The inspirational watchlist for Gamemasters
Do you run Dungeons & Dragons games? Or any other pen and paper role playing game? If so, you may want to see these movies, which can be highly inspirational...
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- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenOrlando BloomA meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.Let's start with the obvious. The Lord of the Rings movies have it all: A great story, loveable characters, fantastic monsters and amazing set pieces.
Among a plethora of inspirational stuff, The fellowship of the Ring features the mother of all dungeons, the mines of Moria, the endless, eternally dark halls of Khazad-dûm. The staircase scene is a perfect example, of how to turn a part of the environment of into a most dramatic action set. - DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenViggo MortensenWhile Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.So how to make players feel the drama, the horror and the fierce action of a siege? The movie lays it out perfectly. The stakes are high and individual acts of courage may turn the tides...
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.Again we can chose from so many great things here. Epic battles, characters facing their destiny...
One thing to learn here is: How to introduce a monster? Just let it pop up? Or start with hints and let it built it up to the inevitable showdown? The use of Shelob in this movie is another exmple of how things should be done in adventures. - DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsToshirô MifuneTakashi ShimuraKeiko TsushimaFarmers from a village exploited by bandits hire a veteran samurai for protection, who gathers six other samurai to join him.Probably the first and probably also the best "rag tag team of heroes" movie of all time. It shows how a wide varity of characters can act together to achieve a common goal. Interestingly it does not neglect any of the characters, we care for all of them and that's something gamemasters and players as well should really take to heart.
Characters aside, the movie also excels at using the story template it introduces: A farming village is endangered to be looted by a group of bandits. Thus the farmers hire a bunch of masterless samurai to defend them... There are endless possibilities to modify this template and include it in your campaign. - DirectorJohn McTiernanMichael CrichtonStarsAntonio BanderasDiane VenoraDennis StorhøiA man, having fallen in love with the wrong woman, is sent by the sultan himself on a diplomatic mission to a distant land as an ambassador. Stopping at a Viking village port to restock on supplies, he finds himself unwittingly embroiled in a quest to banish a mysterious threat in a distant Viking land.This is a variation of the Seven Samurai story template with vikings instead of samurai. While not without flaws (mostly due to the bumpy ride the production was), it still holds up pretty well. It has great action sets that wait to be adopted into a rpg adventure, an outstanding soundtrack you want to play over and over in the background and yet again a buch of very interesting characters.
- DirectorKenneth BranaghStarsKenneth BranaghEmma ThompsonKeanu ReevesYoung lovers, and soon to wed, Hero and Claudio conspire to get verbal sparring partners and confirmed singles, Benedick and Beatrice, to wed as well.So what if you don't want your adventure to be set in dark dungeons or filled with hordes of monsters? How about a setting filled with romance and intrigues, that calls for an entirely different set of skills?
Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing has it all: Love, hate, comedy, oaths, lies, a fancy masked-ball and enough ideas to inspire quite a number of adventures based on complex social interaction, that never run boring. - DirectorJean-Paul RappeneauStarsGérard DepardieuAnne BrochetVincent PerezFamed swordsman and poet Cyrano de Bergerac is in love with his cousin Roxane. He has never expressed his love for her as he his large nose undermines his self-confidence. Then he finds a way to express his love to her, indirectly.Yet another formidable story rich with romance and intrigues. I think it's a great thing to have a varity of settings in a campagin. Dungeons are cool, but once in a while you have to get your players out of there and have them run into arrogant nobles, lovesick soldiers and lovely maidens. Highly emotional dilemmas can be as perilous as the meanest dragon.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKaren AllenPaul FreemanIn 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.If you are a game master and haven't seen this yet, shame on you! Seriously, this is probably the most highly destilled quintessence of adventure you'll ever find: Charismatic Heroes, evil villains, dungeons, death traps, treasure and a number of iconic actions scenes that have written movie history. If you don't know it, stop right now, buy it or rent it immediatly and do your ******* homework!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKate CapshawKe Huy QuanIn 1935, Indiana Jones is tasked by Indian villagers with reclaiming a rock stolen from them by a secret cult beneath the catacombs of an ancient palace.As if "Temple of Doom" wasn't hint enough for you: There are evil cultists, hidden secrets, the ultimate culture shock feast and dungeons filled with terror.
You'll want to steal at least one of those scenes for your adventures: the banquet, the jawdropping mine chase or the most dramatic bridge scene. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordSean ConneryAlison DoodyIn 1938, after his father goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, Indiana Jones finds himself up against the Nazis again to stop them from obtaining its powers.There is no way around it. The Indiana Jones movies are the 101 of adventure design. Again there are too many scenes you'd like to steal. The libary, the catacombs, the chases and last but not least the three trials.
