"All three died, because of a book which kills... or, for which, men will kill!"
A chilling line from the movie The Name Of The Rose. And an interesting plot hook for a Dungeons and Dragons game. What is the book? Why does it kill? Why are there men that would kill, to keep its' contents secret?
13 comments:
Great movie, while not a very flattering picture of clerical life in the Middle Ages. Good plot line too for a story arc.
Inevitably, someone must say "The book is much better," so let it be me who says so.
Name of the Rose is one of my all time favorite movies and books. I saw the movie first and years later read the book. I think I will watch the movie again this weekend since it has been a few years since I saw it last.
James Maliszewski said...
Inevitably, someone must say "The book is much better," so let it be me who says so.
I'm currently working my way through it. Your grasp of latin must have come in handy.
From what i've read so far, I must agree with you. But I still adore the movie.
You know, I'd include "The Name of the Rose" in the small subset of "the movie is better than the book".
Overall, I found the plot and pacing to be more compelling in the movie, while many of the details of setting and mood were better conveyed visually, IMHO.
I favor the book as well, but to each one's own. I agree that the book (and movie) is ripe with great "puzzle" / mystery ideas for D&D. In fact, cursed scrolls and books that do horrible things to the reader are one of my favorite tropes (traps?) in my own campaigns.
My preference for the book over the movie is to a great extent based on the film's very cartoonish portrayal of Bernard Gui, who is a much more complex character in the book (and history, for what it's worth).
Shane Mangus said...
Name of the Rose is one of my all time favorite movies and books.
I just finished reading the book yesterday. The complete movie is on youtube.
Love the beard, is this a new look for you?
K-Slacker said...
You know, I'd include "The Name of the Rose" in the small subset of "the movie is better than the book".
One of the advantages of a movie is that I can get the gist of the story in 2 hours, rather than the 6+ hours it took me to read the book (i'm a bit of a speed-reader).
Carter Soles said...
I favor the book as well, but to each one's own. I agree that the book (and movie) is ripe with great "puzzle" / mystery ideas for D&D. In fact, cursed scrolls and books that do horrible things to the reader are one of my favorite tropes (traps?) in my own campaigns.
Having done my undergraduate degree in Poli Sci, I find the part where men will kill, to keep the book's contents secret, extremely compelling. Of course, i've always wanted to run an all-cleric campaign, where the clerics are involved in church intrigue, persecution of heretics, destruction of demons, and the investigation of unholy murder.
James Maliszewski said...
My preference for the book over the movie is to a great extent based on the film's very cartoonish portrayal of Bernard Gui, who is a much more complex character in the book (and history, for what it's worth).
I grok what you're saying.
I preferred the movie's story arc for Bernard Gui, the girl and the heretics, as it was more emotionally satisfying (to me) to see the story-arc resolved, within the frame. I also liked that in the movie Gui was undone by his own devices.
Perhaps I missed it, but in the movie, William of Baskerville (Connery) was previously investigated by the inquisition, I don't recall that being part of the book.
That is a picture of me on my wedding day (10/10/2010). I have had the beard for almost 20 years now. :-)
@ Shane:
Well, congratulations on your nuptials!
and re: Name of the Rose, I liked both the book and the movie. I think taken together they're stronger than merely separately. The movie for the visuals, and the book for the details that cannot be put in a movie.
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