons as he attempts to escape Pandemonium, with it's mazes, warping dimensions and mind bending effects.

TV Series
  • Being Human - I think this series really shows what can be done to make supernatural characters normal, assessable, believable, vulnerable and human. It shows three very different people struggling to cope with being a 'monster' whilst trying to lead the kind of normal life that should be denied them, to varying degrees of success.
  • True Blood - Let's be plain here, True Blood is the most direct example of World of Darkness Vampires available on popular media today. It shows the political hierarchies and intrigue, the compelling blood addiction, the effects of age, and Humanity loss on a Vampire, and has loads of nudity and a bag full of other supernatural critters knocking about. 
  • Twin Peaks - A fine inspiration for a Hunter game, as an FBI agent stumbles across a small town that's being systematically corrupted by what could be a demon, or one of the True Fae, or maybe a Spirit. 

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