- DirectorSiu-Tung ChingStarsLeslie CheungJoey WangWu MaAfter a string of bad luck, a debt collector has no other choice than to spend the night in a haunted temple, where he encounters a ravishing female ghost and later battles to save her soul from the control of a wicked tree demon.A haunted temple, ghosts, demons, sword play, magic, a taoistic warrior monk and impossible love! This Hong Kong classic is full of great ideas!
- DirectorSiu-Tung ChingStarsLeslie CheungJoey WangMichelle ReisA Chinese Ghost Story II Chinese 倩女幽魂 II人間道 is a 1990 Hong Kong romantic comedy-horror film directed by Ching Siu-tung and produced by Tsui Hark. It is the sequel to A Chinese Ghost Story and is followed by A Chinese Ghost Story III.This is actually "A chinese ghost story 2". More of the same, but with enough great ideas of its own. There's a funny scene with a magic symbol you absolutely don't want to miss.
Btw.: Skip part three or the remake of the saga... - DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsRon PerlmanSelma BlairDoug JonesA prince of the mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth. Hellboy and his team must fight to stop him from locating the all-powerful Golden Army.Far superior to the first part, this movie shows perfectly how a supernatural group of main characters can be depicted in an emotionally engaging way.
There are many great things to learn from this movie for gamemasters, especially, how to create believebale, tragic villians and monsters with understandable motives. - DirectorDavid LeanStarsPeter O'TooleAlec GuinnessAnthony QuinnThe story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.If you are able to express in words, how the scenes of this movie look like, you have gained the ability to sell a stunning, exotic setting to your players and how to bring a foreign culture to life.
If you are not that good with words, you may at least want to use the soundtrack for any desert based adventure. It is as good as it could possibly get. - DirectorJohn FrankenheimerStarsRobert De NiroJean RenoNatascha McElhoneA freelancing former U.S. Intelligence Agent tries to track down a mysterious package that is wanted by the Irish and the Russians.If you don't know, what a MacGuffin is, look it up. Ronin features the perfect example of a MacGuffin and proves, that sometimes the goal isn't as much important as is how you get there. That's the lesson here.
- DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsMaksim MunzukYuriy SolominMikhail BychkovThe Russian army sends an explorer on an expedition to the snowy Siberian wilderness where he makes friends with a seasoned local hunter.Need inspiration for an adventure set in the wilderness? Follow the tracks of the Kyrgyz ranger Uzala (who seems to have maxed out his survival skill). This is a grand drama of man with and versus nature.
- DirectorDon CoscarelliStarsBruce CampbellOssie DavisBob IvyWhen residents of their nursing home start dying of dubious causes, an aged Elvis and an African-American senior who claims to be President John F. Kennedy discover that the perpetrator is an Egyptian mummy with murderous intentions.So what if you want to run an adventure, where the heroes are not the best of the best, but ordinary, if not very vulnerable and weak people who have to face the forces of evil? From this stems a certain type of horror, which has been translated pretty well to screen in Bubba Ho-Tep (with a dose of humor). This is small scale epicness.
- DirectorJean-Jacques AnnaudStarsSean ConneryChristian SlaterHelmut QualtingerAn intellectually nonconformist friar investigates a series of mysterious deaths in an isolated abbey.The original monastic murder mystery. This is yet another adventure template, that has been copied very, very often. You may want to try as well. But be warned! Few ever got close to the greatness of the Name of the Rose!
- DirectorPaul WegenerCarl BoeseStarsPaul WegenerAlbert SteinrückErnst DeutschIn 16th-century Prague, a rabbi creates the Golem - a giant creature made of clay. Using sorcery, he brings the creature to life in order to protect the Jews of Prague from persecution.A silent masterpiece, that confronts us with the dangers of magic in the form of an awakened clay guardian, which goes rampart. You may find a few ideas here.
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsSean AstinJosh BrolinJeff CohenA group of young misfits called The Goonies discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate's long-lost treasure.Yet another 80'ties adventure movie (Those were golden times!): Riddles, a treasure map, evil antagonists, unlikely friends, traps and tunnels... you'll love the organ ... Aarr!
- DirectorStephen SommersStarsBrendan FraserRachel WeiszJohn HannahAt an archaeological dig in the ancient city of Hamunaptra, an American serving in the French Foreign Legion accidentally awakens a mummy who begins to wreak havoc as he searches for the reincarnation of his long-lost love.How to give life to a movie monster, that was never really creepy? Enter The Mummy from 1999. This surprising revival of the classical adventure genre, around a time it hadn't been seen in cinemas for a while, did it right. The mummy was no longer a slow moving guy wrapped in bandages, but something strong, fast and threatening from beyond the grave. All this came wrapped in a tongue in cheek treasure hunting story, that fortunately didn't take itself too seriously. Creepy when it had to be, exciting when it had to be and entertaining from start to finish. Gives you a good idea of how to structure an adventure well.
- DirectorF. Gary GrayStarsDonald SutherlandMark WahlbergEdward NortonAfter being betrayed and left for dead in Italy, Charlie Croker and his team plan an elaborate gold heist against their former ally.The question is not: "Why is a heist movie on this list?" The question is: "Do you have a heist adventure on yours?" If not, you may want to consider the possibilities and give it a try. This type of story template is timeless and can be translated to any setting.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppChristina RicciMiranda RichardsonIchabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of three people; the culprit is legendary apparition The Headless Horseman.Horror & mystery. This highly atmospheric tale of a headless rider terrorizing a remote village is another, outstanding example of a template you can adopt easily into your rpg campagins.
Note, this template not only about a monster or similar threatening people, it's also about the reasons behind that. The symptoms of evil are not to be confused with its source. - DirectorHarold RamisStarsBill MurrayAndie MacDowellChris ElliottA narcissistic, self-centered weatherman finds himself in a time loop on Groundhog Day.A comedy about a guy who lives the same day over and over again. Aside from being a great movie, you may want to steal the idea for a one shot adventure for your rpg campagin. The template can easily applied to any setting of your choice and the escape from the time-cylce can happen under any conditions you see fit.
It's on this list, probably because it questions the entire concept of timely order. It is, similiar to Jumanji a concept that breaks apart the ordinary flow of the world it takes part in. I think it may inspire ideas, where suddenly a normal place or normal sequence of events can become something extraordinary. I think therein lies a certain potential. Even if it is some kind of special one. - DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsBruce WillisAlan RickmanBonnie BedeliaA New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.A list of great story templates you can steal or learn from wouldn't be complete without "Die Hard". Very few heroes have to stand against a group of well organized villains, who have taken the place (skyscraper, ship, castle, ...) they are in, foil their plan, save hostages and the day. Another time- and placeless concept.
- DirectorJohn MiliusStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerJames Earl JonesMax von SydowA powerful warrior seeks to avenge the genocide of his people and the murder of his parents at the hands of a snake cult.One thing this movie excels at, is depicting a foreign, archaic world that works by other rules than ours. And of course the story is full of battles among grim barbarians. All in all: There's more than enough to steal from here.
I'd like to point game masters towards the awe inspiring scene, where Conan recovers a sword from a tomb in particular.
Scenes and setpieces aside, Conan the Barbarian also features one of the best fantasy adventure soundtracks of all time. You really want to listen to that. - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsCary GrantEva Marie SaintJames MasonA New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and falls for a woman whose loyalties he begins to doubt.Alfred Hitchcock was very aware of cliches and how to avoid them. The assassination attempt by plane in broad daylight is probably the best example for that. He imagined and shot the total opposite of what one would usually do in a movie, and it turned out to be one of the most famous move scenes of all time.
What to learn from this movie is this: Check your adventure for cliches and then turn them upside down! - DirectorPitofStarsGérard DepardieuGuillaume CanetInés SastreParis, 1830: Vidocq is killed by a mirror masked man. A thief turned investigator, he was working on a case of men killed by lightning. His biographer tries to solve the case.Historical Murder Mystery meets the supernatural. As Sleepy Hollow, this movie has a very rich atmosphere, that may inspire you. The story is set in early 19th century Paris and may give you some fresh ideas.
- DirectorWalter HillStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerJim BelushiPeter BoyleA tough Russian policeman is forced to partner up with a cocky Chicago police detective when he is sent to Chicago to apprehend a Georgian drug lord who killed his partner and fled the country.Now why is this on the list? It is because cultre shock/clash of the cultures and "fish out of the water" stories provide you with a great, basic template. The player characters may be foreign to the place your adventure takes place in, foreign to the non player characters they interact with or even foreign to each other. It may encourage great role playing from your players and even provide additional adventure hooks.
- DirectorAlex ProyasStarsRufus SewellKiefer SutherlandJennifer ConnellyA man struggles with memories of his past, which include a wife he cannot remember and a nightmarish world no one else ever seems to wake up from."What the heck is going on here?" Sometimes the best way to make your players know that the adventure has started, is to make them know they know nothing... Too difficult? Well you may want to throw them head first into a mystery now and then.